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Formats
Ebook Details
  • 05/2015
  • 978-1496964212 B00XBPLOCO
  • 96 pages
  • $3.99
Paperback Details
  • 04/2015
  • 978-1496964212 B00XBPLOCO
  • 96 pages
  • $13.95
Christine Walters
Author
Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do

Adult; Memoir; (Market)

Abuse is damaging. It comes from cycles of abusive behaviors learned and repeated through generations. Because of shame and embarrassment, many people do not speak about the cruelty they endured. In my case, most of the abuse I suffered resulted from my mother’s mental illness. For my entire life, people told me to excuse my mom’s abuse because she was mentally ill. However, mental illness does not give anyone the right to abuse you (in particular, your child). Ginny had childhood paranoid schizophrenia with multiple personality disorder. She lived in the Buffalo State Hospital through her adolescent years. When released from the hospital, she had me. She was twenty-six, and my dad was thirty years older. My mother was white, and my father was black. As a child, I struggled with my mixed heritage. My mom would tell me that white people did not like me because I was black. Even from a religious standpoint, I was raised as a Catholic and Baptist. On Sundays, my mom and I attended mass without my father and Baptist service with him. I always felt like I had to choose. Was I black? Was I white? Was I Catholic? Was I Baptist? My mom told me that her side of the family disliked my dad because he was black and my dad’s side of the family disliked my mom because she was white. Here I was stuck in the middle. I share my life story with the world through God’s glory. My story is about how faith enabled me to overcome extraordinary struggles, pain, and loss. Faith, hope, and forgiving the unforgivable through prayer and trusting in God are the keys to healing."
Reviews
Midwest Book Review Small Press Bookwatch

Critique: Exceptionally personal, candid, and ultimately inspiring, "Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do" is very highly recommended reading -- especially for anyone living with a diverse and divisive parentage or cultural/religious heritage. James Cox, MBR Small Press Bookwatch (October 2015) http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/oct_15.htm#ChristianStudies

I would also like to share an email I received.

"Dear Christine Walters: I'm very pleased to announce that the October 2015 issue of our online book review magazine "Small Press Bookwatch" features a review of "Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do". Additionally, this review will be archived on our Midwest Book Review website for the next five years at http://www.midwestbookreview.com" James Cox, MBR Small Press Bookwatch (October 2015)

Online Book Club

Great Review by Online Book Club. Review is Below." [Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do" by Christine Walters.]  id40797-125 Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do is a true story of the author’s life with her mentally ill mother and sick father along with the story of her life after she married and had kids. Christine Walters wrote a truly heart-wrenching book and it is immediately evident that she has conquered so many tragic events in her life and has come out on the other side a remarkable person. Christine’s mom, Ginny, grew up in a hospital (before there were mental institutions). She had multiple personalities and was in and out of hospitals her entire life. Christine was born to a white mother and an African-American father, which caused a lot of problems when she was younger as far as her race was concerned. Christine suffered through her mother’s mental episodes and her father’s abuse of her and her mother. When Christine was still a teenager, she got pregnant and was married by the age of 18. Her husband accepted her as she was, despite the tragedies in her life, because he too had lived a tragic life. They were very broke and had to rely on neighbors for water and electricity – this was the happiest time in their lives because all they had was each other. Christine eventually moved away from her mother and eventually had four children with her husband – she always prayed for many children. In the end of the story, Christine tells of two more tragedies in her life. Pondering these two instances with the others in her life taught Christine what God can do. I am a Christian, so I definitely understood Christine’s spiritual reflections in this book. She ties together her story with the spiritual revelations she's had very well - without the book being overwhelmingly “Christian”, as some books tend to be. Christine’s life was a thunderstorm of bad circumstances, tragedies, and loss – but she shines in this book. For all of the troubles Christine had with school attendance and setbacks, she has written a remarkable account of her and her mother’s life. I could not put this book down as soon as I started reading it, I was hooked. I enjoyed nearly every part of this book – though I would have loved for there to have been more to the stories. Most people who have lived through tragedy after tragedy, like Christine, tend to block things from their memory – it did feel like some parts of the story were missing. Anyone who loves to read true-account stories would enjoy this quick read. I also think those who have family with mental illnesses would learn a lot from Christine's account of her life thus far. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars . It made me think differently about mental illnesses and loving those with mental illnesses. Christine loved her mom through all of the struggles and abuse. This book is a wonderful tribute to Ginny, who lived life through such horrible circumstances, and produced a daughter who has conquered her own tragedies and thrived and has written a marvelous book.******Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do View: on Bookshelves[/url] | on Barnes and Noble "kasi1215's November 13, 2015 (Online Book Club)

Readers' Favorite Book Reviews and Award Contest

"Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do by Christine Walters is an emotional account of a woman’s life. The story begins by introducing readers to her mother Ginny who was hospitalized for many years for severe mental illness, including schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder. Ginny is finally released from the mental hospital and marries a black man and ex-convict who is thirty years older than she is. Together they have Christine who is half white and half black and raised both Catholic like her mother and Baptist like her father.

