Understanding: An Anthology of True and Significant Life Events

by Stevie Turner (Editor), Alienora Browning (Contributor), Sally Cronin (Contributor)

Nineteen authors/bloggers kindly answered questions posed by Stevie Turner regarding significant life experiences they had undergone. These events include sexual abuse, a near death experience, alcoholism, a cancer diagnosis, depression, losing weight, getting married, being a mother to many children, being the daughter of a narcissistic mother, and many more!

All proceeds will go to Cancer Research.

ebook

Published April 5, 2019

About the author

Stevie Turner is a British author of suspense, paranormal, women's fiction family dramas, and darkly humorous novels. She has also branched out into the world of audio books, screenplays, and translations. Her third novel 'A House Without Windows' gained the attention of a New York media production company in December 2017, and her screenplay 'For the Sake of a Child' won Silver in the 2017 Depth of Field International Film Festival.

More recently Stevie's novel 'His Ladyship' made the finals and Longlist of the 2021 Page Turner Award, and her book 'Falling' reached the finals of the 2022 Page Turner Award. Her (as yet unpublished) novella 'Holding Hands' was shortlisted for the 2025 Page Turner Writing Award.

To quote reader Roberta Baden-Powell: 'I'm looking forward to reading your new book and find your books the best so far. The style you write in has given me a new perspective and a renewed inspiration in reading once again.'

Stevie can be contacted at the following email address: info@stevieturner.uk You can also find her website at www.stevieturner.uk and her blog at www.steviet3.wordpress.com

Don't forget to sign up to Stevie's mailing list for new publications, events and giveaways! http://eepurl.com/dvNklL

Reviews

[Debbie Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting collection of stories

I am proud to be included in this anthology collated by Stevie Turner. The range of experiences, coping mechanisms and ultimately hope, that shines through is heartening.

All those interviewed by Stevie have a story to tell and they do it quite well in their answers to her questions. It’s good to have the links to their blogs as well, so we can follow up and interact. If anything, I wish I had been more fulsome in my responses. But with the links there anyone interested enough can click on over and read my words.

In my case the support I have had since sharing my story on my blog has been massive, especially considering my accident was over 40 years ago.

This anthology is full of interesting people who have experienced real trauma or significant events in their lives. We are all everyday people, not celebrities, but still our stories deserve to be told and heard!

Thanks to Stevie for giving us this place to share and be heard.

[Robbie Cheadle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of experiences, told mainly in the form of questions and answers, from twenty authors and bloggers, is a unique and emotional read. Each of the twenty participants has been through a traumatic time in their lives and each of them has overcome their particular set of circumstances, whether it is a struggle with cancer, sexual abuse, the loss of a loved one or a personal obsession gone wrong. Despite its emotional and heart wrenching content, this book is, on the whole, an uplifting read as well as being an enlightening one. I was impressed and encouraged by each of these writers ability to overcome their personal hardship and find a successful path forward.

To my mind, the stories in this book can be divided into two sets, those participants who had to deal with circumstances imposed on them by a third party or outside force creating circumstances over which they did not have complete control and those participants who ended up in a situation of their own making through their obsessive natures or those human frailties, like low self esteem and anxiety. I know from personal experience with friends and family that overcoming such mental barriers is an incredibly difficult thing to do.

I commend all of these authors and bloggers for their courage and honesty in writing their personal stories to help and encourage others who many be facing similar situations.

[Sally Cronin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I am a contributor to the anthology, there are 18 other writers who have shared significant events in their lives. They range from the devastating experiences of abuse in childhood through to being diagnosed with clinical depression. There are also major events that everyone can relate too and resonate with such as getting married and being mother to a large family.

Some might say that certain events or conditions were avoidable with better decisions such as obesity, but some issues are not one dimensional and there are usually underlying physical, mental or emotional elements to be considered. However, there can be no responsibility claimed for being abused as a child, being the daughter of a narcissistic mother, losing a brother at such a young age, becoming a carer for a loved one, or beating cancer, not once but three times.

