Hello and thank you for coming to my website.I'm Tracey Hunter and my book The Light Shining in Our Hearts is out now.This picture book is perfect for families to share with children and offers grown-ups an opportunity to discuss death and dying in a gentle way.You can read more about it here, and you can order a signed copy directly from this site.
For publication updates enter your email address below:
About the Book
“We can’t always see or feel her, but she’s there.She is the light shining in our hearts forever.”The Light Shining in Our Hearts gently depicts the presence of a deceased child in a family’s life, encouraging children to remember and honour the loss of a child during the grieving process, and replacing the negative thoughts and feelings associated with death and grief with a beautiful hope and a focus on magical remembrance.Perfect for families to share with children, this picture book offers grown-ups a heartwarming and simple way to discuss and support children through death and grief, helping children understand that death is a natural part of the life cycle and that grief is a normal emotion to experience.
You can order your copy for £10 + UK P&P right now using the button below.
Kind Words
The Light Shining in Our Hearts is a book of beauty, pain, grief and solace. The story of precious Cora is exquisitely told; her radiance and all the simple life pleasures that she enjoyed in her short life are vividly conveyed; the park, the birds, the family dog. Most notable is the effect she had on others; those who loved her and who felt her loss as a visceral anguish. The tears of her parents, the dragging of time in deep grief, the loss of a sense of her spirit while the pain overtook the memories. The author talks of arriving at a 'magical remembrance' when raw grief gives way to beautiful hope.Cora is all around the family; she's in the purple crocus and the glistening sea. The focus on remembering and celebrating a life is strong and inspiring. Tracey has done a wonderful job of evoking one of life's harshest experiences. Life goes on but in a different way. I found this book moving and delightful in its purity. As a mother, I shed tears for the loss of Cora, but I felt the magical remembrance very profoundly. The value of her existence rings out from the pages.
– Janey Jones, authorI thought the story was sad when she died and I felt sad for you Tracey. I liked it when you were in the park with Dougal and when the balloon went up to Cora. I think it was a gift of love from her friend and that’s nice.
– James, aged 7For families with young children who face a loss, her book reads well as a gentle story to remind us that there is still love for lost ones. We don’t forget hope and joy living with the ones who are with us. In her darkness, Tracey found the light shining in her heart again.
– Wanida McEwan
Wow! What a beautifully written piece of work which captures the feelings of loss, love and life for all ages. The wonderful illustrations really add something special to this very personal and poignant story. Grief is not an easy subject to talk about, especially with children. I can see how this book could really help families and professionals to support children in understanding and talking about grief and loss.
– Karen Simpson, TutorI honestly can’t even begin to imagine what it feels like to lose a child. The book is so moving but also so hopeful that even when you know life won’t be the same, it does go on and there can be love and joy again. A really important message at any stage in the journey of loss.
– KSI love your book. I thought it was a nice story but also very sad at times, especially when Cora died. I liked when you spoke about always in having her in you heart as that made me feel happy.
– Amy, aged 10I have been fortunate to have Tracey as my dear friend and mentor for almost 20 years. The teachings and reflections she shared with me when we met have shaped my career. The Light Shining in Our Hearts is the culmination of a lifetime for compassion, understanding and insight from this wonderfully warm, authentic woman. Tracey understands people and our inherent frailties and strength. This book is Tracey; her raw emotion, her professional and personal experience and understanding and her passion for learning, growth, recovery and remembrance. It’s a delight to see Cora’s book come to life in print and pictures.
– Derrick Pearce, Head of Community Health & Social Care Services
Tracey has written a beautiful book. Succinct words and graphics in harmony in careful balance reflecting poignancy merging with love, care and compassion. It guides us all through the dark passages of loss.
Reading it over and over again more provides comfort and guidance.
– Pat McGrann, retired GPThis book works at many levels and is relevant for adults and children of all ages. The author takes you on a journey through Cora’s short life with both simplicity and depth. The family, her friends and her precious pet all bring joy to the normality of everyday life. We smile through all this and then our hearts are broken at the devastation and loss to all who love her. Beautiful illustrations throughout draw you in as you become encapsulated within the tale. Then our hearts begin to lift again as we feel the peace knowing she is always there beside us- in our hearts.I will definitely use this book with the students I work with, currently training to be teachers. It will be a real asset in our work in literacy and personal and social development in helping them to discuss issues around loss and dying.
I’m sure also that the students will then subsequently use it with the parents and children in the communities they serve.
