Storystorm Day 16: “Social Media Inspires Social Awareness” by Brenda Reeves Sturgis

Joan, thank you so much for this sweet post. ❤

Thank you dear sweet friend! Love you. ❤

Elaine, it has been a true blessing. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Kim. It is my greatest hope that this book finds the families that need it.

Pat, thank you. It was so important to me that this story be told with the compassion that it deserves, as I feel as though I have a responsibility and a deep desire to make a difference somehow. ❤

Sheri. THANK YOU so much for these kind words. ❤

Thank you so much Mark for taking your time to post here. Means a lot.

Michelle, THANK YOU! I appreciate your kindness and your support.

Jacqueline, thank you so very much for these kind sentiments. I hope to make a difference however I can.

Christine, thank you. I hope you get the chance to read it. The illustrations are so amazing, Jo-Shin Lee made this book what it is.

Paula, Thank you. I am always one that looks for inroads, and just takes a chance and jumps in. I am thankful that any and every door that God opens.

Heather, my hat is tipped to you for the important work that you did for families. YOU are the rock star here.

Marlene, I am so excited to be part of this journey. Thank you for taking your time to post here, it means a lot to me.

Maria, THANK YOU. I hope that the gift of the books will touch many hearts. I appreciate your post here, Maria. ❤

Thank you so much for posting and for your kind words.

From your mouth to God’s ears. It is my hope that this book touches many hearts and lives, and the award has been won already, which is the fact that I got to be the one to write it. A huge blessing, and an even bigger honor.

Brianna, I totally hear you here, it is heartbreaking and difficult for children to grasp and understand. It is my hope that children won’t be afraid of homeless or people in shelters, that this book will help them to understand that a family is a family is a family and home is where the heart is.

Kate, THANK YOU so much!

Stephanie, thank you. I hope it makes a difference, somehow.

Yes, that’s me. I can be persistent, and I have always set my eyes on the prize and run through any and every door that God opens, and on the way through I shout, “Thank you very much! Use me somehow.” So I appreciate your kind words and hope that it will be a winning formula.

Thank you, Joan. It was a definite, strike while the iron is hot moment.

Sherry, this is so nice of you to say. I’m sure I’d like you too! You are so kind. Much appreciated.

Tracy, I am most excited about how things will unfold. My life’s goal is to get to every shelter in the country and give Still a Family to EVERY child in every shelter. A lofty undertaking, I realize. But…what the mind can believe, the heart can achieve.

Thank you, Anne. Carpe Diem, so they say.

You are so very welcome. We don’t think of the children in the shelters, and it is my hope that Still a Family will change that in a good way.

Pam, PLEASE take pictures if you can and email me at Bsturgis@metrocast.net. I would love to see how this book makes a difference for the children, up close and personal.

Thank you for your kind words! Means so much to me.

Sharon, it is an honor and privilege to be a part of this book and I am so excited to help bring it into the world.

Danielle, good ideas are all around us, and we just have to believe that what we have to say is worth saying and find a way to get it out into the world and into people’s hearts.

Thank you, Cathy! What is your current project?

Nina, Jo-Shin Lee did a fabulous job and she is an amazing illustrator.

Thank you, Nicole!

Thank you Judy. Best of luck to you with your writing as well.

We are living in tough times, and a little bit of love and kindness can go a LONG way (I hope). And with healing through acts of love and compassion everybody wins in the end.

Wow Mary, what a thoughtful and tough question. Every child deserves their own holiday, their own bed, a home and a family. Here’s to hoping it happens for all.

Kara, writing is much like landscaping. Adding just the right flowers, and bushes, borders and mulch and watering it to make it grown. Thank you for taking your time to post here.

Thank you for this post! If you write it, it can happen!

I would love to hear about this conference, and THANK YOU for including Still a Family in your presentation. What a huge honor.

Aimee, thank you so much!

JoAnn, this is a thoughtful post, and I truly hope so too. Thank you!

Thank you, Linda!

Thank you, Robyn.

Thank you, Mary. It was important to tap into the voice of the child and make it about how a family stays a family versus the sadness of living in a shelter.

This post touched my heart, thank you!

AWWW, thank you so much, Jen.

Elise, I’m glad you liked it, thank you.

