Taking Ownership Of One’s Life
All in With Love: My Journey to the Hero Within tells your emotional story about rediscovering the passion you had in your youth and making those dreams a reality. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I truly feel that most adults are on this fruitless quest for happiness. I know I sure was and yet the key was found by looking inward, specifically to the child I had forgotten. Taking ownership of one’s life and walking in acceptance of it is something that elevates the human condition. The book is my attempt to shed light on that through a creative, intelligent, and unique reading experience.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
To do so in a way that serves the story and the art I was trying to create. While I have achieved many successes and lived some colorful experiences it is sharing the ugly truth that holds the greatest lessons. The decision I made to leave my family and the collateral damage that ensued was truly the hardest part.
What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?
As my dad says to Little Jimmy in the Rhode Island Arena, “swing and you won’t be scared anymore.” Sometimes, even in the twilight of life, we need to swing on a dream.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
That inside each of them is a younger self with an outstretched hand. To be inspired to write their own life story – it doesn’t have to be a book but the magic that is within the experience is priceless.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Born with severe asthma and enormous dreams, James Gardiner began his life in conflict with himself. Little Jimmy wanted to reach for the stars like his science-fiction icons and become a sports superstar like the paper heroes that adorned the walls of his childhood bedroom. But as a frequent visitor to the local hospital, viewing the world through the plastic walls of an oxygen tent, such dreams seemed like they would always be firmly out of reach. However it was there on the pediatric wing that he began to entertain audiences with his stories and charm, growing to like the attention. In fact, to crave it. He wanted to “be somebody,” and for the first time, his dreams didn’t seem quite so out of reach.
As he got older, and his asthma became more manageable, he began forging his path of destiny. First, through the sport of rowing where the fragile young man dared to challenge his asthma and strive for the Olympic podium. Then, it was his lust to be a movie star that thrust him into New York City and Los Angeles to world of fashion, celebrity, and even murder. But it was his one unanswerable question that repeatedly seemed to leave his life in shambles. “Can his fantasy life be his reality” became the albatross that hung over the man… and the boy.
Somewhere along the way, he had lost touch with that childlike part of himself that looked at the world each day with joy and wonder. Looking back he had gone “all in” on his quest to be somebody, but now as a middle aged man left with nothing and no one, it was time to reconnect with little Jimmy and go all in on himself . . . to go all in with love.
Within their story of reconnection lies the gateway to reclaim your inner child and live your best, most authentic life.
Posted on September 18, 2022, in Interviews and tagged All in With Love: My Journey to the Hero Within, author, biography, book, book recommendations, book review, book reviews, book shelf, bookblogger, books, books to read, ebook, goodreads, indie author, James Gardiner, kindle, kobo, literature, memoir, nonfiction, nook, novel, read, reader, reading, story, writer, writing. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.
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