My neighbor Kathleen Bowers is also an author, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to sit down with her and chat about her book. She actually said that she had no intention of writing a book until she knew she had to tell her unique story.

What lead her to discovering that she had a unique story was a unique series of events in itself. One day, she happened to email Oprah about her friend who inspires her because Oprah’s website asked for people to share that with them. The producer of the show contacted her and invited Kathleen and her friend to attend the show, which would be the twenty-fifth and final Favorite Things show.

Everyone who attended the show was gifted a Caribbean cruise! On the cruise, though, Kathleen noticed that several people had issues with their documentation. Even her husband ran into a problem when the image that popped up in the ship’s system for his ID wasn’t him. “When we got home, we started talking about what our next trip would be. I wanted to make sure our travel documents were in order, so we wouldn’t have any issues.”

Kathleen contacted the State’s Department of Vital Records for their original birth certificates. “This is when I found out that my birth record was sealed. I was 55 at the time, and I was surprised.” Phone calls to several other offices yielded the same answer. Even worse, no one was allowed to tell her why it was sealed. This led Kathleen on a journey to discover why the answer. “I had unearthed a buried family secret.”

After emails, phone calls, reconnections with lost relatives, and much more, Kathleen discovered so much about herself and her family that she never knew. This amazing journey had to be told.

“You know the feeling right before you give birth? Like you have to get that baby out of your body? That’s the same feeling I had right before I started writing my story. I had to get my story out.” Kathleen said that writing the book gave her peace; it also gave her a lot of understanding about herself and her role in her family. She felt whole.

“This is why my book is A Sacred Silence. It was like God took me by the hand and said, ‘Now you’re ready to know and understand and become your authentic self.’” Kathleen said she felt strengthened as she wrote. The process deepened her faith and inspired her to be more tenacious and rely on her faith more. Amazingly, the book poured out in about ten days. Her journey, which began in the summer of 2011 and ended in October of 2014, is chronicled in A Sacred Silence. It was published two years ago.

Prior to writing her book, Kathleen had always loved the written word. As a child, she would walk with her sisters to the neighborhood library, and frequently read A Child’s Garden of Verses, one of her favorite books. Throughout her life, she had journaled and written poetry. Plus, as a teacher, she got to integrate creative or factual writing into projects. A Sacred Silence, though, was her first endeavor into book writing.

As she wrote her story, she let a core group of confidants read the initial draft of her journey. “They became my literary circle. They couldn’t get enough! Every time I finished a chapter, I immediately sent it out. They were all hooked on the story.”

Kathleen said that the toughest part about the writing process was deciding what to share with the reader and what to keep in her heart. In the end, though, she found a balance, and “just seeing how those words grow into something that can be put in someone’s hands was something I will always cherish.”

For the publishing part of it, Kathleen worked with Populore Publishing (Morgantown, W.Va.), and they “became like family. They made the process seamless with such an eye for detail.” Populore uses Create Space as their publishing platform, but they themselves handle the editing, formatting, graphics, and other parts of the process.

As for marketing, Kathleen said she wasn’t concerned because she knew her book would just end up in the right hands. And that’s exactly what has happened. She does book talks and signings at libraries and enjoys speaking with intimate groups. This offers potential readers the opportunity to build connections and ask questions.

Engagement also gives her a chance to make a real impact. In one group, a woman had discovered who her birth mother was but didn’t know if she should reach out to her. After hearing Kathleen talk about her story, she was able to really process how she felt about it and knew this wasn’t the time. It could wait till she was really ready.

What’s next for Kathleen? She has been thinking about a sequel—especially since it has been requested—because several things happened on her path since. She’s still undecided, but she did say that she is grateful for what she has found out.

For anyone who is thinking about writing about their personal story, Kathleen suggests that they first define their motivation for the endeavor and then recognize who their audience is and what those readers will gain from having read their book. “Knowing your audience and your message or motivation is the first step to finding your focus and really telling your story from your heart. Defining your purpose will give you a more positive publishing experience.” This is something that Populore did when they worked with Kathleen. They didn’t move forward with her manuscript till she could define her audience and what they would get out of reading it. And the journey has been worth every step.

For more information about Kathleen Bowers and A Sacred Silence, please visit her website or her Facebook page. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.

Also, for anyone attending my workshop on September 16 in Pittsburgh, you get a special treat! Kathleen will stop by for a short time to chat about the writing and publishing process. I can’t wait!

Thinking about penning your own story? Contact me to set up a free Clarity Call. I’d love to help you discover how to write about your personal experiences!