Life & Work with Breaunna H. Daniels-Turner of Bartram Park (Southside), Jacksonville, FL

Today we’d like to introduce you to Breaunna H. Daniels-Turner.

Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Back in 2009, I was only 17 years old and a high school senior at North Miami Beach Senior High School. I always knew I was beyond my years and very mature for my age. I discovered that when I was in middle school actually. So because of my young maturity and faith, I was always on Facebook posting encouraging quotes on my page every single day for the most part. I just had this fiery, inspirational passion to motivate and encourage people. I had two friends bring up two different time periods about me writing a book. The first friend, it basically went through one ear and out the other. The second friend, it kinda stuck in my head for a little while but I never took any action. It had gotten to the point that when I would post most quotes, friends, family or just random people on Facebook would be so encouraged, thanking me because it was something they needed to read at that moment. I felt like I had found my purpose in my life every time I posted a quote. Someone was being given a fresh, breath of air and a push to not give up. So the time had gone by, I moved from Miami, FL where I was born and raised for 23 years and started to reside in Jacksonville, FL in March 2015.

In January 2018, I was home alone sitting on the couch on a Saturday watching TV. I saw this commercial advertising about a book publishing company called “Christian Faith Publishing”. I watched the commercial normally and was saying to myself, oh okay cool. The same commercial played again for a second time and then one more time for the third time. I immediately stood up and cut the TV off like, “What in the world just happened.” I looked up and was like, “God, are you trying to tell me something with this commercial playing 3 times in a row? Is it time for me to stop playing around and write this book?” So I called the 1-800 number that was advertised on the commercial and requested for an Author’s Publishing Kit to receive more information. They sent the kit and advised me to email a manuscript to them and a panel of editors will review and make a decision within a week if they are interested in bringing me on board. So here’s where it got a little difficult. My book includes all of the quotes that I’ve ever written/posted on Facebook since 2009. I had to go backward in time on my Facebook timeline to copy and paste my quotes into a Word document. It took me longer than expected like maybe 5-6 months because I would either forget to resume collecting my quotes or not feel like it but I knew I wanted this opportunity so bad. I knew the longer I took, the longer I would have to wait to get this book accepted, created and off the ground.

Eventually, I finally collected all of the quotes and added more. I submitted my manuscript and was told the panel of editors will review my manuscript and that I should hear back from the literary agent within 7 days with a decision. On Day 6, I was just arriving home from work, parking my car and the literary agent was calling me. She said she wanted to congratulate me and that the editors loved my manuscript and wanted to sign me on. I cried and cried tears of joy because none of this was planned. I just wanted to encourage, inspire and motivate people. But I wanted my passion to go beyond my Facebook page so I took a leap of faith and I realized I was doing exactly what I needed to be doing at that time. The creation process of the book started and it took almost 2 years for the book to finally be completed and printed. My book became available in September 2019 in Paperback, Hardcover, and eBook formats on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Books-A-Million, Wal-Mart, etc.

Since becoming an author, I was invited to be a guest speaker last year March 2021 for Women’s History Month at the Jacksonville Mayport Naval Base. I was able to share my personal experiences while encouraging others to embrace their experiences and use them for personal and spiritual growth. I never thought I would be an author let alone want to do motivational speaking as well. No one on either my father’s or my mother’s side of the family was an author/writer. I am the first to my knowledge and it’s a great feeling to be the first of something.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Becoming an author was an amazing accomplishment for me. My goal is to promote my book as much as possible and for people to discover an encouraging, inspiring book. I would say, I’ve had my ups and downs just like anyone else trying to get their products and/or services out there. With the business of everyday life, sometimes you can lose sight of being consistent in promoting your product. Due to the creation of Social Media platforms available, you would think it would be easy creating a post or video but creativity plays a role in consistency. I know that my heart is in this 100% and no matter how much attention my book may or may not receive, I won’t stop pushing what I truly believe in.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an author and the name of my book is called, “Who Were You Yesterday”. It is considered an inspirational, spiritual, personal growth book. There is nothing like having a go-to book when you need a quick picker upper. My book consists of a collection of empowering, positive quotes and prayers to help you on your daily journey of becoming a better YOU! The only way to become a newer version of yourself is to be able to recognize and accept that you may need a mental reset. The purpose of a mental reset is to have you view and evaluate things differently and to encourage you to handle yourself and your life on a more positive, beneficial level. The purpose of my book is to assist you from ground zero and to be a rope to climb up to greatness.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I like to read devotional books for women, books about women empowerment and other authors that have motivational books as well such as Iyanla Vanzant, Valorie Burton and Sarah Jakes Roberts just to name a few.

Pricing:

• Paperback version – Between $10.00-$14.95
• Hardcover version – $24.95
• eBook version – $9.99

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1643490141/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_PBC5W7AYK2C9VMRC4SNC
• Instagram: @soulfly_bre
• Facebook: Breaunna Turner

Image Credits
Carissa Glanton (Diamond Eyez Photography, Jacksonville, FL)
Make-up by Diana Torres (Dilightfull Expressions, Jacksonville, FL)