I have met some wonderful people along this journey. My hat is tipped to you, Melissa. Thank you for the wonderful work you have done.

Ginger, Karen and I have such a lovely wonderful relationship. We have been together for almost 7 years and I trust her judgment and she trusts mine. She is an amazing agent, friend, and cheerleader and works so hard for all of her “kits” at Red Fox Literary. I am blessed to be represented by her.

Thank you, Aileen. I think we all must be ready for when opportunity knocks, because sometimes inspiration strikes in the most unusual places.

This is a beautiful meaningful post, thank you so very much for your very kind words, and sweet heart.

Thank you, Ann. I am excited to see how it will unfold, I am willing, I am able, I am ready to do the work that God has set before me.

Writing in prose for me is like pulling teeth. It’s not something that comes naturally to me it was tough, rhyme is my thing normally, so I hope that I will do it justice, and I hope the storytelling will touch some hearts. Thank you.

Angie, thank you. I hope it finds its way to you!

Ali, it was my biggest hope to tell this story with respect and compassion, to change lives and change hearts. Thank you.

Yes, it is my blessing and my curse. Impatience, or quick to jump on the bandwagon, me in a nutshell. Thank you.

Thank you for this thoughtful post.

God promises us that it comes back 10 fold and I believe Him.

Where are you located. Let’s connect soon. Thank you for this post.

Thank you, Cathy!

Thank you, Johna. My research really did tell me that we are all about 2 paychecks away. It could happen to any of us (probably) at just about any time.

Linda, thank you so much.

Thank you, Karin.

Thank you, Alice. Yes, I do believe we can all make a difference daily, just with random acts of kindness and hope.

Thank you!

Denise, please tell them about my book. This is BUT A SEASON in their lives. They will make it out to the other side, and they have each other, and they are Still a Family! And THAT is the most important thing. ❤

I actually included the Family Promise website in this book on my resource page, as a way for people to find shelters to donate to.

LOL. Yes, there was a lot of wiggling that day for sure. Hula hooping really. Thank you, Pam for your post. Made me smile.

It is my goal to donate to shelters across the country, and somehow I’d like to get a book to every child in every shelter. Maybe someday I can do that.

Thank you for this kind post. ❤

Anne, thank you so much. MUCH can be overcome with love! Love is enough.

Thank you so very much!

Debra, thank you!

Amanda, we see the homeless on the corners, and we avert our eyes because it touches close to home for all of us, and it’s scary to think about. The illustrator that Albert Whitman selected depicted this story innocently, perfectly through the drawings of the child. My hope is that this book helps us ALL make eye contact and realize these people have children too, and we are but a few paychecks away. Family is family, and home is where the heart is.

You’re welcome, Beth. Thank you.

Thank you, Robin, I appreciate this.

Thank you, Lisa.

Heart is 100% vested. Thank you for this nice post.

Sometimes there is no family to help. Savings get depleted, resources dry up, and people lose hope. It is my hope that Still a Family touches hearts and makes a difference, however that will be.

Thank you, Christine.

This is a wonderful idea, thank you! Also, feel free to connect with Schinnell Leake. She is the founder of Extra-Ordinary Birthdays, (an organization that provides birthday parties to the homeless) she was featured in Oprah’s magazine and was chosen as a Woman of the Year. We have paired up together and I know she would appreciate your support.

Thank you, Jen.

What an angel you were that day, thank you for your act of kindness. I’m sure it made a tough day better for that person. You rock!

Thank you so much, DaNeil.

Thank you so much, Mary.

Thank you, Tanja. ❤

Thank you, Rachel.

Megan, thank you for this post. I hope my book helps your students.

There is a line in the book, “I love you to the moon and back!” Thank you for this thoughtful post.

Thank you, Susan.

Thank you. ❤

Thank you so much! It would mean so much to me if you were able to share it with people that need it. 🙂

I hope it touches hearts, thank you.

Thank you, Polly.

Susan, PLEASE let me know how they are and keep me posted as you read this story to them. I would appreciate that so very much.

Thank you, Karen. And YES. I agree. It was miraculous indeed.

Thank you, Carol.

Thank you, Angie. When the student is ready the teacher will appear, so I’ve been told and am always on the lookout for people that can teach me how to be better then what I am. Thank you for this post.

