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In my early forties, I began
going through what is culturally referred to as “the change”. It is a
time in a woman’s life when her hormones rebel against the norm and
fluctuate, causing considerable emotional and physical discomfort. It is
followed by my all-time favorite, the mind-boggling hormonal weight
gain, which is not precipitated by bad eating habits or a lack of
exercise. It just appears on your body uninvited. Yeah, it’s a fun time
all around and to put it bluntly, I was not happy. My stomach, which had
once been flat, was now a pudgy soft playground of goo. My vocabulary,
which had once been vast, was now caught up in a perpetual hormonal
brain fog, and I despised every moment of it. I hated the weight gain, I
loathed the lack of clarity and I detested the private summers. All I
wanted was my old body back, immediately.
My
husband and I love live music, so we are often out and about supporting
local or touring bands. Such was the case the night we found ourselves
at The House of Blues in Hollywood, jamming to The Gap Band in concert. I
would love to tell you that I was completely present for every glorious
moment of that night, but I wasn’t. I spent the bulk of the evening
inside my head, hating my body, hating perimenopause and lamenting about
how things used to be. Every woman who walked in with the waist I used
to have fueled the conversation in my mind of all I had lost, as well as
musings of what I could possibly do to get it back again. I felt like
it would not be until I somehow got things back to the way they used to
be that I could enjoy my life and fully live again.
But
here’s the thing, while I was waiting to “live again”…life was
happening. Around me, joy was flowing through the air like oxygen. But
instead of partaking in it, I chose to fixate on something that, in that
moment, I had no control of. I was standing next to my husband, a man
who loves me and my body just the way it is: we were surrounded by good
friends and perfect strangers, all cheering, singing and dancing to The
Gap Band’s old-school hit “Party Train” and I missed it. Life was
happening, and I wasn’t there! I was in my head preoccupied with
self-pity.
I was so focused on a tomorrow that is not promised that I let the now that was given slip away unappreciated.
Born
in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised in the Bay Area of Northern California,
Erin grew up with an innate love for dance, theatre and the written
word. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University, Erin began her career
in the arts as an actress and choreographer. After booking several
notable roles in television and film, Erin began to use her gift of
writing in blogs featuring political and social commentary, as well as
developing content for theatrical use.
Although The Dunes,
is a divine departure from Erin’s previous writings it is by far her
most cherished work to date. “I wrote The Dunes initially as self
therapy because I needed to release some painful experiences and
disappointments from my past. I had this thirst to walk in the complete
fullness of life with joy as my constant companion. I had no idea what
effect it would have on other people. But when I saw people read it and
be released from fears that had held them back for years…when I saw
people forgive and be able to walk in the freedom forgiveness
brings…when I saw people commit and serve and how those things opened up
new opportunities in their life, I was just humbled. Humbled by the
awesome power of God and humbled that I had been allowed to go along for
the ride”.
When asked why she
writes, Erin pauses and reflects on the truth of her heart. “I write
because although I am only now beginning to truly love the process, I
have always loved the outcome. Like a composer, words become my notes. I
string them together in song eliciting the response of my reader,
grafting a picture of my soul. Where besides the written word can you
effect change so utterly and so succinctly? What besides the written
word can pierce the universal collective mind? Everything begins with a
thought, but it isn’t until that thought is articulated in written word
and those words passed down can life changing movement happen. It must
be written, it must be expressed on tablet, and when it is, we all
become greater, whether the writing be genius or fatuity, it has evoked
thought and debate. Why wouldn’t I want to be apart of that phenomenon?
Why wouldn’t I want to share my story, give my testimony…add my paradigm
to the mix? Whether it is a novel, a poem, an essay or an article, it
is humanity visited. An insight into a new or sometimes shared truth. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. And with that I live my life”.
If there was a journey that could masterfully change your life in seven revelations...would you take it?
