THE RISING ABOVE ANTHOLOGY PROJECT

“The weight of unspoken words is heavier than any burden we carry. It is the weight of things left unsaid, of emotions buried deep, of truths hidden away in the dark corners of our minds. And as that weight grows, it begins to crush us, to suffocate us, until we are no longer able to speak, no longer able to express the things we need to say, the things that could free us from the prison of our own silence.”

-Alice Walker, The Color Purple

VOLUME I: OUR TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY TO WHOLENESS AFTER BREAST CANCER

Every young woman diagnosed with breast cancer has a Rising Above story to share.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with gold, making the former flaw a visual focus. Kintsugi is seen as a metaphor for resilience, the process of healing, and beauty in brokenness. It encompasses a profound meaning and philosophy beyond mere repair, reflecting an aesthetic perspective on the way people live. It's the idea of accepting imperfection and impermanence and transforming them into something valuable.

Volume I of Rising Above is a collection of experiential memoir essays that will highlight the unique transformational journey of young women as they seek wholeness after a breast cancer diagnosis. Each chapter focuses on one woman’s specific story that recounts her pilgrimage to challenge her prognosis and rise above breast cancer, moving her from surviving into thriving.

VIRTUAL MEET AND GREET SESSION FOR CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS BEGINS 01.16.2025

RISING ABOVE ANTHOLOGY SUBMISSION FORM

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Hi! My name is Jessica Buchanan. I'm excited to connect with you here! Please tell me a little bit about your story and why this project caught your eye!

I'm a teacher by profession who happens to be a NYT Bestselling author - while I'm looking for women who want to share their stories of their transformational journey to wholeness after breast cancer, I am also looking for women who would like to learn more about the memoir writing process and publishing experience.

Tell me a little bit about your writing practice and your writing goals!

This anthology experience takes nearly 8 months to complete- we have monthly group coaching calls and 2 one-on-one coaching calls with me, as well as the time spent on writing your 5,000 word chapter.

Is this something that will fit into your schedule and lifestyle for the upcoming year?

So many women come to me with incredible stories, but feel overwhelmed with how to start writing about it or what to do with it once it's written. I offer support from the first word that gets written to the final stages of book promotion.

Is this something that could be of service to you? If so, why? If not, why?

Every part of this journey is intentional, well thought out and carefully implemented. My priorities when working with my authors is that they feel safe with me, supported by the group, and that they have had the opportunity to learn about memoir writing as well as heal some parts that may not have healed yet.

What is your purpose in sharing your story in this way?

This project is so comprehensive! Before we hop on a call, I want to be sure you understand all the different components that are being offered to you: • Writing and editing support by Yours Truly • Professional coaching individually and in group • Professional copy editing by my team • Author book copies available at wholesale prices • One day filming in Washington DC for the book trailer *travel and accommodation are not included • Coaching and editing services for recording your audio book chapter • An opportunity to become a bestselling author • A community of women who are all working to share their stories and support each other

What level of budget are you willing to put towards your writing dreams?

0 dollars — I feel my story is interesting enough that people should pay me to write about it.

$500-$1000 — I am willing to invest, but I'm not sure what my writing goals are, so my budget is limited.

$3000-$5000 — I can see how this opportunity, to align myself with a NYT bestselling author, receive tailored writing and book launch support, as well as use this as a launching pad for my brand/business

Money is not an issue, I just want to get my story out there!

Does this sound good to you?

I am committed to authentic story telling, supporting women, diversity in all facets and seek to use my own personal story in the service of others. I am looking for women with different backgrounds, ethnicities, experiences, socioeconomic statuses, as well as overall beliefs and religions.

Is this something that is important to you as well?

Part of the royalties from online book sales go back to the iRise Above Foundation to support the iRise Above Breast Cancer Scholarship Fund.

Are podcast interviews or other types of PR opportunities of interest to you?

Yes, I would love to share my story in any capacity when the opportunity arises!

No, I'd prefer to just write my chapter and keep a low profile.

Is there anything else you would like me to know before we meet?

Soul Speak Press is a non-traditional, boutique publishing house for women who have been through something, now they know something and can teach us something. This is not a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" type anthology! Like the Deserts to Mountaintops anthology series, Rising Above is a collection of beautifully crafted stories that is accompanied by a highly curated experience from developmental editing support to a day of filming for the book trailer. We consider this a "Masterclass in Memoir Writing" with a bestselling book as a final product. Each of these books takes my team an average of 1500 hours to put together so there is an initial investment required.

MY STORY

The inspiration for this collection of experiential essays stems from the lived experience of Gillian Lichota, Founder and Leader of the iRise Above Foundation, who was broken open and transformed after a terminal breast cancer diagnosis at the young age of 40.

Shortly after enduring years of grueling infertility treatments and losing a second-trimester pregnancy, Gillian was elated to find out she was pregnant again. The joy was short-lived, however, as she was soon diagnosed with stage III pregnancy-related (ER+, PR+, HER2-) breast cancer. The dream she had of becoming a mother was quite literally going to kill her.