Christine, thank you for the important work that you do. I’m sure you touch many lives and many hearts. THANK YOU!

We are all in this together, so anything I can do to help, I will.

Linda, THANK YOU!

Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Cathy! I hope Still a Family will find it’s way to you. Where is your library?

Thank you, Laura.

Thank you, Juliana!

Thank you, Alicia.

My biggest hope is that it does, and that it will.

Thank you, Therese.

❤

I ADMIRE your work so much and recognized your name immediately. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to post here, you are the rock star, and I aspire to be more like you.

I would love to hear their story, Cindi, and yours. I hope this book touches their hearts. Thank you.

Karen Grencik and I have a very wonderful relationship and we have been friends and have worked together for almost seven years. I have the utmost respect for her, and often times, most times actually, if she doesn’t think something is a good fit for her editors she passes, BUT she always listens to me if I can show her that I know of an editor that is interested and she always sends my work out if I know of somebody it might be a good fit for. It works because we trust each other. If I don’t know of an editor that has interest I always defer to Karen because she spends countless hours working so hard for her clients and friends at Red Fox Literary. I was glad that we were able to sell this book to Albert Whitman, and I couldn’t have done it without her.

Rebecca, YOU are amazing! I adore you.

Thank you Charlotte!

Thank you so much, this means a lot to me.

Thank you for taking your time to post here. Much appreciated.

Thank you, Beverly.

Yes, I’m known for being crouched and ready to nab it and run. This made me smile, thank you.

Yes, and always be coachable, respectful and steadfast. So important working in this industry.

Thank you for the reblog!

I am always open to writing what might need to be written, in hopes of touching hearts and changing lives. Can’t hurt, right?

Thank you, Susan! I agree. It’s been a magic carpet ride.

Thank you, Carolyn!

Thank you, Saralyn.

Thank you, Sara.

Thank you, Joyce. I hope it makes a difference.

Wow, thank you, Jamie, so much for this thoughtful post.

Thank you, Janie. All we can do is try to make it a bit brighter, right? One second at a time, one ray of sunshine every day.

Well, thank you so much, Kathy!

Good luck with your writing! My fingers will be crossed for you.

Sheri, more than any other business I’ve been in, Children’s Publishing is rooted in friendships and relationship based. Editors, and agents become friends through thoughtful submissions, or through conferences, and oftentimes they post about things they want or need and that is how we find the needle in the haystack that can become a picture book, oftentimes.

Thank you, Heidi!

Thank you, Carleen. I hope it will touch your heart.

I hope so too, Sydney. It is my biggest dream to get this book to the children in the shelters so they don’t feel so alone.

Jane! THANK YOU! I appreciate this kindness.

Angela, THANK YOU for saying this, it means a lot to me.

Gina, thank you! ❤

Publishing is not for the faint of heart, and it takes time, patience and a lot of work to get to the goal. Thank you for your kind post and I will look forward to hearing about your journey, Lori.

Thank you so much, Pat.

Thank you, Joana. Good luck with your writing.

I have had hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of rejections and have been writing since 2004, sometimes it takes a very long time. Keep going, keep believing, keep achieving. I know you will get there.

Thank you, Gabi. I surely hope so. I hope it will make a difference, somehow.

THANK YOU, I hope so too. Children believe what we tell them and they become what they believe. I hope they know that they are loved and things will get better.

Thank you, Cathy.

Thank you. I LOVE Will Smith, and love the story he depicted with his son in a homeless shelter. He is one of my favorite actors of our generation.

Thank you so much, Kelly.

Thank you, Joy.

Heart squish. Thank you. ❤

Thank you!

Thank you so much, Melanie.

❤

Stephanie, thank you! I hope it finds its way to the people in Seattle. And I hope I can visit there someday to read it.

I cried like a baby, and still do. I am honored to be a small part of this book.

Thank you, Lauren. I hope you will enjoy it.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. We are ALL one, whether we live in a homeless shelter or a gilded apartment. We come into the world the same and we leave the world, and what we do to make a difference while we are here is what matters most.

This is a very sweet and kind wish. Thank you.

Years and years and years of writing and rejections on many other things so the sale of this book was very appreciated!

