Thank You for Making the Book a Reality!

The book has arrived!

Writing to Heal – A Pandemic Journey to Healing includes the pieces written in 2020, with “Action/Reflection” prompts after each one.

And this week, the 87^th time I have written in the 26 months since the pandemic began, I wanted to pause and give thanks for the many people who have supported the journey. That, and to invite you to come out to our 1^st two book release parties – Wed, 5/18 at Netherwood Park 6-8pm and Thurs, 5/26 at Altura Park 7-9pm.

Writing to Heal, beginning in the first weeks of the project where it was word documents being sent by email to folks, has been about a community healing together.

Thank you to everyone that has supported me in your email responses, your reflections, your posts on the blog, and for your ways of supporting me to keep writing.

A few people deserve special recognition in this realm.

Thank you, Shannon, for sharing life with me and supporting this endeavor. Thank you, kids! You gave daddy so much wisdom and humor to inspire me to write. Thank you mom and dad for your constant feedback and encouragement on the pieces.

Then there are the folks who have supported this Writing to Heal project from day 1. Without you all, I might have stopped a long time ago. Thank you Amy, Valerie, Ted, Allan, Tonya, Michael, Ali, Solomon, Christine, Michael, Debie and Tionna.

This book gave me the chance to share space with many creative people and for them I give thanks. Mallery Quetawki, one of my favorite artists who did the front cover. Hakim Bellamy, my brother whose poetry has a permanent place in my heart. David Rakel who has always supported me. One of my life mentors Freeman Hrabowski – you are a guide for my life.

Then there are beautiful people who contributed material for the book. Christian Gering, Joe Romero, Shannon Fleg, Tonya Covington, Randy Sabaque, Nehemiah Cionelo, Emelia Pino, Leah Lewis, Danielle Hopkins, Michael Nuttall, Amy Robinson, Shannon Fleg, Veronica Hutchison and the Paint for Peace artists – thank you!

To Alex Paramo and Community Publishing, thank you for believing in me and supporting the book wholeheartedly. Buy local, including your publisher!

Writing to Heal is the product of a community of beautiful people. Each of them, each of you should feel pride in seeing the book become a reality.