Q and A with Sandra L. from Gibbons, Alberta, Canada

“I can’t change the world, but if I could change one life or help one person, that would be fantastic for me. I know it sounds selfish when I say fantastic for me, but I truly do not want anybody to feel like I felt.”

Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am truly blessed. I have realized life is much too short, so I have decided to live life to the fullest. There are so many new things that I have become passionate about in the last few years and, as you get older, you realize your passions change. The love for it might still be there, but the passion doesn’t draw you like it used to. I love horses. Always have and always will. They are one of those loves for me that the passion has died down a bit. I love playing sports, but again, I am slowing down. Right now, my real passion is writing and travel. I love to write, and I love teaching people how to write and not make the same mistakes I did when I first started publishing. I have still got my 9-5 job, but I am hoping that will change soon with my new business endeavors.

Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I am a total small-town girl with fantastic family and friends who were there and still are through thick and thin. My best friends are still my best friends today. My parents worked hard and instilled a good work ethic in me, and my siblings, and I was very involved in sports, but what else was there to do in a small town? I called Gladstone, Manitoba, Canada, my hometown and even today, years later, I call it my home. On cold winter nights, which were many, I would write my own little mysteries, but in the garbage, they would go. I believe I had a perfect life, but things change.

Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Growing up in a small-town means life moves at a slower pace. Families at that time were never divorced, and you could stay out till it got dark and hang out with your friends and not have to worry about anything bad happening. Times have changed even though I grew up with the whole idea of when you get married, you stay married forever and you stick it out and work it out. That didn’t happen to me. I was married for 26 years and that’s when my life fell apart. I went to many counselors, I had a nervous breakdown, I cut myself off from everything, and then I had a breakthrough and started to write. I started off just journaling to help myself through my breakup and that turned into an escape and an outlet for me. At that point, I realized that I felt so alone and embarrassed and ashamed of everything that had happened, but I didn’t want anybody else to feel that way period. I can’t change the world, but if I could change one life or help one person, that would be fantastic for me. I know it sounds selfish when I say fantastic for me, but I truly do not want anybody to feel like I felt. So again, the rating came into effect, and I wrote my first book about narcissism. I have to laugh now because my friends that I grew up with (and I’m sure my teachers) didn’t even think I could spell. [Sandra laughs.] I want you to know and take away from my little blurb here that you can do anything that you have set your mind to. You are never too old and the only thing stopping you from your greatest successes is yourself. You need to be the strongest person you know and truly believe in yourself and know you can do whatever you set your mind to. I always thought I was very confident and secure, but when my divorce happened, I realized I was a scared insecure woman but not anymore.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: To me, feminism means courage. I believe that all women are just as capable as men, and we all have our strengths and our weaknesses. We need to play up to our strengths and know that we are all different. We have different thoughts, different cultures, and beliefs, but that does not define who we are. I believe we are all capable of being outstanding at whatever we do or try. We are women!

MORE ABOUT SANDRA: I now live in Gibbons, Alberta Canada, and have two amazing grown boys who see and treat women with respect, no matter their age. They know that no matter what circumstances arise, I will float to the top because the cream always rises to the top. Make every day your best day!

Thank you for reading!

Publishing With Sandra, click here.