Lynn McLaughlin's Blog, page 9
August 11, 2019
“The amazing cover of “Steering Through It” is in competition for an award!
Sari Richter is a gifted artist. The amazing cover of “Steering Through It” is in competition for an award! It came to fruition because of Sari’s imagination, expertise and talent. Only a few phone calls and emails between us … one photo of my family and she portrayed us brilliantly! Research into sailboats and the surgical instruments she would use to depict the buoys we were steering through… and the life raft – my laptop!
The cover is up for an award and every vote counts to move to the next level. It’s really not about the cover itself, but recognition of an incredibly talented artist. Please consider clicking on this link and voting for Steering Through It. Thank you Sari Richter for your inspiration!
AllAuthor is every reader’s dream. I don’t know of another platform that pulls all reviews into one place: from Amazon in Canada, the US, the UK, Goodreads etc.
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July 23, 2019
Blog Talk Radio Interview – Another Fork in the Road
How does a blog talk radio interview happen? Through meeting new people, joining collaborative groups, learning with and from others. I met our host Donna when we were both invited to a book giveaway last October for Brain Injury Awareness Month (with Deb Brandon). We read each other’s books, began to chat online and participated in a discussion panel. I had the pleasure of meeting Donna in person a couple of weeks ago when she was in Michigan. People make the world go round!
We hope you enjoy this interview as we both shared insights into each of our experiences – Donna as a caregiver, and me as a patient.
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July 22, 2019
Video Discussion Panel: Writing About Trauma
Writing brings so many rewards, one of the most important being new connections with remarkable people.
Our discussion about our own experiences with trauma include: Christine, who was attacked at shopping mall in front of her two young children, Deb who is a brain injury survivor and Elizabeth who writes about her family’s experiences with mental illness, addiction and co-dependence.
Trauma comes to us in many forms. It’s my honour to join these authors in a discussion panel this Thursday at 9 pm (ET). Tune In! You can even set a reminder for yourself!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1wARRYCk28&feature=share
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July 20, 2019
“Steering Through It” Release Date is August 25th!
We are proud to be releasing the second edition of my memoir soon. Thank you to our readers for your continued inspiring and uplifting feedback where “Steering Through It” has received countless 5 star reviews. The personal messages you have sent to me or shared during a meet-up have given me the drive to continue this work in advocacy.
Buy the paperback version at either of the upcoming community Heartmade events for a $5.00 discount until August 25th. I will be honoured to inscribe your personal copy. You can also pre-order the Kindle/Ebook versions through Amazon at a 50% discount for pre-release ($3.50).
https://visitwindsoressex.com/event/heartmade-vendor-market/all/
If you are a resident of Essex County, Ontario I am happy to take paperback orders through email and will personally deliver. Contact information is at the bottom of my home page …http://www.steeringthroughit.com/
“Lynn McLaughlin writes from the heart, her story will touch and amaze you. She is an inspiration to brain injury patients and to anyone who reads her book. You feel her honesty, pain and encouragement page by page.”
(Marlene Markham, Journalist, BizX Magazine)
“Steering Through It by Lynn McLaughlin is a remarkable piece of literature I am genuinely grateful for having read. A memoir like this doesn’t happen often; it’s truly rare to come across a piece of writing that touches us in such a profound way that stays with us, holding a place in our hearts eternally. Lynn McLaughlin beautifully shares her tale of comfort and hope, fears, and her survival. Steerin Through It by Lynn McLaughlin will captivate the heart and attention of any reader!”
(Aimee Ann, Reader)
Hope to see you at the Pelee Island Winery in Kingsville, Ontario between 12 – 5 pm. on July 28th or August 25th!
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July 17, 2019
Advice for someone newly diagnosed with a brain tumour…
Have you been recently diagnosed? Are you a family member, friend or colleague of someone who has? The Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada has incredible resources for patients and caregivers. Online, telephone, person to person support groups. This website has facts – facts on the 120 different types of tumour we now know of, facts on research and so much more. Many decisions need to be made in sometimes very short periods of time. Decisions that need to be made in the midst of emotional turmoil. The Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada exists to provide support during and after this time.
