Celebration of Strength
Walking out of a Dark Closet, Removing the Silence, and Ending Abuse
Abuse is everywhere we look. People of all ages - children, adults and seniors - are abused every day in marriages, domestic and family households, senior care centers, schools, work locations, the street, and just about everywhere you can imagine. Whether the abuse is verbal, physical, or emotional, it leaves scars on its victims. While the scars remain, it is important to put salve on them, work to prevent another abusive encounter, and teach others that abuse is wrong.
It takes passion, bravery, and a removal of silence to conquer abuse. It can very uneasy, and even frightening, for people to stand up for something even if they believe in the cause. Unfortunately, there are always people who do not want goodness to shine through the world. They want to manipulate, control and harm people into submitting to their will and desire.
Advocating to end abuse, Harriet Cammock removed her silence over a decade ago, and she works to empower other people to remove the silence that masks their pains. Through radio, television, self-help books and speaking engagements, Harriet highlights the atrocities that result from abuse, and she encourages people of all ages to remove the silence. Often, when something is kept in the dark, it is kept there without addressing the issues. Harriet walked out of her dark closet over 10 years ago, teaching people that we have control over our lives if we want it.
Harriet volunteers as a speaker for HAVEN. Servicing the Oakland County area of Michigan, HAVEN serves its community in pioneering intervention, treatment, prevention and education programs. Formed in 1975, HAVEN can help individuals and families through all stages of crisis and work to eliminate domestic and sexual violence.
On January 19th, HAVEN will recognize Harriet Cammock for the commitment and passion she has given towards their mission of empowering survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Raising her voice and serving as an advocate has made a significant impact in her community. Because of her service to others, Harriet has been chosen as the recipient of the Phoenix Award. This award is given annually to someone that has reached out to the public in the past year to raise awareness of our issues.
Please join HAVEN and friends for the Celebration of Strength, 4:30-6:30 pm at The Townsend in Birmingham. The event promises to be an evening of inspiration, passion and networking with other HAVEN awardees, friends and supporters. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact Kristi Pavlak at (248) 334-1284 ext. 341 or kpavlak@haven-oakland.org. On behalf of the thousands of women, children and men served by HAVEN each year, Beth L. Morrison, President & CEO Of HAVEN, would like to thank Harriet for her commitment to their mission.
Bullhorn Gypsyhttp://www.bullhorngypsy.com
getting the word out about great things
Interview: Harriet Cammock, Author of Through the Fire
By April Pohren, BLOGCRITICS.ORG | Seattle pi
Published 10:42 p.m., Tuesday, June 7, 2011
It doesn't matter how you start, it matters how you finish -- a thought well placed in everyone's memory banks. Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Ms. Cammock's journey is one marked by an incredibly strong faith in the belief that you can overcome all obsticles, if you try hard enough.
Through childhood, her grandmother instilled within her an important drive to succeed. After an abusive marriage, Harriet Cammock determined she would use her own experiences in overcoming abuse to teach other women that there is help available, and they need not suffar alone. Ms. Cammock has channeled those experiences in writing and through her blog, The Grace Chronicles, where she provides inspirational and uplifting messages to many people.
Harriet began The Faith Hour in 2009 and used this platform to launch The Renewed By Grace Conference, which was designed to bring together men and women whose lives were touched by abuse. "I want to show women that you don't have to look like what you went through," Harriet said. Using creative resources and with involvement from other community organizations, Harriet Cammock's plans to host another conference sometime in the next several months.
A published author, she now hosts The Harriet Cammock Show. The show uses principles of surviving and overcoming; principles that Harriet learned first-hand. Ms. Cammock has appeared on The Word Network and Atlanta Live! and is a guest writer for The Hinterland Gazette. A gifted speaker, Harriet Cammock is available for speaking engagements.
Learn more about Harriet Cammock and her work by visiting her website.
Please tell us a bit about your book, Through the Fire: - characters, plot, etc.
My book Through The Fire is my story of how I survived domestic violence. It provides a detailed account of the steps I took in ridding myself of domestic violence and the effect it had on my children.
If you could meet, in person, any of your characters, who would it be and why?
