Last week I was honored to receive the GOLD award for The Holistic Home: Feng Shui for Mind, Body, Spirit, Space from the Independent Publishers Book Awards. This book took ten years to write and changed and evolved as much as I did through out the writing process. It went through three different titles, over forty rejections and one literary agent that came and went. I ended up getting a book deal on my own. Needless to say, it was a lot of hard work, perseverance and an unwavering belief that this book would get published. One of the most meaningful moments of my life was reading the dedication from an advance copy to my supportive parents. Without their support, I would never have been able to make this happen. Then, I went on to read my Dad’s story on page 21 to him. His reaction was a moment that I bring to the forefront of my mind often for comfort when I miss him. He passed on a couple months later.
Moving on to a lighter note, I’ve found reading the Amazon reviews of the book to be fun and even a bit surreal. There are reviews that are short and sweet. Then, there are others that are so extensive and full of analysis (Thanks for taking the time, Jen D.) that it’s hard to believe someone cares to write all that. There is one bad, one star review and I wish “DoodleLet” actually reviewed the book and not the fact that the Kindle version wasn’t as beautifully laid out as the actual hard cover. (I get that, but who buys a Kindle version to be a coffee table book?). So, here are some of my favorites that made me feel like “Wow! They get it!”
Or this one:
And this one:
Laura Benko has written a beautiful book that will help you develop your own Feng Shui home. Highly recommended
But then there was this one:
Hmmm. “The advice seemed random”. I thought about that and y’know what? I can see that. In this book, I give many atypical examples along with specific, real life client stories. These anecdotes may come across as random because they are real stories. But conversely, I think that is also what makes this book so relatable. This book is not a cookie-cutter-you-must-follow A, B and C book with categorical, sweeping advice. It reflects the complexities of each and every one of us and allows the spotlight to be on you, the unique reader.
The end goal is for you to create a space that goes beyond being a reflection of yourself but also helps take you to the next level of who you aspire to be. It has enough meat to it to deliver tips that are not your typical Feng Shui fodder that we’ve all heard before. The Holistic Home will give you the tools to see the connections between yourself and your space. Perhaps in doing so, you might just be able to “unravel the chaos in your head from other Feng Shui books” and find a way to a deeper, more meaningful home and life. And that is not random at all. It’s meant to be!
I hope you enjoy the book! For a signed copy, go here.
