This fall, I am spending some time sharing Without a Map: A Caregiver’s Journey through the Wilderness of Heart and Mind with audiences in my region. Before my first book presentation, I worked with Kali Bird Isis, an expressive arts therapist who supported me in identifying which aspects of the book I most wanted to share. As I found and refined my approach, I paid attention to emotions that remained raw or unresolved as well as the ways in which I have found solace, inspiration, and new energy since Dad’s death.
With the first few events behind me, my discomfort with public speaking has been replaced by a genuine enthusiasm for upcoming book events. Each opportunity to share my story provides a strong and healing contrast to the feeling of isolation that was so pervasive in caregiving. Each presentation is also an invitation to others to more fully embrace their own life stories and the relationships, caring, and connections that have contributed to them.
It is both validating and inspiring to hear from people who share that the book’s themes and approach resonate deeply with them. This recent review from Kimberly Luyckx at ReaderViews made me feel very clearly seen and heard:
Steele-Maley’s memoir is reflective of a greater life lesson, maybe the greatest of all. Connection. One such example is when she uses the smooth rhythm of her words to relate the foundation of our lives to the roots of nature’s trees – “long and strong, stretching deep into the earth and reaching out to one another.” All throughout her book, the author relays a universal message that infiltrates and transcends the reality of her situation. Her circumstances present a larger perspective of life. Being in the “wild” she is granted with a view often described as awe-inspiring and infinite.
Kimberly’s review identifies the powerful unifying themes that encourage me to want to share the book as widely and as frequently as possible. Connection to one another and to the earth offers a powerful antidote to the anger, dis-chord and dis-ease that threaten our humanity and the entire planet. Connection is not only a salve for our individual lifetimes, it’s a pathway for our collective, planetary and evolutionary future.
I would love your help getting Without a Map: A Caregiver’s Journey through the Wilderness of Heart and Mind into more hands — and getting myself with more audiences in large presentations or intimate group conversations. Here are a few ways you can help:
- If you are connected with a community like Goodreads, leave a rating and/or review.
- If you bought the book at Amazon, leave a review there.
- If you are in a book group, read and discuss it there (and let me know how it goes.)
- If you live nearby, bring a friend or two to an upcoming event.
- If you live far away, put me in touch with businesses or organizations in your area that are interested in hosting a reading or presentation. I would be happy for the chance to travel to your neighborhood!
I am grateful for your support and for the courage and strength your readership gives me as I continue writing, sharing, appreciating the present, and imagining a vital future for us all. Thank you for being on this journey with me!