Historical Novel About Kids And Their Siblings With Special Needs!
Reviews By Readers
"Hear My Soul Sing"...a beautiful, wonderful, historical novel written by a dear friend of mine Judy Johnson...This book is written about how an innocent baby born with multiple birth defects can initially devastate a happy, carefree family...the novel takes us through the challenges of the sister and ultimately the blessings, the awareness of empathy and other developments that come from the birth of this baby boy...a plus to the book is the music attached (Woodstock era...love, love the music selected..rock on...good job Judy)...
...visit the website: hearmysoulsing.com for links to the songs
Judy has dedicated this book to her beloved grandson, Blake, who was born prematurely with multiple birth defects. As a grandmother, Judy's support role has led to her awareness of special needs and the problems their families face. Her first childrens book featured Blake, his blindness and how the other children could best play and interact with him. Judy printed copies of this book and took them to Blake's school for each child in his class...what an awesome thing to do...go Blake, go Judy! Judy has now written books for other children and if you are interested in having one written for your family, visit the website: thoughtfulchildrensbooks.com
I'm fortunate to call Judy my friend and so very proud of her.
Kathy Bergman
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Judy K. Johnson you are brilliant!!!! The book is phenomenal! I love everything about it. The cover is intriguing and has captured my attention for the weeks I have had the book. I have not "read" the book but have started to read it as I would a book I picked off a shelf. That is turn pages and see what captures my attention. There are some many fascinating things in your book that it is amazing that one person (YOU) were blessed with the ability to put it together. This morning "Wind beneath my wings" brought tears as it has for years.
Thank you for writing this awesome book, for your deep understanding of the struggles and blessings involved with disabilities, for your compassion, for your joy, and for your inspiration and grace.
Gwendolyn Davis
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Judy K. Johnson, I cannot tell you how this little book has affected me, it has made me cry, made me laugh, and made me not want to put it down. You have such wonderful abilities to put into words what many of us are not able to express. You have touched my soul with your abilities, please know how grateful I am that you included me into this beautiful understanding of love and nurture.
Kathy Allen
Can a stained glass window in a chapel inspire one's life mission?
Author's Response
Thank you so very, very much for sending me your thoughts about "Hear My Soul Sing". It means so very, very much to have your viewpoints. I am thrilled that you liked my work and found it authentic.
When I started this project, it was very, very important for me to be believable to my readers. So I spent more hours than you can imagine researching every thing from psychological impacts on siblings of special needs children to the actual house on the end of Reese Drive in Sunset Valley where my fictitious family lived. I studied every little detail like the HUD housing in Austin where Harold and Mony lived when they first moved to Austin and the effects of lead poisoning in these units. I studied locations, music and history for accurate historical portrayal of the events in the novel. All data was chronologically recorded in chapter notes following the end of the story. This project consumed my life for about two years as I craved for my readers to truly believe me.
During this process, I committed my heart and soul to the story. I felt like that entire novel was downloaded to my brain from a higher power and I was just a secretary trying to make sure I got all the notes correct. So I thank that higher power for this gift of passion given to me. I wanted to express two main ideas. The first being to introduce the outside world to our community of special needs. No one knows in advance of a monumental life changing event what this world is like. And then once immersed in this community there is no exit door to return to your previous life. Being pulled into this world changes your life, your world and your soul permanently. I find it amazing that most people outside of this community often have no idea that this community even exists.
The second idea I wanted to express is the power of empathy that eventually creeps into your life when you are thrown into this world. (Most people shy away from any one with special needs expressing only sadness or even shame.) I give credit to my grandson, Blake, who I have always called my Prophet. At his birth my heart was broken and I thought joy and love would forever be replaced with sorrow, guilt and regret. I was plagued with weariness for the 14 months that Blake was in NICU and PICU before coming home the first time. I seldom slept and worried constantly that I would become too tired to pray without ceasing and then the next medical crisis would be my fault because I was too weary to pray effectively. I remember all the people encouraging us to just have "faith" and Blake would be all right. Then when another crisis happened I worried that it was a result of my insufficient "faith". Life can really be crazy difficult when families are first thrown into this world.
But eventually I discovered a secret that has empowered my life ever since. I found that the profound love I felt growing in my very soul for my tiny grandson was creating a magical phenomena of empathy. And then as my empathy grew outward to this whole special needs community, I discovered blessings of true heartfelt love refilling and overflowing my own heart which had seemed permanently saddened and empty. A mystery of feeling empathy for others with special needs often leaves you in wonder over the joy and authentic love that fills your heart just being among those with special needs. I thought if my novel revealed the magic of this empathy and love, then it would be easier for a little of this wisdom to reach others still unable to embrace special needs.
Music provided background to every central theme. I'm rejuvenated when I take time to listen to music that touches my heart. When I was creating the list of songs for my project I would sit at my computer with headphones on and listen to each song and its message. Without fail, I would be sobbing before the lyrics and music were over. That's why I created HearMySoulSing.com to provide links so readers could hear and see the original recordings.
Music is one of the most powerful gifts from the divine to heal our broken hearts.
So you see my entire life was in the grips of this novel for a long time. I would often go to sleep at night wondering how to proceed with a chapter and by morning I would have a vision of the direction I was to proceed. My dog, Sarge (my White German Shepherd who is also in the novel), stayed by my side without fail each and every day. He would whine every few hours in order to go outside a moment. As we walked together amidst the woods behind my house, yet more ideas flooded my mind and as I hurried back to my computer in order to not forget this new thought, Sarge would hurry along by my side following me all along my journey.
Thanks so much for all your thoughts because I had momentary doubts that my story was not as effective as I hoped. The subject matter might seem intense--but you know everyone eventually realizes that life is intense. It is my desire to be able to say that I've expressed the thoughts that my own heart has embraced and made them somehow worthy.
As I always sign off--
Judy Johnson,
Blake's grandmother