I would like to meet the character of my daughter Alex (even though I see the young adult version of her every day). It was her vivid energy that helped her in surviving the heinous abuse.
If you could fictionalize yourself and put yourself in any situation, how would it play out? Could you give us a scene/scenario of such an occurrence?
In one scene, my ex-husband held a knife to my ribs while our daughter sat terrified beside me on the couch. At the time, I wished that I had Wonder Woman's powers; I wished that I could have overpowered him and commanded him (in the voice of a powerful police woman from a popular television series) to drop his weapon (like, seriously!).
Do you have any particular habits that you do while writing? Places you write the best, foods, drinks, etc that help set your "writing mood"?
Oh yes; my bedroom late at night after 1:00 a.m. (when everyone is asleep), armed with a mug of hot tea (my favorite beverage), crackers, and the TV on mute is an atmosphere that translates into peace. That's total bliss for me.
What are you reading right now?
I've always been a huge fan of murder mysteries and "whodunnits," especially when they're told from the point of view of lawyers. Currently, I'm reading multiple novels by both Faye Kellerman and J.A. Jance.
Who are some of your favorite authors and/or books?
My favorite authors (most of whom I've been reading since I was a teen) are Danielle Steel, Janet Evanovich, Nora Roberts, and Diane Mott Davidson. Their novels inspired me to keep writing even after I had a serious spell of writer's block. If you could meet any author, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Definitely Danielle Steel. Her novels are filled with such powerful stories of love conquering all and characters who overcome the most difficult of adversities. I always felt those characters' stories of overcoming adversity mirrored my own overcoming of adversity.
Please share with us a favorite memory.
Now this one is going to make you laugh. My favorite memory is one of myself in a mink coat, laying on my bedroom floor and laughing joyously when I learned that I was launching a radio show.
Please describe a perfect meal -- including menu and those present.
Myself and my two daughters celebrating my 43rd birthday. I had salmon and wild rice and the girls had rattlesnake pasta @ one of our favorite restaurants Bahama Breeze.
What are some of your favorite ways to relax?
Nothing says R&R to me like two of my favorite pastimes; shopping (retail therapy) and being curled up with a good book.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Orlando, Florida. The weather is perfect!
If you could only read books by one author, who would it be?
*Sigh*. Do I really have to choose? I am a member of my local library and I check out 10-20 books every three weeks. I love reading mysteries and suspense and drama. Bliss is curling up with a good book.
Share with us a few of your dreams. Also whether they have been fulfilled or are still a work in progress.
My dream is being a world-wide # 1 bestselling author, beingNew York Times Best Sellers List, and donating a lot of money to fund causes I support like (domestic violence shelters). (With your help I will achieve being on the best sellers list!) Seriously though, I am well on my way to achieving my dreams. I am working on it.
What are some of your guilty pleasures?
Dark chocolate, chocolate brownies, a cup of hot tea with cream and sugar, and, of course, shopping. I think retail therapy is a key component of a happy soul.
If you could leave the world with one piece of advice, what would it be?
Pursue you dreams, no matter how long it takes or how much it costs! Go after it with everything in you because it doesn't matter how you start; what matters is how you finish!
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Cruel but Usual Punishment – Living with Routine Domestic Abuse
Harriet Cammock Encourages You To Survive and Overcome Adversity
BIBLIOSCRIBE JUNE 2011 - Harriet Cammock, a published author, radio personality, and motivational speaker, reaches tens of thousands of listeners and readers with her message – you don’t have to look like what you have been through. Harriet discusses principles of surviving and overcoming adversity, using first-hand experiences and fresh, practical language to encourage people to explore the good life.
All of life is not good, and Harriet, as with many of us, has faced hard times. A published author, Harriet recently released a riveting account of her experiences to overcome domestic violence, ‘Through The Fire’. As we know, domestic violence spans class, religion, gender; it spans everything. It does not matter how old you are, the color of your skin, or how many college degrees you may have acquired. Harriet was not poor, illiterate; or unattractive; on the contrary, Harriet was in a comfortable financial class, very educated, and extremely attractive.
