Roxana’s Comments (group member since Jun 13, 2011)

Roxana’s comments from the While I Was Learning to Become God group.

Roxana Jones weaves a well-written narrative about the life of Sybil Vaughan and her own journey in While I Was Learning to Become God. Sybil and Roxana share portions of their lives in a uniquely written account. Ms. Jones weaves a beautifully written story, which includes spiritual beings, guardian angels and the heroines’ search to transform their lives. This transformation comes to light as Ms. Jones eloquently tells Sybil’s story while intertwining her own spiritual awakening. We can all relate to the path taken because it encompasses life and day to day living.

The author, along with Sybil, takes the ordinary strife of life and makes it into a lovely tale of mercy, forgiveness and grace. While I Was Learning to Become God is not only a story of two women’s journeys, but the story of reaching beyond and through and around reality, to stretch the imagination and let the spirit soar.
On page 124 of the book, Ms. Jones writes, “She got up the next morning with a strong desire to awaken, But not to wake up physically; she already knew how to do that perfectly.

Rather, she wanted to awaken in the sense that the image had asked her to the night before.”It is the author’s desire that the reader will receive a message of hope and change. She hopes to make a contribution of new and positive beliefs.

The author has accomplished her goal!I recommend While I Was Learning to Become God to anyone wanting to delve deeper into harnessing their spiritual power or to anyone wanting an entertaining read.

Reviewed by: Donetta Garman, Allbooks Review: www.allbookreviews.com

Reviewed by Vicki Landes for Reader Views (6/11)

“While I Was Learning to Become God” is an autobiographical account of Columbian Sybil Vaughan‟s life, as dictated to author Roxana Jones. Vaughan, already on her deathbed, recounts her life to Jones so that others may learn of her extraordinary experiences. These experiences range from „normal‟ to tragic to even difficult to believe.

Vaughan begins life on the small Caribbean island of San Andrés. After struggling with a life-threatening illness at the tender age of three, she slowly learns that life – and people – don‟t always measure up to what you‟d like them to be. Even with comfortable living arrangements, multiple college degrees, and high paying jobs, Jones fought with the nagging feeling that there was always something more out there just beyond her reach. And „one more degree‟ or „one more accomplishment‟ didn‟t get her any closer to that elusive happiness. Enduring emotional and psychological abuse from man after man, she finds the
acceptance and love she so badly craved from angels and other spirit guides as well as within herself before leaving this life in the most unusual of ways.

“While I Was Learning to Become God” would be a fascinating read for those interested in inner discovery, miracles, angels, and finding the divine within. There are some very minor editing errors and I thought the major sections should have had some smaller breakdowns – something more pronounced than simply starting a new page with no indication of time past or new location. I would have also loved to see some pictures of Vaughan through the years – to put a face with the story; I‟m guessing that the young girl on the cover is her
but it isn‟t clear if the picture is of her or of the author. The story flowed well so I have no complaints.

“While I Was Learning to Become God” is a heartbreaking read from beginning to end as Vaughan obviously endured a lifetime of sadness. Jones‟ narration is both passionate and reflective of her subject‟s frustration and agony. I especially like how Jones intermingles her own recounting with quotes from
Vaughan herself, as indicated in italics. This gave a nice switch in voice and brought a deeply personal feel to the text. Jones also succeeds in conveying intense emotion to her readers; I sympathized with Vaughan and felt a connection to her the same way I‟d feel about a friend falling back into a bad relationship over and over again. While I do not share the same beliefs as Vaughan and had a hard time accepting some of the experiences she describes, I could still respect her desperate need for an outside entity‟s love and acceptance
and her use of supernatural beings to help guide her way.

In the end, Sybil Vaughan found the peace she ached for and made a profound impact on Roxana Jones‟ life.

After reading "While I Was Waiting for God" and watching the book trailer, I was embraced in the calmness and peace surrounding the story. This is a book that readers will either love and take to heart or misunderstand and put aside. As with many paradoxical experiences, the heroine of the book, Sybil Vaughan, learns to embrace those things that are in the beginning most vile to her. Through this embrace, she heals and returns to herself, to the wholeness inside the soul.

However, the title is somewhat misleading, for this is not about someone who decides she is God, but rather someone (who like many of us) have a transformation and comes to understand that God lives within each of us.

Verdict: The blending of the two voices makes for a powerful, moving and suspenseful novel.

In her heart-wrenching novelized memoir, “While I Was Waiting To Become God”, Roxana Jones writes about her dying friend, Sybil Vaughan.

Vaughan entrusts Roxana with the task of writing her life’s story and Roxana, with the greatest delicacy, adds her own perspective on Sybil’s life. The blending of the two voices makes for a powerful, moving and suspenseful novel.

Sybil Vaughan was born and raised on a small island in the Caribbean. She is a delicate, creative and almost spirit-like child who struggles with the conflict of nurturing her own independent spirit with her powerful mother, various mentors and a society that wants to control her every thought and action.

Vaughn’s adult life is equally torn between two divisive forces. She balances her roles as a mother and the wife of a close-minded—and often abusive Columbian autocrat—with a career as a political activist. Vaughn’s only comfort comes from a study of spirituality and the metaphysical guides that she believes will lead her through conflict to eventual peace.

In her quest for a balance that suits her spirit, Vaughn discovers that her life is not about the material things she has acquired, but about the peace she feels when in touch with her true self. “While I was Learning to Become God” is ultimately about one woman’s courageous journey of self discovery, and another’s equally courageous undertaking to record that journey.


Reviewed by Peggy La Vake
Holds degrees in English and Music. Has commercial pilots license. A practitioner of Tai Chi. Teaches violin and viola. Performs classical music. Finds great satisfaction in writing. Has been published numerous times. Works daily on what she hopes to be her first novel.

Reviewed by Anne B. for ReadersFavorite.com

While I Was Learning To Become God is based on the life of Sybil Vaughn. Roxana Jones sat at Sybil’s bedside and listened intently as Sybil told her story which included "guardian angels." Guardian angels have been watching out for Sybil her entire life. Sybil was only one year old when she became very ill. Her mother, Cassandra, feared her daughter would not survive. However, it wasn’t Sybil’s time yet. A guardian angel told her mother to give her green coconut milk. Within a few months, Sybil was thriving. In another instance she was playing behind her father’s truck where he could not see her. The quick action of her guardian angel caught her father’s attention before he backed over her. Sybil's life and experience are unique and remarkable. She was only six years old when she communicated with dolphins telepathically. After her first marriage ended in divorce she visited a commune. During a worship/meditation service she once again saw her guardian angel. In an out of body experience she conversed with him. She found peace in her meditations.

Sybil had been controlled all of her life, first by her mother and then by her husband. I see Sybil as a butterfly. Her story is one of metamorphism, the reader watches as Sybil changes. I’m not sure I completely understand or agree in Sybil’s belief system. However, I found her story fascinating. I have attempted to be vague and brief in sharing Sybil’s life story, as my review would be too long if I shared all of the amazing events in her life. I can only imagine the joy and awe Roxanne Jones felt as she listened to Sybil. It is obvious they formed a great friendship. Sybil’s discussion of her spiritual life was intriguing. I have a couple of questions I wish I could ask her.

Roxana Jones did an excellent job bringing Sybil’s story to life. I felt as if I knew her personally. She also described the Guardian Angels in such a way that I could see them in my mind’s eye, Sybil was a remarkable woman and this is a remarkable book.