In
life, sometimes the kernels of wisdom and the richness of revelation
can be found in the most innocent of stories; and so it is with The
Dunes. Join one man and one woman in an exquisitely simple yet
remarkably profound journey as you discover with them that the mountain
you must climb in order to live the abundant life of your dreams is
located squarely within your heart.
Illuminated
in seven revelations; The Dunes carries the reader on a journey to not
only examine the obstacles that are holding them back in life but to
conquer and over come them as well. With each revelation The Dunes
intimately calls on the reader as the journey companion to face a
challenge…a dare if you will that requires an uncompromising commitment
to change. In the family of faith-based self help books, The Dunes
stands alone, simultaneously taking the reader from fiction to life and
back again, equipped with a tailor made journal for the readers inner
most secrets and reflections. The Dunes is part allegory, part testimony
and part journal, but the best part is the healing it offers your
heart. When you’re ready to step out of your comfort zone and step into
the miracle of your life…The Dunes awaits.
CAUTION:
Readers of this book are subject to significant changes for the better.
Side effects may include frequent smiling and enjoying life in every
season.
Genre – Non-fiction
Rating – G
I knew something was up when I found Jane already sitting
on Jean’s family-room couch, coffee mug in hand. They each took a turn
sharing their concerns and offering up evidence of my “disordered
eating” as if they were reenacting a scene from an ABC Afterschool.
Though I knew their hearts were in the right place, I was furious. They
just don’t get it, I thought. If they did, they wouldn’t ask me to eat.
They would know how much aliveness there is in hunger—how light and
strong it makes me feel. If they got it, they would understand how
connected this was to my mom and, more specifically, to not having my
mom; in fact, they should applaud me for finding such an elegant outlet
for my grief.
I pleaded, “I’m fine.” (I’m not.) “Back
off.” (Please don’t.) I assured them I had it under control, but I
didn’t. And, though I couldn’t admit it, I was starting to get scared.
Every time I reached my stated goal weight, I set a new one before I
stepped off the scale. I had reached ninety-nine pounds and was now
going for ninety-five, maybe ninety. Yes—ninety sounded better.
My
friends gave me an ultimatum: either I would tell David what I was
doing or I would go to an eating-disorders clinic within the next week;
otherwise, Jane would call David herself. A voice inside me cried out,
Please don’t make me eat. Being hungry is all that is feeding me.
Where
Have I Been All My Life? is a compelling memoir recounting one woman’s
journey through grief and a profound feeling of unworthiness to
wholeness and healing. It begins with the chillingly sudden death of
Rice’s mother, and is followed by her foray into the center of
mourning.
With wisdom, grace, and humor, Rice recounts the grief games she plays in an
effort to resurrect her mother; her efforts to get her therapist, who
she falls desperately in love with, to run away with her; and the
transformation of her husband from fantasy man to ordinary guy to
superhero. In the process, she experiences aching revelations about her
family and her past—and realizes what she must leave behind, and what
she can carry forward with her.
Genre – Memoir
Rating – PG-13
As
a writer you know that it takes long hours at your computer or at your
writing desk to complete your master piece. Whether you’re a New York
Times bestselling author or a first time novelist your chair and you
have probably become very well acquainted. Of course these days it’s not
just writers who spend a lot of time in the seated position.
The
desk job has become the norm in America and across most of the Western
world. Many of us are virtually chained to our desks, working on our
computers, answering emails, teleconferencing and doing Skype meetings.
For most, the only reason to get up out of our chairs is to take a quick
bathroom break, and then it’s back to the desk to type up that report
or send out that follow-up e-mail. According to a poll of 6,300 people
by the Institute for Medicine and Public Health, Americans spend an
average of 56 hours each week just sitting. That’s up by eight percent
in the last twenty years. We are also contending with longer commutes to
work, leaving us sitting in our car fighting traffic for longer periods
of time each day, and causing us to be more sedentary than ever
before. But it’s not just our jobs that encourage all this sedentary
behavior; it’s also what we do when we are off work.