Gillian endured several rounds of chemotherapy and a mastectomy while pregnant. After the safe delivery of her son, she continued with more grueling chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries until she was deemed to be in remission.

Remission was short-lived. Breast cancer returned to her lungs. Facing imminent death revealed profound truths about living. A web of events and interactions throughout Gillian’s life has shaped who she is today. The good, the bad, and the ugly have built her up, broken her down, and inflamed her heart unlike an ordinary path never could. Gillian had a story to tell, and as luck would have it, she connected with the right person to help her to do just that.

Gillian’s writing journey began 2024 under the mentorship and support of New York Times Bestselling Author, Speaker, Survivor, and Coach, Jessica Buchanan of Soul Speak Press. Jessica is an expert in impossible circumstances. Jessica believes what on the outside appears to be limited options and impossible circumstances can be a chance for opportunity with the right mindset.

As the lead author of the Desert to Mountaintops anthology series, Jessica invited Gillian to share her story in Volume III, The Pilgrimage of Motherhood. To be released in January 2025, Gillian’s first memoir essay titled “Butterfly”, describes how this journey through breast cancer amid the sacred pilgrimage of motherhood has brought newfound clarity and hope, revealing fundamental truths about her healing and discovery of authentic self.

While Gillian’s story is extraordinary, her experience with breast cancer as a young woman is not unique. Gillian has (re)claimed her power and sense of agency, rising from the ashes of illness like a phoenix with a greater sense of passion and purpose. She has discovered her true authentic self and is (re)writing her story. In her Rising Above lead author memoir essay, Gillian will share what dying from an incurable disease has taught her about truly living, and how the journey to become whole after a devastating diagnosis can be transformative in mind, body, and spirit.

Gillian is looking for Rising Above contributors to cover themes such as surviving-to-thriving, rising in the face of adversity, transformation, wholeness, healing, rebirth, and transcendence.

Every young woman diagnosed with breast cancer has a Rising Above story to share, and we want to help you do that! Are you ready to heal yourself and other young women who have been on their own surviving-to-thriving journey with your story?

JESSICA BUCHANAN STORY

MEET JESSICA BUCHANAN

Teacher, Bestselling Author, Humanitarian, Speaker, Survivor

On October 25, 2011, while on a routine field mission in Somalia, working as the Education Advisor for her non-governmental organization, Jessica was abducted at gunpoint and held for ransom by a group of Somali pirates for 93 days. Forced to live outdoors in deplorable conditions, starved, and terrorized by more than two dozen gangsters, Jessica’s health steadily deteriorated until, by order of President Obama, she was rescued by the elite SEAL Team VI on January 25, 2012.

Jessica chronicled her story in the New York Times bestseller and 2013 USA Best Book Award/Autobiography, Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six.

Jessica has been named one of the ‘150 Women Who Will Shake the World’ by Newsweek, and her story was the most highly viewed 60 Minutes episode to air, to date. Jessica is a highly sought after inspirational speaker and her TEDx Pearl Street talk, ‘Change is Your Proof of Life’ has been the foundation for which she travels the world, inspiring audiences to access their resilience by identifying their own autonomy and chance in the middle of their own life-changing event.

Jessica created Desert to Mountaintops, a collection of anthologies published by Soul Speak Press, to tell women’s stories of resilience, strength, and survival. This was a dream born out of Jessica's own self-abandonment experience and how she found her way back to the mountaintop of self-love. She is now committed to helping other women tell that story.

Jessica Is the Founder of Soul Speak Press and will be the writing coach of the Rising Above Anthology Project Volume I. She is keen to help contributing authors “RISE ABOVE” by sharing their respective transformational journey’s to wholeness after breast cancer.

Every woman has a RISING ABOVE story to share.

Are you ready to heal yourself, and others, with your story?

WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE YOUNG WOMEN WHO …

Have embarked on a transformational journey through breast cancer to discover wholeness and could capture that experience (in whatever way that looks like!) in 4000 words or less. We are very open to your interpretation of how you have journeyed through breast cancer to become whole.
Have courageously reclaimed their power and are ready to speak their truth - yet they don’t have enough material for their own Memoir Manifesto, YET.
Are looking to launch into the professional speaking world and are in need of published assets to establish credibility.
Are in need of building their network, audience and social media platforms in order to meet future professional goals.
Would benefit from coaching support from a professional speaker, New York Times and Amazon bestselling author.

Would flourish with group support and peer feedback as they compose and share their stories with the world.

Would love the opportunity to become a bestselling author.
Would benefit from learning the ins and outs of book marketing, promotion, and PR (think of this as an investment in your future profession).
Feel compelled to heal with their personal stories of transformation in order to advocate, educate, inspire and empower other women to do the same.
Have always dreamed of holding their own published works in their hands and thrive in groups of supportive women.

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