Author: Lauri Burns

ISBN: 978-1-59594-346-0

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Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is honored to have as our guest, Lauri Burns author of Punished for Purpose: From Out of the Darkness Came a Powerful Healing Light.

Good day Lauri and thanks for participating in our interview

Norm:

What motivated you to write Punished for Purpose: From Out of the Darkness Came a Powerful Healing Light? As a follow up, what do you want your book to do?

Lauri:

Although the story had yet to captivate audiences in print, my story had been heard by thousands. In lieu of any marketing or self-promotion, I have been requested to speak at over one hundred and twenty venues in the past five years, more recently in the UK and Africa. By word of mouth, people have been drawn to my compelling life story, unharnessed honesty and triumph over hardship.

A few years back, while speaking I shared many of the techniques that landed me where I am today. The response that day was so overwhelming that thousands of my CDs have been distributed nationwide.

Given the number of people I had touched with just tidbits of my story, I thought about the magnitude of change I could make by telling the whole story. Overwhelmed by the apparent need and inspired by the possibility of being limitless in reaching people everywhere, I spent the past three years writing Punished for Purpose.

Combine “It’s a Wonderful Life” with the depths of “Monster,” throw in the love of Mother Theresa and you will find Punished for Purpose.

I want the book to provide a revenue stream for homeless teens with food and shelter.

Norm:

What challenges or obstacles did you encounter while writing your book? How did you overcome these challenges?

Lauri:

There were many times when detailing my childhood abuse or the attacks when I was a prostitute that I felt unable to pull myself back to “normal activities” after writing. At one point, it got so bad that I almost wrote the end first to get out of the middle. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

I focused on what it would feel like to finish. It motivated me to forge forward. It also took a lot of encouragement from friends.

Norm:

Whom do you believe will benefit from your book and why? Why do you think this is an important book at this time?

Lauri:

Everyone will benefit from this book. In a world suffering more than ever from abuse, addiction and financial insecurity and depression, people are desperate for an answer.

Norm:

What was the most difficult part of writing your book? Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Lauri:

Detailing the events from my childhood to a level that the reader would feel like they were there… being tied to a bed in a straight jacket at as an adolescent… and walking out onto the streets as a young girl.

I learned how just a few ordinary people, some complete strangers ultimately changed the course of my life forever. The 13 people I write about. I call them “angels and teachers”. I learned that everyone has people in their life trying to guide them.

Norm:

How did you come up with the title, Punished for Purpose: From Out of the Darkness Came a Powerful Healing Light?

Lauri:

As a small child I believed that I was born into my family because I had committed sins in a past life. I thought it was my punishment from GOD.

About three years ago, I was awoken to screams in the middle of the night. The little girl I was caring for was struggling with flashbacks of the men that molesting her (again). But on this night it was different.

When I opened my door, in the darkness I saw her thrashing around on the cold bathroom floor and I heard the harsh pounding of her head hitting the wall. Huddling in the darkness next to her and talking to her, I was catapulted back to my childhood.

I knew what to do… and what not to do… no light… soft voice… make the bad men go away… within a few minutes both of our faces were wet with tears and the memories of the bad men were gone.

Although I had been a foster parent for a while, it was that night that I realized the orchestration of my whole life. I was not punished by GOD at all; He chose me. He gave me everything I needed. Having returned to my own memories to help her, it hit me. My childhood was the preparation for what was to come… the healing of the most broken children. My childhood was the study of the path out… for them. At that moment, my most terrifying memories turned to gold. Hence the title “Punished for Purpose.”

Norm:

How has the feedback been so far?

Lauri:

Amazing! We have gotten great reviews and people say they can’t put the book down. People from 15 to 80, male and female say they get drawn in and can’t stop reading. I owe that to my 5th grade English teacher and Dean Koontz. My daughter and I started reading Koontz books together about 15 years ago as a way of spending quality time together. Since Koontz is all I know, I believe I adopted his style when writing.

Norm:

Could you tell our readers more about The Teen Project?

Lauri:

The Teen Project is a parent to the parentless. About four years ago, I was devastated to learn that kids all over our nation, who were removed from their parents due to abuse, are turned out the streets on their 18th birthday.

I couldn’t believe it when I read it. I thought how can this be? In America? And no one stops it? I was sure I had misread something, so I researched more. The findings were criminal.

Foster care ends abruptly at age 18 and kids are forced to leave the only safe home they know. Even if they have nowhere to go, they must leave. They go to a homeless shelter or live on the streets. There are reports coming out of every state about this tragic situation. Foster kids are 40% of our nation’s homeless population. Only 3% of foster kids ever get to go to college because we abandon right at the age they would normally start that process.

I started The Teen Project with my best friend. We are finding these forgotten children and bringing them home. We are providing them with housing and college. We have 25 local volunteers and mentor programs in 8 other states. With 25,000 kids being dumped out a year, it is a huge task! We are seeking help from everyone. We have been on the local news channel, Oprah.com and CNN News. It is my bucket list that in this lifetime, I will right this wrong. My purpose is bigger than I ever could have imagined.

Norm:

Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)

Lauri:

Well… Andrew Sugarman, who recently did a movie with Hillary Swank has taken an interest in doing the movie. I have had a lot of folks approach me about reality shows and documentaries, but my interest lies in doing a talk show, radio show or column that helps teenagers and parents to bridge the gap.

I find that even “normal” families find teenagers hard to deal with and are struggling. Being a person who loves to be around teens and truly “gets” them, I want to help. My friends see me as “The Teen Whisper.” They have called me into their homes to help them with their own kids. Teens need a voice and parents need to hear them to understand the core issue. I believe I can help families bridge the gap by identifying the hidden issues.

I am working on a national database of all shelters (homeless, transitional, sober living…) kind of a HOTELS.COM with ambassadors in each state. I am raising funds so that we can ensure kids seeking help are provided safe shelter, food and resources. 75% of the proceeds from the book will go to this effort.

Norm:

Where can our readers find out more about you and your book?

Lauri:

Amazon.com or punishedforpurpose.com

Norm:

Is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered?

Lauri:

While the popularity of books promising a new life remains constant, the distance between the reader and writer is relevant. Often delivered by executives, pastors and such, the diminished esteem of the reader and the admiration for the writer can be a deterrent in obtaining the final goal. Not believing in his or her own potential, the reader often self-sabotages due to personal limitation or circumstance.

This step-by-step, crawl your way out of “hell and into heaven” approach reduces the divide by demonstrating to the reader that triumph over hardship is obtainable regardless of circumstances.

Punished for Purpose will take the lid off of your life that limits your existence. It will expand your viewpoint of success from that of simply investigating your own life to the unmistakable truth that you have the power to change the world.

Norm:

Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors

CLICK HERE TO READ NORM'S REVIEW OF PUNISHED FOR PURPOSE 

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