Bullying–Good, Bad, and Ugly

This post is in response to a wonderful article entitled “Are Some Humans Born to Bully? Born to be Victims? Can it be Changed?” by Kristen Lamb.  If you’ve ever been bullied and/or have ever done the bullying, you will want to read this article and the article preceding it:  “Brave New Bullying: Goodreads Gangs, Amazon Attacks—What Are Writers to Do?“

Word Cloud Bullying Photo credit: David Castillo Dominici | FreeDigitalPhotos.net”

FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I know how some bullies are created…by being bullied by others. To my great shame, this was my reaction when I was bullied by an older girl at school (Grade 8). Every time she saw me, she would point at me and laugh and make loud unkind comments about me to her cohorts.

This devastated me, as my psyche at the time was fragile. I had no idea how to handle it. I had long been taught by my alcoholic parents that you never snitched on people. You got even. I didn’t know how to get even, so I transferred my pain and frustration onto a younger girl at the same school. She even cried when I bullied her, following Rosalie’s cruel pattern.

At first, I thought it was satisfying. Every time Rosalie bullied ME, I would say to myself, oh boy is Joyce going to get it later. And she would. I felt like I had some recourse and kidded myself that it felt good.

But it didn’t. As time went on, it felt more and more ugly, until I couldn’t stand it anymore. I decided that, no matter what Rosalie did to me, I wouldn’t pass it on to Joyce anymore. I walked over to the younger girl to tell her. She shrank from me and started crying before I even opened my mouth. That’s when the full extent of what I had done to her exploded in my heart. I started crying, too. Joyce was so astonished that she stopped crying and regarded me with wide eyes.

I told her the whole story. By the end of it, she was so indignant that she wanted to try to protect ME, which made me more ashamed than ever. I turned down her brave offer, since I knew that Rosalie would make mincemeat out of her. I’d like to say that Joyce and I became firm friends after that, but it didn’t happen. We remained friendly and would chat now and then, but true friendship was not in the cards for us.

Two girls tormenting a third. Photo credit: Ambro | FreeDigitalPhotos.net

However, Rosalie was another matter. She continued to make my life a living hell, and I got angrier and angrier. One of the things I was really good at in life was the knowledge and use of the English language. I never thought of it as a defense, though, until Rosalie came into my life. Finally, unable to stand the torment any longer, I unleashed my skill with English at her.

At first she tried to shout me down, along with a couple of her cohorts, but I was determined and I have a really loud voice when I become emotional. I was emotional that day…but cool enough to keep my head. It came to a point where Rosalie and her friends were so surprised that I was fighting back that they became silent and listened to what I was saying. I was pointing out, in well-considered and polished language, all the errors in their statements . They didn’t know the meaning of a lot of the words, nor did they seem to understand the concepts.

It ended up confusing them, and they sort of drifted away…while I was still talking. I grinned to myself. That felt much better than transferring my pain to someone else. When I told Joyce later, she cheered, then admitted if she ever met someone like me again, she would try her own considerable English skills, instead of crumbling into a soggy, miserable heap. I do believe, in that moment, I repaid her for all the pain I had caused.

I’m not sure what it means, but that was the last time I was ever bullied by anyone (that I recognized as bullying). It was definitely the last time I ever knowingly bullied anyone else.  Thus, so far no one has bullied my blog posts, my published books and stories, or my newspaper articles.  I hope it stays that way.

Thanks, Guys

 I just wanna say thanks to the top commenters on my site in 2011.

In the number one spot was Nancy Hatch at 40 comments.

Stephanie Ciofalo (Kally or Kallysti) ran a close second at 38.

Haley Whitehall, our resident civil war fiction writer, followed at 19.

Finally, bringing up the rear were Dorky Deb at 17…

…and Huffygirl at 15.

Thanks, guys, for all the support and encouragement.

Yayy, another award!

I am so pleased to have received another award, this time from my good and brave friend, Dorky Deb.  She is actually anything but dorky.  Instead, she is a mother and wife, full of good cheer, dealing with life despite the odds stacked against her.  She is also a wonderful photographer.

This version of the award The Versatile Blogger is one I have eyed for some time.  I’d also like to congratulate my fellow award winners.  If you’re interested, you can visit Deb’s blog and find her list of current winners there.

