| Turning Bad News Into Benefitby M. LaVora
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| | all kinds of people. So I renewed my
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| Perry
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| | determination and offered this prayer: "I
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| You have permission to post this article
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| | will do what I came into this world to
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| on your Web site or in youre-zine
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| | do-no matter what." Then I stepped on and
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| provided that the bylines are included. A
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| | continued hold nothing back in my efforts
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| notice is appreciated
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| | to get my book recognized and read.
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| In the early Fall of 2003 I asked the
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| | Since my bout with the librarian blues
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| head children's room librarian in a
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| | there have been other disappointments.
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| Cleveland suburb "Why did you decide not
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| | But I will keep turning every
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| to carry my book, Taneesha's Treasures of
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| | circumstance into a benefit based on my
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| the Heart, in your library system?" She
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| | deep prayer to be the best writer I can
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| answered, "It has awkward sentence
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| | and to thereby help people believe in and
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| structure, is too preachy and has too
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| | go for their deepest, biggest, wildest
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| much going on between Buddhism and
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| | dreams. So here's been what's happening
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| diabetes. Children won't like it. We
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| | on the up side after I quit singing my
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| don't carry those kinds of books."
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| | sad song:
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| With each of her words my stomach knotted
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| | 1.) I was invited to New York City to
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| into a tighter ball. In less than a
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| | appear at the Langston Hughes Community
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| minute the librarian had precisely
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| | Library and Cultural Center in Corona
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| articulated my worst fear about myself as
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| | Queens soon after it was awarded a
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| a writer-I'm no good.
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| | SGI-USA Liberty Award for its efforts to
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| All the people who told me they loved my
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| | foster multicultural awareness. The head
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| story and that reading it uplifted them
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| | librarian who invited me had no idea I
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| and their children were either lying to
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| | was affiliated with the SGI-USA until
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| keep from hurting my feelings or didn't
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| | after he asked me to visit. Straight out
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| know quality writing from junk. That's
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| | of the "There Are No Coincidences in
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| what I told myself.
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| | Life" bag.
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| Although I had appeared on the Tavis
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| | 2.) A school librarian in a different
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| Smiley Show on National Public Radio to
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| | Cleveland suburb, raved about my book and
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| discuss Taneesha's Treasures of the Heart
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| | my appearance at her school. She posted
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| only weeks after it was published,
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| | her comments on and
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| although the largest school and librarian
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| | 3.) Zambian schools (yes, Africa) will be
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| systems in Ohio (Cleveland) both picked
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| | carrying the book!
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| up the book with high praise, and
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| | 4.) Children in an online G.R.I.T.S kids'
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| although the Cleveland Municipal School
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| | book club ("Girls & Guys Raised in the
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| District put the book on their reading
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| | South") voted to interview me and feature
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| list, the rejection by the suburban
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| | me and Taneesha's Treasures... on their
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| children's room librarian bummed me out.
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| | Web site. The club's founder is a Texan
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| Maybe I was especially bummed because one
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| | librarian.
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| of the things I'd been praying for over
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| | 5.) Taneesha's Treaures... was listed in
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| the previous several months was for
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| | the October newsletter of the Black
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| Taneesha's Treasures of the Heart to be
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| | Caucus of the American Library
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| in libraries across the United States.
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| | Association.
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| So I prayed and sought guidance. My
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| | 6.) Taneesha's Treasures... was
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| biggest obstacle was how could I have the
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| | prominently displayed as a holiday
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| heart to tell folks to read my story if
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| | stocking-stuffer in the nationally
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| it stank? I self-published my book using
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| | distributed November-December, 2003 issue
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| the services of a co-publisher. I had
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| | of Black Issue Book Review.
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| poured my life into getting the book
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| | 7.) Taneesha's Treasures... was featured
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| noticed. After speaking to the librarian
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| | in the Fall 2003 SGI Quarterly-an
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| I wondered, "Have I blown my retirement
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| | international Buddhist publication.
