Sutter Communications

We’re wild about words!

Dellenna Harper to speak at STAND Against Racism event

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Photo of Dellenna Harper
Dellenna Harper (photo courtesy of Doug Buckley)

Called a “superhero who survived a world of brutal addiction,” Dellenna Harper will share her honest and inspirational story at “A Celebration of Healing and Hope” on March 24, 2022 at Nazareth College in celebration of Women’s History Month and Social Work Month.

Harper, an alumna of Nazareth and Monroe Community College, has written a mesmerizing account of her descent into a deep, dark place, and her challenging climb out to become a dedicated social worker. She is the author of the book God’s Teardrop: My journey of healing from addiction and prostitution. Jane Sutter Brandt, owner of Sutter Communications in Pittsford, is the co-author.

Harper will speak to a live audience at 7 p.m. March 24 at Beston Hall in the Glazer Music Performance Center at Nazareth College. The event is free and will be live-streamed to those who prefer not to attend in person. A question-and-answer session will include Nazareth students in attendance and MCC students viewing remotely.

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is the Title Sponsor of the event, with MCC and Nazareth College as sponsors in partnership with the YWCA of Rochester and Monroe County’s annual STAND Against Racism 2022.

The event is free, but registration is requested at go.naz.edu/Harper. A Zoom link will be emailed to registrants who want to attend virtually.

Photo of book cover of God's TeardropHarper will tell of her experience living with racism, sexism, bullies, oppression, shame, guilt and addiction. While her story has been described as a “down to the bone account” of the darkness of addiction and prostitution, and the many challenges of recovery, the story is also one of the incredible resilience of the human spirit.

Harper, a Minnesota native and Black woman, was addicted to crack cocaine for about 10 years. After spending time in prison and traveling around the country, she ended up in Rochester, often homeless  and ultimately being arrested for prostitution. She started the road to healing after being released from the Monroe County Jail and entering The Jennifer House, a prison ministry program sponsored by Spiritus Christi Church in Rochester.

From there, she lived at the YWCA in Rochester for almost two years before moving into her own apartment in Irondequoit. While at the YWCA, Dellenna returned to college. She earned an associate’s degree in addictions counseling from MCC, a bachelor’s degree in social work from Nazareth College, and a master’s degree in social work from the Greater Rochester Collaborative of The College at Brockport and Nazareth.

Dellenna stayed connected to The Jennifer House, working there throughout her college studies and eventually becoming its director. In recent years, she returned to her native Minnesota to care for her elderly parents, and now is Director of Hope Harbor and Harvest Hill Programs (housing for the formerly homeless) at The Salvation Army in Minneapolis.  

God’s Teardrop is available in paperback and on Kindle through Amazon, and in paperback and on Nook through Barnes and Noble and at Cerebral Kingdom bookstore in downtown Rochester.

For more information on God’s Teardrop, go to: suttermedia.net/books/godsteardrop.

 

 

Want to self-publish a book? Free classes via Zoom

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Image of self-published book Sutter's Sodas Satisfy
I self-published this memoir in 2015, and followed up with a related book in 2019.

Hundreds of thousands of authors write and self-publish a book every year. Why not you?

The idea to self-publish a book can feel overwhelming and it did for me, too, at times. But experience results in knowledge and I’m offering mine in an upcoming three-part series.

I’ve self-published two books of my own, and I work as an editor with other authors on their self-publishing projects.

I’m teaching “A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing” via Zoom as part of the Rochester Writes program sponsored by the Central Library of Rochester. Tune in from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday July 16, 23 and 30.

Space is limited and at this writing, there are just 11 seats left.

Here’s the description: Have you written a book or have one in process but are confused about how to publish it? Jane Sutter, author of two self-published books and owner of Sutter Communications, will help you learn about all the different options of self-publishing (print and e-book) and the many details involved. Topics to be covered include the difference between self-publishing and traditional publishing, types of self-publishing available, building a support team, getting an ISBN number, the business side of selling books yourself, the costs of self-publishing, and marketing your book successfully 

Related content: Got writer’s block? 5 quotes from Ernest Hemingway may help.

Everyone’s journey in self-publishing is different. I’ll share my journey and why I made the decisions that I did, but I’ll also outline the variety of choices. In addition, I’ll share the essentials of self-publishing that are vital for everyone. I’ll include a hefty amount of ideas on marketing, because after all, you probably want to sell copies of your book!

I was scheduled to teach this class in person in March, but that was cancelled when the library shut down due to the pandemic. I’m confident we can still have a great class via Zoom.

The class is free, but you must register in advance. We also ask that you commit to attending all three sessions. Click on this link for more information and to register.

Free classes on self-publishing at Rochester library

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There’s a lot to self-publishing besides writing the book!

Self-publishing a book for the first time can be a daunting task. You’ve focused for months, maybe years, on the writing, and as if that wasn’t difficult enough, now you face a myriad of choices and tasks to birth your baby into a book.

I know, because I’ve self-published two books of my own, plus I’ve worked with other authors as their book editor.

So I’m excited to share what I’ve learned in a three-part class that begins in March at the Rundel Library on South Avenue in downtown Rochester.

At the request of librarian Carol Moldt, who is the Rochester Writes programming coordinator at the Central Library, I’m developing this class called “A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing.”

Here’s the description: Have you written a book or have one in process but are confused about how to publish it? Jane Sutter, author of two self-published books and owner of Sutter Communications, will help you learn about all the different options of self-publishing (print and e-book) and the many details involved. Topics to be covered include the difference between self-publishing and traditional publishing, types of self-publishing available, building a support team, getting an ISBN number, the business side of selling books yourself, the costs of self-publishing, and marketing your book successfully 

Related content: Got writer’s block? 5 quotes from Ernest Hemingway may help.

The class will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays March 14, 21 and 28 in the Rundel Arts Room on the third floor at the Rundel Library.

Everyone’s journey in self-publishing is different. I’ll share my journey and why I made the decisions that I did, but I’ll also outline the variety of choices. In addition, I’ll share the essentials of self-publishing that are vital for everyone. I’ll include a hefty amount of ideas on marketing, because after all, you probably want to sell copies of your book!

The class is free, but you must register in advance as space is limited. We also ask that you commit to attending all three sessions. Click on this link for more information and to register.

Interested in other classes in the Rochester Writes series? Click here for the calendar. (Please note that some classes are full.) Another great source for classes on writing is Writers and Books.