When I was 20 I knew I wanted to write a novel. Countless drafts, hours of editing, and many choices to be had proves that anyone can write a book. This is the story behind the story.

Swing For The Fences is a work of fiction; an adventure/romance story that is intended for young adults but can be enjoyed by all ages. It is a story about a quest for love leading a Jewish boy from the prairies to the east side of Canada to find true love. Swing For The Fences is an inspirational story of growing up and change. It's about giving life everything you've got to get what you truly desire.

Swing For The Fences was a vision that was put together in a unique way. I knew where the story was going to end, but had no idea how I was going to get there. The story was constructed in a special way. I worked full-time during the day and wrote at nights. Inspiration from my daily life, nature, movies, music and much more helped change the path of the book. During the writing process I stumbled upon a poetry book I had written with countless poems. I knew I wanted to insert some of them into my story to add a personal element. A personal element was essential for me because the driving force behind this book is to send a message. That message is to give life your all and go after what you truly desire. The title Swing For The Fences is a metaphor for life.

The response to Swing For The Fences has overall been a very positive one! The book has taken its own journey making stories in national publications and appearances on television. That is not the most joyous thing to me. I’ve received several e-mails, phone calls and have had people track me down in person to congratulate and thank me for writing my book. The fact that people  read my words and I make an impact on them means the world to me!

The most valuable lesson I learned writing a story about love, and  that I’ve been able to apply to my own life, is that love is like treasure. Many try to search for love in their lives but come up empty. To find that treasure we must show patience and wait for that love to appear in front of us. When we see that love we must give our all and swing for the fences because love is the best treasure of life!

Read more about Braunstein’s Swing For The Fences can be found at www.swingforthefences.ca

Gilli will be entering the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba in the fall.