Unfortunately, many people see violence as a means to communicate, and this results in countless injuries and fatalities each year. Harriet came very close to being a corpse as a result of domestic violence. Much of the familial pain she endured over a period of years was attributed to being unaware of the law as it related to domestic violence cases and immigrants. She awakened to each day expecting cruel and usual punishment.
Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and living in the United States, Harriet always felt she would be deported and, as a result, lose her daughter should she confront her husband using the legal process. So instead, her tears dropped in silence as she tried to understand her situation, and most importantly, make a plan to do something about it.
Join Harriet, during the month of June 2011, as she discusses her stirring, insightful, and memorable book, inspirations, fears, and more. Harriet Cammock’s ‘Through The Fire’ ONLINE BOOK TOUR will officially begin on June 6th 2011 and end on June 30th. Visit PumpUpYourBook.com for more information. ‘Through The Fire’ is available in Paperback and E-book formats all over the web and through local bookshops all over the country.
Harriet continues to follow her dreams of helping people to understand the power they have to take control of their destiny by making plans to transform their ideas into realization. She rallies people to take steps to move ahead without excuses.
Harriet Cammock
Acclaimed Author | Radio Personality | Motivational Speaker | HarrietCammock.org
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Celebrated Authors, Harriet Cammock and Elizabeth Isley-Barkley, Remind Us That Celebrities are People Too
Briefing Wire - May 9, 2011 - Elizabeth Isley-Barkley is the daughter of retired Isley Brothers’ band member, Rudolph Isley, and she is very proud to carry the family name. Carrying the family name came with a price, a price of putting on transforming for fans, and being idolized by strangers. Elizabeth recalled, “When we were all dressed and ready to go…we all took on this strange attitude…We were no longer our true selves...We dared not sweat or even ... Our makeup was a work of art…”
Fans would stare at her, during concerts, hoping to discover some deep, dark secret anything Elizabeth might reveal. She remembers fans begging to change places with her, people lining up for a touch of, or peek into, her world. Elizabeth believes kids are getting lost in entertainment, idolizing celebrities and people a little too far." She wants to reach fans and teach them not to idolize, but just to admire from afar. Fans don’t know the person behind the celebrity; fans only know how person presented in the media. Fans must be careful not to imitate, and obsess over, what is already, an illusion.
As cited by WebMD experts in 2006, “People tend idolize celebrities. They desire to be like them. Many people often think that their lives would better if they [could look] more like this celebrity or look more like that celebrity.” (1) Celebrity worship is so widespread; studies are being conducted into fan behavior.
Barkley, who is a pre-kindergarten teacher, wrote a book named, ‘One Isley Brothers’ Daughter’, to "educate fans everywhere that entertainers are ‘real people' and can have everyday problems." Elizabeth wanted to show people that “everyone puts their pants on just like everybody else and in the end celebrities are people too.” Growing up surrounded by fame, fans always saw performers through rose-colored glasses. Elizabeth saw people with money and the problems that sometimes fans don’t see. Her book is a personal journey through her experiences as a child, juggling being a regular kid, and being a celebrity’s daughter.
Join Harriet Cammock as she interviews Elizabeth on The Harriet Cammock Show on Wednesday, May 11 at 8 PM, broadcast live, on Blogtalkradio. Harriet is one of the most provocative, refreshing, unforgettable, and charming on-air radio personalities in the Detroit area. See Harriet from May 13 to 15; she will be a guest speaker at the International Urban Cleveland Book Festival, joined by other celebrities, advocates, community leaders, and thousands of book lovers, to increase education to overcome adversity. The events are held at the Richmond Town Square Mall in Richmond Heights, OH. You can see at Harriet on The Authors TV show at theauthorsshow.com all day May 9 and 10.
About Harriet Cammock
Radio Personality | Motivational Speaker | Acclaimed Author | harrietcammock.org
Amazon.com says her book, ‘THROUGH THE FIRE is “one of the hottest releases in the abuse category.”
About Elizabeth Isley-Barkley
Author | Schoolteacher | Celebrity’s Daughter | Entrepreneur | oneisleybrothersdaughter.com
Elizabeth is the author of ‘One Isley Brother's Daughter’. She is the daughter of Rudolph Isley.
