Healing from Trauma and Finding Purpose in a Second Career...As an Author!
Indie Author Spotlight Feature: Fiction Author, Artist, and RN Bonnie Gerstenlauer
✨📚Our first Indie Author Spotlight feature is here!
Every week, One Brilliant Arc (OBA) and Wildest Dreams partner together to spread the word about a new indie author who is working on a story we think you should know about! We also learn about their lived stories and what they have learned through the journey of being an author.
Meet Bonnie Gerstenlauer!
A retired RN and fictional author, Bonnie is planning to publish her short sci-fi fantasy book “The Realm Ruler” within 6 to 12 months. She writes fictional stories and articles for Medium and on Substack. She is an abstract artist whose paintings have been featured in juried art fairs. She has two adult children and is the proud mother to Gigi, a little yorkipoo with a big dog attitude. Although she has endured trauma multiple times in her lifetime, writing and creating art has been a healing salve for her soul.
As Bonnie shares with us from her experience, writing good, meaningful stories takes a lot of effort and time! We want to second what Bonnie says:
Writing is an exhausting journey, and yet a powerful way to heal and then to share that healing with others in the world who need it.
Accountability is SO helpful to remind us that the work we are doing is worth it and to continue pushing through!
Sharing your work in public is a scary thing, but it is exactly where the power of your story lies! We want to applaud Bonnie for her bravery, and encourage you to show her some love to brighten her day as she continues the good work of writing stories that bring healing! Click that ❤️, share this post with other story lovers, and follow along Bonnie’s writing journey on her Substack publication: Bonnie-Author and Artist
Without further ado, let’s hear from Bonnie about her story and what she learned through writing it!
Tell us about yourself and what kind of creative work you do!
I am 59, retired, and started out as an abstract artist in 2020 as something to do during the pandemic. I didn’t start writing fiction until about three years ago after inspiration came from a dream. Prior to that time I mostly dabbled in poetry.
Describe yourself in three words.
Tough Creative Kind
How has writing stories impacted your real life story?
Writing has given me a purpose. I used to own a small business with my twin sister but after selling it, I felt lost. Once I started to take writing seriously, I write daily, it kicked my creative juices into gear. I am in the process of editing my first book and am writing two other short novels, as well as writing flash fiction and non-fiction articles most days.
What story are you currently writing?
Currently I am halfway through editing my fantasy novella, “The Realm Ruler” and writing two others, one of which is fictional but based on my personal experiences as a nurse.
What makes this story matter to you?
Writing, or creating anything for that matter, feeds my soul and has helped me heal from past trauma. I hope this article helps someone discover their creativity and helps them on their healing journey and maybe even inspires someone to write their own story or to create art.
Why this story? Why now?
For me, the idea for my book “The Realm Ruler” was inspired by a dream I had. I always wanted to write fiction, but didn’t have any idea what to write about or how to go about it. After I started writing the book, the plot and characters fell into place. I feel “The Realm Ruler” is a story I was destined to write, even though it has taken me over four years, due to personal set backs. I am determined to finish it and to get it published because I believe I was meant to write it this book; because it came to me in a dream, the plot, characters, etc. fell into place so easily, and also because I couldn’t let it go.
Who do you hope to reach with this story?
Anyone who has a dream, I hope to inspire, because with perseverance, you can achieve anything.
What do you hope readers feel or remember when they encounter this story?
I hope that readers realize that, as women we embody the characteristics of both strength and vulnerability, and that’s OK. We don’t have to be a strong warrior type all of the time, like they show in the movies. It’s OK to ask for help if we need it. And also there will be setbacks in life, but know that we can still achieve our dreams, if we persevere.
What has been the most challenging part of your author’s journey?
It’s been a long journey. I started my book about three or four years ago but stopped writing for over a year because of life’s challenges. I just kept thinking about it, though, so I picked it back up. I wasn’t motivated until I took a free online writing class, where I was held accountable, and that’s when I finished the book.
Where can people find you and support your work right now?
I recently started writing on Substack and I’ve also written a few articles on Medium. If readers would like to read the first 10 chapters of my short novel “The Realm Ruler” it is free to join and free to read on my page glittergirl1966.substack.com
Do you have any other projects on the horizon you want to tease for our readers?
I am writing two other short novels. I’m halfway through the novel with a young woman that’s injured while hiking in the mountains of Vermont and is fighting for her life. Plus I am in the process of writing a comedic novel about a young nurse working at a nursing home. I am always posting flash fiction stories on my substack page as well.
What stories do you want to see more of in the world?
I would like to see more inspirational and uplifting stories in the world. There are too many negative news stories these days.
I grew up watching Andy Griffith, Leave it to Beaver, and I love Lucy. We didn’t have cell phones and Internet, 24/7. We sat around the dinner table and actually talked to one another.
As a society, I think we need to decompress more and sit back, relax and enjoy ourselves. The world is full of stress now. Young people feel the need to be influencers, post YouTube videos, be entrepreneurs. When I was growing up, there was no Internet or cell phones. I think we need to go back to simpler times. I think that means watching less reality TV, where yelling at each other and showing people cheating, is not the norm. More wholesome content with less violence is greatly underrated.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your insights, Bonnie! We are so proud of the good work you are doing and grateful for the chance to spread the word about the stories you are telling!
Got any questions for Bonnie? Anything about her story resonate with your own? Drop a comment and let us know! 💬
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I just wanted to give a shout out to everyone that supported me by giving me a ❤️ on my OBA Indie Author Series story.