According to the rules, I have to choose five deserving recipients for the award and publish seven unknown facts about myself.   First, the new Versatile Blogger winners I have picked:

Tinkerbelle, of Laughter is Contagious
Zoya, of Silver Mists
Tom, of FORENSICS4FICTION
Barb Taylor, of Barb’s Blog
Girl on the Contrary‘s Blog

Congratulations to you all.  You have entertained me, informed me, and/or made me laugh.  You all excel at your writing and your blogging.  Thank you.

Now for the seven things you don’t know about me:

1.  When I was in my 20s, I won $100 on a Montreal TV game show called “Little White Lie” where I told my life story to the panel, and they had to guess which part was NOT true.  They could only ask me questions answerable by yes or no.  They didn’t guess correctly and I won the money.  I was so excited.

2.  I was the first live female all-night radio broadcaster (DJ) for CHQR in Calgary when it was a middle of the road music station (MOR).  My show was from midnight to 6am; since CRTC rulings regarding music mix didn’t apply at that time, I got to pick my own music.  I loved it, although I never did get used, after three years, to sleeping during the day and working all night.

3.  My great-great-great-great-grandfather (perhaps even more greats, not sure) was an Irish king, who was hung by a rival tribe for horse thieving.

4.  I wrote my first “book” at the age of 7.  It was entitled “Angus the Ant,” was five pages long and self-illustrated.  My one big regret is that somewhere in all the moves of my life, it got lost and never found.

5.  In the ’70s, ’80s, and part of the ’90s, I toured parts of Canada and the United States as an international lecturer, speaking on inner peace and self discovery.  It was a wonderful time of learning and sharing for me.  I met hundreds of great people and probably learned as much from them as they learned from me.

6.  One of the recipes that I adapted from a recipe I received from another gal has won the hearts (and stomachs) of all the men in my life.  If I want to prepare a special meal for my husband or my son or any of my male friends, I cook Newfie Noodles.  If anyone would like the recipe, I will offer it here.  It’s an instant hit with men (women like it too, but not as crazy about it as men, who call it “shovel food”) and very easy to make.  (Edit:  Suzicate asked for the recipe.  You can see it in my reply to her below.)

7.  For a good part of my life, I wanted to be able to whistle just using my fingers, but all I ever managed to do was spit down my fingers and make a wet noisy sighing sound.  My son, with infinite patience, finally taught me how to do it, and I was so happy.  If you want to hear me do it, give me a call lol

