A year ago, a publishing company asked me to work on a special project.
Shannon Dunn-Downing, the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in snowboarding, had written her memoir. And they wanted me to edit it.
I was floored.
Why it touched me…
I write these articles to help you fill your lives with LIGHT, because I know how it feels to walk in darkness.
- I know how it feels to suck in each breath while you’re having a panic attack.
- I know how it feels to shatter because you haven’t taken care of yourself.
- AND I know how it feels to fill your life with the LIGHT of the world…mind, soul, and body.
And Shannon’s book is about the light!
She’s not just an Olympian, but a Jesus-follower and a mom. She is literally one of my role models now. And I’ll tell you why in just a minute.
(But first I want to note that she shared her conversion story in the most beautiful way in this book. PLUS it’s written for teen girls who didn’t grow up in the faith…which opens the door for her to minister in a special way.)
This book made me less afraid…
In the book, Shannon tells about all the funny crazy things that happened on her Olympic journey.
Seeing how life went on, even after the “worst” things happened, encouraged me SO MUCH. I found myself thinking about the book while I wasn’t working.
On Christmas break, when I had to drive hours through a horrible snowstorm…
When I worried about my future after graduation…
I just found myself thinking about it. And it encouraged me. It helped me move from anxiety to focusing on the light.
Forgive my fangirl moment
Shannon appreciated my work on her book.
In fact, her testimonial made me cry:
100% recommend
Her skill and insight truly led the way. Vella provided thoughtful, detailed feedback that I took to heart.
Her overview, market report, and chapter-by-chapter notes were in-depth yet easy to understand, offering just the right amount of detail without ever feeling overwhelming. This made my editing journey so much smoother! I loved being able to refer back to her notes, and she was always available whenever I had questions or concerns.
I 100% recommend Vella—she’s talented, approachable, and genuinely invested in your story. I’m so thankful she was my go-to developmental editor!
Shannon Dunn-Downing
The book released this week!
First off, congratulations to Shannon.
I am so proud of her work!
But second, I think this book will inspire and encourage you guys.
It can help you fill your life with LIGHT.
It makes a great Christmas present.
(Or book flood present, which is an Icelandic holiday on Christmas Eve where you read books and eat chocolate and is literally the best thing ever in my opinion.)
So I’m including the link for you to grab your own copy!
*This is an affiliate link. That means when you buy the book through this link, I make a few extra cents, at no cost to you.
What do you think? Do you like inspirational stories about athletes? How do you feel about fangirling? Leave a comment with your thoughts. I read and respond to every single (human) comment myself.
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