Sexual Violence...It is OK to Talk about It!

Every 2 minutes in the United States, someone is sexually assaulted.  In 1990, I would have never dreamed I would become a sexual assault statistic.  But indeed I did. Now, 22 years later, I will stand in the Georgia State Capitol on Thursday, Feb. 2nd at the Stop Violence Against Women Day and speak at noon at a press conference about what it means to be a survivor of sexual assualt. Take a moment and look at the information provided of Georgia's statistics and share this with others. 

Loving Being A Google Alerts Gal

I admit freely...I love Google Alerts!  I have my computer set with the words "Room 939" and any time Google "crawls" upon it, it alerts me that new content about my book is on the worldwide web. 
Google Alerts are useful to:

• monitor a developing news story
• keep current on a competitor or industry
• learn where you or your company is cited or quoted
• get the latest on a celebrity or event
• keep tabs on your favorite sports teams
• find when people link to your site
• discover new websites on a certain topic

This morning an email popped up with Google Alert in the subject line.  As always, my heart raced with anticipation of who is out there talking about my book. 

Today it was Matilda Butler and  Kendra Bonnett who publish Women's Memoirs, a blog dedicated to women who are writing memoirs, journaling, storytelling, and sharing memoirs.  They have about 5000 unique visitors per month.  A couple months ago, I was interviewed by Matilda and I've enjoyed seeing the power of digital marketing in generating buzz about my book.  Thanks to Tynicka Battle of Think Tank Digital, Women's Memoirs has highlighted my book twice now.

I'll share the link to Women's Memoirs below for all of my 939 friends to read.  http://womensmemoirs.com/memoir-writing-book-business/memoir-book-business-an-author-explores-unique-codes-to-enhance-memoir-experience/

And again, thanks for all your support in my journey to healing.

Jenny Lynn

Suffering can Produce Meaning in Life

I had the opportunity recently to have lunch in Statesboro with Mike Ryan who is the Op-Ed Editor of The Augusta Chronicle.  He also happens to be the author of The Last Freedom, a book about the life of Dr. Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor.  In the book, Dr. Frankl shares a parable: "A man came upon three stonecutters and asked the firs one what they were doing.  'Cutting stone -- what does it look like?' the first one sharply replied.  He asked the second one, who answered, 'Making a cornerstone, of course!'  He then asked the third stonecutter what he was doing.  This one put down his tools, brushed off his hands and announced proudly, 'Making a cathedral."
The parable illustrates that meaning can be found in life, at any time and in all sorts of situations.  Dr. Frankl believed that human beings can find meaning in life from 1)creating a work or doing a deed 2)experiencing your values, specifically by loving another person and 3)suffering.  He states that "when faced with unavoidable suffering, one often finds opportunities for great meaning -- most prominent among them the opportunity to face up to your suffering with dignity and with a sense of purpose."
I believe that is what has happened in my life with the writing of "Room 939."  Today I travel to Atlanta to meet with 40 friends of Beth Brannen Chandler's at her home to share my message of hope and healing.  Dr. Frankl taught that we should not ask what we can expect from life---rather, what life expects of us.
What does life expect of you?