Being Beheaded on the Writer’s Block

Welcome to Raya’s Dungeon

Chamber 04  Being Beheaded on the Writer’s Block  (Originally written in 2004 by Sandra Bell Kirchman – updated at bottom)
As many of you know, I am back hard at work on my new novel…a quota of 1,667 words per day (or 50,000 words in a month — it can be done, cuz I’ve done it).I have also received many questions and requests regarding writing…unfortunately, the quota doesn’t allow me the time to answer individually. I hope the following will be acceptable. Putting it in Raya’s Dungeon will trap the unwary…er entice the gullible…er lure the…never mind. Just so it will be readily available for anyone who wants to refer to it. It is a compilation of links and tips for writers, wannabe writers, possible writers, would like to be writers but don’t want to write, and even professional serious writers…or any variation or combination thereof.MY WRITING: I have been writing off and on for *cough cough* years now…have been a print journalist, correspondent (stringer), national newsletter editor, freelance writer, video performer and writer, radio announcer (and wrote my own on-air scripts), radio commercial writer, promotional writer, online writer, and so on. I have sold my writing to police magazines, newspapers, anthologies, in-house and trade magazines. I have sold very little of my fiction (fiction is one of the most competitive markets there are — very difficult to break into), but fiction, especially speculative fiction, is my real love.    Being beheaded at the writer’s block WRITER’S BLOCK: One of the greatest scourges known to writingkind is the dread writer’s block. This horrible affliction originates from the early school years when teachers told you that your writing sucked…or that you had to follow their narrow little guidelines…or you lost points when your literary efforts were marked down because of poor penmanship.   Thus, part of you says…IT… MUST… BE…PERFECT. And it’s not…it never will be. So you stare at the blank page for hours…or distract yourself with all kinds of fascinating time sinks, like research that becomes an end in itself, rather than a means to an end… or cutting your toe nails, planting peonies, playing endless solitaire, calling your ex-girlfriend 3 times removed cuz no one else is home to talk to, and so on. This will then let you say, in all honesty, that you just didn’t have time to write. Of course, deep down you know this is the biggest bunch of **** that ever got deposited in the Great White Gulp, but, in your mind, it is an acceptable rationalization.   OVERCOMING WRITER’S BLOCK: It goes without saying that the only way to become a writer is to write. If you wait for the perfect time to write, you will never be a writer. I know, because I spent a good part of my life waiting for “the perfect time.” You know what? It never came. There was ALWAYS something that I could use to keep me from writing. It was only when I called on all my inner resources and MADE myself write, that I actually wrote. All the planning, and organizing, and researching, and finding the best tools, the best lighting, the best plots, the best feedback, the best time of day, the best…well, you get the idea…did not work. Only making myself write on a REGULAR basis worked. Some of the best fiction stuff I have ever written, which earned personal comments, requests for more of my manuscripts, and encouragement (but no sales alas) from publishers such as Doubleday, was written when I was working two jobs. I got up at 5 am every morning…got a cup of coffee, let the dogs out, and wrote for a solid two and a half hours. Then I would shower, dress and go to work. These early morning sessions comprise some of not only my best literary work but my fondest memories. I loved writing that way…I was up at an ungodly hour when everything else was still…and since I was already up, I might as well write. I did, and my unconcscious unlocked itself to let flow almost perfect prose. I don’t have that discipline anymore. Not even for the blessed Muse will I get up at 5am…so how to achieve that flow of words onto my page (monitor)? Perhaps you don’t have that discipline either. How can you overcome this block that keeps you from being the best-selling author that you know you really are? Well, first you have to know that you not only WANT to write but are DETERMINED to write. You must need to write more than you need to…cut toenails, plant peonies…and so on. If you don’t, then you are a hobby writer. And that’s fine. You can write when the whim takes you…it will amuse you and your friends…and you might even sell a piece or two here and there. But it is unlikely that you will become a professional writer, earning your living by writing. Secondly, you have to hone the tools of your trade…you have to know and use words properly and with authority. Yes, grade school English grammar was a bore, but it gave you tools to build with. Refamiliarize yourself with the tools of your trade…the building blocks of the English language. If you see words you don’t know, look them up. That doesn’t mean you have to intersperse your writing with very erudite words (no, not the EverQuest class), but you do have to know what your words say and how they build moods and themes and drama and suspense. Thirdly, you have to…write. You may not have the 5 am discipline I was talking about earlier…but you have to have some time to write regularly… and that takes writing discipline. Last year, I discovered how to do that… given that the first and second provisos above were valid for me (and they are), then the third one should have been easy. But it isn’t…I have to work at it. Here is one thing that really helped me.NaNoWriMo: This stands for National Novel Writing Month, which happens to be November of each year. A very wise person who was aware of the problems besetting writers came up with the idea of a contest to challenge writers to…write! Chris Baty, a writer himself, knew that writers lay themselves bare…open their innermost thoughts and feelings to the public…often criticized, scorned, and, worst of all, rejected. I think it was Somerset Maugham, who said you cannot be a real writer until you have collected 1,000 rejection slips. Each rejection is a step to success. In any event, rejection is hard to take, no matter how many you get. And it even stops us from writing….so…. NaNoWriMo is open to anyone…professional, amateur, hobbyist. It is not so much a contest as a challenge…to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. I decided a couple of years ago to try it. In doing so, I was forced to throw out all my previously cherished ideals…research until I knew my subject backwards and forwards, absolutely perfect writing, characterization, rewriting, recharacterization, replotting….handing out my stuff to others to read, craving the kind word or approval, so I could write some more. It had the reverse effect though. Once I got the praise I