Daughter of Mine-Author Guest Post + GIVEAWAY!!!

Today I have the great pleasure to introduce to you a fellow blogger and New Author, Laura Fabiani.

Laura Fabiani holds a degree in Special Care Counseling and has worked as a psychiatric child counselor and as a special education technician at various institutions. She launched NouveauWriter http://www.nouveauwriter.com an online resource for new and aspiring writers. It covers topics on writing, English grammar, vocabulary building and publishing and marketing. She also reviews books at Library of Clean Reads http://libraryofcleanreads.blogspot.com. She owns a translation business, mainly translating medical documents from French to English. She currently teaches Creative Writing Workshops in English and French. She lives with her husband and two children in Montreal, Quebec. Visit her at www.laurafabiani.com.

 Laura has recently published the beautiful novel, DAUGHTER OF MINE (see My Review Here).

 And now, on to her very interesting guest post...Welcome Laura Fabiani!

Nia, a Notebook and Homeopathy: Healing for the Soul

What do the above three have in common? They helped me write my novel! Let me explain. Two years before I actually sat down and got serious about writing the story I had spinning in my head, I went through a very rough spell. I gave birth to my second child and suffered through post-partum depression, had the worst relapse of fibromyalgia, and a few months later tore an arm muscle—almost as excruciating as giving birth!

I looked like a walking zombie. My co-workers no longer recognized me. I had lost too much weight, my face was gaunt, and I couldn’t put a sentence together from the fog invading my brain. I had two children to take care of, but all I wanted to do was sleep, and maybe disappear, like…forever. Instead, I took advantage of all the loving support I had (devoted hubby, helpful Mom, doting sisters, caring congregation) and took some action. I went to see my homeopathic doctor. Within a month, the pain I had been enduring for months was gone! I began to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

My youngest sister, Katia, then introduced me to Nia. “I’m just managing to put one foot in front of the other,” I complained. “How am I supposed to do this Nia workout thing?” She ranted and raved some more until I went, thinking it was going to be the usual exercise class. I was stunned. I hadn’t had that much fun in a long, long time. Nia reawakened my creativity, my self-confidence, my sense of pleasure, my love for exploration and daring. Yes, daring. Dare I write a novel when all semblance of eloquence seemed to have vanished from my speech and thinking pattern?

I began carrying a notebook with me everywhere and scribbling in it furiously as I supervised the children at the park, the jungle gym, during bath time, and anywhere I could grab a spare moment. I was alive again, and I was celebrating! I was finally going to write that novel I dreamed of. At the time, I had no plans to publish, only to write. For those of you who have read Daughter of Mine, you will note that it is the perfect book to escape with because…well, I escaped when I was writing it. I wanted my readers to be with me in Rome and Gaeta as my main character lived her adventure.

Daughter of Mine is not just special to me because it is my first book but because I began writing it at a time in my life when I had to rediscover who I was. Writing it helped me heal—a soothing balm that eased the emotional pain that initially threatened to engulf me. It was a project born of my will to regain my life, to change the downward spiral, and to resurface new and ready to go! My advice to aspiring writers or any I’m-down-in-the-dumps-and-cannot-do-it folks: Take the right action and believe in yourself!

Thank you so much Laura.  This is truly inspiring!

If you'd like to learn more about this brilliant author, her book and her work; Please visit her at:

www.laurafabiani.com 

For her complete Blog Tour:

http://www.laurafabiani.com/events.html

Please enjoy this mesmerizing clip of her book...Italy, the music, the lyrics- simply splendid!

AND NOW...Laura Fabiani is graciously offering a GIVEAWAY of her book, DAUGHTER OF MINE to one of my Lucky Readers!!!  Thank you Laura:)

TO ENTER:  You must be a Follower of this blog. 

1 Chance:  Leave a Comment for Laura and your email address.
5 Chances for posting this on your Sidebar (send me the link).
2 EXTRA Chances Every time you post, twitter or Facebook about this Giveaway (come back to send me the link each time)

Open to Canada and US.  Winner Announced on Friday, April 31st

GOOD LUCK!!