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BRIEFING WIRE NEWS - 04/04/11
KICKING OFF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH
April brings many worthy causes to center spotlight, from Autism Awareness Month to Library Week to Earth Day and several other positive campaigns. As an advocate for an end to abuse, Harriet Cammock amplifies her campaign with special focus on child abuse topics during her events scheduled for April.
According to statistics from the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), 44% of victims are under the age of 18 (roughly 110,000 cases in 2007), and 98% know their attackers http://www.rainn.org/statistics. Each day, as a result of abuse, three children die.
Harriet will highlight Child Abuse Prevention month by engaging with guests, on The Harriet Cammock Show, who have been abused in their formative years. It is the hope that people gain more understanding of what happens in the minds of victims and abusers, become more aware of abusive signs, and be in a better position to save a child from an abusive situation. Harriet provides resources and tips that include teaching your children how to get help, explaining to children that violence is never right, teaching children how to use language in lieu of abuse, and more information on detecting, deterring, and escaping abuse.
Also this month, Harriet will discuss the issue on radio shows across the United States, with a special guest appearance on a German-based radio show later this month. She will also attend, and speak at, a spectacular event at Livonia, Michigan’s Laurel Park Place Mall to encourage youth to read and author books. Hundreds of book writers, teachers, and role models will encourage children to overcome adversity by reading.
As the mother of a daughter who watched ‘daddy’ beat ‘mommy’, Harriet is keen to the topic of child abuse. For an in-depth look at their life surviving domestic violence, read Harriet’s riveting account, Through the Fire, available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Smashwords.com, over 700 Barnes and Noble stores, and several other online and local retailers. The e-book format is available for download to Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader, and more. Amazon.com states, “one of the hottest new releases in the abuse category.”
Through continual removal of silence, we can further decrease the number of child abuse victims. Removing silence means bringing the harsh issue to the frontline of conversations, using language that rallies people to do the right thing – stop hurting children. As we bring these rampant misdemeanors and misdeeds to surface, we will continue to lower the number of child abuse victims, well beyond the month of April.
Harriet Cammock | Provocative Radio Personality | Unforgettable Motivational Speaker | Acclaimed Author | Wonderful Mother | Amazing Survivor
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The Purple Song Project - 04/01/11 -
According to statistics from the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), 44% of victims are under the age of 18 (roughly 110,000 cases in 2007), and 98% know their attackers http://www.rainn.org/statistics. Each day, as a result of abuse, three children die.
Harriet Cammock author of a brand new memoir Through the Fire, will highlight Child Abuse Prevention month by engaging with guests, on The Harriet Cammock Show, who have been abused in their formative years. It is the hope that people gain more understanding of what happens in the minds of victims and abusers, become more aware of abusive signs, and be in a better position to save a child from an abusive situation. Harriet provides resources and tips that include teaching your children how to get help, explaining to children that violence is never right, teaching children how to use language in lieu of abuse, and more information on detecting, deterring, and escaping abuse. Also this month, Harriet will discuss the issue on radio shows across the United States, with a special guest appearance on a German-based radio show later this month. She will also attend, and speak at, a spectacular event at Livonia, Michigan’s Laurel Park Place Mall to encourage youth to read and author books. Hundreds of book writers, teachers, and role models will encourage children to overcome adversity by reading.
Who is Harriet?
As the mother of a daughter who watched ‘daddy’ beat ‘mommy’, Harriet is keen to the topic of child abuse. For an in-depth look at their life surviving domestic violence, read Harriet’s riveting account, Through the Fire, available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Smashwords.com, over 700 Barnes and Noble stores, and several other online and local retailers. The e-book format is available for download to Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook, Sony Reader, and more. Amazon.com states, “one of the hottest new releases in the abuse category.”
What is Harriet's purpose? Through continual removal of silence, we can further decrease the number of child abuse victims. Removing silence means bringing the harsh issue to the frontline of conversations, using language that rallies people to do the right thing – stop hurting children. As we bring these rampant misdemeanors and misdeeds to surface, we will continue to lower the number of child abuse victims, well beyond the month of April.
