Photo By Kiera Anderson | Staff Sgt. Beverly D. Neal, a transportation movement noncommissioned officer, with...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT STEWART, Ga.— Staff Sgt. Beverly D. Neal has held many titles in her life. She’s a daughter, a sister, a mother of two grown sons, a transportation movement noncommissioned officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, and a fiancé. She’s also a spiritual person, an avid reader, and a warm, bubbly personality prone to bouts of infectious laughter and bright smiles. Yet, none of these titles prepared her for the winding road that would lead her to embracing her newest and most surprising title yet: published author.
This newest chapter in her life, the first of many she said that will feature her as a writer, started because her spiritual mentor and close friend of 16 years, Jeanette Wilson, a medical assistant, encouraged her to use a journal to put her thoughts and ideas down. It was a practice that aided her through her first deployment to Camp Taji, Iraq, and her subsequent return.
Soon, the wheels began to turn. Neal, noticing a gap in the market for books targeting women in military and Department of Defense professions, wondered if perhaps she shouldn’t try applying what she’d learned from journaling and Army resiliency training in order to write her own. She made a decision to write a book, and the journaling turned into a focused regime of writing for an audience.
When asked about the transition from journaling to writing a book, Neal said the hardest part was being her own worst critic and learning to get out of her own way. Her faith was what strengthened her resolve during the harder times.
“God is the one that got me through it, and saw me to the end,” said Neal.
A newfound love of writing, and confidence in her ability to be of use to others, was what started her down the five year journey to write and publish, A Spiritual Health Assessment for Military and DOD Civilians.
“We prepare all the time for combat, but we don’t always prepare spiritually,” said Neal. “Basically my book is really talking about holistic living while deployed and redeployed. I just wanted to dedicate something to the women.”
After working on it consistently for four years, she submitted it to Xulon Press for a year-long process of editing. They scrubbed the manuscript, sent it back with their recommendations, and after final edits she submitted her manuscript January of this year for publishing.
While the focus of the book is helping women cope with the stresses of deployment and redeployment, Neal said the book can apply to anyone, and that she saw its contents work during and after her own deployment.
The book tackles such topics as eating habits and exercise, healthy communication with spouses, friends and associates, and finding a place of worship among others, said Neal.
Neal said her initial response to finishing this long term goal was, “Wow. I made it! It’s a joyful time. I sometimes go back and reread, and say ‘I did this?’”
However, that feeling was short lived, if only because she has other stories to tell and refuses to rest on her laurels. If there was one thing she learned from the process of writing it was that she’s just getting started.
“I try my best to write every day, so I don’t think (the second book) will take as long,” said Neal. “If (the interruption) is not important, then I push it to the side and let my book take precedence. You get consumed by (writing).”
Neal is currently working on her next book called, "The Joining." It is a more personal chronicle of her journey to the altar, and the pitfalls and joys one might find when they embark on a similar journey. It’s a book she’s more than confident she can finish now that she’s gone through the hurdle of writing the first one, a confidence she hopes she can inspire in other people when it comes to pursuing their goals.
“Despite all the interruptions, whatever your dream is, move through the obstacles and whatever the distractions are, and go for it,” said Neal. “(Reaching your goal) may be a bit delayed, but never denied.”
Neal said one of the best feelings is the pride her loved ones take in the completion of her first book. Her sons, mentor, and fiancé are excited and so is she. She is so excited, in fact, that she’s looking forward to a long, happy future full of writing.
“My hope is to keep writing until I’m gone,” said Neal, her eyes bright and her smile as infectious as ever. “I want to write a whole bookshelf full of books!”
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 05.07.2013 10:28 |
| Story ID: | 106477 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT STEWART, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 136 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Provider publishes first book for soldiers, DOD civilians, by Kiera Anderson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT