Auburn author hopes to inspire others to embrace their stories, find empowerment

Apr. 16—Dawn Sullivan recently celebrated the publication of her first book "Shadow Alchemy" with Maine publisher House of Indigo. The book is an anthology collection of the writings of 22 women authors, all focused on healing emotional wounds and manifesting their own heart's desires.

Remembering the moment the Amazon box containing her book showed up earlier in the week, the Auburn author said, "Opening the box with my book was pretty freaking amazing. I recorded it, because I'm like, 'I need to savor this.'"

"Shadow Alchemy" is a collection of stories from healers, creatives, therapists and coaches. The book aims to provide readers with tools for personal transformation and growing their community.

Sullivan's chapter centers around 2023, the year she turned 50, and the choice she made to start writing her memoir and delve into her shadow work, a term used to describe exploring unconscious fears and emotions with the goal of integrating them to achieve personal growth.

"I created a bucket list," Sullivan said. "I started the year plunging into the ocean, I rode a horse for the first time. I had a boudoir photo shoot. Very different things. Small things, and big things."

The collaborative process of creating the anthology included 22 authors from around the world, each bringing their own unique perspective and writing style to the project.

Despite their differences, Sullivan emphasizes the common thread of shared experiences and the power of storytelling to inspire others.

"My product, that I wanted to bring into the world, is called soul play," Sullivan said. "I do a lot of art journaling and that's been my own alchemy."

The editing and feedback process refined each chapter, ensuring a cohesive and impactful final product.

For Sullivan, the publication of "Shadow Alchemy" marks a milestone in her personal and professional growth, setting the stage for future writing projects, including her own memoir. Through her writing, Sullivan hopes to inspire others to embrace their stories and find healing and empowerment.

While the publication process had its challenges, Sullivan found support and encouragement from her fellow authors and her publisher, Jessica Verrill from House of Indigo.

"We did what's called beta reading. We'd swap chapters to say, 'This is really strong or pull this element out,'" she said "We were giving honest, good feedback to one another. That was fun. It was really fun."

"We have an open dialog," Sullivan said about the group. The women involved in the project were able to share doubts about imposter syndrome or feelings about not being good enough. "We were working through these fears," she said.

Looking ahead, Sullivan is excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and is grateful for the opportunity to share her story with the world.

Sullivan's journey from aspiring writer to published author is a testament to her determination and passion for storytelling. "Shadow Alchemy" illustrates the power of community and the transformative nature of storytelling. Through her work, Sullivan hopes to inspire others to embrace their stories and find healing and empowerment.

"I feel like my whole life I've been alchemizing shadows," Sullivan said.

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