Being writers is the best gift of all, and we get to meet such amazing people while filling our hearts and heads with characters and wonderful words. Thank you for this sweet post.

Thank you, Melissa.

Rita, in this world that we live in, it is my hope that it joins us as one people hearts and minds alike.

Thank you so much, David.

🙂 I hope you will read, Still a Family. ❤

Thank you, Danielle.

Thank you, R.J.!

MONA! Hello, thank you for posting. Your time is coming my friend. I can feel it in the air. Keep going Mona, you’re almost at the finish line! YAY YOU!

Thank you Kirsti!

Thank you, Nancy.

🙂 Thank you!

Thank you, Keila.

Thank you, Alan for your input and your thoughts.

Thank you, Natalie. Have them e-mail me at Bsturgis@metrocast.net if I can help in any way.

My biggest hope and dream is to get Still a Family into every shelter and every school. Thank you!

Dani! YES. Go for it. Keep writing, keep believing.

Everywhere and we never know when it’s going to hit so we have to be ready!

Julie, thank you so much.

Would love to work with your school to get this book to every child, and to do a free skype visit!

Brenda, Brenda, Brenda, you are a superstar! Congratulations on your forthcoming book, so happy for you! The Little Red Fort, is that correct?

Thank you, Brenda

Thank you, Urania.

Thank you, Dawn.

Awww, thank you so much, Kaye.

Thank you, Catherine. ❤

Thank you so much, Buffy.

Thank you, Katharine. I hope this book helps every child everywhere that faces homelessness.

Thank you so much for this kind sentiment.

Thank you, Erika.

It was VERY tough. It went through many many changes and revisions. It had to be just right because it is a difficult subject matter, so it needed to be told thoughtfully with compassion. I hope you will like it.

Thank you Mary. I want children to know that there is NO SHAME in living in a shelter, it doesn’t make them LESS then. It’s just for a season.

❤

I couldn’t do this without my agent, but I didn’t always have an agent. In fact, I queried for many months, got my first agent after winning a contest and then we were together for 2.5 years. We parted ways amicably. I queried agents for 8 more months, many many agents. Rejected at every turn. Signed with my second agent and that wasn’t a good fit so we parted ways. Queried for many months, hired Emma Dryden as a consultant to see what I was doing wrong, and then landed ever so happily and gratefully with Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary and we’ve been together almost 7 years. It is an effortless love match. I am very blessed and very lucky to work with her.

Still a Family. First and foremost. Home is where the heart is.

Thank you, Tracey!

Probably not, but it all depends if I had the connections with the editors myself, if I had met them at a conference or was friends with them on facebook. I might have been able to submit to them on my own, but in all honesty doubtful. Having an agent is a blessing in this business. Read the above post, it explains how I got my agent. It took me 6-years to find her!

Thank you so much, Tina.

“I love you to the moon and back.” A line in Still a Family. Thank you for posting.

It was a gift. I knew it when I wrote it because it came so quickly. It was a blessing and I am thankful for it every day.

Gail, I am a nudger, for sure. But I do try to nudge politely and respectfully, always.

Thank you!

Thank you, Heather.

Donna, you have to keep going. I have been rejected at every turn with many stories, hundreds of rejections. You just have to keep on until one sticks. ❤

Thank you!

Thank you, Leslie.

Thank you, Renae, I hope you will like it.

Hi Jen, thank you. I hope it will touch your heart when you read it.

It is my hope that every heart this book touches steps forward to help make positive changes.

Thank you, Shanah!

Laurie, thank you for this kind and thoughtful post.

Darlene, thank you! So much!

Thank you, I hope so. I hope it is the beginning of what I am supposed to be doing with my life. ❤

Thank you, Tina. Facebook is very good for that!

Please tell your co-worker about me. I would LOVE to connect with her. Thank you so much. And so glad she found her way to the other side. Bravo to her for keeping her family together, and working through.

Things can turn on a dime, for sure!

It is sad. There are family shelters but not a lot of them. Children deal with enough without having their families torn apart. But Still a Family will give them ideas on how they can stay connected, hopefully.

Debbie, thank you for this thoughtful post, it means a lot to me.

Thank you, Tricia. I hope you will like it.

Thank you, Lane. It is my honor and my pleasure. A true blessing.