looked for, I stopped writing. In NaNoWriMo, I didn’t have time to look for praise…I had to buckle down and write…1,667 words a day to give me 50,000+ words at the end of 30 days. I succeeded because this “contest” didn’t judge my efforts on merit…or style…or perfection…or even being first. It judged me on whether I fulfilled the original criteria…a totally original novel, no part of which had been written before (although it could be based on other ideas), fiction rather than non-fiction, and 50,000 words in length…during the prescribed length of time. Period. I was free. I was also a little crazy (ask my husband). And I did it…as my blurb on the novel states: This online version is the original, unrevised version, fueled by panic, gritty determination, and 22 gallons of coffee, littered by unmade beds, uncooked meals and unspoken conversations with hubby. I have written novels before…never one in 28 days. I didn’t know I could do it. Now I do. Since I know I can do it…I’ve done it before…and it wasn’t half bad either, I can do it again (which is what I am doing now).  Here are some other helpful links, writing job leads, and encouraging sites that have helped me. "Witchcanery" by Sandra Bell kirchman March, 2006, update: Four years later, I am in the process of getting this very novel (Witchcanery) ready for publication. [First edition was published July 1, 2007; second edition was published October, 2008.] This is exciting because it will form the foundation of a new business venture for me, FantasyFic.com. If you are interested, you can keep an eye on its progress here. So, if you think you want to write and don’t know if you have what it takes…try the NaNoWriMo contest next year in November. It doesn’t cost anything and it doesn’t hurt to try. (Note: registration opens Oct. 1st of every year…go here to have a look at this year’s winners and some of the contributions.) OTHER HELPFUL LINKS: 1. Freelance Work Exchange – this place gives you one job lead a week for free. You can also sign up for a 7-day trial period for free. After that, it is $19.95 a month. I found it worth it – most of my non-fiction writing job leads came from there. 2. Writers Net – this place is VERY worthwhile. It is 100% free. In addition to a free email address (with @writers.net as the identifier), it also gives you a spot to list yourself and your writings for prospective clients to see what you have. My writer’s bio is listed here. Through this listing, I have received writing requests from book acquisitions editors and others wanting writing done. If you are serious about writing, I highly recommend you list at this site.   3. TJobs – this is a new one that I haven’t explored very much. You can be listed on this for $10 a year. Looking for the jobs is free. Very reasonable. 4. WritersWeekly – this is my favorite online writing ezine and is free. It bills itself as the largest circulation writing ezine in the world – I believe it, because it is fun, packed with tips on writing and the legalities thereof, and also has a fairly extensive market database. Additionally, it publishes lists of markets to beware of, and stresses (one of my pet peeves) how writers should not write for free. Although the ezine itself is 100% free, it has many features such as offering writing contests ($5 to enter), ebooks for sale, online writing courses, etc. I highly recommend this enjoyable and helpful online newsletter.  5. Writers Market Online – I highly recommend this resource for any writer serious about selling his/her work. This prestigious, award-winning publication is the best market source available in the world, and has all kinds of markets, from consumer mags to book publishers to literary agents to trade mags. It has tons of information about each source, including how much each one pays, address, submission guidelines, needs, etc. It also has a handy little online gadget called a Submission Tracker. This is where I list all my writings, where they have gone, any follow-up needed, etc. It keeps me and my writing organized. The service costs, I believe, around $30 for the online edition only (I bought the hardcopy which includes the online edition – for about $45). If you are serious about selling, you need this service/book.   6. One last thing for people who want to perfect their craft…I took the Institute of Children’s Literature course and graduate course a few years back. Writing for children is the most exacting part of any kind of writing, since the rules are quite strict about what and how to write for various ages of children. It was the best thing I ever did…and I had already been writing for a number of years. It gave me discipline and helped me start selling my fiction writing. If you are interested in honing your skills, I can highly recommend Institute of Children’s Literature (physically located in Redding, Connecticut, but now with an online presence as well).  7. Oh, and if you happen to spot copies of the monthly magazine Writers’ Digest, pick ’em up. They are fun, full of good tips on various kinds of writing, and have good, researched markets. They sell for about $3 each, I believe. 8. Writing blogs – There are tons of writing blogs, many with excellent advice, from many different perspectives.  I haven’t visited a lot of them, but I know of them, and the ones I have read are very good.  Just search for writing blogs and you’ll come up with more than you can handle.  One of them will appeal to you and help you out of your writing funk. For everyone who has a yen to write…do it…do it now! You may have only an anecdote in you…or you might have the great American (Canadian/ Australian/whatever) novel in you. With online writing markets being more and more available, now is a good time to write. Don’t expect to be covered in glory or money anytime soon…but start. One day you very well may be covered in both… February 2011 update:  Lots of things have happened since Witchcanery was published.  I have organized, edited and did the layout for two anthologies as well as contributing a story to each.  The first anthology, In the Shadow of the Burr Oak, did so well that it sold out two print runs.  The second anthology, Birth of a Unicorn and Other Stories, was released in October, 2010, and has been very well received so far. I will be glad to help with writer’s tips or markets or whatever else I know, if I can. Much as I’d like to read your work, I simply don’t have the time. But if you are having difficulty with a passage or need suggestions on how to deal with an unruly character, I would be glad to help…post your request here or send me an email to raya at fantasyfic dot com. If you have any ideas or tips of your own to help with writer’s block or other aspects of writing, feel free to list them here or link them to your blog.
All of the foregoing text is original and copyrighted © 2004 by Sandra Bell Kirchman. All rights reserved. Copying for personal reference only is permitted.

