Daniella Grsic has one aspiration for her first book, Deep Down Inside.
The 39-year-old Stoney Creek resident, mother of two and St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Elementary School early childhood educator says she hopes the 32-page story will help children cope with loss in a healthy manner.
“My hope is that it allows them to explore, question and process how they’re feeling, so that they’re able to move on in a positive way.”
Deep Down Inside is the story of a young girl’s journey to cope with saying goodbye to an old friend.
By way of an unexpected visitor, seven-year-old Rebecca searches her feelings, deep down inside, to discover how a new friend can lead her down the glorious path of healing and hope. By finding her inner strength, Rebecca discovers courage within herself and all of the happiness and love that is still around her, even though her old friend is now gone.
Grsic, who has always enjoyed writing, spent about two years working on Deep Down Inside.
She drew inspiration from her own experiences with loss, including the passing of her father and grandfather years ago.
Grsic said the losses left a “mark on her heart.”
“My family also has lost two special pets that were a huge part of our family and whose death proved devastating to myself, many of the adults in my family as well as the children in our family,” she said. “My students, who have shared their own personal losses of loves ones and pets through stories and emotions, also have played a part in inspiring this story.”
Grsic said experiencing and listening to others’ stories about loss made her want to write something that would speak about the importance of communicating ones emotions and thoughts, developing positive coping strategies and relying on loves for support during difficult times.
“I’m hoping this will be something that creates dialogue, something that maybe inspires children to write their own feelings and experiences,” she said. “I want this to be something that they can carry with them over time, no matter what the situation. I want them to know that they’ll be OK.”
Grsic said the story can easily be related to not only loss through death, but also the absence of a friend who has moved away, a situation within school that may cause anxiety and restlessness or even a divorce within a family where a parent vacates the home.
“It’s about learning to talk about ones feelings in order to deal with those feelings, whatever they may be, so that the outcome is one of resolution and positive feelings,” she said.
Grsic, who has penned several articles pertaining to children, said writing this story of love, loss, healing and happiness has been an emotional journey in so many ways.
“Writing, creating and producing a book has been a long-standing dream and personal goal of mine,” she said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a little girl. I wanted to write something that I could pour my heart into, something that could maybe make a difference and, hopefully, this will do that.”
Deep Down Inside is available for purchase online through www.friesenpress.com, Amazon, Chapters and Barnes and Noble. Grsic also will be holding four book-signing events: July 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Chapters Ancaster on Golf Links Road; July 9, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Indigo Stoney Creek on Stone Church Road East; July 16, noon to 2 p.m., at Coles in Eastgate Square; and Aug. 6, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Chapters Burlington on Fairview Street.
Daniella Grsic has one aspiration for her first book, Deep Down Inside.
The 39-year-old Stoney Creek resident, mother of two and St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Elementary School early childhood educator says she hopes the 32-page story will help children cope with loss in a healthy manner.
“My hope is that it allows them to explore, question and process how they’re feeling, so that they’re able to move on in a positive way.”
Deep Down Inside is the story of a young girl’s journey to cope with saying goodbye to an old friend.
By way of an unexpected visitor, seven-year-old Rebecca searches her feelings, deep down inside, to discover how a new friend can lead her down the glorious path of healing and hope. By finding her inner strength, Rebecca discovers courage within herself and all of the happiness and love that is still around her, even though her old friend is now gone.
Grsic, who has always enjoyed writing, spent about two years working on Deep Down Inside.
She drew inspiration from her own experiences with loss, including the passing of her father and grandfather years ago.
Grsic said the losses left a “mark on her heart.”
“My family also has lost two special pets that were a huge part of our family and whose death proved devastating to myself, many of the adults in my family as well as the children in our family,” she said. “My students, who have shared their own personal losses of loves ones and pets through stories and emotions, also have played a part in inspiring this story.”
Grsic said experiencing and listening to others’ stories about loss made her want to write something that would speak about the importance of communicating ones emotions and thoughts, developing positive coping strategies and relying on loves for support during difficult times.