If
you’re a writer working on that breakout novel that will get you out of
that dead end job, coming home after a hard day’s work often means
sitting back down in front of your computer for three or four more
hours. While this is clearly admirable and absolutely necessary to bring
your dreams to life it may be playing havoc with your health.
Even
if you’re not working on that novel your down time may be problematic
to your activity levels. Television, or as my father so fondly called
it, the “boob tube,” has been a favorite after-work pastime since the
1950s. Today, Americans spend 151 hours every month watching television,
and most of that time is spent sitting down. Each year the
entertainment industry is coming up with more and more reasons for us to
have a seat and enjoy an ever-widening variety of entertainment
options. My satellite provider boasts more than 250 channels including
music, sports and movies along with all the network and cable offerings.
That’s more than enough to keep the average American glued to the couch
almost every night of the week. With websites like Hulu you can stream
current and past TV shows at your convenience; add to that video games,
social networking sites like Facebook, My Space, Twitter and LinkedIn,
and you can see why many of us seem to be growing roots from our butts
deep into the couch.
What’s
the big deal you say? So we spend a little more time sitting around. It
can’t be that bad for us can it? The answer to that question is yes it can.
Is your chair killing you? All the latest research says yes. According
new studies from places like the Mayo clinic, Harvard University,
Louisiana State Universities Pennington Biomedical research Center,
University of Sydney in Australia and the University of Hong Kong in
China point to increased health risks to people who sit for extended
periods of time. By simply sitting too much you significantly raise your
risk of getting lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease, kidney
disease, stroke, obesity and certain forms of cancer. Even worse doing
30-60 minutes of exercise a day won’t undo the damage that too much
sitting causes.
All
this might seem like very bad news. I mean, if sitting for long periods
of time is deadly and exercise won’t save us then we’re doomed, doomed I tell you!
Whoa…dial
it back my pessimistic friend, because the solution is actually
incredibly simple. In my book Is Your Chair Killing You? I show you just
how to combat sitting disease and improve your health and help you lose
weight. Best of all the cure is actually super easy, can be done almost
anywhere and takes as little as 8 minutes a day. In this ground
breaking book you will learn how to stay active all day long and still
be productive and actually improve creativity. So buy Is Your Chair
Killing You? and you can finish that novel and still live long enough to
enjoy the fruits of your labors.
Sitting
for extended periods of time is as bad for your health as smoking
cigarettes. And exercising for 30-60 minutes a day isn’t enough to undo
the damage from extended periods of sitting. Is Your Chair Killing You
reveals shocking new research showing that sitting for long periods
greatly increases your risk of developing obesity, heart disease,
diabetes, stroke and cancer. Our bodies were designed to move constantly
over the course of the day, but most of us sit for hours a day at work
and at home! Fitness and wellness expert and award-winning author Kent
Burden has created brief, simple movements you can incorporate into your
daily life to combat the damaging effects of sitting. These simple
movements, done standing for 1-5 minutes each hour will burn calories,
energize and refresh you, and you won’t even break a sweat; you’ll even
improve your back pain. This book is a how-to for weight loss and
disease prevention. Read this book–you’ll be healthier in as little as 8
minutes a day.
Nominated for the Dan Poynter Global Ebook Awards and won honorable mention at the Los Angeles Book Festival
Genre – Non-Fiction
Rating – G
a Rafflecopter giveaway
How do you work through self-doubts and fear?
When
I’m writing I am very intentional in creating a safe, creative zone to
work from. I come from a theater background, and I remember learning
early on that the stage was a place of safety and creative freedom where
there was no room for self-doubt or judgment. I try to mimic that in my
writing space. I do not think with a critic’s mind when I’m in that
zone. It feels amazing and free – no editing allowed. This helps a great
deal with keeping my fears from creeping into my work. When the work is
ready to go out, well, then I must say I do have to contend with those
fears. I have not found a way to get rid of self-doubt at that stage,
but I think that’s part of being a creative artist.
