First Book Launch -OPTIMISM

Hi , this is how my first book launch went on the 29th of June 2013. A very blessed memory :)

Rehana Ferdinando Perera is a brilliant writer who published a book of fiction short stories called " Moments" with her husband Dr. Dilshan Perera. Before that, she was a journalist and an article writer.

She's a very kind hearted, caring thoughtful friend who is a great listener. I'm so blessed to have her in my life. You can read her articles in http://rehanaferdinando.hubpages.com/ . My sister read Rehana's speech as she couldn't make it for my book launch and during the week of preparation for my special day she helped me with words of wisdom and how I should practice my speech.

She's like a God sent angel :) I wish her all the very best in her life excitements and may she blessed more to touch others with her pen :)

“I have been knowing Rochelle for a period of 21 years. I remember meeting Rochelle first at nursery. And I remember how she came carrying a huge teddy bear for my 5^th birthday. It was so huge that it was bigger than Rochelle. Of course back then she was not the coconut tree she is now. I remember her been the first to arrive at my birthday. Rochelle was always the sweet and soft kind. She was always silent at school. Never a bully, never a boaster, never a violent type.

Rochelle was one who just preferred to be by herself and move with only one or two of the close friends. She was very quiet and not the happening kind at all back then at school. She remained this way until she ended her school life. What basically happens in school is that the silent children are at times ignored and forgotten by the ‘happening girls’. But, in Rochelle’s case there were many who came her way to make friends with her even though she preferred to be surrounded with just one or two. But, then after sometime of leaving school here I saw a different Rochelle on Facebook. She was writing marvelous poems. She was a ‘happening person’. Her language skills were an exception. She had turned out to be a genius. She had many comments on her poems and she was now very closely in touch with all her friends she had met at school back then. Rochelle had come out of her shell and bloomed. I was so happy to see the progress in her. It was then that she told me about her book. I was waiting to see it since then. And so she launched it.

After leaving school I have been communicating so much with Rochelle and our conversations are always long. There is something very special in her that I like to mention. That is about what a great help and strength she was to her mum after her father’s demise. I know all the time she spent looking after her brother and sister. It isn’t an easy task for anyone to let go ones childhood and teen life in order to care for the younger siblings.

Rochelle has a good character, a good heart and a lot of good values in her. I always wish her prosperity and success with all my heart."

Thank you all for coming tonight. I feel supported and loved right now and I really appreciate it. And some of you have travelled a long way to be here. A big thank you to all the people who helped me to write this book. You really don’t write a book alone. I couldn’t have done it without the people who supported me emotionally, intellectually and physically. And I most certainly couldn’t have done it without all the people who allowed me to write their, often very private, stories in my book.

I wrote my first poem when I was 19 for an assignment which I was supposed to write about environmental nature and I ended up writing about human nature called ‘Do I Have Time To Enjoy Nature?’ Since then, I continued to write poems just for fun, but along the way, serveral times I stopped writing because I thought it was stupid. My email pals whom I shared my poems with, always encouraged me to write poems about different topics and I was inspired by their life experiences which made me think of situations through many angles. Mostly I write about others when I admire them, and also to encourage them with a touch of creativity

For me writing was and still is unexpected. Well, now to think, the Lord has given me many gifts and talents. I give Him all the glory for my talents and the beauty that He alone has given me. That is why, writing is a gift from God to me.

God has healed me from so much disease and strife of my life. God knows your pain and He sees just the way you are. You see there is a liar who wants you to think that you are less because others treat you different. The Lord wants to transform and renew our minds daily and make it new - When we ask Him to be our Lord and Saviour He begins the development of a relationship that is not like anything or anyone else and it is from now until eternity. He leads us by the Holy Spirit and makes our life complete.

I would like to thank Professor Asheley Halpe for reading my book and giving me valuable feedback as to how I should improve myself. Also, Mr. Rajiv Perera who helped me out with the re-editing of the book. I thank our Senior Pastor Uncle Alan for allowing me to have this event in his church hall and his certain views which have helped me in writing certain poems. I want to thank Aunt Haasinie Halpe Andree for helping me to be confident in what I do and aunt Manjista Manjusree for her time guiding me with my paintings of both the front and back covers of the book.

I thank very specially , the leaders of the church, ushers, brothers who helped to organize this hall, Lakmal flora for floral decors, catering, printers including Shiran , Also Deshan Studio and the videographer.

Last but not least I would like to thank all my friends who read my poems encouraged me to publish my poetry as a story book. To spice it up I have mixed reality with imagination as I have limited experience in my life in certain areas. I’ve been blessed to bless you so I pray that when you read this book you would be blessed and that it would bring a smile onto your face.

So have fun ! Take care and may God bless you!

"Rochelle writes with sincere passion on two major themes: the loss of her father and the gradual healing of that pain through the recovery of a strong faith in God. She brings out the pain of loss very vividly through plangent lamentations and nostalgic recall of past days of happy togetherness. The harsh sense of a break in her life is very strong.

But she had the good fortune to have a continuing faith which came to her rescue. Her growing sense of the presence of God and her thankfulness to Him for his saving coming into her life are movingly presented.

Rochelle is to be congratulated on her courage and dedication to expressing herself in verse. I wish her many more years in the realms of gold."

Professor Ashley Halpé

BA Hons. (Cey) PhD (Bristol)

Kalakeerthi, Vishvaprasadini, Sahityaratne,

Chevalier dans l’ordre de Palmes Academiques,

Emeritus Professor of English in the University of Peradeniya

1. Waiting
2. Married by the Bible, Divorced by the Law
3. Little Rock
4. The Greatest Madness

If you have read my book I appreciate your honest opinion about it in the comments below :) Thanks :)