“I’m hoping this will be something that creates dialogue, something that maybe inspires children to write their own feelings and experiences,” she said. “I want this to be something that they can carry with them over time, no matter what the situation. I want them to know that they’ll be OK.”
Grsic said the story can easily be related to not only loss through death, but also the absence of a friend who has moved away, a situation within school that may cause anxiety and restlessness or even a divorce within a family where a parent vacates the home.
“It’s about learning to talk about ones feelings in order to deal with those feelings, whatever they may be, so that the outcome is one of resolution and positive feelings,” she said.
Grsic, who has penned several articles pertaining to children, said writing this story of love, loss, healing and happiness has been an emotional journey in so many ways.
“Writing, creating and producing a book has been a long-standing dream and personal goal of mine,” she said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a little girl. I wanted to write something that I could pour my heart into, something that could maybe make a difference and, hopefully, this will do that.”
Deep Down Inside is available for purchase online through www.friesenpress.com, Amazon, Chapters and Barnes and Noble. Grsic also will be holding four book-signing events: July 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Chapters Ancaster on Golf Links Road; July 9, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Indigo Stoney Creek on Stone Church Road East; July 16, noon to 2 p.m., at Coles in Eastgate Square; and Aug. 6, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Chapters Burlington on Fairview Street.
Daniella Grsic has one aspiration for her first book, Deep Down Inside.
The 39-year-old Stoney Creek resident, mother of two and St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Elementary School early childhood educator says she hopes the 32-page story will help children cope with loss in a healthy manner.
“My hope is that it allows them to explore, question and process how they’re feeling, so that they’re able to move on in a positive way.”
Deep Down Inside is the story of a young girl’s journey to cope with saying goodbye to an old friend.
By way of an unexpected visitor, seven-year-old Rebecca searches her feelings, deep down inside, to discover how a new friend can lead her down the glorious path of healing and hope. By finding her inner strength, Rebecca discovers courage within herself and all of the happiness and love that is still around her, even though her old friend is now gone.
Grsic, who has always enjoyed writing, spent about two years working on Deep Down Inside.
She drew inspiration from her own experiences with loss, including the passing of her father and grandfather years ago.
Grsic said the losses left a “mark on her heart.”
“My family also has lost two special pets that were a huge part of our family and whose death proved devastating to myself, many of the adults in my family as well as the children in our family,” she said. “My students, who have shared their own personal losses of loves ones and pets through stories and emotions, also have played a part in inspiring this story.”
Grsic said experiencing and listening to others’ stories about loss made her want to write something that would speak about the importance of communicating ones emotions and thoughts, developing positive coping strategies and relying on loves for support during difficult times.
“I’m hoping this will be something that creates dialogue, something that maybe inspires children to write their own feelings and experiences,” she said. “I want this to be something that they can carry with them over time, no matter what the situation. I want them to know that they’ll be OK.”
Grsic said the story can easily be related to not only loss through death, but also the absence of a friend who has moved away, a situation within school that may cause anxiety and restlessness or even a divorce within a family where a parent vacates the home.
“It’s about learning to talk about ones feelings in order to deal with those feelings, whatever they may be, so that the outcome is one of resolution and positive feelings,” she said.
Grsic, who has penned several articles pertaining to children, said writing this story of love, loss, healing and happiness has been an emotional journey in so many ways.
“Writing, creating and producing a book has been a long-standing dream and personal goal of mine,” she said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a little girl. I wanted to write something that I could pour my heart into, something that could maybe make a difference and, hopefully, this will do that.”
Deep Down Inside is available for purchase online through www.friesenpress.com, Amazon, Chapters and Barnes and Noble. Grsic also will be holding four book-signing events: July 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Chapters Ancaster on Golf Links Road; July 9, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Indigo Stoney Creek on Stone Church Road East; July 16, noon to 2 p.m., at Coles in Eastgate Square; and Aug. 6, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Chapters Burlington on Fairview Street.