What scares you the most?
What
scares me most is not leading the life I was meant to live. I do
believe we all have a purpose, certain gifts that we are meant to
express in this life. The universe wants to see our own unique flower
blossom, and while that sounds beautiful, I’m keenly aware of how hard
it can be to allow yourself to bloom. Your flower might not look
anything like what you thought it would, or what you wanted it to look
like, or what your family or town or community wants it to look like.
The courage to first discover and then be who you really are is no small
thing.
What makes you happiest?
Stillness makes
me happy. Slowing down makes me happy. Watching my daughter sleep and
hearing her howl with laughter when I tickle her. Sitting under the
stars with my best friend and feeling immense gratitude for his presence
in my life. Dancing makes me insanely happy, Expressing emotions that
have no words but come out in movement. Spending time with people that
get me. Being around boldness and creative energy.
What’s your greatest character strength?
This
one is not so easy and clear as my weakest trait. I’ve been told by
many people that I have a great deal of courage – I’m ballsy. I’m an
Aries so I have that strong, I’ll go first and I’m not afraid of
anything energy. I can definitely see that trait in me, but I can also
be very timid so it almost feels like a toggle switch that is either on
or off. I also have a very strong awareness of my emotions and what I’m
going through at any given moment (thanks to years of therapy, acting
classes and a masters in spiritual psychology).
What’s your weakest character trait?
I
have very little patience. In fact, I don’t even have the patience for
this question. It’s been like this all my life. I blame it on the stars.
Seriously. So many tasks, challenges, and goals I gave up on too soon
because I didn’t see any early success. I would like to say I’m working
on this but I’m not. I don’t know even know where to begin. Perhaps
there’s a support group?
Why do you write?
I write
for many reasons. Pure selfish self-expression is one reason. I write
sometimes to discover where I am at psychologically speaking. I feel
like I can move energy when I write and in doing so heal. I write
stories to perform on stage. I write to tell people’s stories who might
not have been heard. I write because it feels alive to be living in a
story and not know where it will take me.
What motivates you to write?
Creativity
equates to aliveness. It’s where anything is possible. And when I
write, I feel alive. The irony is that my mind is necessary for me to
write but I prefer to write as if I’m out of my mind. And by mind I mean
my inner-critic, the judging, non-life affirming part of me.
Diagnosed
with Borderline Personality disorder, Amy struggled with depression and
an addiction to sharp objects. Even hospitalization didn't help to heal
her destructive tendencies. It took a tumultuous relationship with a
man named Truth to bring her back from the depths of her own self-made
hell.Amy's marriage to dark, intriguing Truth was both passionate and
stormy. She was a fair-skinned southern girl from New Orleans. He was a
charming black man with tribal tattoos, piercings, and a mysterious
past. They made an unlikely pair, but something clicked.
During
their early marriage, they pulled themselves out of abject poverty into
wealth and financial security practically overnight. Then things began
to fall apart.Passionate and protective, Truth also proved violent and
abusive. Amy’s own self-destructive tendencies created a powerful
symmetry. His sudden death left Amy with an intense and warring set of
emotions: grief for the loss of the man she loved, relief she was no
longer a target for his aggression.
Conflicted and grieving, Amy found herself at a spiritual and emotional crossroads, only to receive help from an unlikely source: Truth himself.
Feeling his otherworldly presence in her dreams, Amy seeks help from a
famous medium.
Her
spiritual encounters change Amy forever. Through Truth, she learns her
soul is eternal and indestructible, a knowledge that gives Amy the
courage to pursue her own dreams and transform herself both physically
and emotionally. Her supernatural encounters help Amy resolve the
internal anger and self-destructive tendencies standing between her and
happiness, culminating in a sense of spiritual fulfillment she never
dreamed possible.
An amazing true story, What Freedom Smells Like is told with courage, honesty, and a devilishly dark sense of humor.
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre – Memoir
Rating – PG-13
Connect with Amy Lewis through Twitter
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