So Others Won’t Hurt Like I Did
Hannah Arduini (with help from her Mom, Julie Arduini)
Hannah and Julie are very graciously giving away a copy of You're Beautiful to one person who comments (reader's choice for format, but USA only for print). Please leave contact information. When was a time when you felt awkward, unwanted, or not beautiful?
Hannah and Julie are very graciously giving away a copy of You're Beautiful to one person who comments (reader's choice for format, but USA only for print). Please leave contact information. When was a time when you felt awkward, unwanted, or not beautiful?
When I started seventh grade, I knew it was going to be different. Older friends and my brother warned me that teachers expect more, that the other kids would suddenly care about people and things they never had before, and that it was going to take prayer and hard work.
It was a lot harder than I expected.
What none of us knew until mid-year was that I was in the wrong academic track. I had trouble keeping up and my grades dropped, fast. I worked on not being afraid to ask questions, but I still struggled even after most of my teachers helped me.
Things got worse. I was in a situation where I was left out of an event because I was forgotten by an adult. That’s hard to feel confident, and it hurt. When there was a chance to make it right, the adult didn’t. I didn’t want anyone to see how much that hurt.
Other things happened behind the scenes that my parents dealt with, or they watched happen to me and couldn’t believe it. Although my grades improved once I was in the right classes, I couldn’t wait for the year to be over.
My mom sat me down once summer came and asked me what I thought went right about the year. It was hard to come up with things. I told her some of the pain I still felt from everything that happened and said I wished there was a way to help girls before they ever go through anything close to what I did. She asked me to keep talking and I thought about a story for girls that would mention the issues girls would go through. Mom asked questions that made me think harder about it. Finally she said, “This could be a book. You could really help girls if you made this a real story.”
We kept talking, and Mom offered a proposal. She said if I helped her by telling her the story and how it should go, she would write it. She asked me to be part of the entire process from creating character names to making sure her writing matched my plotting. Mom had it critiqued and edited, and then she showed me cover ideas. She picked model pictures, but I thought girls like me would want an animated cover. Once we created that, she formatted it and send it to print.
Mom even asked me to work marketing with her. I was too nervous to do a book signing, so she thought of a Facebook party. Instead of going live, we did a chat, but Mom typed. It gave me a good idea what talking about the book is like. Plus, now that I’m in eighth grade and things are going much better, I have people at school asking me about the book. Kids that didn’t talk to me before now come up to me and congratulate me.
We are going to write two more books, the next one we will start this summer. It will be called You’re Amazing. I’m looking forward to it!
You’re Beautiful by Hannah Arduini & Julie Arduini
Blurb:
Hayley Atkinson withdraws from her friends and new opportunities with the new mentoring group, Linked, after she is told a lie that she believes is true about herself. Sabrina Wayson is a mentor in Linked who feels she can’t help encourage girls because she’s struggling as much as they are. Can they surrender the lies and find freedom?
Note:
Julie and Hannah will be having a Facebook party to celebrate the release Thursday, February 15 at 8pm Eastern at http://facebook.com/JulieArduiniAuthor. They will discuss You’re Beautiful, offer “surprise” opportunities, and welcome special guest authors Candee Fick, Kathleen E. Friesen, and Laura V. Hilton.
You’re Beautiful eBook will be FREE Friday, February 16-Sunday, February 18
Purchase:
Hannah Arduini is in the eighth grade and lives outside of Youngstown, Ohio. She loves fashion, Starbucks, and serving at church. She has a brother who lives at home, and siblings that live in Wisconsin. She also has two nephews. You’re Beautiful is her first published book.
Julie Arduini loves to encourage readers to surrender the good, the bad, and ---maybe one day---the chocolate. She’s the author of the contemporary romance series Surrendering Time, featuring ENTRUSTED,ENTANGLED, and ENGAGED. FINDING FREEDOM THROUGH SURRENDER is her 30-day devotional using the surrender themes and characters from the series. She shares her infertility story in A WALK IN THE VALLEY. She blogs every other Wednesday for Christians Read, and also is a blogger for Inspy Romance. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children. Learn more by visiting her at http://juliearduini.com
18 comments:
Thank you, Laura, for letting Hannah share the background behind You're Beautiful. We appreciate it!
I love this, Hannah! I think it's wonderful you've turned a hurting moment into a helping moment. Middle school was SO hard for me. My depression started but no one knew what it was or why I was suffering from it at such a young age. I still have flare ups and I'm 35 now, but I'm trying so hard to raise my daughters with the strength and grace to embrace their uniqueness. Thanks for sharing your story behind the story!
This is beautiful how Hannah opened up and shared your hurts through a story. You're Beautiful should be available for all young preteen, especially those who suffered bullying, abuse, etc. God's blessings to Hannah and Julie with writing You're Amazing this summer. marilynridgway78[at]gmail[dot]com
Every young girl needs a copy.
Great story of persevering and overcoming. Congrats on the book, Hannah.
Sara,
Thank you for the kind comment! We believe this is a book for girls of all ages. We don't want any one to hurt the way we have. Thanks for reading!
---Julie and Hannah
Thank you, Marilyn! We tell everyone that the book is for girls 10-100, and it's true. Even grandmas are remembering hurts from their childhood and finding healing as they read. Blessings to you!
Thank you, BJ and Laura! I appreciate you reading and definitely your encouragement!
It's a lovely book, Hannah, and brave of you to share your story with us. Congratulations on your first published book.
Thank you, Marie!
I just love the spirit of courage you have Hannah! Your tenacity and perseverance is such a wonderful quality to possess and I pray those things never leave you. Also, super excited for you that your 8th grade year is going so much better! You will go far my friend!
-Ronette-
Hi Hannah. It's nice to "meet" you through this post! You are a brave young lady to be able to express what you were feeling to your mom, and then work with her to create a story. Many young people won't share with their parents how and why they are hurting, even when asked. I am very proud of you! May God bless you and your mom as you work together on other books in the series.
Thank you, Ronette, for always being her cheerleader. Appreciate that more than I can say!
Thank you, Patti! You have been a great encourager to me, so I appreciate you reading Hannah's post!
I was so happy to see this today, I keep telling my girls 14 and 15 they can write or do anything they want to in life, your such a good example for other girls !
Contradulations !!!
Linda Marie Finn
Faithful Acres Body Soul Spirit
congratulations to Marilyn
Wonderful to be the winner of this giveaway. Thank you, Julie and Hannah.
Thanks for writing such a wonderful article. God bless
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