A story by a Kamsack woman is included in a recently-published book of “stories from 30 magnificent women who have risen against the odds.”
Karry Ann Nunn wrote The View from the Top, a 3,000-word story that is one of 30 stories in the 373-page book called Simply…Woman, which was compiled by Crystal Andrus Morissette, “an international bestselling author featured on Oprah.com.”
The book was published in Canada by Simply…Woman publishing, a division of Andrus Morissette Productions of Uxbridge, Ont. It was released on March 8 which was International Women’s Day.
Speaking to the Times last week about the book, Nunn said that she had been studying women empowerment coaching at Simply Woman Accredited Training when she had learned of a call that Morissette had issued, requesting women to share their stories.
“Women are finding their voices and are discovering that they are not alone,” Nunn said. “In sharing our stories we start to heal.”
Nunn is a master empowerment coach “who helps women find their voices and live their truth,” says a brief biography that introduces her story. “After working in libraries across Canada, she has finally fulfilled her dream of having her name on a book on the library shelf.
“Karry Ann keeps it real by spending long days enjoying her animals on her gorgeous farm,” the biography says. Her biggest accomplishment is raising four wonderful children whom she is so proud of. She lives with her partner and two dogs.
“I always wanted to write,” she said, explaining that she has worked at libraries and several years ago contributed stories to the Times. “Books are my thing.”
“People have always said that I’m really good with words. Words are my art.”
When invited to contribute to the book, Nunn said that she asked herself what story she had.
“You definitely have a story,” Morissette told her.
“I guess my story is every woman’s story,” Nunn said, adding that it deals with a date rape that occurred 40 years ago and the effects of a religious upbringing on her following such a situation.
After reading her story, one woman thanked Nunn saying that the story was exactly what she had gone through and appreciated knowing that she was not the only one. She thanked Nunn for having had the courage to share the story.
“Women have been coming up to me to share their stories,” she said. “The key is that as we share, we learn we are not alone and we start to heal.
“I would say that most women have had to deal with and put up with situations like I’ve experienced,” she said. “Today, we’re realizing that we don’t have to put up with that. Women are ‘owning it’ and are getting to know that we have a voice.”
Of the 30 women’s stories in the book, Nunn estimates that about half are Canadian, while the rest are from points all around the globe and they deal with a variety of concerns, including health and relationship issues. The writers are of all ages; some are previously published authors, others are not.
One story deals with a mother who donates her liver to her daughter, another is the story of a woman who had been kidnapped, she said. Some stories captivate and are deep, others are light and humorous.
“Powerful beyond measure; a must-read,” said Colette Baron-Reid of The Oracle.
“It’s a critical time in the world’s history, especially for women,” says the description on the book’s back cover. “We are being called upon like never before to stand up, come together and rewrite our futures; to remember where we’ve been, how we got here and what we want moving forward.
“Simply…Woman: Stories from 30 magnificent women who have risen against the odds, is a powerfully moving compilation of women’s experiences from all over the globe,” it says. “Each story uncovers a different journey from pain and suffering to wisdom and truth.
“Let these brave women speak to you, enlighten and inspire you, evoke you,” it says. “Sharing is how we will forge our legacy, create a better future, heal the world…one strong woman at a time.”
Nunn, who said that with her story now published, she sees it like a key that has been turned and she knows she is going through the door, continuing to write.
Nunn plans to read excerpts from the book at the Kamsack Library on April 13.
Copies of Simply…Woman may be purchased at a couple Kamsack stores, including Pheobe’s Beauty Parlour and Buck’s Dollar Store and may be obtained at karryann.com.
