Briefly tell us about your book.
It’s a collection of stories about people who have been through extraordinary and challenging experiences and what they learnt about survival, strength and hope. And ultimately what we can learn from them.
What are you hoping the reader will take away from reading your book?
We all need a bit of hope right now! Its been a tough few years for everyone as we all faced different degrees of change, upheaval and fear. So I wanted to talk with those who experienced challenges on a major scale and find out what it was that kept them strong and hopeful. We’ve heard the word resilience a lot lately – but what does that actually look like. I hope one, or more of these stories will resonate with someone who is finding life a little dark right now, and maybe give them the comfort, inspiration and hope they need.
Tell us about your background and what led you to writing this book.
Story telling is old as time! It’s how we learn from and connect with one another. I’m a journalist and love finding out what makes people tick. I think there is nothing more powerful than sharing our stories – be it hearing someone else’s or having someone hear yours – to know we are not alone.
What was the most challenging part of writing this book?
Ensuring I cared for and nurtured every person who chose to share their story with me. They laid their hearts bare as we revisited the most traumatic moments of their lives. Some interviews were spread over more than a year. I was so careful to go gently, and we only spoke on the days they felt comfortable and safe to do so.
How did you think of the title of the book?
All credit to the extraordinary Noah Barlow. Young Noah was born with a terminal illness and is in and out of hospital a lot. Understandably he still has a fear of needles. So when he has to find his brave, he tells his mum he can dig deep – but sometimes all he can muster is 15 seconds. Sometimes that’s all any of us need.
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