Dear Reader,

Bonjour!

I wish you and everyone around you … peace, happiness, and Nature’s Beauty.

I am forever grateful to the people in my life who help me grow.

I am forever grateful to healers, medical, health professionals, caregivers, patients, researchers, authors, editors, publishers et al who make current information available in many languages.

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YouTube link to the interview with

Dr. Norman Doidge, M.D. about the BEAUTIFUL HUMAN BRAIN and HEALING

Chronic Pain; Parkinson’s and other Movement Disorders; Strokes; Autism; many more conditions

posted in 2015 by CANADA BROADCAST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c5aTlq3nYI&list=PLcU9gOvQNUr8XPza1RhGAjp06-f3E4QAL

Dr. Norman Doidge, M.D. | The Power of Thought

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You know friends who have had . . . Strokes?  Chronic pain? Someone you care about suffering from symptoms of MS?  Cerebral Palsy?  Muscular Dystrophy?  Alzheimer’s?  Parkinson’s?  Head injury? Balance problems? Vision problems? Depression?

Our amazing brains!

Reviewing the chapter titles and the index sparks hope and motivation to ask physicians the right questions.

https://normandoidge.com/

the book –

The Brain’s Way of Healing:  Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity

by Norman Doidge, M.D.

Available, so far, in 22 languages:

The Brain’s Way of Healing is now available in over 100 countries, and 22 languages including translations from English into  Bulgarian, Chinese Traditional Characters, Chinese Simplified Characters, Czech, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Polish,  Portuguese, Portuguese-Brazil,  Romanian, Russian,  Spanish,  Turkish and Ukrainian.

French edition book title:

GUERIR GRACE A LA NEUROPLASTICITE: Cerveau les fabuleux pouvoirs de guérison

English translation of French edition: HEALING WITH NEUROPLASTICITY:   Brain The Fabulous Healing Powers

Chapter 1 Physician Hurt, Then Heal Thyself

Michael Moskowitz Discovers That Chronic Pain Can Be Unlearned

Chapter 2 A Man Walks Off His Parkinsonian Symptoms

How Exercise Helps Fend Off Degenerative Disorders and Can Defer Dementia

Chapter 3 The Stages of Neuroplastic Healing

How and Why It Works

Chapter 4 Rewiring a Brain with Light

Using Light to Reawaken Dormant Neural Circuits

Chapter 5 Moshe Feldenkrais: Physicist, Black Belt, and Healer

Healing Serious Brain Problems Through Mental Awareness of Movement

Chapter 6 A Blind Man Learns to See

Using Feldenkrais, Buddhist, and Other Neuroplastic Methods

Chapter 7 A Device That Resets the Brain

Stimulating Neuromodulation to Reverse Symptoms

I. A Cane Against the Wall

II. Three Resets: Parkinson’s, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis

III. The Cracked Potters

IV. How the Brain Balances Itself—with a Little Help

Chapter 8 A Bridge of Sound

The Special Connection Between Music and the Brain

I. A Dyslexic Boy Reverses His Misfortune

II. A Mother’s Voice

III. Rebuilding the Brain from the Bottom Up: Autism, Attention Deficits, and Sensory Processing Disorder

IV. Solving the Mystery at the Abbey: How Music Raises Our Spirits and Energy

Dr. Doidge’s books make for fascinating reads – our brains and the phenomenon of neuroplasticity -  thank you to all the patients who did not give up, their loved ones, their physicians who did not give up, and the dedicated neuroscientists . . .  for providing the stories.

Even if your physicians and healers have not read this book . . . YOU can arm yourselves with the information and ask them to make referrals. And, you can also ask friends to share their resources.

I cheer for you, friends & colleagues!  To those who write books, I cheer for your books too!  The subject matters in your books and Dr. Doidge’s books carry plenty of connections.

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Conversations with our own Brains about what we want for our Bodies.

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My father suffered from Parkinsonian Disorder.  The disease impacted the safety of his walking.

I felt a great sense of accomplishment (after reading Norman Doidge, M.D.’s book The Brain’s Way of Healing

… especially Chapter 2 “A Man Walks Off His Parkinsonian Symptoms”

and learning how to ask Papa’s neurologist the right questions)…

Questions that led Dr. White to  order “specific” physical therapy for Papa – therapy NOT for injuries like a broken leg from a skiing accident but therapy for movement disorders -  to help Papa reverse the Parkinson’s “shuffling” gait and “freezing” gait as well as improve posture. Thank you, Dr. White!

The Brain is smart. When one set of instructions “doesn’t connect” another set of instructions will. At one appointment with neurologist Dr. Luthra when she said to my father: “Let me see you walk.”

I offered information: “Dr. Luthra, when Papa is at a doorway to enter or leave a room, and, at elevators (lifts) … his legs lock … he can’t move. That’s dangerous when the elevator door closes and he cannot move. Or when his walker gets caught by a rug that is not properly secured to the floor.”

Dr. Luthra stepped out of her small office and stood in the hallway, facing Papa. She smiled, gestured for Papa to walk out of the room.  At the threshold, his legs wouldn’t cooperate. He lurched forward with his walker, but his legs couldn’t move.

Dr. Luthra: “Mr. Leung, keep one hand on your walker, raise your other arm.” She demonstrated. She raised her right arm straight up. She added: “Raising your arm tells your Brain that you want to move.”

