Nothing but Time

About the Book

"Our great author of CATCH 22, Joseph Heller, told of his experience with Guillain-Barre in NO LAUGHING MATTER. Now Judy Light Ayyildiz equals--and in some ways surpasses--his account in her book, Nothing but Time."
--Walter James Miller
author, co-author, or editor of 67 books and LOVE´S MAINLAND

"This book is truly an inspiration for anyone who has ever run into a brick wall in life."
--Simone Poirier-Bures,
author of three memoirs including, CANDYMAN.

"...interesting and well-written...great job of interspersing personal vignettes...purchase copy for...neurology house staff library and also for chaplain´s office...insightful for health care workers dealing with GBS patients--perhaps especially nurses, P.T.´s etc."
--Dr. James Q. Miller,
Prof. Neurology, Univ. VA Medical Center.

Judy´s body is tricked by a virus into attacking itself. She wakes up paralyzed. Her creative mind fights back with the themes and spirit in the stories of her life. Armed with insight gleaned from her own stories about events and people in her past and present both in Turkey and the US, and told with restrained humor and often with Appalachian flavor -- Judy discovers that her spiritual desire to "walk" is stronger than the fear of "falling."

"Throughout, the reader feels like an intimate friend....Her sudden immobility motivates her to look for meaning in this unexpected crisis...caused when a virus tricks the body´s immune system into attacking itself...betrayal of an ´ememy within´ brings out a more relavant need for self-reflection, which Ayyildiz does in a gentle and insightful way. She relates memories of childhood, courtship, child raising and other life events revealing the interconnections within her life. NbT is a beautiful study of a woman´s psyche as she experiences great trauma and portrays how one can balance her own recovery with her responsibilities to her children and partner. With wonderful metaphors and a healthy dose of humor Judy engages the reader and turns a depressing situation into an inspiring story about courage in the face of a huge setback in life.
--Eser Turan, TURQUAZ MAGAZINE

“…a compelling odyssey of life’s house of cards dealing with the hand dealt…very inspirational, terrific…skillful style of looking back casting the net to bring the reader in to the psyche, the reality check of the present, the wary peering around the uncertain corner ahead with its capricious nature. The emotional detail throughout is what makes the book because its riveting honesty pulls the reader forward, encouraging understanding, its independent strength not necessarily seeking sympathy for its own sake.”
--Helen Canuk, DC

"...a heartening book that takes you by the hand through a fearful landscape, and out onto the other side. The writing is often lyrical, the emerging, self-buoyant; but what I valued most is the unremitting honesty."
--Bell Gale Chevigny DOING TIME: 25 YEARS of PRISON WRITING,
a PEN American Center prize anthology, NYC

"...gripping."Donna Miles,Toronto,Canada

“A captivating testimony to the human spirit and the power of the collective self. Ayyildiz is living proof of the healing potential residing within everything we have known be it within ourselves or in and among the life we have shared with those around us.” --Chris Briddi, Ph.D.
Counselor Education, Kent State University

“…how moved I am by your story! The book is a beautiful and deeply life affirming testimony to those who choose the path of life, even in the face of such difficulty. …taught me something about positive intention, love, faith and the human spirit.”
--Andrea Clearfield, composer, NYC

“…an amazing and inspiring story of recovery….such courage, strength, optimism and humor, leaves you feel

About the Author

Author/educator, Judy Light Ayyildiz, conducts writing and women’s seminars in the USA and in Turkey. Internationally published, she has been a literary magazine editor, a writers’ conference founder, a musical director for a student group touring Poland through the Friendship Ambassadors and a director of a USA nationally recognized choir of medical wives. Her ten published books in various genres sprung from her life and teaching. A cross-cultural triumph-over-trauma memoir, Nothing but Time, was 2002 Virginia College Bookstores’ Award Finalist, Virginia Outstanding Book Award Nominee and the runner-up in the Duquesne University Emerging Writers Series. Her third volume of poetry, Mud River, was highly acclaimed by the renowned Fred Chappell and William Packard. Leyla Ismier Ozcengiz translated her 10th book, the novel, Forty Thorns, into Turkish, titled, Kirk Diken, making Remzi’s best selling list. She is author of two other volumes of poetry, a children's book, Some of my Ancestors are Ottomans and Turks, and four co-written supplementary creative writing and critical thinking textbooks for teachers and students. Judy has written widely about Turkey and gives many talks on the rise of the Turkish Republic. Judy’s honors include, Woman of Achievement-Education 2010, Va. Com. Of Arts, poetry and short story prizes, Daughters of Ataturk, Turkish Forum, Jim Wayne Miller Poetry Prize, College Bookstores Best Book Finalist, Gusto Poet Discovery Winner, Nazim Hikmet Poetry Festival Prize Winner, Pushcart Prize nominee, Fellow VCCA, and 2012 Winner International Best Book Awards Winner for Literary Fiction for Forty Thorns, and Second Place for Kirk Diken in the Historical Novel category. Judy’s many roles as conference speaker, lectures, and workshops for writing, Turkish Studies, and Women’s Studies include many civic clubs/Eastern Mediterranean. Univ.-Cyprus/ the American. Turkish Embassy-Ataturk Society-Washington, DC/ Florida-North Carolina and NYC Turkish Associations/ Kirklareli/ Istanbul/ Izmir/ Gaziantep/ Ege Univ./ International schools of Istanbul/Kader Has Univ./Erciyes Univ./Gaziantepe Univ. /Bodrum Book Festival/Kured Tour Agencies Ass./ American Women of Istanbul/ Turk-American Univ. Women of Istanbul Cultural Arts Ass/ American. University. Women/ Anadolu Univ. and the Turkish Army/ Turkish Rotary Clubs/ Guilford NC/ Turkish League of America at NYC Consulate/Izmir University/ Sabanci University/many Turkish Rotary Clubs/American Alliance of Turkish Associations/Turkish American Society/many TV videos, book reviews, newspaper articles available at http://www.fortythorns.com /U.N.-Light Millennium Stevens Univ./Golden Orange Film Festival/Turkish Federation of America/Turkish American Scientific Society Univ. of Maryland/ Radford University/ Roanoke College/ C-Span Book TV/ Hollins Univ.Women’s Center and Hollins Summer Programs/ Marshall University/Roanoke Women’s Coalition. Judy has a new volume of poetry forthcoming in the fall of 2014 from Mountain Empire Press.