I was only one of many people interviewed at the National Brain Tumour Conference held last October in Toronto. Survivors, family members, those living with a tumour (over 55,000 Canadians) came together to learn from and with each other. Truly powerful.
https://www.braintumour.ca/229/about-brain-tumours
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July 13, 2019
I love offering book giveaways a couple of times per year to readers around the world! Enter by July 16th for your chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite and three preloaded Ebooks
Lost in the Reflecting Pool by Diane PomerantzPrisoners Without Bars by Donna Figurski The pre-release of the second edition of Steering Through It by myself, Lynn McLaughlin. https://www.subscribepage.com/Steering-Through-It-Book-Giveaway_copy_copy?fbclid=IwAR3qE_pjBMI0_z0ekfRA8_3B-HBrOhKE-OJUxzwOZ_aaxYA5Y__tS0t8piY
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July 9, 2019
These Book Reviews are samples of FIVE STAR RATINGS from readers. Thank you!
This is a compilation of many of the book reviews that have been posted across various platforms. Countless five star reviews from our readers. Thank you!
May 12, 2019, by Shelley Corp MA, BSN, RN
Lynn McLaughlin’s memoir “Steering Through It” is a must read for all new and seasoned healthcare practitioners. Lynn and her family’s reflections on her life-threatening diagnosis and journey within the healthcare system provides clinicians with insight into the difficulties patients face navigating the course of their disease and how impactful our interactions with them are during those difficult times. Lynn’s narrative will inspire Doctors, Nurses and all healthcare practitioners to see their patients in a different “light” suggesting that we listen closer to them, we take the time to learn about their “Story” and to understand that they are not only a patient but a beloved mother, a sister, daughter and friend. It’s then, when we understand this that we can provide the holistic care that every person deserves during their most difficult times in life.
https://www.amazon.com/Steering-Through-Navigating-Life-Threatening-Acceptance-ebook/dp/B077BNKNRG
May 11, 2019, by Alice Aspinall
Lynn has documented her experience dealing with and surviving a brain tumour in a way that offers extreme strength and positivity to the reader. Steering Through It is not just a story of survival of a life-threatening diagnosis, but also a story of perseverance and the belief that one’s mindset plays an imperative role in one’s success. A quick read that I would recommend to anyone in need of motivation in their lives.
May 4, 2019 Poignant Reflection, by Renee Sperduti
Steering Through It written by Lynn McLaughlin is a poignant reflection of a woman faced with a life changing health event. She takes you through it on a very personal level as a patient, mom, wife, sister, friend and daughter. Working in healthcare I find it compelling to be brought into all the emotion and uncertainty that our patients face every day. An excellent story teller. Looking forward to her next one!
April 29, 2019, by Melissa
This an amazing true story of unbelievable strength. Steering through a life altering illness and overcoming it with the amazing support of family and friends. But the most amazing strength comes from within herself!
March 31, 2109 by Kelley
This a touching book based on the author’s journey in the diagnosis of a brain tumor and her post surgery challenges. I liked reading abt her family and the way this had impacted the family as a whole. It was nice to hear it directly from them. It is obvious Lynn had and has a great support system. Lynn’s message is one we hear a lot but it is true…. stop and take time to enjoy the small things in our everyday lives. All experiences are important. It isn’t all abt the big things. Recommend this book even if someone you know isn’t going through a major illness or recovery. The message is good for everyone.
