Book Release: "Touch My Tears: Tales from the Trail of Tears"

In 2012, I was honored as one of four artists in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian Artist Leadership Program for my literary work in preserving Choctaw Trail of Tears stories. As a Choctaw, this historic event has always been close to my heart. Every spring, my mom and I make a special trip to Oklahoma to join our tribe in a commemorative walk to honor our ancestors. Now we have a new way to honor them, and help other people of all cultures understand this piece of American history so few know of.

Touch My Tears: Tales from the Trail of Tears

Whether or not you enjoy history or reading fiction in general, I believe these stories will reach out from the pages and touch your heart. And maybe a tear or two of your own.

From the back cover of my new book, Touch My Tears:

“In 1830, a treaty was signed. In 1830, hearts broke. Tears fell on the long journey for twenty thousand. The Choctaw Nation was forced to leave their homelands to preserve their people. But they could not save them all.

“For this collection of short stories, Choctaw authors from five U.S. states come together to present a part of their ancestors’ journey, a way to honor those who walked the trail for their future. These stories not only capture a history and a culture, but the spirit, faith, and resilience of the Choctaw people.

“From a little girl who begins her journey in a wood box to a man willing to die for the sake of honor, these extraordinary tales of the Choctaw Removal from their homelands delve into raw emotions and come out with the glimmer of hope necessary for the human soul.

“Tears of sadness. Tears of joy. Touch and experience each one.”

Editorial Reviews:

“Touch My Tears is a significant and moving addition to the record of Choctaw heritage; accessible and entertaining. This fine collection of tales is invaluable for the insights it provides into the heart of a unique Native American culture.” —Brock Thoene, co-author of The Jerusalem Chronicles.

"Touch My Tears is a milestone of fictional and historical Choctaw storytelling that exemplifies the value of Native knowledge through literary arts. This deeply moving and significant collection will hopefully generate a paradigm shift in written expression of the Native American experience." —Keevin Lewis, Museum Programs Outreach Coordinator, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian

“This book reflects the joining of courage and endurance that defines a great nation. I cried in many places, sometimes it seemed more than they cried for themselves.” —Lisa Reed, editor of the Biskinik, the Official Publication of the Choctaw Nation.

Get your copy

You can purchase a copy online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble in print and ebook formats:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

You can also email me for details about receiving a signed copy of the book: me@sarahelisabethwrites.com or write to: Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, P.O. Box 1103, Canton, TX 75103

Bloggers

If you're a blogger and are interested in featuring Touch My Tears, please email me or leave a comment.

Yakoke. Thank you.

Healing in the In-Between Moments

My copy of Jeff Goins's new book arrived this past week, and I finally started on it. The idea of those in-between moments inspired my own memories of the little times in life that make up, well, life.

It was just a few hours after the funeral. The grandfather of my best friend, Jessica, had passed away suddenly on my nineteenth birthday.

The house was full of people, visiting, reconnecting, dealing with the grief in their own way.

Jess and I went outside to the driveway in the quiet small town neighborhood. Teenagers, we climbed onto the trunk of her grandparents' aging Chevy Impala and leaned against the back windshield. We stared at the white clouds outlined by blue sky. We didn't say anything. Didn't need to. Just spent time in quiet communication, understanding the lack of need for chatter to fill the air.

The screen door banged and voices bubbled out. Jess's brother and two friends tromped across the drive. His girlfriend paused.

"What are y'all doing?"

I wasn't quite sure how to answer. My friend and I mumbled in agreement. "Um, just relaxing."

"Oh. Well, we're bored. Going to wash my car. Y'all want to come?"

"Uh, that's okay. Thanks."

She shrugged and the three climbed into her Volkswagen Bug, still laughing and chattering.

Quietness reigned again between us. Then we broke out in a spontaneous giggle.

Then quiet again like before, watching the clouds and letting the moment heal our bruised hearts.

***

Jeff Goins's book is already having an impact on my life. You can order a copy on Amazon: The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing [A Spiritual Memoir]

Video: My NMAI Project

The story of my journey as a participant in the NMAI Artist Leadership Program 2012-2013. Video produced by my talented mama, Lynda Kay Sawyer of RockHaven Productions:  

Are You Happy?

