Bestselling authors Gary Lee Price and Bridget Cook-Burch chatted about their book “Divine Turbulence.”
Bookshelves everywhere are filled with self-help books, but few of them if any tell a real story about someone rising above their dark past. ‘Divine Turbulence’ by Gary Lee Price with Bridget Cook-Burch created that book – a memoir of Gary Lee Price’s thriving life beyond tragedy.
Gary Lee Price shares his journey from orphan traveling continents to a master sculptor giving us insight into the power of creativity. His story is amazing, inspiring, and a must-read memoir during these challenging times. I’m fortunate to sit with Price and Cook-Burch to learn more about the work behind “Divine Turbulence.”
Bridget Cook-Burch
What was the experience like to work with Gary on ‘Divine Turbulence’ and tell us a little bit of the backstory on how you both met?
Gary and I met when he came with his wife to one of my Inspired Writer’s Retreats up at this beautiful Bear Lake property. At the time, it was his wife, Leesa, who was looking at writing a book and he came along with her. He did all the exercises and started thinking about the power of his own story, and we realized what an exceptional story this was.
It was one of those that I couldn’t put away. Couldn’t put it on the back burner. It was something that was sorely needed already in our country. Over the next few years as COVID and everything else ensued, I knew exactly why we’d both been inspired to meet and to have this out now.
From start to finish how long did it take for you to work on ‘Divine Turbulence’ and what was one of the key focuses that you wanted to have voiced in this book?
Honestly, it took us well over four years to do this book, for a couple of different reasons. Number one, Gary and I were working on it together almost every single week, but we were both running distinctly different businesses too. I was running my business, which is to mentor authors, and he was managing his sculpting business.
We also both moved residences, and then COVID began and everyone in the nation had to regroup and rethink about how we’re going to do business in life. Fortunately, we were persistent and pushed through.
As for a key focus, I’d say the key focus is that no matter what you have experienced, you have choices. At the end of the day, there are things that may have happened to you as a child, but as an adult, you don’t have to follow the same patterns as abusers. You can choose to be a completely different person.
What is one of the takeaways that you learned from working on ‘Divine Turbulence’ and now that it is out in the world what are some of the other projects that you have in the works?
With all the acclaim that Gary has received through the years for his work, someone might expect him to be arrogant or selfish and he’s the complete opposite. I feel the deep humbling of his early circumstances actually helped him to become the extraordinary human that he has sculpted himself into being. He doesn’t take life or love or a breath for granted. And it’s really refreshing.
Other projects? I seem to always have many projects in the works, but I can share about two. One is called Angel in Arlington. It’s the remarkable story of a woman whose father was murdered aboard a Naval vessel and how she was able to face the US Navy and her father’s killer. Then I have another one, about an extraordinary woman who was kidnapped from Norway and raised among the Orthodox Jewish community and how she came to find herself.
Gary Lee Price
‘Divine Turbulence’ is both gripping and captivating, now that it is out in the world how do you feel on a personal level and as an inspiration to the world?
I feel really really good about this entire adventure! It has been a very unnerving and challenging experience, and now we are at the point where very quickly it reached number one international best seller status.
I feel extremely blessed that all the work and all those efforts so many of us were involved with were worthwhile and that the message of the book will be out there! When you put so much into a monumental project and get immediate, incredible feedback, it is rewarding beyond words!
I wrote my memoir with the intention of creating certain awareness – and if you will, specific ‘vibrations’ throughout the planet. When you think that is actually happening already, it just feels really good. That I am on the right path. It took over four years to complete this project and it once again shows me how it’s worth the persistence, and sticking to something, until it is eventuated.
What advice do you have for young men who are struggling with the same issues you faced and who are scared to share their story?
My advice is that there is light at the end of the tunnel and to simply BE BRAVE! I got my inspiration from Oprah Winfrey who is brave enough to tell her plate and childhood story, and consequently, it gave me the courage to open those gates and talk about it.
I cannot tell you the peace of mind and freedom that it has given me by having the courage to do exactly what Oprah did and the connections that I’ve been able to make with others who have been down that same path and on the same journey!
When we are brave and have the courage to share our experiences, it can lighten the burden and the heavy load that others carry through life. We, as humans, kind are all in this vast experience of life together and we need to do exactly that, come together and be there for each other.
Bonus Question: If you could pick any superpower what would it be and why?
Gary: I would want to have the superpower of problem-solving! My wife Leesa is a great problem solver when people come to her with any issue or challenge. She has an innate ability to see the big picture and do the detective work that will solve that particular problem or at least give several possible solutions. That is a great comfort to people who are overwhelmed or simply cannot see that ‘great big picture’ and are in desperate need of an answer.
It would be really cool to be able to provide solid, helpful answers to others in need. Faith that things will work out can be very comforting, but when we are without hope life gets very unrewarding, completely overwhelming, and totally miserable! If we can give others hope, how rewarding is that!
Bridget: That’s a tough one. I think there is this incredible moment between stimulus and response. If I had a superpower, I would increase humanity’s consciousness of that moment in time between stimulus and response so that we could be not in reaction but in creation. I think that’s the biggest thing.
“Divine Turbulence” is available on Amazon by clicking here.
