Announcing my first book to be published this Fall! "River of Grace: Creative Passages Through Difficult Times"

River of Grace is currently available for pre-sale on Amazon. The book will be released on October 30, 2015.

I am pleased to announce that my very first book, River of Grace: Creative Passages Through Difficult Times will be released this fall, published by Ave Maria Press!

A memoir with life application

River of Grace is part spiritual memoir and part life application, offering true and hopeful stories of growth and transformation after hard losses.

Father Robert Reed, president of CatholicTV and author of Renewed writes of the book:

"If you, like me, have experienced failure or loss and can't quite find your way out of the darkness, Susan Bailey offers gentle reflections with graceful tools that bring light, creative renewal and a fuller Christian life."

Amy Belding Brown, author of Mr. Emerson's Wife and Flight of the Sparrow (which I reviewed last year) writes:

"Susan Bailey’s powerful and beautifully-written book is much more than an insightful spiritual memoir. River of Grace is also a brilliant reflection on the connections between creativity and grace. Deeply grounded in a profound Christian faith, the author chronicles her personal experiences of loss and shows how they were transformed as she learned to accept and respond to new challenges. This wonderful book also includes a valuable assortment of exercises that will enrich your spiritual life and gently guide you to confront your own difficulties and deepen your relationship with God. Anyone who seeks to discern God’s purposes in life’s most challenging situations will find this book one to cherish."

Seasons of loss

Just about all of us can cite a time in our lives whether now or in the past, where we have lost something precious to us.

• Perhaps it's been the death of a parent or a child.
• Or, you yourself are suffering through a long illness.
• It could be a long stretch of unemployment causing financial difficulties, even the loss of your home.
• Maybe you've lost a best friend due to a falling out.
• Perhaps you've recently put down a beloved pet.

These are all serious losses that tear at us, causing grief or anxiety or anger. Where do we find the strength to pick up the pieces and carry on?

Could a serious loss signal a new life, even a transformed life?

This is what I write about in River of Grace, beginning with the loss of my parents and then my singing voice. Through the means of a kayak and my love for Louisa May Alcott, God led me on an amazing, joy-filled and sometimes crazy adventure within his river of grace, leading up to this book and beyond.

Stories and tools

River of Grace is not just book of stories. I provide practical tools so that you too can go on your amazing adventure. These "Flow Lessons" appear throughout the book and will also be available on this website.

In the weeks to come, I will share quotes and stories from River of Grace. Please spread the word to everyone you know who has gone through a season of loss or is just looking to jump start their spiritual and creative lives.

Available in many formats

River of Grace will be available as a print book, e-book and audio book (through Audible.com and iTunes). Just this past week I started the process of recording the book. My thanks to producer extraordinaire Ron Zabrocki for his expertise (he produced several of my music CDs).

Here is more on River of Grace:

Writing River of Grace and having it published by such a well-respected publisher has been a dream come true. I would definitely classify it as a "crazy adventure!"

Please share this post on Facebook, on Twitter, on Pinterest, through email with anyone whom you think would benefit from reading my book. Feel free to share the book cover. Your recommendation is the best way to get the word out.

I will let you know just as soon as it is available when you can order River of Grace. Signing up for my email list is the best way to be the first to know.

I can't wait to share this book with you!

Copyright 2015 Susan W. Bailey
River of Grace book cover provided by Ave Maria Press; all other photos copyright 2015 Susan W. Bailey