Christine describes a childhood filled with violence both towards her and violence that she witnesses between her parents. Despite the chaos and pain, she comes to a saving faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 17. Christine learns that with forgiving others, as Christ forgives us, comes healing. She learns of God’s love, mercy and grace that brings her comfort over the next twenty years, mending her relationship with her mother and guiding her through her marriage, parenthood and difficult financial struggles that result in homelessness.

Truly inspirational, Ginny and Me is a beautiful and emotional story filled with heartache and hope. This story is a well-written memoir chronicling one woman’s courageous struggle in the midst of adversity. Christine survives a tumultuous childhood and difficult adulthood. Through it all she discovers the friend that she has in Jesus, who carries her through the storms of life. I found Ginny and Me to be a story of incredible courage and hope. It is a reminder that we can put our trust in Jesus who has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. I highly recommend Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do to readers everywhere." Lucinda Weeks, October 2015 (Readers' Favorite)

News
10/11/2015
5 Star Seal

So Happy! My book received a 5 Star Seal from Reader's Favorite Book Review and Award Contest.https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/ginny-and-me

01/08/2016
American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting & Exhibition in Boston

Great News!! America Star Books has offered to promote my book at the American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting & Exhibition in Boston. My book will be on display at ALA, American Library Association January 8 - 12, 2016.
http://www.ala.org/

08/22/2015
Author Signing at Books-A-Million and Blog

Blog

"Talk about an amazing event. You could truly feel the love surrounding Christine. I was so proud to even be around her. The energy her team had and the support the community and her church provided her was amazing. Christine and I met through a Facebook group when she was searching for a photographer. I quickly replied and she emailed me later on saying she would love to work with me. I drove up to Dulles Town Center mall from Richmond the morning of and we instantly hit it off like we had know each other forever. Her positivity is contagious for sure!

While she was setting up I helped her navigate through Square Up (or as she called it Squared Up LOL)  so she could be prepared for taking payments. Once the event started her church members stopped by to support her and buy books, her pastor and first lady, and friends from Washington DC. In two hours she sold out of all the books she had to sell and had to turn people to the internet to buy."

Lauren Williamson, August 2015 (L Nicole Photography)

http://photographybylnicole.com/book-signing-event-in-dulles-va-l-nicole-photography/

08/12/2015
Buffalo and Erie County, New York Library Author Collection.

My book, "Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do" was cataloged into the Buffalo & Erie County, New York Library. Call number XX 1981345.1. 

05/07/2017
Hometown Reads Washington DC Author

Hometown Reads

Happy to announce my book is feathered in Washington, DC Hometown Reads! Also, featured in the author platform. Check it out!!

http://hometownreads.com/books/ginny-and-me-reflections-of-what-god-can-do

08/01/2015
Lee County, Florida Library Author Collection.

My book, "Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do" cataloged into the Lee County, Flordia Library.  Control number 2344822. LCCN number 2015900445. 

05/25/2015
Loudoun County, Virginia Library Local Authors Collection.

Loudoun County, Virginia Public Library cataloged my book, "Ginny and Me:Reflections of What God Can Do". Call number 921 Walters Christine. Subject under mentally ill. Mental illness - Religious aspects - Christianity (library.loudoun.gov).

09/01/2017
Optimal Living Magazine

September 2017

Optimal Living Magazine

I'm very thankful to be able to have the opportunity to be in Optimal Living Magazine for 2017 Christian Women in Business

12/15/2017
Reflections of What God Can Do Organization

Reflections of What God Can Do

Reflections of What God Can Do was originated from the subtitle of the book, Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do, hoping to help others cope in difficult times. Inspirational speaking for the broken and wounded from extraordinary struggles. Provides insight on forgiving the unforgivable through God's glory. Encouragement for people who have been hurt from abuse, and loss. Faith and hope for the hurting. Focused to motivate, encourage, and give hope not to give up but to move forward. Determination to want to do better and be better. Speaking on social issues and causes.

06/24/2015
State of Virginia Library Authors Collections

The State of Virginia Library cataloged my book, "Ginny and Me: Reflections of What God Can Do" into the LVA Author Collection. Catalog number RJ507.M44 W35 2015. Linked under Children of mentally ill mothers - Biography. Abused children - Biography. Mentally ill Family relationships. Racially mixed families. Faith. Forgiveness (lva.virginia.gov).

11/01/2017
STS Branding Magazine

November 2017

STS Branding Magazine 

Formats
Ebook Details
  • 05/2015
  • 978-1496964212 B00XBPLOCO
  • 96 pages
  • $3.99
Paperback Details
  • 04/2015
  • 978-1496964212 B00XBPLOCO
  • 96 pages
  • $13.95
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