Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better?

by Larada Horner-Miller

Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? is an invitation to read, reflect and respond to the global pandemic of 2020 and successive months after by author Larada Horner-Miller. Readers are encouraged to think about how the pandemic affected them and how they adapted. The book is intended to be used as a journal, a safe keeping place to revisit 2020. Larada Horner-Miller viewed the forced shelter in place as an opportunity for spiritual discoveries and renewed spiritual growth. The book incorporates what she learned during her year of solitude, a transformative process leading her to find a reconnection with her “God.” She struggled spiritually and emotionally. Her emotions ran deep from fear, struggle, and despair going deeper into her faith, ultimately making Horner-Miller a better, not a bitter person.

Themed chapters with poetry and prose add depth to the book. The book is divided into chapters with content developed from the author's blog over the years. Each chapter begins with a carefully chosen thought provoking quote complementing the theme. Horner-Miller's prose and poetry are creative and soul stirring. Both are extensions of the chapter's theme. Many of the poems deal with the anxiety and depict the universal struggles of uncertainty during this time. Readers will find them inspirational and comforting. Reflective questions at the end of each chapter encourage reader participation to share their personal thoughts and stories as well as process hidden fears and concerns during time spent in quarantine.

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2021

About the author

Larada Horner-Miller is a poet, essayist and accomplished multi-genre author who holds a bachelor’s degree in English, with a minor in Spanish and a master of education degree in Integrating Technology into the Classroom. She is the accomplished author of nine award-winning memoirs, historical fiction, a biography and poetry works plus three self-published cookbooks. She has also recorded three audiobooks.

Her recent release, Was It A Dream?: Navigating Life's Journey Through Poetry, won a gold award in the Global Book Awards.
Journey through life's peaks and valleys in "Was It a Dream?" Award-winning poet Larada Horner-Miller transforms personal struggles into universal truths in this first book in a four-book poetry collection. From loss and heartbreak to wonder and whimsy, these verses explore a woman's path through grief to hope. Experience profound reflections on family, nature, travel, and the resilient human spirit in this engaging installment of the Navigating Life's Journey Through Poetry series.

Her sixth book, Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better, is available in paperback and four e-book formats. Larada offers the reader the opportunity to look back at 2020 and the global pandemic through her prose and poetry through reading, then reflecting and responding. She addresses all the emotions she felt during this overwhelming time and leads the reader through to a self-access: bitter or better? Recently this book won the 2023 New Mexico/Arizona Book Award in the Self Help/Guides category. It also won the 2022 New Mexico/Arizona Book Award in the Body, Mind & Spirit category.

Her fifth book is the authorized memoir and biography of world-renown square dance caller Marshall “Flip” Flippo. Just Another Square Dance Caller, Biography of Marshall Flippo is available now in hardback, paperback and four e-book formats. Recently Just Another Square Dance Caller won two awards: Book Excellence Awards Finalist and Silver award for eLit. Book Awards.

Another recent book of hers, A Time to Grow Up-A Daughter's Grief Memoir has won many awards including being a 2018 Book Excellence Awards Finalist in the Memoir category at the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards and a 2018 Independent Press Distinguished Favorites Award in the Memoir category. Horner-Miller has also been a past national presenter at the Women Writing the West Conference and is currently the creator of Memoir Workshops for others who want to share their family’s legacies through words.

Larada and her husband, Lin, enjoy being nestled in the mountains above Albuquerque, New Mexico, near the village of Tijeras. When not writing books, this passionate, energetic, and enthusiastic woman loves to spend time kicking up her heels at square dancing gatherings, traveling, knitting, and reading.

As co-manager of her family’s southeastern Colorado ranch, she enjoys spending time exploring her family’s historic ranch and reminiscing with her brother and his children about their mom, dad, and granddad.

To learn more, visit https://laradasbooks.com/

Reviews

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won ARC Kindle edition through Goodreads giveaway. Enjoyed reading the author’s detailing life during the pandemic which I can relate to. The book helped me fleecy on the past year and work through unresolved feelings. The author uses prose to detail her daily life during this trying time.

[Kathy D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Larada's book, Coronavirus Reflections - Bitter or Better is very timely for each of us to read and think about. I found myself writing my own reflections to the ones she posts at the end of each chapter. When the outbreak started and then the lockdown went into effect, I did think it would be a good time to write down the events as an observer and participant. Larada has thankfully, taken the lead and come up with an excellent book for us to contemplate as we continue to face this second year of the pandemic.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a personal journal of sorts of one woman's journey through the pandemic. I found the questions at the end of each section good to think through. It makes me really think again about priorities and simplifying my life and enjoying simple things.

[Sue Ready · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better?” is an invitation to read, reflect, and respond to the unimaginable global pandemic of 2020 and successive months after by author Larada Horner-Miller. Readers are encouraged to think about how the pandemic affected them and how they adapted. The book is intended to be used as a journal, a safe-keeping place to revisit 2020. Horner-Miller viewed the forced shelter in place as an opportunity for spiritual discoveries and renewed spiritual growth. A year and more of COVID restrictions taught her the need to implement changes in her daily life. Upon reexamining her pre-COVID life, priorities began to shift, self-care rituals changed and daily life moved to a new norm. She was able to recharge and find new creative outlets. Zoom meetings became one of her primary social outlets. Horner-Miller found the pandemic an opportunity to slow down and look deep inside. She began to find reconnection with her “God”, becoming a more compassionate person filled with gratitude. Readers will easily relate to Horner-Miller's personal experiences with their universal appeal. Embracing a positive attitude and learning to make the best of the months spent in quarantine are admirable traits the author acquired.

It's evident a lot of thought went into designing the format of this book to make it user-friendly in a journal format. The book is divided into themed chapters with content developed from the author's blog content over the years. Each chapter begins with a carefully chosen thought-provoking quote complementing the theme. Horner-Miller's prose and poetry are creative and soul-stirring. Both are extensions of the chapter's theme. Many of the poems deal with the anxiety and struggles of the uncertainty of the times. She has compiled an impressive amount of original poems to share with readers. Reflective questions at the end of each chapter encourage reader participation to write in the book. It's a safekeeping vessel to share personal thoughts and stories as well as process hidden fears and concerns raised during quarantine time.

As Horner-Miller became better at choosing spiritual solutions, her spirituality was reawakened. . “Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better?” is a book to read slowly, savoring the words and returning often for a second read.

[Larada Horner-Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book came out of my deep spiritual experience during the coronavirus pandemic, a worldwide phenomenon, casting us all into unknown waters.

So I wrote about my experience weekly in blog and that inspired this book. I added expressive pictures and quotes at the beginning of each chapter and thought-provoking "Reflection" questions at the end.

Recently, I'm proud to say this book won the 2022 New Mexico/Arizona Book Award for Body, Mind & Spirit category! How that confirmed the validity of this book and its powerful message—the reader can choose how they respond to the pandemic of 2020: either bitter or better.