Today we're bring you the inspirational story of a woman who fought her way back from disease - autoimmune encephalitis. Read an excerpt from her Unwillable as well as her Top 10 reasons for loving Elton John! Be sure to let her know your favorites in the comments section. And then follow the tour for even more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!
“Jackie Stebbins’ UNWILLABLE is an inspiring story of a brilliant woman’s battle with autoimmune encephalitis and the circle of support--from loving family members to dedicated physicians--who helped guide her through a hard-won recovery. Her story is as moving as it is important and is destined to help so many others facing this condition.”
Susannah Cahalan author of NYT #1 Bestseller Brain on Fire
Read an excerpt:
I remember the moment it hit. It was like the physical feeling of lightning striking me and an earthquake ripping through me all at once. It had an instantaneous feeling of terror and destruction. The explosion started in my brain and reverberated through my entire body. It caught and spread like wildfire.
It is my memory that I sat upright in bed when it felt like the lightning bolt struck my head. My hands and arms immediately started to fly wildly and uncontrollably all over the place, as if I was trying to brace myself while the earthquake tore through me. For just a second, I wanted to scream out for help, but I couldn’t. I peed my pants. And after that, it all goes black.
The memory I have is only an instant long, but I can still feel the desire to scream. I can feel my arms moving so rapidly and uncontrollably that they are almost screaming out too. It is the worst of all the nightmares, all the terrors, and all the episodes I had in that bed for those seven months, in a few split seconds.
Book Links:
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Top 10 Things I Love About Elton John
I am (self-proclaimed of course) Elton John’s biggest fan. That’s no small feat. The man is a legend. Probably one of the most recognized names and faces in all the world. He’s been steadily famous and performing for over fifty years. Truly, what is there not to love about Elton John and how could one not be endlessly devoted to him?
Why do I love him so much? Let me count the ways. No, for real, here are my ten reasons:
No 10: Growing up, I remember listening to Elton John cassette tapes with my mom in the car. Sleeping With the Past was one of her favorites and I loved every song. Especially the opener, Durban Deep.
No 9: I don’t really recall why I became so infatuated with Elton, but it started in college. A friend of mine loaned me his Greatest Hits CD in my freshman dorm and then I started to buy all his CDs my junior year. It just took off from there.
No 8: I can bond with people of all ages over my love for Elton. I love going to his concerts and seeing old rockers in boas and small children in big glasses. It’s a sign of his unique and endless talent.
No 7: I have been talking about Elton John for so long, people now come to associate me with anything they see of him. I know it makes me sound like a super-stalker, but I think it’s sweet.
No 6: Elton John was an absolute selfish jerk in his younger days. What I love about him is he recognized he had all the privilege and goods in the world, but he was wasting it on his self-centered and addict ways. How he chose to get sober and committed himself to eradicating HIV/AIDS is a really beautiful story.
No 5: Elton John is hilarious and brilliant. His book is fabulous. I don’t do audiobooks, but I’ve heard that him reading it makes the book even better. He’s always witty and charming in any interview and in his writing. (Now if only I could get him to read my book, Unwillable, where he’s mentioned a few times.)
No 4: I got to see Elton and Billy Joel perform together with one of my best friends (and our husbands) in Fargo, ND, right before we graduated from law school. Their collaboration on stage is remarkable and memorable. Their Goodbye Yellow Brick Road duet is my favorite!
No 3: The first concert I attended was his Red Piano show at Caesars Palace in Vegas and it was unreal. I remember the whole night being in awe and saying, “It looks like Elton. It sounds like Elton. It is Elton!”
No 2: God himself shined down upon me in March 2022 as tickets to Elton’s Farewell Tour fell into my lap. I drove across the state to Fargo, ND, to see the epic final show. It was the only way to make peace with losing my two sets of tickets to NYC at Madison Square Garden and Denver when I was recovering from autoimmune encephalitis. It was like a night of reckoning for me and I almost cried during so many songs, including Border Song.
No 1: We fist bumped! I was in the third row at his concert in my hometown of Bismarck, ND, in 2011. During the encore, I hurdled the few rows ahead of me and got right next to the stage. Everyone was holding their hand up for a high five, so I changed mine to a fist. He looked down at me, closed his fist, and popped mine. I’ll never forget that moment (or the bling on his shoes)! I cheered and went absolutely crazy. Other friends of mine at the concert saw it and snapped photos. So I actually have a prized photo of that cherished memory!
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Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/JackieMStebbins/
https://twitter.com/jmstebbs
https://www.instagram.com/jmstebbs84/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-stebbins-725081173/
https://www.tiktok.com/@jmstebbs
Websites:
jmstebbins.com
jmstebbins.com/blog (Blog Link)
unwillable.com
Thanks for hosting!
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