Papa kept his left hand on his walker, he raised his right arm, then lowered it back to the walker

I watched with astonishment as he and his walker walked out the room with ease.

Later, Movement Disorder Physical Therapist Brenda taught Papa more tricks to help his Brain and his Body talk to each other, learn from each other.

If I hadn’t learned what I had learned from Dr. Norman Doidge, M.D.’s books and asked my father’s physicians the right questions, perhaps my father wouldn’t have received the level of attention from people who had the power to prescribe and deliver specific therapies, specific treatments… appropriate to Papa’s needs.

One day I was thinking out loud to my dear friend Sue R.  I said: “I wish there was a Chinese edition of Dr. Doidge’s book. Papa would benefit so much if he could read Chapter 2 himself.” Sue told me that Wen Hsu worked with publishers in Taiwan.

Fast forward….  Wen contacted the publisher in Taiwan who was translating  THE BRAIN’S WAY OF HEALING into Chinese. Wen wrote to the editor, explained to her/him about my father’s situation; the editor emailed Wen the “advance copy” of Chapter 2.  One of the happiest moments in my life was presenting Papa those pages – Chinese transalation of “A Man Walks Off His Parkinsonian Symptoms – How Exercise Helps Fend Off Degenerative Disorders and Can Defer Dementia”

Then, when the Chinese edition came out in print, Wen helped me order many copies of the book from the publisher in Taiwan.

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Papa and his friends read this wonderful book in their native language.  I am forever grateful.

https://normandoidge.com/

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Has it really been more than nine years ago when I published my October 21st, 2015 blog post

https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/the-brains-way-of-healing-chapter-titles-and-index-in-book-spark-hope-and-motivation-to-ask-physicians-the-right-questions/

Through http://www.duskyswondersite.com Dusky Pierce, I had found a remarkable book that has enriched my life, my papa’s, my friends’, Papa’s friends.

Please ask your librarians and booksellers to make this book available.

The book is The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity

by Norman Doidge, M.D.

Dr. Doidge’s first book:  The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science

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Here is the YouTube link to Dr. Norman Doidge’s lecture in Melbourne, Australia

posted April 23, 2013  An astonishing new scientific discovery called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the adult human brain is fixed and unchanging.  The Brain is, instead, able to change its own structure and function, even into old age.

Melbourne Conversations: Your Brain – How it can change, develop and improve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibpbkV7xc24&list=PLcU9gOvQNUr8XPza1RhGAjp06-f3E4QAL&index=2

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A thousand thanks to Michael J. Fox Foundation

https://www.michaeljfox.org/

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https://movementdisorders.ucsf.edu/

The UCSF Movement Disorders and Neuromodulation Center is a well-established, internationally recognized program. It is also one of the busiest deep brain stimulation implanting centers on the West Coast with a wide referral base.

The mission of the center is to provide state-of-the-art comprehensive multidisciplinary care to patients with movement disorders. They offer a variety of services that include comprehensive neurological evaluations, medication treatment and disease management, botulinum toxin injections, neurosurgical procedures including deep brain stimulation, and deep brain stimulation programming.

The medical staff includes neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, radiologists, and nurses who have specialized training in movement disorders and the problems associated with these conditions whose goal is to provide individualized comprehensive care.

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Thank you for reading my blog post:

The Extraordinary and Beautiful Ever-changing Brain, Healing Body to Improve Daily Life, Neuroplasticity

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For other posts related to “Neuroplasticity” … please look at the right side of my blog… under “Categories” please click on “Beautiful Brain Neuroplasticity”

delicious soup from Madame Cornet in Aix-les-Bains

I wish you and everyone around you – vibrant health, peace and happiness.

Sincerely,

Teresa Jade LeYung

Author / Blogger / Story-Theme Consultant / Photo Historian

https://m.youtube.com/@teresajadeleyung/videos for

short short movies of Paris, FRANCE; Portland, Oregon USA; Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA 2024

https://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/blog/  goes to Teresa Jade LeYung’s Blog on Wellness, Story Themes, Archetypes

Love Made Of Heart ®

Bonjour, Everyone,

I wish you vibrant health, peace and laughter.

I wonder if Ms. Sylvia Beach, Mr. James Joyce, Mr. George Carlin, and Mr. Preston Sturges are teaching writing classes on Cloud Nine…

Thank you to all the YouTube channel users who posted these video files –

Sylvia Beach interview on James Joyce and Shakespeare & Company (1962)

Stephen Fry on Ulysses – James Joyce -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL_rXp-T4tc&pp=ygUMamFtZXMgam95Y2Ug

The World of James Joyce: His Life & Work documentary (1986)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IwrHkNUk24

George Carlin – Flying [Live from NYC ’92

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46fOtLfYC4Q

George Carlin – rooting for the comet!

HBO George Carlin: Again! – Death and Dying

SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS the movie written and directed by Preston Sturges,

I wish Everyone vibrant health, peace and laughter.

Teresa Jade LeYung, Paris 2019, photo by NN and MEK

Sincerely,

Teresa Jade LeYung says:

“World Traveler / Teacher / Researcher / Writer / Photographer SASA SOUTHARD’s referencing Villefranche-sur-Mer leads to Jean Cocteau, La Belle et la Bête, films, movies, and Almost Ginger blog”

Wishes of vibrant health to everyone!

