I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the CHOOSING SURVIVAL by Lynn F Forney Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Title: CHOOSING SURVIVAL
Author: Lynn F Forney
Pub. Date: May 12, 2022
Publisher: Flying Feet Publishing
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 130
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/CHOOSING-SURVIVAL
This story, my story, was not an easy
one to tell. It has not been an easy one to live.
By 21, I had already had my fair share of struggles. Clinical depression often hid behind my smile, but, deep down, I never lost hope. Not really. As I began to heal and find my place in the world, something unthinkable happened.
I awoke with a man, a stranger, in my bed. Then he stabbed me. Seven times. I lost 21 pints of blood. Statistically, I should not have survived.
Yet here I am. Telling my story. Candidly, honestly, courageously. Hoping that I may help others do the same.
To heal. To hope. And above all else, to love.
If you enjoy TRUE stories about regular people who survive extraordinary circumstances, this is a must-read!
Excerpt:
Poetry excerpt from Choosing Survival: How I Endured a Brutal Attack and a Lifetime of Trauma Through the Power of Action, Choice and Self-Expression by Lynn Forney. Reprinted with permission from Flying Feet Publishing
Betty
Lynn Forney
A tiny spark lay in the distance,
One so fragile and new,
Lay dormant like a seedling,
Just bursting to break through.
It sends out a signal,
Searching the globe,
Wondering which special person,
Can decipher its code.
Wondering, waiting,
“I can’t wait to be found”
But as the time ticks away,
The spark sinks deeper in the ground.
The joy drains away,
“I’ll never find my mate,
The one I am meant for,
The one to change my fate”.
Its hope fades away,
Its light grows dim,
“I may as well succumb,
I have no choice but to give in.”
As the spark descends,
With sorrow and grief,
Its course rapidly changes,
And is left in disbelief.
“Who just rescued me?
I thought for sure I was dead!”
And the spark gazes upwards,
To find you instead.
“It is you, my mate,
We were meant to be,
I am an idea,
And it is you who’ll set me free.”
Joy floods your body,
As you embrace your new friend,
For you, too, had felt empty,
Your heart needing to mend.
“This is it”, you exclaim,
“This will make me whole,
I will proceed forth, with glee,
It will be something to behold.”
As you and your spark
Form this new partnership,
Your mind races with wonder,
It even does a backflip.
You smile and you skip
Your heart dances with delight,
You can’t wait to bring this idea
Out into the light.
As your mind opens up
To what’s possible and new
You notice another voice,
That’s now here with you.
It is quiet at first,
But quickly explains
“I will be heard,
I will stake my claim.”
Your chest grows heavy,
You let out a sigh,
For this is no stranger,
Whose come in the night.
This voice has been with you,
For many years it seems,
It always shows up,
And ruins your dreams.
It makes you feel small,
Worthless, and dumb,
This voice, you know,
Is difficult to overcome.
It tells you “you’ll fail,
Why bother, just quit,
You know you’ll lose,
You are an idiot.”
“Not again, not again
Why do you do this to me?
Why are you so hellbent
On making me unhappy”?
“Every time I try
To achieve something new,
You come smash my dreams,
Make me feel so blue”.
You turn to your spark,
“I’m sorry my friend,
I’m no good, I’m defeated,
I won’t win in the end.”
The spark looks at you,
And sees your pain,
But it vibrates and states,
“A new perspective you’ll gain”.
“Give this voice a name,
And a personality, too,
Ask it some questions,
Why is it part of your crew”?
You ponder this request,
Wondering what this will do,
But you shrug, “why not,
I’ll try something new”.
This, my friends,
May seem weird, untrue,
But if I can do it,
Well, so can you.
I’ll explain to you now,
How it happened for me,
So that perhaps one day,
You can try it and see.
Eyes closed, I breathed,
Asked this voice it’s name,
“Betty” she replied,
With a hint of disdain.
I allowed this voice, Betty,
to come into view,
Leather catsuit, red lips,
And a whip to boot.
She stared me down,
Harsh look on her face,
Ready to berate me again,
And do so with haste.
I mustered the courage,
Looked her straight in the eye,
“Dominatrix Betty,
You’re so terrible. Why”?
“It’s so blatantly obvious,”
She strongly replied,
“You’re safe with me,
I keep you alive.”
“Remember the first time,
You felt embarrassed and shamed?
Well I showed up after,
Swore we’d never feel that again.”
I was shocked at first,
I couldn’t believe my ears,
But I softened as I realized,
She tried to keep me safe all these years.
I looked at her,
My view fresh and new,
And said, “I thank you, Betty,
I really do.”
“But from now on,
I’ve got it from here,
I can keep us all safe,
Please trust me dear.”
I sensed her reluctance,
To completely let go,
But she had to take a back seat,
Though we needn’t be foes.
I told my new spark,
“Come here, sit by me,
The road may be bumpy,
But I’ll finally be free.”
“Free to explore,
seek, and discover,
New roads ahead,
All full with wonder”.
I turn to you now,
Inviting you, too,
Discover the voice,
Deep inside of you.
The one that’s mean,
Degrading, and cruel,
Ask them their name,
Why they do what they do.
You all have your own Betty,
I know that you do,
Face them now,
And speak to them true.
Politely, with love,
tell them to step back,
Explain “I’ve got this,
And that’s a fact”.
“I need you to trust me,
I really do,
Cause plain and simple,
we’ve got some shit to do”.
About Lynn F Forney:
Lynn Forney loves bold bright colors, being silly, hugs, and honey mustard. She feels most at home performing on stage and loves delving into anything that allows her to express her creativity.
She currently lives in Austin, TX with her husband and their two rescue dogs.
You can reach Lynn at
Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon
Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a finished copy of CHOOSING SURVIVAL, US Only.
Ends January 28th, midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
Week Two:
Week Three:
Deena Rae was born and raised in Texas — home of bluebonnets, boots, beef and big hair — into a family that was in the printing and publishing industries. Her father was a computer programmer for major newspapers when the equipment took up whole rooms and her mother has been a publisher for almost 30 years — trying, unsuccessfully, to bring her into the family business.