On September 16, author Sylvia St. Cyr is set to launch her first book, Love vs. Fear, at McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg. The event kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Regular readers of The Citizen will know St. Cyr from her extensive writing as coordinator of the paper’s Arts & Entertainment section.
“Everyone battles some sort of fear, whether that is fear of flying, public speaking, your mother-in-law, or failure,” says St. Cyr of her passion project. “So the question remained, how do we fight fear so that it doesn’t ruin our lives? A couple years ago, I read the Bible verse 1 John 4:18, which says, ‘There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear,’ and I was intrigued. What does this mean in a practical sense? How can I live in that love zone?”
The book tackles the subject of fear, insecurities, and the mindsets that hold people back from achieving their dreams, all through a Christian lens.
“In every moment of our lives, we can be filled with love or filled with fear, and our identity plays a huge role in this decision,” St. Cyr says. “I spent quite a few years on a journey of finding out how much God loves me. This journey led me to write this book, because the love I found was life-changing and I just couldn’t be quiet about that anymore.”
St. Cyr will be joined at the launch by local comedian Matt Falk, who will introduce her. She will also be giving away a gift basket which includes a signed copy of her book, Falk’s latest comedy album, two CDs by local artist Jordan St. Cyr, signed copies of local author Evan Braun’s Watchers Chronicle trilogy, as well as a few other goodies. Refreshments will be served.
In addition to her book launch on September 16, St. Cyr will be attending the Women’s Journey of Faith fall conference in Saskatoon, from October 20–21. A short while later, she’ll be appearing alongside author Heather Boersma at the Limitless Women’s Conference at Niverville Community Fellowship, from November 3–4.
“I love reading non-fiction books that uplift and inspire,” St. Cyr explains. “I find the best non-fiction to be books that I can relate to in some way, but that also push me to grow and learn something amazing, either about myself or the world. This is the hope for my book as well, that anyone who has ever wondered if God’s love was actually real and personal, come to know God, who is love, in a deeper way. When you know your identity, it allows you to live in love, which means that the fears in your life diminish more and more.”
Love vs. Fear has been a long time in the making, with the writing having begun three years ago.
“It only took me three months to write the initial rough draft, but then it was on the shelf for a while,” St. Cyr acknowledges. “The editing process also took almost two years, but it is such a necessary process if you’re going to publish a book. The journey to publish your book will most likely be longer than you anticipate, but if it is something that has been on your heart, then go after it! Allow yourself to make mistakes, and keep writing and pushing on anyway. Talk to someone who has walked the path before you to find out what worked and what didn’t… Even if what you are saying has been said before, you may have a unique way of saying it that can reach a different audience, so don’t give up.”
Although St. Cyr has spent the last two years writing for The Citizen, this is her last month as a regular contributor. She also works full-time at Word Alive Press, a Christian publisher based out of Winnipeg, and has decided to leave the paper to pursue new and exciting opportunities. We wish her well!