Thank you, Sasa Southard!  YOU inspire turning curiosity into fun research!

https://sasasouthard.com/

Recently while looking at links and photos provided by Sasa … I learned that Villefranche-sur-Mer is a harbour town and Mediterranean resort, in the Alpes-Maritimes département, Provence–Alpes–Côte d’Azur région, southeastern FRANCE.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Villefranche-sur-Mer says: “Villefranche, a picturesque old town, was founded early in the 14th century. Its ancient Saint-Pierre chapel was entirely decorated by the French 20th-century writer and artist Jean Cocteau.”

… which led to finding the 4-part presentation COCTEAU ET LA CHAPELLE DE VILLEFRANCHE : L’EGLISE ET LE POETE – in French language

Here’s Part 1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s2HLSMVPwU

Thank you, YouTube Channel User Chrétiens à Monaco!

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Then YouTube cued up “Jean Cocteau speaks to the year 2000″  subtitled – 1962 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-x-wNiN4Hk

In 1962 Monsieur Cocteau was addressing a future audience! Wow!   Thank you, YouTube Channel User Camille P-LB!

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Today, I found on YouTube the film written and directed by Jean Cocteau   ORPHÉE / ORPHEUS (1950) with subtitles / subtítulos / Untertitel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IZIwV7c3os

Thank you, YouTube Channel User John Potter!

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Then, while looking up other films written by Monsieur Jean Cocteau https://www.criterion.com/films/610-orpheus, I see that the hauntingly beautiful film La Belle et la Bête was also written by Monsieur Cocteau

https://www.criterion.com/films/177-beauty-and-the-beast  says:

“Jean Cocteau’s sublime adaptation of Mme. Leprince de Beaumont’s fairy-tale masterpiece—in which the pure love of a beautiful girl melts the heart of a feral but gentle beast—is a landmark of motion picture fantasy, with unforgettably romantic performances by Jean Marais and Josette Day. The spectacular visions of enchantment, desire, and death in Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bête) have become timeless icons of cinematic wonder.”

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Then as Sasa Southard would say …  I circled back to “Côte d’Azur région, southeastern France”  and found “Almost Ginger” blog!

TO CATCH A THIEF  filming locations in the South of France https://almostginger.com/to-catch-a-thief-film-locations-cannes/

Almost Ginger is an award-nominated cinema and travel blog aimed at showing film and TV lovers how their silver screen escapes can be a reality by documenting my own travels to filming locations and film festivals around the world.

https://almostginger.com/  says: “Almost Ginger is run by me, Rebecca Sharp. I’m a twenty-something avid cinephile and traveller, as well as a minimalist, optimist, Hufflepuff and proud ginger. Well, almost ginger. Originally from the Lake District in the UK, I split my time between there and everywhere else! I’m a full-time blogger and freelance content creator so as long as I have my laptop, I can work anywhere.”

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Thank you!  World Traveler / Teacher / Researcher / Writer / Photographer Sasa Southard!

I celebrate YOU!

Did you know that Elisa “Sasa” Southard is the Queen of Talking Taglines and the author of classic “marketing / build your career by being YOU” book?

Elisa "Sasa" Southard--photo by Writers' Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa Jade LeYung

Ms. Southard’s book Break Through the Noise: 9 Tools to Propel Your Marketing Message contains entertaining and logical roadmaps for anyone who has anything or any service to sell. The beauty of Ms. Southard’s coaching is that, instead of giving us cookie-cutter methods, she guides us to focus on our uniqueness and to build from there. Anyone can be successful with Ms. Southard’s Tips on talking points and taglines

https://www.amazon.com/Break-Through-Noise-Elisa-Southard/dp/8130905094/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Elisa Sasa Southard’s book BREAK THROUGH THE NOISE: 9 Tools to Propel Your Marketing Message had inspired me, Teresa Jade LeYung, to write my workbook BUILD YOUR WRITER’S PLATFORM & FANBASE IN 22 DAYS: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0983010005/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1670848622&sr=8-1

Wishing everyone a safe and peaceful December!

Jade - photo by Sasa Southard

Sincerely,

Teresa Jade LeYung

Story Theme Consultant / Photo Historian / Author / Public Library and Public School Advocate

http://www.OurBeautifulBrains.com goes to Teresa’s Blog

Writing Coach Teresa Jade LeYung says: “I love helping writers identify the themes in their manuscripts to hook readers, and, build and fortify their platforms before and after publication. Reach out, not stress out.”

Love Made Of Heart ®

Thank you to my pal Simone for this report:

“The State of COVID & the Triple-demic: A Conversation w/ Your Local Epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vu4rK8dAgnU&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email  Thank you, Dr. Robert Wachter, chair, UCSF Dept of Medicine

“COVID Raises Risk of Long-Term Brain Injury, Large U.S. Study Finds” by Julie Steenhuysen https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-09-22/covid-raises-risk-of-long-term-brain-injury-large-u-s-study-finds

Master teacher and practitioner of Chi Nei Tsang GILLES MARIN’s blog post: “Detoxifying from Vaccines with Herbs, Fruits and Vegetables”

https://www.chineitsang.com/post/detoxifying-from-vaccines-with-herbs-fruits-and-vegetables

Dear Reader,

I send you wishes of wellness, lasting wellness of deep peace.  Over the decades, I have been fortunate to gain knowledge and skills from generous folks who shared secrets to the “good” life.

