Dear Book Reviewer, Word Alive Press is thrilled to introduce Pierced in the Heart: The Miracle of Healing After Grief and Loss, by Bonnie J. Brooks. Pierced in the Heart is the winner of our 2013 Free Publishing Contest in Non-Fiction and is currently being carried in most major Christian Bookstores across Canada. It is also available to order through Amazon, ChristianBook.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and Chapters/Indigo bookstores as well as in most eBook formats. “...I realized that Thelma was talking about me, my life, my coping mechanisms, and my ways of protecting myself. I knew my heart wounds had turned into scar tissue. I knew that heart walls had blocked so much happiness and joy from my life. Was I willing to spend five days being vulnerable enough to let go of the wounds? Was I willing to gain the tools I needed to get more of what I was longing for in life?” – From Pierced in the Heart Brooks uses her personal experience to explore the complexities of what it means to heal on an emotional level. Though framed in a Christian context, these stories are for anyone who has struggled with mental health, the loss of a loved one, suicide, and domestic violence. Unabashedly honest in her vulnerability, Brooks shows it is far from easy to heal from such painful life experiences, and that recovery can truly be a miracle. Thank you for your consideration of Pierced in the Heart for review. Please do not hesitate to contact me to schedule an interview. Sincerely, Amy Groening Project Manager Word Alive Press Ph: 866.967.3782, ext. 210 Email: [email protected]
Transcript
Dear Book Reviewer, Word Alive Press is thrilled to introduce Pierced in the Heart: The Miracle of Healing After Grief and Loss, by Bonnie J. Brooks. Pierced in the Heart is the winner of our 2013 Free Publishing Contest in Non-Fiction and is currently being carried in most major Christian Bookstores across Canada. It is also available to order through Amazon, ChristianBook.com, Barnes&Noble.com, and Chapters/Indigo bookstores as well as in most eBook formats.
“...I realized that Thelma was talking about me, my life, my coping mechanisms, and my ways of protecting myself. I knew my heart wounds had turned into scar tissue. I knew that heart walls had blocked so much happiness and joy from my life. Was I willing to spend five days being vulnerable enough to let go of the wounds? Was I willing to gain the tools I needed to get more of what I was longing for in life?”
– From Pierced in the Heart Brooks uses her personal experience to explore the complexities of what it means to heal on an emotional level. Though framed in a Christian context, these stories are for anyone who has struggled with mental health, the loss of a loved one, suicide, and domestic violence. Unabashedly honest in her vulnerability, Brooks shows it is far from easy to heal from such painful life experiences, and that recovery can truly be a miracle. Thank you for your consideration of Pierced in the Heart for review. Please do not hesitate to contact me to schedule an interview.
Pierced in the Heart ISBN: 978-1-4866-0367-1 Format: 5” x 7” Trade Page Count: 208
Bonnie J. Brooks The winner of the 2013 Free Publishing Contest award for Non-Fiction, Bonnie J. Brooks has been blessed with the opportunity to share her inspiring story of emotional pain and spiritual healing with the world. Bonnie’s personal and spiritual journey has given words to her life purpose: “I am a joyful, confident, and trusting woman of God, touching people’s lives with love and shining a light to bring hope in the darkness.” Bonnie is a former elementary school teacher and adult educator. She has also worked in a senior management position in a provincial education ministry in Canada for twenty-five years. Her personal writing has been coupled with professional writing and editing for politicians and government bureaucrats. Mental health issues and suicide in her immediate family, along with her experience with bipolar disorder, expanded Bonnie’s heart and mind to the suffering of others. She has researched the topic of mental health extensively. Bonnie is intuitively tuned to hurting teens and adults who cry out on social media to a world largely insensitive to the pain disguised in their words. She has connected with hundreds of depressed or suicidal individuals. Several have told her that she literally saved their lives. Bonnie can be found on various social media platforms where she connects with individuals with similar passions—writing and publishing, mental health, grief recovery, inspired living, and most importantly, a God who loves his children through it all.