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| money and invested hours of time and
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| | 8.) Children's groups in Zambia, Kenya,
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| energy for nothing?"
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| | South Africa and Malaysia are reading the
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| I called Cindy Carlson of Chicago, who is
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| | book.
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| an appointed leader in the Buddhist
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| | 9.) The Poet's & Writers League of
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| organization to which I belong-Soka
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| | Greater Cleveland selected Taneesha's
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| Gakkai International (SGI)-USA. "Cindy,
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| | Treasures...to be included as part of
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| the librarian said this and she said
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| | their Writers & Their Friends program in
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| that," I moaned. "What if she's right?
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| | which the story will transcribed into a
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| What if my book's no good?"
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| | play and performed onstage at the
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| Cindy reminded me that Taneesha's
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| | Cleveland Playhouse in a highly
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| Treasures of the Heart gave people a
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| | publicized event-only 25 written works
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| positive feeling. So the question was not
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| | are chosen to be featured in this way.
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| was it good, but did it create value? She
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| | 10.) I've been nominated for inclusion in
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| said it definitely did so based on
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| | Who's Who in America, 2005.
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| readers' reactions to it. She said the
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| | Recently, I went back to the suburban
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| book didn't have to be perfect to be
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| | library to find out if, in light of my
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| value creative.
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| | recent successes, the librarian had
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| Then I called my friend here in
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| | changed her mind. Turns out she hadn't,
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| Cleveland, Barb Jenkins, who is an
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| | but that was okay, because I had totally
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| appointed SGI-USA leader as well. "Barb,"
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| | transformed mine. I could tell this was
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| I told her, "I feel like a fake. I feel
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| | so, because when an assistant librarian
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| like I have no business even trying to be
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| | said, "The person who has your book is
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| a writer." She said, "LaVora, why are you
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| | out today; so give me your address and
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| letting one negative voice drown out a
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| | we'll mail it back to you," my heart beat
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| chorus of positive ones?"
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| | stayed steady and stomach was knot-free.
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| Barb asked me to face my funky inner
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| | I wrote my address on a slip of paper.
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| demons. She helped me see that the
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| | Then, instead of needed to fight the urge
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| librarian was showing me my weakness
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| | to slink out of the nearest exit in
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| doubt/lack of faith in my Buddha
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| | disgrace, I casually checked out a couple
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| nature-my highest self. It was that
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| | of books for my kids before leaving with
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| self-doubt that I needed to defeat.
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| | my held and sprits high.
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| Through prayer and the words of those two
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| | Later, when I received my book in themail
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| wise women, I came to realize that as a
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| | from the librarian I did not take it as
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| writer I certainly hope Taneesha's
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| | tangible proof of some personal or
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| Treasures of the Heart is the worst book
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| | literary defect. Instead I understood
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| I ever write. Goodness knows I plan on
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| | that Taneesha's Treasures of the Heart
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| writing until the day I drop; so if I've
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| | was not the book for that library at that
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| hit my peak with my first book, I'm in
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| | time. And I was grateful to have the book
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| trouble.
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| | back, because the Louis Stokes branch-the
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| That's not my plan. I aim to continuously
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| | main branch-of the Cleveland Public
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| develop and learn my craft. So
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| | Library had me down as a featured author
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| Taneesha-as well and widely as she is
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| | for a Kwaanza event and my sales had been
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| being received-is just the beginning. Not
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| | so great I was running low on inventory
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| only that, but the simple truth is not
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| | and more books were being printed. I
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| everybody is going to like what I write.
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| | needed my book returned to me so that it
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| Big deal. I don't like everything I read
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| | could get it into the hands of someone
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| of other folks' writing either. I need to
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| | who would appreciate it. And with the
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| become so wise and strong that neither
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| | gift of hindsight I saw that I had also
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| praise nor criticism sway me from my
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| | needed the librarian's initial rejection
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| original goal.
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| | of my work-it was the push that set me on
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| My intention from the start was to sell
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| | my journey to a higher state of mind.
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| millions of books, and to thereby inspire
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