If you are a friend reading this blog post … I thank you for your emails, physical mail, text messages, voicemails, well wishes, lovely thoughts and prayers.

So many books have enriched my life … 3 books have been especially healing for me these past months as I continue to learn how to move away from persistent unpleasant sensations (including pain signals) that began last year after an episode of Shingles.

Therefore, as a fellow sojourner during this world pandemic …  I am dreaming of Paris, retraining Beautiful Brain, understanding this neurological disorder, reading and getting inspired by Elisabeth Tova Bailey’s snail, Diane LeBow’s dancing, and Gilles Marin’s Taoist approach to healing.

Book by Gilles Marin

Five Elements, Six Conditions – a Taoist Approach to Emotional Healing, Psychology, and Internal Alchemy

Gilles Marin is the Founder and Director of the Chi Nei Tsang Institute and School of Taoist Healing Energetics, California, USA https://www.chineitsang.com

Co-directeur de  l’institut de Chi Nei Tsang, Nice, FRANCE   chineitsang.marin.free.fr

TaoTouch: The art to help people heal, get rid of pain, and bring back vibrant health by reconciling self, soul and spirit while triggering emotional processing.  This is done through a traditional Taoist monastic healing practice called Chi Nei Tsang, which works with deep and gentle abdominal touch to enhance health and vitality to the internal organs.

Gilles Marin was born in France on Bastille Day, July 14th, and is a Fire Monkey in Chinese Astrology.

Thank you, dear Fire Rooster and Goddess of Happiness Linda A. Harris and dear healer Marie-Christine Cornet https://www.mariechristinecornet.com , for introducing me to the wonderful world of Gilles Marin.

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Book by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating

ELISABETH TOVA BAILEY’s natural history/memoir, The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, recounts her year-long observations of a wild Maine woodland snail. The true story of her interspecies relationship is reaching a general international audience of both genders and all ages and is finding special homes in the fields of literature, natural history, medical humanities, and education.

https://www.elisabethtovabailey.net  Elisabeth Tova Bailey tells the inspiring and intimate story of her year-long encounter with a Neohelix albolabris—a common forest snail. While an illness keeps her bedridden, Bailey watches as the snail takes up residence on her nightstand. Intrigued by its molluscan anatomy, cryptic defenses, clear decision making ability, hydraulic locomotion, and mysterious courtship activities, Bailey becomes an astute and amused observer. The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating is a remarkable journey of survival and resilience, showing us how a small part of the natural world illuminates our own human existence.

Thank you, dear Luisa Adams, author of  the exquisite memoir Woven of Water https://www.rp-author.com/Adams/, for gifting me Ms. Bailey’s book.

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Book by Diane LeBow

Dancing on the Wine-Dark Sea: Memoir of a Trailblazing Woman’s Travels, Adventures, and Romance 

https://dianelebow.com

Diane LeBow is an award-winning writer and photojournalist. She is the recipient of Gold and Silver Solas Awards for “Best Women’s Travel Writing,” and she is President emerita of Bay Area Travel Writers.

DianeLeBow has traveled to more than 90 countries. She has spent time with Afghan women, the Hopi, Amazon people, Tuvans, Mongolians, Corsicans, and Parisians. She has scuba dived with sharks in the Red Sea and trained champion Morgan horses.

A pioneer of college women’s studies programs, Diane LeBow received her Ph.D. in the History of Consciousness from the University of California. She is also the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Douglass College at Rutgers University. Diane began her teaching career in the Netherlands and was a college professor in Paris, New York City, and California.

Thank you, global traveler / certified tour director / author Sasa Southard  https://sasasouthard.com/ , for introducing me to the wonderful world of Diane LeBow!

Thank you, author / photographer Margie Yee Webb https://www.amazon.com/Books-Margie-Yee-Webb/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AMargie+Yee+Webb , for having invited Ms. LeBow to speak at the June 16, 2021 meeting of Gold Country Writers and broadcasting Ms. LeBow’s memorable stories!

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Thank you for reading my blog post “Paris, Brain, Neurological Disorders, Elisabeth Tova Bailey’s Snail, Diane LeBow’s Dancing, Gilles Marin’s Taoist Approach to Healing”

For other posts related to our Beautiful Brains and Neuroplasticity  in my blog  https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog …  If you look at right side of screen, you’ll see the category “Beautiful Brains Neuroplasticity”.  Please click on that category to get all my blog posts pertaining to the topic.

I wish you and your Beautiful Brain – safety, kindness, excellent health.

Sincerely,

Teresa Jade LeYung

photo of Teresa Jade LeYung by Mary E. Knippel, author, speaker, writing coach https://yourwritingmentor.com

Story Consultant and Photo Historian Teresa Jade LeYung says: “I love helping writers identify the themes in their manuscripts to hook readers, and, build and fortify their platforms before and after publication. Reach out, not stress out.”

Teresa Jade LeYung, American naturalized citizen of Chinese ancestry, is a manuscript-theme consultant, author of Love Made Of Heart (daughter-mother story – archived at the San Francisco History Center), Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days (workbook), and Talking To My Dead Mom monologues, and, an advocate for public libraries and public schools.

photo of Teresa Jade LeYung by Global Adventurer Sasa Southard https://sasasouthard.com

the workbook – Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW

Kindle ebook edition https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Writers-Platform-Fanbase-ebook/dp/B005J9ZEIA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1634787032&sr=1-1

Print edition  https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Writers-Platform-Fanbase/dp/0983010005/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1634787032&sr=1-1

Love Made Of Heart ®

This weekend  June 3 and 4, 2017 in Berkeley, California is the Bay Area Book Festival!