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Love Yourself First: Seven Ways to Have the Best Valentine’s Day Ever (Heart-Shaped Candy Boxes Not Required!)

Image via Wikipedia

 Feeling cynical or depressed about Valentine’s Day? Don’t, says intuitive psychologist Susan Apollon. Instead, use it as an opportunity to explore the meaning of pure love…and create a life of peace and joy.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and if you listen closely you’ll hear North America heave a collective sigh of resignation (from the couples who must run out and buy obligatory gifts) and gloom (from the singles who feel like hiding sulkily under the covers).  Many people dread this seemingly happy holiday more than a trip to the dentist. But intuitive psychologist Susan Apollon says not to look at Valentine’s Day as an occasion for enforced “romance” or mourning for your dormant love life. Instead, think of it as a day to celebrate the existence of love itself—pure, authentic, unconditional love—and all the rich rewards it brings.   

“Love really isn’t about hearts and flowers and grand romantic gestures,” says Apollon, author of Touched by the Extraordinary, Book Two: Healing Stories of Love, Loss & Hope (www.HealingStoriesOfLoveLossAndHope.com). “It isn’t about who got who the best gift, or who has a partner and who doesn’t. Love is a way of living. And Valentine’s Day can be more than a reminder that someone loves you; it can serve as an affirmation that you are totally lovable, loving, adored, and special all year-long.”

In other words, let Valentine’s Day be a day in which you focus wholeheartedly on your ability to give and receive love. You don’t need to have a spouse or romantic partner in order to do this. You can love your coworkers, your neighbors, your pets, the clerk at the grocery store—anyone and everyone—but especially yourself.

Here are some steps Appollon offers on how to rev up your love quotient this Valentine’s Day:

Commit to Unconditional Love: To You, From You. It may be a cliché but it is true: until you love yourself you can’t fully love another person. And too many of us beat ourselves up for not being thin enough or pretty enough or smart enough—and worse, we may even use the fact that we are romantically unattached (or in a bad relationship) to validate that low opinion. “This is tragic,” says Apollon. Whether single or involved, it is vital that you truly understand the value of loving yourself unconditionally. Self-love is the key to achieving all other love and finding happiness in its many forms. 

“There must be no conditions for loving yourself,” insists Apollon. “Being lovable and capable of loving is never about having a great body, a high-profile job, or tons of money. There are no strings attached to your adoring your whole self: body, mind, and spirit. There is only the need for you to view yourself as the exquisite miracle you really are. Allow Valentine’s Day to be a reminder of who you are. Love yourself first, because you are your most significant other.” 

If you’re wondering what love really is, Apollon says, it’s energy. Everything is energy, in fact, and love is one of the highest energies. So, when you choose to become your own priority and love yourself unconditionally, you will vibrate at an astoundingly higher energy level. The result is that you feel wonderful and life becomes a delicious adventure. Your love for yourself enables you to walk with your head held high and your heart full and healed. You’ll feel grounded, centered, and stable—and these good feelings will affect those around you.

Jumping for joy - © Wd2007 | Dreamstime.com

Get High This Valentine’s Day—High Energy, That is!

If you’re wondering how to reach that high level of energy, Apollon says the answer is simple: do things that feel good. You might buy yourself a beautiful bouquet of flowers, for instance, or a nice pair of silk pajamas, or a day at the spa. Or place notes all around you that remind you of how loving and special you are…that you are a Beautiful Soul…and that you are loved. It may seem silly, but it works.

Breathe in Love—Not Just on Valentine’s Day, But Every Day. Apollon suggests that each morning and evening you take a few moments to focus on your breathing in and out—long, deep, relaxing breaths—with the intention of helping you shift to a higher energy. Visualize yourself breathing in loving energy from the Universe. See this flowing into every cell and feel the warm, loving impact.

“Picture the Universe, your own Soul, Higher Wisdom, God, or your angels being present for you and feel their embrace—the embrace of love,” she says. “Sit with this and really feel the amazing warm, healing energy of this embrace. It is so powerful!”

Affirm and Visualize Love. Imagine that you are a half-inflated balloon. Most of us live our day-to-day lives in this love-less state of under-inflation. Now envision your soul filling up with love. Affirm your worth several times a day by stating silently or out loud: I am love, I am lovable, and I am loving. Your love for yourself enables you to feel the powerful energy of love even in your cells. As you make your affirmations, visualize these feelings of love permeating every cell of your being. You are love, and you deserve the joy of giving and receiving pure love.