Harriet Cammock | Provocative Radio Personality | Unforgettable Motivational Speaker | Acclaimed Author | Wonderful Mother | Amazing Survivor
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Ending Domestic Abuse by Removing the Silence
Come Hell or High Waters - Celebrated Authors, Jin Kyu Robertson and Harriet Cammock, Advocate to End Domestic Abuse
BriefingWire.com, 3/03/2011 - According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, U.S. Department of Justice, 95% of domestic violence victims are women. Unfortunately, Jin and Harriet are included in those statistics. Both women immigrated to the United States, believing in the American Dream of reaping positive results from a life positively led. Both women’s dreams quickly shifted to nightmares as they were subjected to domestic violence.
While Harriet and Jin followed very different paths to escape domestic violence, each had a common driving thought; I don’t have to live the rest of my life like I live today, come hell or high waters. It is through the firestorm of nightmares that Jin and Harriet walked to futures that would reap rewards beyond most people’s dreams. Through breaking silences to share their stories, each would go on to become an inspiration for people all over the world, spanning race, age, sex and social status.
Join these remarkably inspirational women on Wednesday, March 9 at 8 PM EST as Jin Kyu Robertson appears on THE HARRIET CAMMOCK SHOW. Broadcast live on Blogtalkradio, Jin will discuss how she escaped domestic violence and empowered her self to break the silence.
Based on a 2006 Allstate Foundation National Poll on Domestic Violence, results show nearly 75% of Americans personally know someone who is or has been a domestic violence victim. Harriet Cammock and Jin Kyu Robertson work to decrease the percentage to zero. Think about what you can do to help, and then do something.
About Harriet Cammock
Blogtalkradio Radio Personality | Motivational Speaker | Acclaimed Author
Amazon.com considers ‘THROUGH THE FIRE: One Woman’s Experiences in Surviving Domestic Violence’ as “One of the Hottest Releases in the Abuse Category.”
About Jin Kyu Robertson
Retired U.S. Army Major | Motivational Speaker | Bestselling Author | Harvard Ph.D.
Jin is a Korean bestselling author (over half million copies sold), and she is the most popular motivational speaker (over 500 speeches) in Korea.
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Harriet Cammock releases THROUGH THE FIRE
For many years, Harriet was a victim of domestic violence. Harriet is now a triumphant survivor. Read her riveting story.
Through The Fire: One Woman’s Experiences in Surviving Domestic Violence
Learn what it is like to live with abuse, and learn how to avoid being a victim.
Detroit, MI – 02/07/11 – Harriet Cammock released her 4th book, Through The Fire. Harriet takes you on an intimate journey with her as she is introduced to domestic violence. Harriet shares her blinded love, innocent assumptions, dreaded encounters, and fear-driven hopes, as she recaptures the essence of her painful memories.
Harriet experiences what no person should recollect. "That my heart was beating was a miracle, because I was so afraid that I could barely open my mouth to speak, much less to breathe and give oxygen to my heart. I didn’t know what he was going to do."
Through the trials, Harriet made a plan, and within THROUGH THE FIRE, you will witness Harriet's plan and root for her to accomplish that plan. "I would imagine what my future life would be like. I would imagine my daughter and I would one day live free from this horror…we would be free to do normal things mothers and daughters do."
One reader, Janet Shan, Founder of The Hinterland Gazette, writes, “Through the Fire is a must-read riveting recount of one's woman's courage and perseverance in overcoming domestic violence. It is an excellent guide to any one going through an abusive marriage or relationship and how you should break free.”
Published by Sadie Books, Through The Fire is available on Amazon.com, and retails for $14.99. ISBN-13: 978-0981604732
About Harriet Cammock
Harriet Cammock is a mother of two, and lives in Detroit, Michigan. She is also a radio host and a motivational speaker, reaching people on a global level. Harriet advocates for an end to violence and concentrates on helping women and children remove themselves from abusive environments.
For more information about THROUGH THE FIRE, contact Cassandra Allen, Bullhorn Gypsy at 856-313-0548.
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