Cherilyn Parsons is Founder and Executive Director!

https://www.baybookfest.org

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Look for these authors:

Margie Yee Webb, Barbara Santos, Michael Larsen et al at the San Francisco Writers Conference booth.

Rita Lakin (Sunday 11:30am – 1:00pm) and her colleagues at the Sisters In Crime booth.

Nanci Lee Woody, Elise Frances Miller, Laurel Anne Hill, Audrey Kalman,  James Hanna, Tory Hartmann et al from Sand Hill Review Press https://www.sandhillreviewpress.com  And, congratulations to Margaret Davis and Bardi Rosman Koodrin whose novels will be released soon!

Cheers to all authors, publishers, editors, book sellers, readers, artists, City of Berkeley, San Francisco Chronicle, Cherilyn Parsons and her super team, all participants, sponsors, well wishers!

Cheers to AAUW, AAWAA, CLA, CWC, Gold Country Writers, SFWC,  SF Writing For Change, WNBA

Yours truly Teresa LeYung-Ryan has fond memories of the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (adventures with Elisa Sasa Southard) and the Arizona Book Festival (thank you to friends and book sellers in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe)!

Programs for writers! June 10-17, 2017

presented by California Writers Club members http://cwc-peninsula.org/

and the San Mateo County Fair Literary Stage https://sanmateocountyfair.com/literary-arts

San Mateo County Fair website:  https://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/98-entertainment-stages/171-fine-arts-galleria

Map of Fair Grounds:   https://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/visit/fair-info/grounds-map

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/programs-for-writers-june-10-17-2017-june-11-mini-conference-literary-stage-at-san-mateo-county-fair-california-writers-club/

“Book Festivals, Fairs – Labor of Love, Writing, Reading,” says Writing Coach / Theme Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan

I am Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan who teaches my clients (writers, artists) how to reach out, not stress out, before and after publication — identify themes in their intellectual properties and create scripts for pitches, query letters, press releases, talking-points, one-minute videos, photo slideshows, and the all-mighty blog. Please visit http://WritingCoachTeresa.com  and http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/blog for resources.

The workbook:
Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW – print edition available at Laurel Book Store http://www.laurelbookstore.com in Oakland, CA and on Amazon – print edition and Kindle edition!

What is platform-building and fanbase-building and how you can make yours prosperous. I, Theme Consultant and Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, thank Catharine Bramkamp for interviewing me as  Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter  Featured Member this month. Thank you, Simona Carini, for publishing and for your kindness. Thank you to all Women’s National Book Association colleagues!

Teresa LeYung-Ryan has been helping authors with their platforms for years: Her own platform – reach out, not stress out – speaks to her focus on authors and how to make their promotion, their sales and even their conversations more productive and natural.

Writers’ Platform and Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says:

“When I was an aspiring writer, playwright Kim McMillon would invite me to literary parties. ‘Make connections,’ Kim said to me. ‘Have fun.’ I was too stressed out to have fun. I’d introduce myself by my first name only, and, I didn’t know how to articulate what I was writing about. Then, I would go home, dreading the next networking event. Kim did not give up on me. She even put me in the line-up at her open mic events. True friends are your biggest fans.

“Through watching Kim’s plays, I discovered what makes a performance/story memorable. Those recurring themes! What is theme? The subject matter/topic/issue discussed repeatedly in a piece of writing. Theme answers the question ‘What’s your point?’ Whether you are writing fiction (as in novels), narrative nonfiction (as in memoirs) or prescriptive nonfiction (as in workbooks/how-to books), theme is the thread with which you weave your chapters. For example:

• In E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web (fiction/classic children’s book), the core themes are: true friendship; cycles of life; believing in one’s self.
• In Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior (narrative nonfiction), the core themes are: Chinese myths; being a Chinese-American youth in California; losing and gaining one’s own voice.
• In Angie Choi’s My Dreams: A Simple Guide to Dream Interpretation (prescriptive nonfiction), the core themes are: understanding personal dream symbols; solving problems; transformation

“So, the platform statements I would create for these brilliant authors would be:

• Through his children’s books, E.B. White teaches young readers how to be a real friend.
• Through her memoirs and novels, Maxine Hong Kingston inspires us to reclaim our voices.
• Through her book My Dreams, Angie Choi shows us how to interpret personal dream symbols and transform our waking worlds.

“Side note: The Woman Warrior was the book that inspired me to write my first book Love Made of Heart. Thank you, Maxine Hong Kingston!

“To writers, I say: ‘Make your name stand for something—to attract target consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.’

• The something = themes you write about
• Target consumers = readers who read about the themes you write about
• What you have to sell = your intellectual properties

“Your platform statements will attract attention before and after publication, whether you’re going to self-publish or sell rights to a publisher.

“When I teach ‘For Theme’s Sake: Edit Your Own Manuscript Before Pitching to Agents OR Self-Publishing’ the first assignment I give is: Reread one of your favorite books (especially a classic children’s book). What is the author’s point? What are the topics /subject matters/issues running through the entire story? Then, tackle your own story! Knowing how to weave core themes makes rewriting enjoyable.