Incorporate Your Own Strengths into Your Affirmations. You are a unique creation worthy of universal energy and love. Everyone is blessed with different attributes and a great way to fill yourself up with self-love is to remind yourself of all your fabulous qualities. Practice affirmations about your own uniqueness that makes you worth loving. A few examples are: I am passionate, I am a great mother, I am ready to be loved, I give fabulous advice, and I am full of creativity.

Face, Embrace, and Replace Grief…and Practice Forgiveness. The energy of love does not mesh comfortably with the energy of anger, pain, guilt, and unresolved conflicts or issues, says Apollon. Therefore, you must release any old grievances in order to vibrate on a higher energetic plane. Valentine’s Day should bring for you a reminder that we are all here for love and that love begins first with forgiveness of yourself and others who have in the past treated you poorly.  Face your negative energy and acknowledge it. When you are ready, replace old grief with love and just savor the vast difference this shift makes in your life!

If you need a mantra to help you release the pain that holds you down, Apollon suggests you say to yourself: I love myself enough to let you go now. I choose to detach from carrying you around with me, weighing me down and disabling me from moving on and having a good life. I forgive you and I forgive me. I am truly sorry but I must let you go. I surrender you to the Universe. I choose to be free of any attachments that keep me from experiencing the peace and joy to which I am entitled.

Release Your Attachment to Your Vision of Prince or Princess Charming. If you spend Valentine’s Day hoping for an engagement ring, seething with resentment that your partner forgot that you prefer dark chocolate over milk chocolate, or daydreaming about that knight in shining armor who will sweep you away from your dreary life, you’re missing the whole point of love. Your attachments to an ideal only set you up for a fall when perfection fails to materialize. “Remember,” says Apollon, “that real love (for yourself or others) doesn’t come with conditions. When you love unconditionally, you don’t need anything in return.

“We feel happy, we are lighter and unburdened when we release our expectations,” asserts Apollon. “Don’t spend Valentine’s Day hoping for roses, romance, or a note from a secret admirer. And married folks and those with partners need to realize that the person you love is not responsible for meeting your checklist of expectations for happiness. Instead put your focus on sending loving energy to everyone you know this day and every day. It will clear the metaphorical haze around you, so to speak and for the first time you will see and feel all the love you need.”

“Too many people use the fairy tale illusion of living happily ever after to define their inner worth,” says Apollon. “Know that true happiness can’t come to you in its many forms until you are able to accept it. Love is all around you and will manifest when you finally learn to let it permeate your spirit, by loving yourself and exuding love to everyone you know. Remember that love is what connects and sustains us all and gives life meaning. Living lovingly feels so good, and when you make the choice to do this, each day can feel like the best Valentine’s Day ever.”

# # #

About the Author:

As a psychologist and an author, Susan Apollon empowers and heals the body, mind, and soul; as an educator, she informs; as a speaker, she inspires and touches the heart.  

Susan Appollon

For more than twenty-five years, Susan has been in private practice in Yardley, PA, evaluating and counseling adults, families, and children who are dealing with difficult life situations similar to what she has personally experienced, researched, and written about, including cancer, other health issues, trauma, and grief.

She is an avid researcher of Mind, Consciousness, Intuition, Energy, Prayer, and Healing and brings this expertise to her three published books—Touched by the Extraordinary, Book Two: Healing Stories of Love, Loss & Hope; Touched by the Extraordinary: An Intuitive Psychologist Shares Insights, Lessons, and True Stories of Spirit and Love to Transform and Heal the Soul; and Intuition Is Easy and Fun: The Art and Practice of Developing Your Natural-Born Gift of Intuition (co-authored with Yanni Maniates)—as well as to her audio books, online course, CDs, and MP3s. Susan’s work is scientifically based and enhanced by her ability to trust her own intuitive wisdom.

Susan comes from a family of physicians, which includes her husband, father, brothers, aunt and uncles, daughter, and cousins. Healing and medicine are a part of her lineage.

She integrates the gifts and challenges of having lived more than sixty-five years with the joy and satisfaction of being married for more than forty-four years to her husband, Warren, a practicing orthodontist, along with the role of being mom to her two adult children, Rebecca, an Emergency Medicine physician, and her son, David, a Management Consultant.

About the Book:

Touched by the Extraordinary, Book Two: Healing Stories of Love, Loss & Hope (Matters of the Soul, 2010, ISBN: 978-0-9754036-9-3) is available at bookstores nationwide and from major online booksellers.

If you would like more information, you can pop on over to  www.HealingStoriesOfLoveLossAndHope.com or www.TouchedByTheExtraordinary.com.

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