Author Lillie Leonardi has been writing since she was 16, but rather than a piece she intended for publication, a journal she began as part of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) eventually became her first published book.
At the time of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in America, Lillie was a responder for the FBI, Pittsburgh Division, and she was among the first to reach the scene of the Flight 93 plane crash in Shanksville, Pa. When she arrived, she witnessed a legion of angels encircling the site. “You would think seeing that would alleviate the stress from the event,” she said, “but it actually made it worse.” She and many of the other responders became afflicted with PTSD.
Lillie sought therapy to help her recover, and her psychologist suggested that she start journaling her thoughts and emotions surrounding the event. She wrote before or after therapy and whenever she hit a dark spot from depression and anxiety. “The writing really helped. It was cathartic.”
Finally, she was ready to let someone else read her thoughts and learn about the event from her perspective. She went to her brother who had always been supportive. When he read the journal, he encouraged her to get it published for the families of those who were lost in the plane crash. He thought they deserved this tribute, which would enhance their families’ understanding of how amazing those people were for preventing the attack.
This journal became her first published book, In the Shadow of a Badge: A Memoir about Flight 93, a Field of Angels, and My Spiritual Homecoming.
Lillie had actually written her first book when she was 38—Thoughts Of A Woman Named Trouble—but with a child and a busy career, she never attempted publication. Aside from hobby writing, though, her other experience with writing was technical documents for law enforcement journals, mostly about youth violence prevention. This experience influenced her journal writing greatly, so each entry would begin with a technical slant and slowly move into a more creative, flowery voice.
Before she started shopping for a publishing house for her book, Lillie worked with a professional editor who did two rewrites with her that helped smooth out her voice. Initially, she had two offers from traditional mid-sized publishers, which she turned down upon her brother’s advice. Being a lawyer, her brother reviewed the contracts and helped her determine they wouldn’t be a good fit for her. One seemed to take advantage of her status as a new author, and the other insisted that she present about her work using language focused on Christian faith, even though the spiritual aspect that she examines in her book could apply to many different faiths.
When she signed with a small indie publisher, the Associated Press picked up her story, and she immediately got offers from literary agents and publishing houses who believed that her book would have wide appeal. Because the indie publisher didn’t hold rights to her book, she was free to shop it elsewhere. When Hay House struck an agreement with her, she only needed minor polishing for the book to be ready for publication.
Lillie’s background in public relations turned out to be the perfect base for her marketing strategy. She had managed community affairs for the FBI, Pittsburgh Division, so she was used to planning. When she initially signed with the indie publisher, Lillie developed a plan for 3 to 12 months for marketing, and after Hay House picked up her book, she worked with their PR people to hone her plan.
With In the Shadow of a Badge, Lillie said that her biggest challenge was letting the first person read it outside her close circle. “Whether it’s technical or about your soul, you’re baring yourself to feedback and criticism,” she said. This is a huge step for many authors, and some of us never get over the feeling that we are “naked in front of strangers,” as Lillie said.
Lillie’s second book, The White Light of Grace was written in about 5 weeks, but it went through 3 or 4 rewrites before it was published, quite different from the quick editing that her first book underwent once it was picked up by Hay House. She wanted to make sure that her voice and creativity remained, so she didn’t mind rewriting. The editing process also helped pull out a lot of the emotion Lillie wanted the book to show.
When I spoke with Lillie, she told me something interesting about traditional publishing: “All you have is creative content.” She said that a publishing house committee controls the title, cover, and pretty much everything else. For example, she wanted the title of her second book to be My Life in Black and White with a Smidgen of Blue, but the committee sent her several titles to choose from, one of them being The White Light of Grace, which she eventually chose.
As can be expected, her marketing plan was solid with an audience primed for her second book’s release. She worked with the publisher and a publicist to make a plan for 3–6 months that included bookstores, radio, TV, and print media, among others.
Lillie’s greatest challenge with The White Light of Grace was that she felt like she didn’t have control. She couldn’t have everything the way she visualized it. Lillie did stress that she was grateful for the team that worked on her book, however. Her experience publishing both of her books helped her use her expertise to collaborate with and promote fellow authors. “This was preparation for where I’m heading with Passages & Prose” (her business). Learning through the traditional publishing process helped her discover what skills weren’t her forte so she could bring other professionals with those skills to her team. “Every moment gives me an opportunity to learn,” she said. “It’s a new adventure.”
Throughout her journey, Lillie kept in contact with fellow responders, which greatly helped her marketing. She was also acquainted with responders who served at the World Trade Center, some of whom she later helped with their own books. When In the Shadow of a Badge was released, the story had 50,000 media hits, which led her to do interviews worldwide, including a Good Morning America spotlight. “But that wasn’t my purpose,” Lillie said. “I wanted to help people heal.”
Not only did she help those with loved ones involved in 9/11 heal, she also related to a huge number people who believe angels exist or have had contact. Her story resonated with them. She said that 95–98% of people at her talks believe in angels, and they want to share their stories with her. “People find strength in the story of the angels,” Lillie said. “People want to talk about spirituality, so when they hear my story, they are brave enough to share about their encounter.”
Now, Lillie is working on two more books, her first fiction work titled Within, which is based on a story about her family from Lebanon, and Tainted Souls: While I Grieve I Hope, a collection of stories from other responders that include their spiritual encounters on 9/11. For Tainted Souls, she contacted responders who she already knew and encouraged them to talk about the event. Her interviews sometimes take several days as she shares their grief. Afterward, it may take even longer for the interviewee and Lillie to recover. This book will help honor those who assisted in the recovery effort. With over 1800 responders who have died from illnesses onset from the event and many others still suffering, their tales need to be told.
Lillie said that her work now with helping other authors fills a void she felt after leaving law enforcement. She gets so much satisfaction from helping other authors achieve their dreams. “I feel fulfilled when I see them smile like ‘Wow! I did it!’ That feeling of serving others is so engrained that when you quit law enforcement, that piece is missing.” She created her business Passages and Prose to help others shine by sharing their books. “It makes me feel like I’m serving again.” Nothing makes Lillie happier than giving authors the confidence to move forward with their dreams.
Lillie’s books are available globally via Hay House, Amazon, or local booksellers. For more details, please visit http://lillieleonardi.com/.