“Authors of fiction need to work doubly hard building their platforms. With more than 3 million titles in the Literature/Fiction category for readers to choose from, how will they find you if you aren’t already an award-winning author, bestselling author or celebrity? My first book Love Made of Heart is a novel. I was a newbie. My agent believed in me. However, I had to demonstrate to Kensington Publishing in New York my platform statements:

• Teresa LeYung-Ryan encourages adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas.
• Teresa LeYung-Ryan helps survivors of family violence find their own voices.

“It is challenging to enter the fiercely competitive bookselling arena. The other players include authors with proven track records / established platforms / big fanbases / celebrity status and authors who are also seasoned publishers or promoters. That said, ‘Don’t worry, be happy’. Yes, you can transform challenges into opportunities that feel right for you. And turn off the noise in the brain. I recommend Elisa Sasa Southard’s book Break Through the Noise: 9 Tools to Propel Your Marketing Message. Elisa has taught me well.

“The Internet helps your fans find you. They find you when you broadcast your platform statement on cyberspace. After all, where do we go when we need to find something or someone? My workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW shows you how to create and broadcast your platform statement / how to reach out, not stress out. Some best practices from this workbook:

• Who are you? Not a year ago. Who are you today? If you want others to notice you, you need to notice yourself.
• What are tags? Tags are keywords and phrases. Understand the function of tags on cyberspace (especially in your blog/website) and you will rejoice over your name and platform statements.
• Celebrities reach out. Organizations reach out. You reach out.

“Here are a few excellent platform statements because each one fulfills the definition from my workbook – Make your name stand for something—to attract target consumers—who are likely to buy what you have to sell.

• Writing Coach & Chief Storytelling Officer Catharine Bramkamp helps small business owners tell their stories on social media platforms to attract more clients/customers.
• *
• Through her books, Margie Yee Webb promotes pet awareness and encourages people to make a difference in the lives of cats and other companion animals.
• *
• Linda Lee of Askmepc-Webdesign says: Whether you are a novice or veteran Internet user, I can help you optimize and monetize your website.
• *
• Mary E. Knippel (Your Writing Mentor and founder of The Unleashed Homemaker) is fiercely committed to guiding women—who have been silent too long—to polish their words so that they sparkle and shine.
• *
• Travel writer and professional Tour Director Elisa Sasa Southard turns student travelers into explorers.
• *
• Author and art teacher Connie Smith Siegel says: ‘You do not have to be an artist to reclaim your unique creative language. Drawing and the use of color is for everyone.’
• *
• Author Jo Chandler uses her novel This Side of Forever to shed light on a teenager’s alcohol addiction and what she discovers on her surprising journey.
  

“Enjoy the benefits of being a WNBA member. I have had the privilege of working on the board and committees, co-presenting, and connecting with members of the San Francisco Chapter (by the way, many members are also colleagues through California Writers Club and San Francisco Writers Conference). I have served WNBA by doing what was enjoyable for me – using my organization skills, knack for taking pictures, and platform/fanbase-building expertise. Get to know other WNBA members by attending mixers and other WNBA events, and subscribing to the weekly blog posts.”

WNBA-SF Member Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan teaches her clients (writers, artists) how to reach out, not stress out, before and after publication — identify themes in their intellectual properties and create scripts for pitches, query letters, press releases, talking-points, one-minute videos, photo slideshows, and the all-mighty blog. Visit http://WritingCoachTeresa.com and http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/ for more resources. Teresa’s upcoming speaking events are listed on this page.

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Sunday, June 11, 2017, 1:00pm-7:00pm

Annual Writers Mini Conference at San Mateo County Fair Literary Stage, San Mateo, CA https://sanmateocountyfair.com/pdf/2017/literary_17.pdf

1:00-2:00pm  “Use Core Themes to Rewrite Your Story and Query Letters” with Theme Consultant and Writers’ Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

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 Monday, July 10, 2017, 7:00pm—9:00pm

for Sacramento Suburban Writers Club  http://www.sactowriters.org/

at Crossroads Fellowship Christian Church, 5501 Dewey Drive, Fair Oaks, CA

For other posts in my blog, please go to: https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog

If you’re looking for my blog posts pertaining to our Beautiful Brains and Neuroplasticity… https://lovemadeofheart.com/blog  look at right side of screen, you’ll see the category “Beautiful Brains Neuroplasticity”.  Please click on that category to get those posts.

The one-day writers’ conference to help authors before and after publication. Learn from experts in the industry.

http://cwcmarin.com/writerslife/

Conference Chair – Dr. Joan Steidinger

Keynote Speaker

CONSTANCE HALE “The Seven Stages of Manuscript Grief”

Presenters

LINDA WATANABE MCFERRIN “Writing about Places Real and Imagined”

ROBERT PIMM – literary and trademark attorney

MARY RAKOW, Ph.D. – freelance editor

TANYA EGAN GIBSON - freelance editor

DAVID COLIN CARR - freelance editor

TERESA LEYUNG-RYAN  “Where Are YOU and Your THEMES on Your Writer’s Platform-Building Journey?”

JENNIFER MARCH SOLOWAY is an associate agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

ANDY ROSS started his literary agency in February, 2008. Prior to becoming an agent, Andy was the owner of Cody’s Books in Berkeley, California for 30 years.