Pierced in the Heart The Miracle of Healing after Grief and Loss ISBN: 978-1-4866-0367-1 Format: 5” x 7” Trade Page Count: 208
One night, five-year-old Bonnie wakes up and discovers her mother’s blood on her parents’ bed sheets. This suicide carries major ramifications for the rest of her life. Through painful stories of personal grief and loss, Bonnie J. Brooks also reveals seeds of hope and the miracle of emotional and spiritual healing. Pierced in the Heart will appeal to readers who struggle to make sense of where God fits into the midst of tragic and difficult circumstances. Those desiring to deepen their relationship with God will be inspired by the sometimes gentle, sometimes challenging, but always healing words of God found in every chapter.
Pierced in the Heart ISBN: 978-1-4866-0367-1 Format: 5” x 7” Trade Page Count: 208
Endorsements What has been said about Pierced in the Heart “Bonnie Brooks’s memoir is deeply moving. She brings you into a world of deep mental pain, self-destruction, tragedy, and then triumph. Anyone who has ever lost someone to suicide will feel the power in her work. Brooks demonstrates how the ripple effect of one single act impacts an entire family for decades. Bonnie’s story is inspiring, showing that no matter what our life experiences are, we can transcend them and go on to help ourselves and others.”
—Dr. Sheri Kaye Hoff, Ph.D., Best-selling author of Keys to Living Joyfully and
Be the Inspiration: 7 Ways to Inspire Your World “Tragedy, dysfunction, abuse, addiction, perseverance, victory, forgiveness, peace, and love. Bonnie Brooks takes us through these deep waters in her memoir, Pierced in the Heart. Bonnie, driven by a desire to help others, shares the painful journey of her life from tragedy to victory and love. A powerful read.”
—Tom Blubaugh, Author and Literary Strategist
Night of the Cossack “This book will bring many readers to the realization that suffering is cured when we acknowledge our past, deal with it, and let go. Bonnie’s journey has not only changed and transformed her life, it has saved it. Reading this book may well be the catalyst that saves others!”
Pierced in the Heart ISBN: 978-1-4866-0367-1 Format: 5” x 7” Trade Page Count: 208
“I am in awe of Bonnie Brooks’ tenacious strength. Even after twenty-three years as a pastor and ten years of work at Choices Seminars, where I have watched countless people come to terms with loss and healing, this book has still profoundly impacted my appreciation of the pain that many people suffer in silence. Pierced in the Heart is an encouragement to all who need to find hope and healing from the stories that often remain hidden deep in their memories.”
—Bill Spangler, Pastor, Life Coach, Choices Marketing Staff (2002–2012)
“Pierced in the Heart is much more than a book—it is a lived-out life. Bonnie describes the unfolding revelation of her personal journey. Bonnie’s insights inspire me to live the life I only dream about and how it is possible, though broken and wounded, to dance a new dance by being still long enough to hear God whisper to my heart. So long as I practice this one thing, I will never be the same.”
—Donna Kutzner, Author of Dancing on the Wings of the Wind (forthcoming)
“Pierced in the Heart begins with unfathomable tragedy, but it emerges on the other side as a tale of blazing courage and a series of beautiful vignettes of the love of a Savior who longs for His children to be restored. As a woman who has suffered many years in silent shame hiding my bipolar disorder, I found Bonnie’s book to be like applying a healing salve to years of misplaced feelings of guilt and regret. The raw, unfettered honesty with which she so bravely weaves her story maintains authenticity while directing our gaze heavenward to the Mighty Counsellor who binds our wounds and sets the captives free!”
—Kate Davis, Blogger at dedikated2love.com
Pierced in the Heart ISBN: 978-1-4866-0615-3 Format: 5” x 7” Trade Page Count: 208
Interview Questions
Can you tell us a bit about the title? Why Pierced in the Heart?
This book describes many painful situations, and it sounds like you went through some very dark periods. Would you say there was a turning point in your life? If so, when was it?
What effect do you hope this book will have on its readers?
At the end of every chapter, you have a section called “Healing Words and Letting Go”, where you communicate with God about the pain you have experienced, and receive a healing message from him. Where did the inspiration for these sections come from? Did you write these sections at the same time as the rest of the book?
You’ve tied Pierced in the Heart closely to the issue of mental health. Do you feel Christians face any unique challenges when it comes to mental health?
To schedule an interview with Bonnie, please contact:
