November News

Thanksgiving is the time of year to count our blessings in the United States. Many may wonder what blessings do we really have as LGBT people in a country where it seems that we are being used as political scapegoats each and every day. Life as a LGBT person can be hard, sometimes almost unbearable, but it could be worse; we could all be living in countries where being a woman is like being a homeless dog, or how about living in a country where being LGBT could get you executed?

Here at Amazing Dreams Publishing we hear stories of atrocities from women who live in these countries. It is sobering to read the fear these women live with every moment of their lives, and it makes us grateful for the freedoms we do have, which includes the freedom to have a company that provides support to women worldwide.

Many people ask us how Amazing Dreams began, so this month we have included the story as written by our founder below:

In September of 2001, I was working as a graphic design manager for a book distributor in North Carolina. I have always written novels in my spare time, and had been working on a coming out guide for women that I'd sent to several NYC publishers. Most liked the manuscript, but none liked my idea of providing a free downloadable PDF of the book to any woman who needed it but was scared to purchase it in a store.

After several rejections, my mentor, Patricia Nell Warren, encouraged me to publish the book myself. Patricia was one of the first women to ever publish books for the GLBT community through a mainstream publisher. After years of battling homophobia, she bought back the rights to her works and now has her own company, Wildcat Press.

With her encouragement, I had been deciding to self-publish the coming out guide. I believed that it was very important to get the information out to whoever needed it, but it was a battle with myself to do this. Self-publishing would mean that I'd be spending a lot of money on something that may, or may not work, and I would have to come out totally to the world. I was fighting something that I never had to face before--my own fear of coming out on such a huge scale, which was really quite funny since I had written a coming out guide with my partner, Kathy.

When I was released from work on September 11, 2001, I was really afraid it was the beginning of the end of our great country. I went home and watched with horror the buildings collapsing over and over again on TV, and wondered if this could be the beginning of a full-out nuclear attack. I was getting so upset, I decided that instead of sitting around and waiting for the possible bombs to start dropping, I would do something positive for both me and the world; I would build the website for the coming out guide or die in the process.

On that day, AmazingDreamsPublishing.com was born. It was the second website I had ever built, and it was small, but it kept my mind focused on something positive during those long, tragic, weeks that we all went through.

During the next several months, I learned everything I could about the publishing industry while working for the book distributor. Like many other businesses, the company I worked for took a huge loss during the year after 9/11. In January, 2003, the day after my birthday, I, along with half the staff, was laid off.

This was one of the best jobs I had ever had in my life, and I was in a state of panic, to say the least. After crying for a week or so, I decided that no one, besides myself, would ever have that much control over my life again, and I vowed to expand both myself and my own company.

Since that time, Amazing Dreams Publishing has gone from a little ten page website to one of the largest resources on the Internet for women worldwide! Our website now provides over 1,000 free services, and so far the free Coming Out Ebook has been downloaded over 750 times. Last month we had 94,958 visits from separate users who assessed our website 2,619,956 times. Our books are listed on over 1,800 separate websites, and we are consistently on the first page of Google when searching for Lesbian Coming Out.

Women started writing to me about the coming out guide and the positive effects that it was having on their lives. From their stories of living in rural areas and in countries where being lesbian could be a death sentence, I decided that we needed an online support group for women worldwide. On November 5, 2003, the Support For Lesbians Coming Out group was born.

In two years, our support group has helped over 1,300 lesbian, bi, and questioning women, and now has 315 members from all over the world. This group has helped women who were facing the trials of coming out alone, and has saved several members from suicide. It has also been a lifeline for members living in places like Iran, where if it is found that you are lesbian or bisexual you are publicly executed.

Without a doubt, the support group is the most important thing I have ever done in my life. Looking back on it, I can now see that when I was laid off, it was not the end of the world, but the beginning of a new one for me and literally thousands of women worldwide.

I'm so thankful that after 4 years of hard times and working nonstop, the little company that was just a dream is now a reality. I guess what I am saying here is that we really have a lot to be thankful for. One of the biggest things I am thankful for is that there are so many women who support what we do here at Amazing Dreams Publishing. I get emails everyday from women all over the world just saying thanks for being here for us, and I am so appreciative of the women who donate their time moderating our 60 online networking groups. We are still in need of volunteers, so if you'd like to moderate your state's, or country's, networking group, please see Our Lesbian Networking Groups information below.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank YOU for supporting us through both the bad and the good times; and speaking of good times, remember the holidays are just around the corner. Every purchase you make from our website or our online affiliate stores goes back to supporting all of our free services for women. If you'd like to help us help others, please feel free to take a look at the products we've selected especially for you below. This month, we've joined with two fantastic affiliates who provide custom Pyrex glass sensual toys, the perfect gift for that special someone in your life.

Hoping each and every one of you has the best holiday season ever!

