Guest Author Breakfast with Yona Zeldis McDonough, author of "TWO OF A KIND"

Good morning, writers!

Today at the BB B&B, guest author Yona Zeldis McDonough is sharing with us her favorite breakfast recipe :) 

"Breakfast: multigrain English muffin with cottage cheese
and apricot butter + sliced bananas."

"The apricot butter comes from a farm in Ohio
though I bought it at a farm strand in the Hudson Valley."

"Coffee is cafe latte made in my Nespresso coffee maker."

Enjoy!!!

:)

Angela Shelton, You Are My Super Hero...

The other day advocate and author Angela Shelton asked me for a testimonial, a statement of how she's helped me or shown me how to use my "sword of trauma" for good. Below is what I sent her as she has been a true inspiration for me since the first time I saw her way back at the beginning of my healing journey...could it have been 2007? 2008? I can't remember, but the date doesn't matter. What she's done to help me and countless others is what matters.

Yes, Angela. You can have a testimonial from me.

If it weren't for Angela Shelton and her "sword of trauma" crusade, I would have never learned how to use my sword of trauma for good. I would have never written my fictional novel WAITING FOR PAINT TO DRY. Not only was it a cathartic move for me, to put into words my struggle to move from a rape survivor to life-loving thriver, but it became so much more.

In writing WAITING FOR PAINT TO DRY, I found a similar line of thought that moves through "Searching for Angela Shelton", in that all our stories are similar. All our stories have the same struggles. The same challenges. And, too, can have the same victories. With this in mind, I created a fictional character - Matty Bell - that anyone who has lived through the violence of sexual abuse can relate to. Yes, I had my own story I could write about, but I didn't want to write a memoir. That would only help me.

No, instead I wrote a story that would be beneficial to all survivors. The story of Matty Bell. Through her healing journey, readers are not only entertained - she's a quirky artist - but through her, they'll learn tools of healing that they too can utilize in their own quest to heal from their traumas. In WAITING FOR PAINT TO DRY, Matty Bell's healing journey is a story of perseverance, love and life. Anyone stuck in their own self-made monochromatic life will love this read. Through her determination, they'll be taken on a ride that is not only fun, funny and colorful, but will also help them start their own healing.

In truth, I wrote WAITING FOR PAINT TO DRY for sexual assault survivors everywhere to know that they are not alone, they too can heal, and they should never give up their life to find the peace they seek. Only in healing from our traumas can we thrive. And win.

And who taught me that? Angela Shelton.

Just talking about my book gets me excited. I just hope to find a publisher soon. I want to get my book in the hands of survivors everywhere! And it's not for money. I'd give my book away for free if it meant I'll never again turn on the news to learn that another girl out there, another woman, has taken her life because of the guilt and shame others have placed on her because they didn't believe her. Because they told her it was her fault she was raped. Because for the 100th time, she hears someone say "all girls cry rape."

It's for them that I wrote this book. Those hands are worth more to me than any money could bring.

Thank you, Angela Shelton. Thank you for teaching me how to use my sword of trauma.

You are my super hero.

Lia Mack

www.LiaMack.com

Why I’m Donating $10,000 to RAINN.org #forwardmotiononly #waiting4paint2dry

First and foremost, thank you for your purchase of this book as it benefits RAINN’s free 24/7 sexual assault hotline (1.800.656.HOPE | www.RAINN.org). 

Sexual violence is a cause worth fighting for, and RAINN is an organization worth believing in. Since 1994, RAINN has helped more than 3.5 million survivors through the National Sexual Assault Hotline and they work every day to shine light on the issue, and to ensure justice for survivors.

If you were gifted this novel or would like to do more to help, please visit rainn.org to donate. 92¢ of every dollar donated goes directly to RAINN’s programs to help survivors, educate the public and improve sexual assault laws and policies. Thank you for your support!

Because of RAINN’s fearful mission and continued service to victims of sexual assault, I, Lia Mack, am on a mission to raise $10,000 to help survivors of sexual assault by donating all my personal proceeds from the sales of my book WAITING FOR PAINT TO DRY to benefit RAINN.org.

RAINN is an organization I know and trust as, years ago, I used the RAINN hotline myself as a stepping stone in my own healing journey from sexual assault. And from RAINN’s resources, I was able to find a sexual assault trained therapist, help in reporting, legal assistance, and years of ongoing support. 

After reading this book, you now know healing from this kind of trauma isn’t a one time thing. You don’t just get over it. It feels never ending, like waiting for paint to dry. So having that support to lean on in times of need is all important.

My personal healing also benefited from a unique healing course I found online by Angela Shelton called BE YOUR OWN HERO. It was during the journaling exercises of this very helpful healing course that I started writing this novel. 

If you’ve never heard of Angela Shelton, she is an Award-winning Director and huge advocate of helping trauma survivors live happily ever after, no matter what you’ve been through! 

You can find more information on the BE YOUR OWN HERO healing course and at www.SurvivorManual.com.