Whilst many of life’s significant events are included in this collection of interviews, there is also an abundance of courage, perseverance, love and unbowed human spirit.

We cannot turn our eyes from the issues that are uncomfortable to read about, because they are far more uncomfortable and devastating to those who experienced them first hand. An inspiring read.

[Janet Gogerty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple idea; ask volunteers to answer a series of questions about a life experience. There are some experiences that most of us have, others that are certainly outside our realm. Even the same sort of experience will be different according to the person, where they live, the other folk in their lives. I loved the honesty of Abbie Johnson Taylor on becoming a carer - would she do it all again? I enjoyed the positivity of Lucy V. Hay on being a teenage mother. Readers may find comfort in knowing other people have undergone the same. We may face events in the future and remember how others in this book dealt with it. But whether you are facing illness or an addiction, one of the messages that seems to be common is that there are some things you have to want to do yourself, you need to help yourself before others can help you.
I was happy to be included in this anthology and now I have just finished readinng it will follow up the links to the other contributers' blogs, because there are lots of interesting lives out there.

[D.G. Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology takes us into the lives and perspectives of some talented authors with a personal sharing of some of their life's traumatic events, all on various topics from overcoming addictions, sexual abuse, losing weight and keep it off, near death experience, to living with a narcissist and more!
These stories are a raw and sincere telling about how these authors found themselves in these situations and how they triumphed on overcoming their situations. There is so much in these stories that readers will no doubt find themselves relating to some of these experiences, and can hopefully take the positive from to practice in their own lives. The stories are told in response to author Stevie Turner's questions which delve deeply into each author's personal situation. And all proceeds from sales going to cancer research, a worthy cause to contribute to.

[Beem Weeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I took part in this book, being interviewed by Stevie Turner some years ago. That said, this is an incredible collection of intimate conversations with authors. Each has a story to tell. But these aren't the fictional tales or memoirs for which the authors are known. The stories here speak on sexual abuse, near-death experiences, battles with addiction, depression, and other obstacles life lays at our feet.

Everybody has a story to tell. Often it is the biggest obstacles that lead us into the very breakthroughs needed to move us to the next chapter in life. All of us, as human beings, suffer from various issues at points in our lives. These issues need not destroy us. I have learned more about myself from the very things I've suffered than from and other means.

These are not just issues meant to be feared; these become part of our journey through life. The old adage "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger" is something every human must fully realize in order to live life to the fullest. Much solace can be gained from the experiences of others. This collection offers a variety that will surely connect with most who choose to get a copy and read.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've delved into this book as if reading/listening to the lives of good friends who have gone through traumatic times, and come out of them with insight and wonder to write about them. Each 'chapter' of questions and answers is a story itself. And each discusses a part of life that gives pain and strength, fear and ultimately, even joy. Some stories grabbed me more than others; for me, the ones about struggling with weight issues, cancer, parental abuse, care giving, and depression lifted me with the courage that these writers show in writing honestly about their struggles, and their path to joy.

[Janice Spina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compilation of essays in the form of questions and answers from some talented authors. These authors explain in detail the hardships they have had to endure in their lifetimes such as abusive relationships, alcoholism, weight gain, cancer surgeries, caffeine or cigarette addiction and depression.

These authors bear their souls and reveal what remarkable people they are and what makes them strong, resilient and of a special breed. It was difficult to read and imagine how much difficulty they have had in their lives and how they managed to rise above it all. I am in awe of them all. Some of these talented people are my online friends. I feel honored to know them.

This is a group of authors and their stories you will want to read. I highly recommend this book.

[Darlene Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting collection of essays in the form of questions and answers revolving around pivotal moments in the lives of the authors. Subjects range from losing weight, overcoming cancer, abusive relationships, losing a loved one and raising a large family. It is interesting to learn how individuals cope with life-changing situations. Some entries will make you laugh and others will make you cry, but they will all help the reader understand how people deal with life. I am pleased to be part of this anthology along with other talented authors.