Long drives are golden when it comes to thinking time. On the way home from a short trip to Oklahoma, while my mom leaned back for a nap, I spent a few hours in the driver’s seat, thinking about the journey of my life so far.

Oklahoma

Events from eleven months ago had me spinning in more directions then I could see. My dad’s passing. Acceptance into the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian Artist Leadership Program. All within two days of each other.

Where had I been? Where was I going? Where was I now?

Are you happy?

The question caught me off guard. I debated it a moment, thinking I would have a quick answer. I didn’t. Instead, more questions came.

What is happiness? What I am pursing? What is the purpose in all this?

Since childhood, my desire has been to honor and glorify God. But does that make you happy? My mind attacked the very definition of happiness.

How does the world define it? How does God define it? How do I define it?

Few people in the world are happy by any definition. They wish they were married. They wish they were single. They wish they had their dream job. They wish they could go back to their old one.

Are you happy?

Am I? As the Oklahoma road wound up another climb, I asked myself the question over and over. How should I define happiness? Giggles in my stomach all the time? Unfettered laughter bubbling constantly from my lips? No more tears?

No. It’s something deeper than that. Something no trial or sadness in the world can touch when it swoops in to steal your joy.

It’s satisfaction. It’s knowing that in comparison to the thousands of years the human race has existed, yours is just a flash in time. It’s here and gone with a few rotations of the earth. It’s knowing in that time, you are living for the one thing that last, the one thing no amount of time or grief can crush.

Almighty God.

When I focus on Him, not my own desires or happiness, is where true satisfaction resides.

Well you may ask me if I'm happy

If I have sweet peace within

If I'm worried about tomorrow

When I reach my journey's end

When he was a young man, my daddy envisioned himself as the next Billy Sunday. In the last few years of his life, he sang at a small church. Nursing homes. The county jail. In those last few years, he said he felt he was doing what God wanted him to do. I believe he was satisfied.

And as I face the coming one year anniversary of when my world spun out of control, I know I am satisfied. I am happy.

When my eyes are closed in death

With my Jesus I'll be at rest

Then you'll know I'm satisfied

Are you happy?

Elizabeth Sherrill Master’s Writing Workshop—Tuesday

Authors of such Christian classics as The Hiding Place (Corrie Ten Boom), Cross and the Switchblade (David Wilkerson), and God's Smuggler (Bro. Andrew), Elizabeth and John Sherrill have ghostwritten, co-authored and edited more books and articles than I can grasp. They were editors and contributors of the Guideposts Magazine back in the day when people thought it was a travel magazine, if they’d heard of it all. The Sherrills traveled coast-to-coast, up to Alaska and around the world, writing over two thousand stories of real people and the great work God had performed in their lives. In April 2012, I had the privilege of attending Elizabeth Sherrill’s Master’s Writers Workshop. The week I spent at YWAM (Youth with a Mission) Woodcrest was so huge it’s hard to approach in a mere blog post. So I’m going to make it a six part series, taking it one day at a time with the hope I can be as interesting my witty teachers.

Tuesday—Meetings and…Meetings

The whirlwind continued on Day Two. I couldn’t take notes fast enough, laugh hard enough, and thank God enough times for letting me sit and learn under master storytellers.

The joy and excitement bubbled over that evening when I hosted my group, Christian Writers Gathering. Yes, my mom picked me up from the Woodcrest facilities and drove home that evening for a quick shower and prep for the Gathering. I left the campus in such a tizzy I forgot to grab my makeup bag and hairbrush. Ah well. There are more important things in life.

April’s Gathering was special in that we celebrated our one year anniversary as a group with renting the historic Blackwell House and enjoying refreshments. I couldn’t stop myself from sharing story after story I’d heard in just two days, and I included Elizabeth Sherrill’s Seven Steps to Publication, and her manuscript evaluation formula.

Somewhere around eleven that night, I made it back to my dorm room. I settled in for another attempt at sleep, still pinching myself.

Next post I share a confirmation for my mission in writing. And also a picture of “Lake” YWAM.

Are you part of a writing group or book club? What do you share at it?