The Writer’s Life Conference sponsored by California Writers Club–Marin Branch  at Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista, Corte Madera, CA

If you miss this writers’ conference, here are other opportunities to attend my presentation “Where Are YOU & Your THEMES on Your Writer’s Platform-Building Journey?” and meet the members of these writers’ organizations:

• June 11, 2017, 1:00-6:00pm Writers Mini Conference at San Mateo County Fair Literary Stage https://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/pdf/2017/literary_17.pdf
  
• 
  

• July 10, 2017 Sacramento Suburban Writers Club, Fair Oaks, CA) http://www.sactowriters.org/

Cheering for all writers and readers!

Reach out, not stress out.

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

I am Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan who teaches my clients (writers, artists) how to reach out, not stress out, before and after publication — identify themes in their intellectual properties and create scripts for pitches, query letters, press releases, talking-points, one-minute videos, photo slideshows, and the all-mighty blog. Please visit http://WritingCoachTeresa.com  and http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/blog for resources.

The workbook:
Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW – available at http://www.laurelbookstore.com in Oakland, CA and http://www.bookpassage.com in Corte Madera, CA and on Amazon – print edition and Kindle edition!

If you’d like to email me . . .   WritingCoachTeresa  then @, then Gmail.com

• What email subject line will attract my attention?  Tell me where you’ve met me (which conference? which workshop? which community event?) or tell me who referred you.

•  In the body of your email, please include your full name and your URL (website or blog address) so that I can see what you’re already doing to build your writer’s platform and fanbase. I like concise and gracious emails. Thank you so much.

Please share this news with friends who might be interested in my “Immigrant Experience Writing Contest” or any of the writing contests offered through The Literary Stage at the San Mateo County Fair. All entries are due Monday, April 3, 2017, 11:59pm.  Please read all rules https://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/pdf/2017/literary_17.pdf

Literary Director Bardi Rosman Koodrin says: “The San Francisco Peninsula Writers is the only California Writers Club branch in the state utilizing a weeklong, 18,000 sq. ft. Fine Arts Galleria with a stage and seating for 125. Now entering our 9th year, we’ve conducted over 150 free “events within the event” on our Literary Stage: workshops, panels, author presentations, one-act plays, and interviews, annual author day book sales, poetry readings, musical groups, and individual song and dance performances.”

Please go to https://www.sanmateocountyfair.com/pdf/2017/literary_17.pdf

Top half of page 68 of the 2017 Literary Arts Contest Book Information

is  description of DIVISION 336

Entry for Literary Arts  https://sanmateocountyfair.com/literary-arts

click on

• What You Need To Know
• Online Entry
• How to Submit Your Online Entry and Questions & Answers

Q: Do I have to register online to enter my work in the Literary Arts Contests?

Yes, it’s the ONLY way to participate.

Q: Does my file need to be PDF format?

YES you must convert your document into PDF format and upload that. If you upload

anything other than a PDF, the document will not submit to the fair.

Wishing all contest entrants a joyful experience through the Literary Stage!

Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s “Immigrant Experience Writing Contest” and Other Contests through 2017 Literary Stage at San Mateo County Fair

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “I can help you identity your themes – to make rewriting your first draft and building your writer’s platform joyful tasks. Make your name stand for something—to attract target consumers who are likely to buy what you have to sell. Reach out, not stress out. I cheer for you!“

http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/teresa-leyung-ryans-events/
Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan who says “Reach out, not stress out!” will present “Where Are YOU & Your THEMES on Your Writer’s Platform- Building Journey?” for:

• California Writers Club-SF Peninsula Branch (March 18, 2017 Redwood City, CA)

• The Writer’s Life Conference sponsored by California Writers Club–Marin Branch  (April 2, 2017 at Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA)

• SacramentoSuburban Writers Club (July 10, 2017 Fair Oaks, CA)

The workbook:
Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW – available at http://www.laurelbookstore.com in Oakland, CA and http://www.bookpassage.com in Corte Madera, CA and on Amazon – print edition and Kindle edition!

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “With 32,000,000+ titles already on the market, how do you attract readers and all the folks who can help you compete with authors who are promoters, best-selling or celebrity authors?  The answer is in how you articulate the themes you write about (in your fiction and nonfiction) AND linking your name to your themes through your platform statement—BEFORE and AFTER publication. Reach out, not stress out. You and your intellectual property deserve a joyful journey! ”

For a preview of Coach Teresa’s interactive presentations — visit her website: http://WritingCoachTeresa.com, watch her television interview on CBS “Bay Sunday” with host Frank Mallicoat , read her blog: http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/,  watch her on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/TeresaLeYung, and, do the two exercises (see below) for Day 1 from her workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW

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Here’s 2 of 2 of Day 1 Exercises from Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan’s workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW

**

**

The workbook:
Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW -  print edition and ebook edition through Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Writers-Platform-Fanbase-ebook/dp/B005J9ZEIA/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Build+Your+Writer%27s+Platform+and+Fanbase+in+22+Days&qid=1570061789&s=books&sr=1-1

• SacramentoSuburban Writers Club (July 10, 2017 Fair Oaks, CA)

Please tell your writer-friends who live in or near those counties.

I cheer for YOU!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan cheers for all hardworking writers!