2018 Writer’s Digest Self Published Book Awards Judge’s Commentary
Throughout the book, the author creates an experience suited to the boat analogy, with rising swells of optimism, then drops that crash us down. There is no better way to guide us through a medical and healing journey. Well done. Our emotions became involved, then expanded, and we could feel the rhythm of treatments and reactions to what other people say, among the many other facets of what the author has shared here. The book’s opening creates a natural welcome into the story, and I loved seeing that the author acknowledged family members whose lives are also affected by diagnoses and treatment, those ups and downs along the way. Author has opened the door to better support for loved ones going through the pain and uncertainty of their medical path. Well done. Author excels at creating setting, and pacing is superb. We’re fully present when she is going through the steps of preparing her supplies for taking a shower, and we’re fully present in those moments when she displays such strength in saying her swelling is inconsequential. Very powerful…Excellent use of varied point of view, such as the sister’s thoughts. These shifts were easy to follow. Well done. Tremendous useful bits in the inner dialogue, such as not wanting to hear other people’s stories about those they know, how it doesn’t help her in this situation. As a cancer survivor myself, I know very well how draining that can be, and author has perfectly captured that layer. Beautiful moments of realism throughout: “As a reminder, I am still healing’ shares with us the author’s tremendous strength, and gives us something tremendously hopeful, healing and balancing to say to others who may be on a difficult healing path. I found a tremendous amount of hope and inspiration in the author’s voice, and admire the author’s instinct to blend narrative with inner thought. Well done.
13 February 2019 (Amazon UK) Dawne Archer
Lynn’s short but succinct memoir of her diagnosis with a life-threatening tumour, subsequent treatment and recovery is a lesson in caring for others. Throughout the trauma of this experience Lynn thinks mainly of how this will impact her friends and family who have their chance to give their view too, adding another dimension to this memoir.
Easy to read and difficult to put down, Lynn takes us into her altered world.
I would recommend this book to everyone but especially if you or someone close to you is going through a life altering event. Beautifully explained, thank you Lynn for sharing this.
Steering Through It: Navigating Life-Threatening Illness… Acceptance, Survival, and Healing by Lynn Mclaughlin is the inspirational memoir of one woman’s harrowing journey through the life-threatening diagnosis of an aggressive illness to her survival. Steering Through It by Lynn Mclaughlin vividly captures the essence of emotions pouring over her in such an exceptional way I could feel them as my own, which shows how wonderfully talented she is as an author! Lynn Mclaughlin will captivate any reader brave enough to immerse themselves in the phenomenally uplifting pages of Steering Through It!
What do you do when life, going along as it does, shockingly changes, dramatically altering your future irrevocably? How do you prepare your family for a potential future without you, all while fighting to survive? It is the unique moments like these that test who you are not just as an individual, but most importantly as a family. True strength comes from the ones you love and faith in yourself. How can you balance the weight of being a mother, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister, and a loyal and devoted career woman with the overwhelming gravity of a traumatic life-threatening diagnosis, to learning your only option is an invasive surgery to save your life and a long, challenging road to recovery?
Steering Through It by Lynn Mclaughlin is a remarkable piece of literature I am genuinely grateful for having read. A memoir like this doesn’t happen often; it’s truly rare to come across a piece of writing that touches us in such a profound way that stays with us, holding a place in our hearts eternally. Lynn Mclaughlin beautifully shares her tale of comfort and hope, fears, and her survival. Steering Through It by Lynn Mclaughlin will captivate the heart and attention of any reader!
Lynn Mclaughlin’s memoir serves not only as the brave tale of one woman and her family coming together to fight a devastating illness, but also as a positive guide beautifully detailing how to put faith in your medical team, maintain a positive mindset, and how the love, courage, and support of your family can overcome even what seems like insurmountable odds! Lynn Mclaughlin has brilliantly weaved her story into an engaging, heartfelt narrative that transports us, beloved readers, into the pages. I was amazed by how they all came together under the united banner of her diagnosis, each playing a vital, crucial role in her coping and healing.
Within the first few pages of Steering Through It by Lynn Mclaughlin, it became clear that this is not only a personal memoir but a greatly needed resource for any family struggling with the physical and emotional burden of a life-altering traumatic illness. Not only are we shown the roadmap to recovery, but also how to come together as a family. Steering Through It by Lynn Mclaughlin touched my heart in ways I never dreamt a novel ever could, feeling the fear and panic yet the resolve to never let this beat her shows her strength and perseverance to overcome even the most formidable of obstacles. Lynn Mclaughlin has written a remarkable sensational memoir in Steering Through It building us a window into her soul in stunning detail. I enthusiastically and wholeheartedly award Steering Through It by Lynn Mclaughlin five stars!
