It’s time for another author spotlight here at Write Publish Sell! Up next, we’re featuring Dr. Oneeka Williams and her new book Not Today, Negativity! In this book, Dr. Oneeka Wiliams focuses on the battle with negativity that many of us face. She shares personal stories and advice for overcoming adversity and negativity in our lives. Today, we’re inviting you to learn a little bit more about this book from the author herself.
Please tell us a little about you:
I am a big dreamer, thinker, visionary, creative, healer, teacher and Positivity Catalyst! Every morning that I get out of bed I commit that I am going to express the unlimited version of myself! My Unlimited story starts at age 13 when I had to raise my hand to request access to an opportunity that boys had access to but I did not…Physics! This catapulted me into an all-boys high school as the first girl in the class and that started my journey of learning to raise my hand, be the only one that looked like me in most environments that were not very welcoming but learning to persevere and extract the good in the situation and continue to chart a course to success , with the help of many cheerleaders including my family. I am an example of what is possible when you lead with courage and I believe that I can encourage so many to know that they have that same courage within them! I am a Harvard trained urologic surgeon on a mission to Educate, Elevate and Empower and I do so in every sphere of my life….in my everyday care of patients, through my writing of children’s books-The Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo Book Series designed to encourage all girls that there are no limits and increase representation in children’s books- and now in my adult book.
Please tell us a little about your new book.
I so believe in the healing power of story to teach us, elevate us above circumstances and empower us to take action. I believe that I have harnessed the positive power of my own story in a way that provides practical steps to shifting mindset so that the audience can harness the positive power of their own stories. I love to teach in creative ways and I bring a unique set of experiences in addition to common experiences that I believe the audience can relate to and hopefully be encouraged and inspired by. Through my story and the stories of my patients, Not Today, Negativity provides great encouragement and evidence on how and why having a positive mindset is important to all aspects of our health and then provides practical tools for developing Habits of Positivity in your daily life.
Why did you write Not Today, Negativity!?
I am an optimist and always view the glass as half full. When I created my girl super hero Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo, 15 years ago I wanted to also invite my young readers into a world where they could develop a belief that “Not Even The Sky Is The Limit!” So I created the Island of Positivity as Dr. Dee Dee dynamo’s home and Dr. Dee Dee’s had super powers of Positivity and as well as powers tht came from electrical energy. SHe had 5 Habits of Positivity that were the basis of her super powers and as I spoke around the country, parents and teachers would ask if I had a book on the 5 Habits of Positivity! NOW I DO! I also realized that if we want to create a more healthy and positive world for the next generations we have to engage both adults and children in a culture of positivity.
Who is this book for?
This book is for anyone who is tired of the toll that negativity takes on our lives and world and wants to actively work towards developing a more positive way of approaching their daily life. I believe that we can all be Positivity Catalysts and have the ability to change the culture in any environment. This book is for anyone who desires to be transformed in their own thinking so that they can not only be more emotionally, mentally and physically healthy but they can be a change agent in their families, classrooms, workplaces and communities.
What is YOUR favorite part of the book?
I LOVE the Positivity Pauses and Exercises! One of my absolute favorite things is creating different ways to think about issues and developing visuals that help my audience to use their imaginations to connect with the topic. The Positivity Pauses are filled with imagery and really pulls the reader into ways to develop a different perspective. The exercises are very tangible ways to apply the Habits to your life and since my goal in writing this book is to change mindset, I love how the exercises provide a path to achieving that transformation.
When did you start writing books?
I have always loved writing. I come by it honestly since my dad is a journalist. For me, writing is the ultimate act of mindfulness. I have had dreams of writing books since I was in my early 20’s but published my first book 8 years ago.
How is this book different from other books in your genre or niche?
All of my books use the power of story to educate, elevate and empower. My children’s books are STEM based and the world is very fantastical. Not Today, Negativity has an autobiographical component where I have shared my story from a place of vulnerability because I believe strongly that by sharing my transformation journey it opens the doors for readers to experience the transformation through their own stories. Because I am forever a teacher, this book also teaches and the consistent thread through all of my writing is the power of positivity.
What challenges did you face writing your book during a pandemic?
Writing this book during the pandemic was a very emotional experience. Because I embarked on a journey of self discovery and my own healing by finally taking time to sit with and process the many traumatic experiences in my life, engaging in this process during the pandemic was quite challenging. I battled to apply my own principles to deal with the constant onslaught of the distressing and overwhelmingly negative news that threatened to deplete and distract me. I was truly in duel with the negativity monster! There were times when the rigor of doing my inner work while trying to deal with the heartbreak of the pandemic left me exhausted and as such the process of completing the book took much longer than I had planned. I had to take lots of Positivity Pauses!
Do you have any other books? Where can they be found?
I write the Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo Book Series which can be found on my website, www.drdeedeedynamo.com, Amazon
Where is the best place for readers to connect with you? (Think website, social media, email list, etc)
Readers can connect on my websites www.droneekawilliams.com. www.drdeedeedynamo.com, www.myislandofpositivity.com, on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and look out for The Positivity Pause Blog coming soon!
