Dear Friends,
A few weeks ago, something small happened that opened something big inside me.
Each month, a friend gives me a ride. Her car always welcomes me with the most beautiful music—mostly Christian songs, sometimes classical or instrumental. But it’s more than the song choice—it’s the sound. Her Tesla’s stereo system fills the space so richly, it feels like the music itself is alive.
One day, I told her how much I wished I had music like that at home.
And then I remembered—I already do.
For years, I’d kept four large albums of CDs tucked away in a drawer. Treasured songs. Worship. Instrumentals. The very music I’d been longing to hear again. But in the busyness and weight of life, I’d forgotten them.
I pulled them out. Dusted them off. And now, for the first time in my writing life, I work not in silence, but with music playing softly behind me.
I haven’t yet found the creative “inspiration” others speak of. But something is happening. Something sacred. I no longer feel alone. Sometimes I become so focused on the work that I don’t even notice when the music stops—only to realize, much later, that it had. And still, the peace remains.
🎼 The Journey Behind the Music
Years ago, I asked my friend Helen Hunt—actress from Mad About You and Twister, and at the time an Oscar winner—if she knew any publishers who might be interested in my story.
That simple question led me to Rob Weisbach, then CEO of Simon & Schuster. Rob had published books by several public figures, including Helen’s co-star Paul Reiser. He reportedly advanced Paul $4 million—a bold gamble that didn’t pay off, and ultimately played a role in Rob’s departure from the company.
But Rob gave me something far more lasting: an introduction to his college classmate, Mim, a professional ghostwriter.
When I met Mim, she was leading a writing workshop at the church office of Della Reese (Touched by an Angel). She said to me, kindly but directly:
“Carol, I write for people who can afford to pay for my services. And you can’t. So you should go and write your story yourself.”
It was painful to hear—but honest. I had come to America seeking medical care after surviving a brutal acid attack in Jamaica. I was blind, disfigured, and deeply in need. I couldn’t afford to hire a ghostwriter.
But Mim didn’t walk away.
Later, she stood beside me at a fundraiser hosted at Della Reese’s church. She helped make a heartfelt appeal for my care and even enlisted a friend from an investment firm to donate $10,000 toward my treatment.
She may have turned me down professionally—but she lifted me up personally. And she gave me something even more meaningful:
“Carol, the story is in you—even if you don’t know it yet. God placed something special in each of us. But you’ll have to ring it forth.”
She also shared that she always writes with music—instrumental, without lyrics—because it stirs something in her spirit and helps the words to flow.
Now, all these years later, I find myself doing the same. Not in a classroom. Not in a publishing office. But in my small space—music playing softly, and the words beginning to come alive.
📖 Book Progress Update
I’ve just received my manuscript back from my editor after a detailed round of line editing. With the second book in my trilogy now completed, I’ve turned my full attention to revising the first.
Books published traditionally often go through seven to nine rounds of editing, with input from junior assistants to senior editorial directors. With the guidance of my editor—and by God’s grace—I’m working to bring this book to that same standard of excellence.
Because this process is so demanding, I’ve stepped away from several commitments—including Sunday fellowship and church time—so I can give the manuscript the focused attention it deserves. My prayer is that this story, once complete, will reach and comfort others walking through pain, doubt, or silence.
💛 With Deep Gratitude
Thank you for being part of this journey. Some of you have stood with me through seasons I could not have survived alone. Your belief in me, and in this story, carries me more than I can express.
With quiet strength and love,
Carol Guscott