January 9, 2019 by Patti Sisco
I felt as if Lynn and I had sat down for the afternoon and had a personal conversation, not only about the brain tumor that changed her life, but also about the importance of taking time to “smell the roses” and appreciate life’s daily gifts to the fullest. I liked that her story included the perspectives of her loved ones and am so impressed at the closeness of her large family. What an extraordinary woman!
February 13, 2019 Vermont Reviewer (Amazon.com)
This memoir takes the reader through the memories of Lynn and her family as she survives the brain tumor surgery and recovery of the procedure. Some of my favorite lines from the memoir.
“Your actions and positive mindset have the power to drive acceptance, survival, and healing.”
“Laughter really does soothe the soul, and sometimes a good sense of humor can help you see your circumstances in an entirely different light.”
“As you navigate through any process of recovery, you must remember how important it is to persist through even the smallest of tasks.”
“The values we all learn as we grow up can help each and every one of us through the ups and downs in life. In the most trying times, we should hold true to those teachings.”
A solid 5-star rating for this one.
January 18, 2019 Diane Pomerantz (Amazon.com)
McLaughlin shares her journey of facing a life-threatening illness with sensitivity and insight, never losing sight of the reader who will be reading her story to gain understanding and support.
From The BookLife Prize Critic’s Report…
Plot: In this well structured, unvarnished memoir, the author charts one year from the discovery of a brain tumor the size of a golf ball to the slow months of post-surgery recovery.
Prose: Simple, declarative sentences, alternating with more emotional journal entries from both the author and her family, make this an easy read about a difficult topic.
Originality: Memoirs tracking medical trauma from diagnosis through treatment to a return to normalcy are common; McLaughlin’s is refreshing in its easy-going tone.
Character Development: The author ably sketches the varied emotional responses to her medical crisis from her children, husband, father, and extended family, as well as her own mental and physical ups and downs.
Melanie – Amazon.ca
“The most genuinely heartfelt memoir of one patient’s harrowing journey through all the uncertainties and what ifs of her life changing diagnoses of having a brain tumor and how it changed her life forever. A must read for anybody who thinks they are the only one who has ever been diagnosed with a brain tumor and feels they are the only ones who have had the rug pulled right out from underneath them and who lives have come to a screeching halt with the same medical diagnoses, remember, you are not alone. The author shares her apprehensions and anxiety of what will happen to her and her whole family. She reflects on how much she worries about how drastically her and her families lives will be forever changed. The author also discusses the strength she received from her families unending support, patience, encouragement and love.” https://www.amazon.ca/Steering-Through-Sari-Richter/dp/1775001709
“McLaughlin provides a strong, honest voice throughout this journey through her life-threatening illness. She share her challenges and joys as a mother, a wife, a sister, a friend, a leader and a survivor!! It’s a story of personal strength and a story of the power of a support group of family and friends and a medical team. I highly recommend it.” (J. Hannigan)
“Very inspirational story and a great reminder of how short life is and the value of friends and family. A great read 
June 30, 2019
Incredible group of people I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with!
I loved every minute of our evening together – hosted by the Solopreneur Sisters at Pelee Island Winery. Women who come together on a regular basis to connect, share insights, ask questions … learning with and from each other.
We each have our own story. My experiences are what drive me to do what I do today. “Steering Through It” is the driver for this journey, so to say. Publishing this book, our family’s challenges and triumphs – it was the beginning of a new and exciting time in my life. I LOVE speaking to groups of individuals who come together with a common purpose. Whether that is because of a specific connection, an interest or a cause, it gives my work a purpose. Each and every time someone thanks me for inspiring them in some meaningful way, even if it is to approach a situation in a different manner, it drives my commitment. The presentation is one aspect, but not the most important. It’s the connections that matter. It’s people. Period.
https://www.facebook.com/Steeringthroughit/
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June 29, 2019
May 27, 2019
Thank you AllAuthor for the feature this month.
I love the ability to create GIFs of reviews on AllAuthor as well. This platform allow authors and readers to see all reviews that have been posted, on Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Good Reads! All in one place…
http://www.steeringthroughit.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/4140.mp4
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