Singer Gloria Gaynor’s publicist contacted me about 6 months
ago, saying she had heard about me and also read my blog for helping others
going through their grief journey. She wanted me to know that Gloria was
putting together a new book entitled, “We Will Survive” and asked if I would
contribute a story for her book relating how her biggest song hit, “I Will
Survive” relates to my situation.
I was thrilled to
write the story and sent in a story immediately. It was accepted along with 39
other stories. The book will be available December 1, but a special kindle
edition on Amazon came out on Nov. 1. Within 48 hours it worked its way to the
top of Amazon’s best seller kindle list. It was amazing to me this could happen
so fast.
My story was, of course, about my daughter, her death and
how I’ve moved on with my life, trying to help others, somewhat similar to my
two books, but not detailed like the books. Other people wrote about different
kinds of survival from people who lost their homes in natural disasters, and
the 9/11 tragedy, to a woman who changed her mind about committing suicide,
survivors of incest and domestic violence and a survivor of the Holocaust. All
39 stories found something in “I Will Survive” that enabled them to hang on,
get through, and keep moving forward. It is amazing how many people have been
impacted by the song even 35 years later.
Gaynor herself relates what the song has meant to her also.
It became a symbol of her own quest to survive personal turmoil and tragedy.
She tells her story because she feels the cause is so important that if the
book’s contributors can expose themselves and tell the truth, she could also.
I’ve also been asked to help publicize the book when asked to
do so by radio, television and speaking to groups later this year.
