Veronica holds a B.A. in French from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. from Cornell’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, where she was honored as “The 2015 Best Executive EMBA.” She recently completed the Inner M.B.A. (conscious leadership program) at New York University and is currently pursuing a Life Coaching certification with Jay Shetty. (Bio courtesy of Veronica's website.)
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All hell breaks loose the moment Veronica Carrera, a leader in the Mormon church, falls in love with a fellow female student at Brigham Young University. Battling her innate feelings, the devout missionary confesses her temptations to the Bishop in a futile attempt to hold tight to her spiritual home.
After her church shuns her, a shocked Veronica embarks on the toughest one-day endurance race in the world to reclaim her power, inadvertently beginning a much more important, internal journey of healing and self-love.
Veronica’s story of triumphing over adversity, not only offers hope and inspiration for readers to discover true inner wisdom and acceptance but may save lives! (Courtesy of Amazon.)
”Veronica's deeply touching and personal story is an apotheosis of profound triumph over heart wrenching adversity - not only a triumph of personal power, but also a triumph of love, a triumph of her huge and beautiful human heart, and ultimately a triumph of the soul. As she demonstrates the breathtaking courage it takes to say yes to walk the true path of love and transformation, her story will leave you thoroughly inspired and connected to your own greatest humanity. I couldn't put this book down.”
--Seneca Moore, PhD, Founder and Coach at Optimity Coaching & Collaborative
“140 Miles Of life by exemplary Veronica Carrera is a truly well-written book, packed with life lessons and wisdom gems. This is an incredibly engaging read in which you will find yourself moved and inspired by Veronica's journey. This book is about RESILIENCE and COURAGE. No matter what your life circumstances are, you always have the freedom to choose LOVE over anything else. I loved this book and every true seeker will love it also. Thank you, Veronica for your sacred YES and for being an embodiment of light in this World.”
--Paola Castro. Spiritual Coach, Author & Speaker
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you?
I was participating in an international speech competition with a speech titled “140 Miles of Life.” Afterwards some people from the audience asked me if I had ever thought about writing a book. At that point, I hadn’t; but that thought stayed with me. When my grandma died five years ago, it broke my heart wide open and I decided that this was the moment to start writing. I was ready to go deep into my heart and find the unknown jewels of wisdom hidden underneath my pain.
It took me about three years to finish the book. I would write for a few months and then I would pause for weeks or months as it was challenging to revisit certain moments of my life and maintain the cadence. However, I had an amazing mentor, Gay Walley. Gay is a very successful author, and she gave me some great advice from the beginning.
When I finished the book, within a few months, a publishing firm picked it up and decided to publish it within three months. Even though I had been revising and editing my work along the way, now, I had just a few weeks to fully revise it so that it could be ready to be published. Those few weeks were very busy because I work during the day as a sales leader for LinkedIn, but every day as soon as I was done with work, I would spend hours reading my manuscript and editing my final work. Everything happened so fast, but it felt amazing to see how everything unfolded. Writing this book became my life’s purpose.
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| Ironman Run- Half Ironman CT race |
What were the biggest rewards and biggest challenges with writing your memoir?
The biggest reward was that I wasn’t sure I was a good writer before I started writing the book. Like everything else in life, you just have to get started to find your gift.
The biggest reward was that I wasn’t sure I was a good writer before I started writing the book. Like everything else in life, you just have to get started to find your gift.
As I was writing, I realized that something powerful was being created through the storytelling in my book and how important the message was that I had to share. At times as I was writing, it felt as if I was receiving a download -- meaning the ideas, thoughts and essence of the message would flow through my mind with ease. There were many instances when I would start writing in the evening and I would not be able to stop until 3am. It was exhilarating!
The challenge initially was that I had a few important themes to tell within this one book. Particularly, I was trying to figure out how to weave different human rights issues in this one story and I wasn’t sure how to put it all together. It took me a few months until I realized I could use the Ironman Race, the longest one-day-endurance triathlon in the world, as a metaphor for the different stories and connect it all together. I personally think that it all came together so well, and it made the book more fun and interesting to read. If you read the Amazon reviews, many people have written that they could not put the book down and they finished it in two days.
If 140 Miles of Life had a soundtrack, what songs would be on it?
"Hold My Hand" by Nessi Gomes
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone who wanted to do the Ironman race?
It takes dedication, discipline and commitment. There is no other way. I think that for someone who wants to do this arduous race for the first time, it is best if you join a triathlon Ironman team.
Who was your role model when you were growing up?
My mom, Victoria Mendez, and my grandma, Maria Valencia. They were powerful women. I write about them in my book. You will read in my book why they empowered me to be the person I am today.
What is a message you'd like to send to yourself in five years from now?
The message that I will like to send myself five years from now is that I can be happy and that I can have it all. Also that I am worthy of being happy. Finally, that no matter what trials we have gone through in life, we can always re-write our stories. We are the creators of our dreams.
Thanks to Veronica for chatting with us and to PR for Writers and Filmmakers for facilitating this interview.
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