Award-winning Gathering Courage author, T. A. "Terry" McMullin, knows as well as anyone that hard times are a part of the journey of life. Gathering Courage is about Terry's journey, who was born in an orphanage, then adopted, and made a foster child by her parents.
Because Terry struggled with reading, comprehension, and spelling, she was placed in a foster home at the age of nine. Terry was failing in school and no one knew how to help her. As a child in the 1960s, hardly anyone recognized the learning issues related to dyslexia. The struggle to learn continued through high school.
From deep within, Terry developed an internal desire to excel, no matter the obstacle, no matter the situation. Pushing adversity, rejection, and a reading disability aside, Terry gathered the courage to enroll in college.
While attending college, Terry taught herself how to read and study while working nights and weekends to pay her tuition and living expenses. Because of dyslexia, Terry worked much harder than most students. For ten years, she remained diligent and focused on the goal of achieving a college education and a teaching certificate.
Step by step and class by class, Terry succeeded, and walked across the stage to receive a Bachelor's and Master's degree from Texas A&M University.
Terry's life transformed from a broken-hearted child who could barely make out words in elementary school to a successful teacher who encourages young people to work hard and achieve their greatest aspirations.
At crucial points in her life, Terry found people who showed her unconditional love and they became her encouragers. Terry gained great gratification, emotional, and spiritual support from working with animals, horses in particular. The encouragement from others made her life better so she vowed to be a champion for others who needed help.
Gathering Courage is an inspiring life-changing journey not only to be read but also to be passed on as an encouragement to others.
Everyone who loves animals will be inspired by the great stories of our animal friends who helped Terry to conquer mountains of challenges and to celebrate the joy of success.
People who are dealing with the hardships of life will understand Terry's story. They will become inspired to work hard to achieve their own personal goals.
Children in orphanages or foster homes will know that, despite the reality of personal rejection, they too can become successful in life.
The writing of Gathering Courage was a three-year project of reminiscing from the heart and hurts of the past for the sole purpose of encouraging others. What started as a thought, then words on a napkin, set the dream in motion to form sentences on paper. The dream grew and the formation of a book developed into a purpose, a mission - "To Make Life Better."
In less than 30 days after printing the proof copies, Gathering Courage became an award-winning book and T.A. McMullin became an award-winning author.
2015 North American Book Award Winner
1st place winner - Animals/Pets
1st place winner - Biographies, Autobiographies, and Memoirs
Gathering Courage received the Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review in 2016.
"Gathering Courage to make life better, to work hard to follow your dreams, to invest in yourself and others, to encourage others to be their best, will make life better."
T. A. McMullin
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McMullin, T. A.
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