*

Teresa LeYung-Ryan is the author of:

• the mother-daughter novel Love Made of Heart (used as required reading in colleges)
• the workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW  https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Writers-Platform-Fanbase-ebook/dp/B005J9ZEIA/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Build+Your+Writer%27s+Platform+and+Fanbase+in+22+Days&qid=1570061789&s=books&sr=1-1
  
• Coach Teresa’s Blog at http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/
• her monologue series “Talking to My Dead Mom” (her monologue “Answer Me Now” received an award from CWC Redwood Writers)

Creator of:

• the “Immigrant Experience” Writing Contest
• workshops including:
  • “For Theme’s Sake: Edit Your Own Manuscript Before Pitching to Agents or Self-Publishing”
  • “Heroes, Tricksters, Villains – Know Your Archetypes”
  • “Where Are You on Your Writer’s Journey?”
  • “Build/Retrofit Your Writer’s Platform”
  • “Help Your Fans Find YOU!”

  and her trademark Love Made of Heart

Affiliated with:

• Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter (member and past board member and officer)
• California Lawyers for the Arts (member)
• California Writers Club (member, San Francisco Peninsula Branch and Redwood Branch; a past president of the San Francisco Peninsula Branch); a recipient of the Jack London Award for outstanding service to California Writers Club

Advocate for:

• public schools and public libraries!

The blog posts from Dystel & Goderich Literary Management www.dystel.com and Fuse Literary http://www.fuseliterary.com/blog are examples of the level of support that experts give to writers so that you can navigate this dynamic world of publishing.

So, you have a finished manuscript. Oh happy day!  Celebrate!

What next? If you want your book to be more than a personal legacy for your family and friends, there are two sets of tasks to perform on your writer’s journey.

·         Hire an editor who has experience editing your genre.

·         While your editor is busy at work, you are also busy at work taking care of the business side of being a writer. If you haven’t been building your platform, it’s time now (before pitching and sending queries to agents and acquisition editors at publishing houses).

The focus of this post is on platform-building.  What is a writer’s platform? Why do you need one? How do you get one?

The question: “What kind of platform does this author have?” (asked by agents and acquisition editors)  = “How many books can this author sell right now, on her own/his own?” At this point, your manuscript (a polished one) becomes a commodity (whether your book is fiction or nonfiction).

Of course if you are already a celebrity author or a best-selling author, the agent can pitch you to acquisition editors with ease, and in turn, acquisition editor can pitch you to the sales team and publisher with ease. The publisher will then offer you a big advance (because they know that your fans are likely to buy your book); they’ll make money, you’ll make money.

However, what if you do not have a huge fanbase? What can you do to attract the people who have the power to help you and your book go far and wide?

The answer is: Making your name stand for something—to attract target consumers— who are likely to buy what you have to sell (from page 1 of my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days).

Let’s take a look – making your name stand for something –  that “something” is the core theme in your book. If you do not know what your core theme is, hopefully members in your critique group and the editor you have hired will know. You need to know what your book is about.

Example:  the core themes in my novel Love Made of Heart are: daughter-mother relationship; mental illness; family violence.

The core theme in a book is the bait that attracts your target consumers. The target consumers are your fans.

Fact:  Your loyal fans (people who care about you) are likely to buy what you have produced.

Fact:  Your prospective fans (people who care about what you care about / the core themes in your book) also are likely to buy what you have produced.

1.    You know who your loyal fans are. However, do you know how to articulate your themes to them so that they can broadcast for you? I say: “You can ‘train’ them.”

2.    How do you find your prospective fans? I say: “Reach out, not stress out. Help them find you.”

You can accomplish both… through the appearance of your platform statement.

I reiterate: “Make your name stand for something—to attract target consumers— who are likely to buy what you have to sell.”

Example (for my fiction and narrative nonfiction): My name is Teresa LeYung-Ryan. Through my books and monologues, I encourage adult children of mentally ill parents to speak openly about the stigmas.

Another example: My name is Teresa LeYung-Ryan. Through my novel Love Made of Heart, I help survivors of family violence speak openly about the stigmas.

Example (for my how-to books):  I am Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan. Through my workbook Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days, I teach writers how to attract attention from agents, editors, publishers, media, book buyers, and readers.

Where would you showcase your platform statement?

Email signature block; business card; website; blog; YouTube channel; press releases; social media; query letters; book proposals; your bio; photo file names and photo captions . . .  Where else?

Learn more.  On Sunday, August 28, 2016, 2:00-5:00pm -

Join me (Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan– Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days) and Valerie Haynes Perry–Write the Book You Want: Be Your Own Coach   and Luan Stauss--owner of and book buyer for Laurel Book Store in a three-hour workshop -

“Where are YOU on YOUR WRITER’S JOURNEY?”

for you and your friends who identify yourselves as serious writers

at Laurel Book Store (near the 12th St. BART station in Oakland, California)

We will address the following topics:

• Build your name, platform, and fanbase to hook attention before publication
• Maintain clarity, self-confidence, and motivation to bring your own book into being
• Expand your knowledge of the moving parts that comprise the publishing industry and make savvy choices

Register online: http://www.laurelbookstore.com/event/where-are-you-your-writers-journey $25.00 SKU: EVENT828

I cheer for you!

Reach out, not stress out. I wish you a joyful writer’s journey!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan
http://WritingCoachTeresa.com
youtube.com/user/TeresaLeYung
http://LoveMadeOfHeart.com/blog