It began over a decade ago during an intuitive reading when I was told that I would write a book. At that time the idea seemed very foreign to me and I shrugged it off, thinking, I don’t think so. However, that message kept coming forward in future sessions, including an astrological update. I finally arrived at a place where I said, okay, I’m open to this idea; however, spirit, you will have to show me what I am to write about. I felt we had numerous books on Reiki and on the Enneagram, and I was not sure I had a defining slant worthy of sharing.

Writing is not a new idea for me, as I have been writing this blog for 15 years. I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing my experiences and perspectives on numerous topics over the years in these 600–900 word muses. It feels like a far cry from a full book. My mom had even suggested that it would be a great idea to sift through the blog posts and sort them into a collection to publish as a book. It’s a great idea, however one that I never felt compelled to follow through with yet.

The Invitation

So, imagine my surprise last year when I received an email from Amanda Wilson-Ciocci, Founder of The Monarch & Co business community and Publishing House, announcing a call for authors for an upcoming co-authored book, and my whole body responded. Here it is… this is the invitation I have been waiting for. Wait… what? My head started its own conversation around why this was not a good idea now and why I would be chosen from her huge community to participate in this. However, I did a huge override of the voice in my head and followed my gut immediately to respond and ask for more information.

I was invited to an exploratory call the following week, and truthfully, after learning about the process, the motivation for the topic — Success Redefined — and hearing the success that Amanda and Kiel have had with previous co-authored books, I knew that it was an invitation I could not pass up. I expressed my total “Heck Yes” intention and waited with bated breath for the acceptance, which did follow.

The Process

True to that initial overview, all chosen authors were supported and held through this whole process with incredible expertise, guidance and encouragement. We learned about the “Story Arc” with the amazing Alex Street; we came together to share our idea threads and get input and inspiration when needed from each other; and we were given an outline of important target dates for completing the steps along the way. Though this framework provided the structure, it was still a daunting task to take a whole story and condense it into a meaningful, succinct chapter. Every one of the suggested 3,000 words counted. No room for filler.

Once I chose my storyline, I went back through journal entries and relived some tender years and moments of struggle and growth. I laughed, cried, remembered important teachings and actually redefined my values. The rough drafts were handed in the first week of January. That felt really good, yet vulnerable. Now we awaited feedback from the editors. I talked myself into being open to whatever came back, even if it was a request for a full rewrite. Lol.

A Costa Rican Turning Point

As timing would have it, I had a women’s retreat booked the first week of February in Costa Rica — a welcome break from the winter and a chance to do some inner reflection on the past year. It was just what I needed, and I arrived home filled with gratitude. My first edit had just been sent back, and I was thrilled that it didn’t require a full rewrite; at least not from the editor’s perspective. When I read it through, however, I was very clear that I had a whole section in the middle that no longer felt in alignment. My trip had provided a deeper place to open in me, and the new perspective flowed into the partial rewrite with ease. All was approved, and I felt really good about the final version.

Time to Celebrate

It’s now time to celebrate! The book launch is scheduled for June 11th, with an official event at the Simcoe Street Theatre in Collingwood from 7 to 10 pm. This is also the day that the book, “Success Redefined”, will be available on Amazon. For those who live close to me, I will have signed copies available.

I am thrilled to have been part of this process and look forward to wherever the path unfolds moving forward. I can’t wait to read the whole book from cover to cover and be moved by the stories that each of my colleagues has shared too. I am filled with gratitude for Amanda and Kiel of The Monarch & Co Publishing Company and each of the amazing women I shared this with.

Join Us

If you are in the Collingwood area and want to join us, here is a link for tickets: https://www.themonarchandco.com/success-redefined-book-launch-party

There will be a link added on my website to order the book.

Sending gratitude to all who share this journey with me: Past – Present – Future. Happy June.