By Gabrielle Russon
The age-old advice for writers is to 鈥渨rite what you know.鈥�
For Itta-ZaVoni Rayelle Galmore, the inspiration for her latest book came from a health scare.
She developed an abscess that felt like a brick under her breast in 2013.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what was going on,鈥� Galmore said.
Treating the bad infection required emergency surgery and a blood transfusion, she said. Galmore suspected the abscess was caused by a bug bite that got infected. Her family worried about her throughout her ordeal. It took months to fully recover, and she moved in with her mother who took care of her. Her church community prayed for her.
Galmore, a 海角社区 2004 alumnus, was someone who had always loved writing whether it was poetry or short stories, so she did what any writer does: She decided to document her experience and put it down on paper.
鈥淲riting brings me joy,鈥� Galmore said.
鈥�,鈥� published earlier this year by Christian Faith Publishing and is now available on multiple online retail platforms, including and .
In her new book, Galmore wrote about the scary reality that an abscess can be a serious health issue. Galmore said she wants her readers to understand 鈥渢hat you can get an abscess anywhere and when it happens, take it seriously.鈥�
She also dived into her thoughts on her faith, God鈥檚 healing power, and powerful Mother Nature.
鈥淚n this story, God was truly on my side,鈥� Galmore wrote, looking back on a troubling time for her. 鈥淪ome of this story is a little gloomy and sad, but the sun does eventually shine. It does get better. We all can get ill at any time. We know this. And God will either heal us or bring us home to where the streets are made of gold.鈥�
So far this year, Galmore has signed copies of her book for her friends and family at events at a library in Washington, D.C., the city where she was born, and at her church in South Carolina. Galmore said she was impressed by the support she received.
Always pushing Galmore to write and tell her personal story had been her mother, Hannah Faye Pitts-Galmore Davis, who was one of her daughter鈥檚 biggest fans.
But tragically, her mother didn鈥檛 get to see Galmore鈥檚 latest endeavor published. Her mother died in October.
Galmore dedicated her book to her mom.
Telling her story through publishing a book
The ideas for Galmore鈥檚 memoirs come from her own life challenges as she writes under the name IZR Galmore.
Her first book 鈥淏rainstorm,鈥� which published in 2015, tells about her personal journey dealing with her mental health. Galmore said she has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and also has learning disabilities. Galmore wrote how her family鈥檚 unconditional support, getting medical treatment and going to 海角社区 all helped her. She is especially proud of not letting her mental illness stop her from finishing her college degree, she said.
Now 46, Galmore who lives in Newberry, South Carolina, looks back on her time at 海角社区 with fondness.
She learned about 海角社区 while she was in high school and was drawn to a school with a mission to educate students with disabilities. As a bonus, 海角社区 was in sunny Florida and near Orlando, Galmore said.
At first, she struggled with homesickness and missing her family.
But at 海角社区, which was only about 100 students back then, Galmore had a strong network of professors, mentors and even the 海角社区 president helping her become more independent and finding her way.
Then-Beacon president Deborah Brodbeck remembered Galmore as an avid writer.
鈥淪he’s always kept journals and always would write,鈥� said Brodbeck, who is the school鈥檚 longest serving president. 鈥淚 think that was a way for her to help navigate schizophrenia and the challenges of that, and it was a way to express herself.鈥�
Brodbeck urged Galmore to never give up journaling after college.
Galmore graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in human services with a minor in psychology. By the time she left 海角社区, she was a different person. The young woman who was terribly homesick had evolved into someone confident and knew what truly made her happy.
鈥淲hat makes Itta happy is writing,鈥� Brodbeck said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been there.鈥�
What鈥檚 next for the author
Now that she is a two-time published author, Galmore said she feels a sense of pride in what she has accomplished.
鈥淚 feel good. I knew I completed something,鈥� Galmore said.
Davis, her stepfather, was impressed by her books too, especially since her second project took years to write, edit and fundraise for the expenses. He was amazed by Galmore鈥檚 sharp memory as she recollected her health scare.
鈥淚 admire the fact that she got two things published,鈥� said Davis who called it a milestone.
As for Galmore, she is already thinking ahead to what she鈥檒l write next.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be poetry,鈥� Galmore said.