Tracey Stevens
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SUPPORT FOR LESBIANS COMING OUT GROUP
Our Lesbian/BI Women Online Support Group now has 315 members from all over the world! Here's an email we received from one of our members who gave us permission to include it here:

I would like to share with the members of our Support For Lesbians Coming Out Group some news about me. Today is my anniversary; 2 years ago today, I stumbled upon this support group and joined. I can't believe it's been that long, it feels like yesterday.

It has been an amazing 2 years--the hardest but also the best of my 47 years. I am filled with tons of emotions as I write this between the tears. To say thank you to Kathy and Tracey seems like not enough. The gifts you have given me can never be measured, and of course, I can't forget that I am alive, bottom line, because of the two of you! With all that I am, I thank you both.

This group is my lifeline; it's my heartbeat and my heartache. I share in our members' triumphs and cry with their sorrows. I celebrate each of their accomplishments, and pray for the members yet to come. Every time I see a new member has joined, I take a moment and offer a prayer for her--the same one every time--Please allow the universe to let this woman know that she is loved!

This group of the most amazing women on the planet has grown by leaps and bounds, and to be a part of it is the biggest honor of my life. If I leave for a few days and upon my return see 100 plus emails, I feel overwhelmed; not with the reading, but with the absolute joy of knowing how much the members care about one another.

Ladies, please accept my humble thanks for being a part of the group that I cherish each and every moment of my life!

Love and hugs to all,

Nancy
The luckiest moderator in the world!

See more quotes from members of our support group.

As always, sending huge THANKS to everyone who has spread the word about our website and our Support and Networking Groups.

How we fund our free services is by selling our books and products, which are selected especially for lesbian and bisexual women. If you'd like to help us to help other women worldwide, be sure to check out what we are offering from our website below. We have joined up with two new affiliate stores to bring you the best in gorgeous, new glass sensual toys--many in PRIDE colors! Stuff her stocking with something beautiful this year!

Our affiliates provide quality products for our supporters.
Profits from them and our own books help us to
keep our services free for women worldwide.

FROM OUR NEWEST AFFILIATE
CLEARECSTASY.COM

FOR THE COUPLE WHO HAS EVERYTHING . . .

The Venis
World's 1st Thousand Dollar Glass Sensual Toy!
Inspired by the Beauty that is Woman. What you see is not like art, IT IS ART! ! The Venis has a fully customizable shaft, and each is an original piece of handcrafted art made especially for you, or that special someone in your life.


Also available, lots of beautiful colors, shapes and sizes in both Glass and Acrylic.

HUGE SELECTION OF CALENDARS FOR HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING!
We've added over four hundred 2006 calendars to our website! Women in Art and Ethnic Calendars, Beautiful, Sexy Women Calendars, Dog Lover Calendars, Cat Lover Calendars, Horse Lover Calendars, Domestic Animals Calendars, and Wild Animals Calendars. Calendars are the perfect holiday gift. Why fight the crowds at the mall, and waste your time and gas? Buy online and have your gifts sent directly to your door. It is never too early to get your holiday shopping done!

PRIDE ITEMS AND LESBIAN GREETING CARDS
Just in time for the holidays, we have teamed up with 10 Percent to provide you with a full selection of beautiful Lesbian Pride Jewelry, including some gorgeous work from California Designer, Rick Alarcon. We also have Lesbian Pride Gear including Rainbow Key Chains, Flags, Journals, Wrist Bands, Lesbian Calendars and Magnets. For your friends, and more than friends, we have a full selection of printed Lesbian Birthday and Friendship Cards and Lesbian Love Cards just for you!

NEW FANTASY WOMEN ART PRINTS
Along with our lesbian-themed posters and magnets, we've now got 100 fantasy women art prints. Frame them yourself, or purchase them totally matted and framed and ready as gifts! From sensual to radical, from pride to fun, these posters and magnets make great gifts for friends, lovers, and just about anyone who loves women.
Visit our Lesbian Poster Page for beautiful prints.
Visit our Lesbian Magnet pages for the best in miniature art.
Visit our Fantasy Women Page for beautiful prints of incredible women.

SEND FLOWERS TO SHOW HER YOU CARE.
Our online service for the people you love: flowers sent directly from the growers at half the price of many florists! We researched the best online flower distributor to find one who will provide quality products for our LGBT community. You can set up your own online account and send flowers for all occasions.

SPECIAL FALL AND THANKSGIVING PROMOTIONS:
We are offering an online special: 18 Grower Fresh Red or Mixed Roses for the price of 12. This offer is valid for online orders placed on or before November 25 at 5pm ET.

Our Give Thanks Bouquet is the perfect Thanksgiving offering. If you are looking for a prearranged centerpiece, view our selection of fall Florist Arranged items at our store. Our free vase promotion with all fresh cut flowers runs until the end of the year!

Visit the Amazing Dreams Flower Shop and send your favorite woman flowers today!