The author addresses an audience at the Library of Congress in Washington DC
Martin behind the podium

 

When my book was published, my friend, mentor, and teacher, Dr. Paul Ponchillia, called to congratulate me.
“How long have you been working on this book?” he asked.
Thinking back, I first answered, “Since January of 2012.”
Paul was silent.
Thinking back, I revised the date, saying, “No, it was more like some time in 2008 or so.”
More silence…

It was actually in 1990.

How This Book Came To Be

Timeline

The table below began it’s life as a timeline for the birth of a book. Today it’s about how the book came to be. But it’s also about the birth of a public speaker.

DatePROGRESS REPORTURL or graphic or Metric
1990First try at writing my story
2008Wrote my own rehab story
February 2012Started blogging on BlogSpot.comSue’s Early Writings
February 2012First web publication/guest blog on AssumeLove.com“Why Be Married? For the Intimacy”Why Be Married? For the Intimacy
March 2012Started websiteOutOfTheWhirlpool.comwww.Outofthewhirlpool.com
April 2012“Why Be Married? For the Miracle of Love and Life”Guest blog post on AssumeLove.comWhy Be Married?
April 2012First Blog Review of my Website, “OutoftheWhirlpool.com: A Valuable Resource for Those Wanting to Learn About Blindness.”“Fred’s Head,” the blog site for the American Printing House for the Blind. Written by Terrie Terlau, PhD & Adult Life Project LeaderA Valuable Resource
June 2012“Out of the Whirlpool: The Story of a Suicide Survivor& the Rebuilding of a Life.”Blog post, Vision AwareVisionAware
July 2012Jonathan Mosen speaks with Sue Martin: “Blinded as the result of a suicide attempt, Sue put her life back together to become a successful professional. In an attempt to help others, she has begun writing about her life experiences.”Freedom Scientific Pod Cast #68
August 2012“Putting Life Back Together”Guest blog post for Beth FinkePutting A Life Back Together
September 2012Climbing ‘Out of the Whirlpool’Guest blog post originally posted on theVeterans Health Administration internal blogClimbing-Out-of-the-Whirlpool
September 2012First speaking Engagement at The Iris NetworkPortland, Maine@ 10 attendees
September 2012Speaking Engagement at Career CenterBangor, Maine@ 25 attendees
September 2012“Reading about Sue Martin”Blog post on suicide attempt survivor siteReading About Sue Martin
October 2012Speaking Engagement at Center for the Visually Impaired, CVI, Atlanta@ 30 Attendees
October, 2012Speaking Engagement, “Peak Experiences with our Dogs” Georgia Guide Dog Users, Atlanta, Georgia@ 25 Attendees
November 2012Speaking Engagement Northeast Regional Conference of the Association of the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually ImpairedProvidence, Rhode Island@ 65 attendees
January, 2013Peak Experiences, Top Dog 2013Savanah, georgiaTop Dog Workshop@ 65 attendees
January, 2013Banquet speaker, Top Dog, 2013Savanah, Georgia?Top Dog Workshop@ 90 attendees
April, 2013Blog post book review“A Great New Book on How to Survive Tough Breaks”Assume Love: A Great New Book on How to Survive Tough Breaks
June, 2013“My life is better than I ever dreamed”Guest blog post on attempt survivor blog of American Association of SuicidologyJune, 2013
June, 2013“Talking with Sue Martin”Interview on net radio program, Talking About SuicideTalking with Sue Martin
June, 2013Announcement of my book on Vision Awarewww.visionaware.org
July, 2013Speaking Engagement, “Sterling to steel,” Banquet speaker for GDUI at ACB National Convention, 2013Speech: “Sterling To Steel”@90 Attendees
July, 2013Author panel, ACB 2013 convention@50 Attendees
September, 2013Guest blog post published on Vantage PointOfficial blog of the US Department of Veterans AffairsStep-by-step:  Rebuilding A Life After A Suicide Attempt
October, 2013Blog book review: “Sue Martin’s ‘Out ofThe Whirlpool’– A Must Read”www.ZoomedIn.com, the AI Squared blogA Must Read
November, 2013Added to list of speakers who have survived a suicide attempt by the American Association of SuicidologyList of Speakers — “Suicide Attempt Survivor Experts”
November, 2013Delivered Sterling to Steel at Augusta VA medical center@85 Attendees
November, 2013The Tech Doctor podcastThe doctor is in, A psychologist chats with the author
December, 2013Presentation
International AER O&M Conference 2013		O&M Conference
August, 2014Presented Sterling to Steel at first International conference@90 attendees
December, 2014Presented Sterling to Steel to second International conference@90 in attendance
October, 2014Presented Seen and Unseen Disabilities at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC@60 in attendance