– Leanne Stewart, Literacy TutorWhen I read this book, memories of so many children that had passed came to mind. Sadly, as a Head Teacher working in a special school many young children died, their families plunging into grief. A grief that hit home when I lost my own daughter. At such vulnerable times a book like this gives a direction for moving forward that means no child’s life is forgotten. Thanks Tracey.
– Maggie Pollard
Order Received
Thank you for your order!You should now receive an email confirmation.Your signed copy will be posted shortly.If you have any queries then please contact me.
About Tracey Hunter
Tracey Hunter trained as a social worker in 1981. In a career spanning over forty years, she has worked with children, young adults and older people in Glasgow, the Scottish Borders, Bradford and the Southern Hebrides.In 1987, her first daughter Cora died in a tragic accident when she was fourteen months old. Since then, a large part of her life’s work has been to encourage discussions about death, loss and separation, and to help people find meaning in their lives — even in the depths of grief.She supported bereaved parents in Glasgow in the 1990s as a member of the peer support group The Compassionate Friends. Through this work, she realised we are never alone in our grief, and made it her mission to support others to find a path through the darkness.The Light Shining in Our Hearts was first written for Cora’s two siblings in 1991.She moved to Islay in 2008, where she enjoys long walks, combing the beach and exploring the island’s natural beauty. She is a keen baker and cook, and loves to share food with family and friends.
Services
The Light Shining in Our Hearts is primarily a book for children and young people to explore with adults their thoughts and deepen discussions around the themes of death and dying. However, I believe it also provides an opportunity for parents, carers and other adults working with children to explore their own feelings on the wider themes of grief, loss and trauma and how they can best support children and young people in future.Everyone experiences change and loss every day of their lives. It is how we deal with it that determines our ability to move forwards positively and mitigate the effects of trauma. Through my years of professional work, I have provided support across these key themes to many children, young people (e.g. ‘Looked After Children’), adults (e.g. unpaid carers), the professionals who support them and a wide variety of different groups and organisations.I can therefore provide a range of services including:
Bespoke training in grief, loss and trauma
Workshops for professionals in education, health and social work
Workshops for parents and unpaid carers
Talks at events or conferences
For further information and discussion please get in touch using the Contact form or by email at traceyislay@gmail.com.
Contact
To be kept up to date with publication news, sign up to email updates using the box on the homepageFor anything else, send me a message using the form below.
Privacy Policy
Key detailsThis website privacy policy describes how Tracey Hunter protects and makes use of the information you give the company when you use this website.If you are asked to provide information when using this website, it will only be used in the ways described in this privacy policy.
This policy is updated from time to time. The latest version is published on this page.This website privacy policy was updated on 15 May 2023. If you have any questions about this policy, please email traceyislay@gmail.com.IntroductionWe gather and use certain information about individuals in order to provide products and services and to enable certain functions on this website.We also collect information to better understand how visitors use this website and to present timely, relevant information to them.What data we gatherWe may collect the following information:
– Name
– Email address
– Postal address (if you place an order)How we use this dataCollecting this data helps us understand what you are looking from the company, enabling us to deliver improved products and services.Specifically, we may use data:
– To contact you in response to a specific enquiry
– To send you promotional emails about products, services, offers and other things we think might be relevant to you
– To send you promotional mailings or to call you about products, services, offers and other things we think might be relevant to youYou may unsubscribe from email communication at any time by clicking the Unsubscribe link in any email message from us.Payment dataOur payment processing is provided by a secure third-party payment services provide, Stripe.com. At no time is any private payment data such as credit card numbers, expiry dates or CVC numbers given to, visible to, or stored by Tracey Hunter.Cookies and how we use themWhat is a cookie?A cookie is a small file placed on your computer's hard drive. It enables our website to identify your computer as you view different pages on our website.Cookies allow websites and applications to store your preferences in order to present content, options or functions that are specific to you. They also enable us to see information like how many people use the website and what pages they tend to visit.How we use cookies– We may use cookies to:
Analyse our web traffic using an analytics package. Aggregated usage data helps us improve the website structure, design, content and functions.
– Identify whether you are signed in to our website. A cookie allows us to check whether you are signed in to the site.
– Test content on our website. For example, 50% of our users might see one piece of content, the other 50% a different piece of content.
– Store information about your preferences. The website can then present you with information you will find more relevant and interesting.
– To recognise when you return to our website. We may show your relevant content, or provide functionality you used previously.
Cookies do not provide us with access to your computer or any information about you, other than that which you choose to share with
us.Controlling cookiesYou can use your web browser’s cookie settings to determine how our website uses cookies. If you do not want our website to store cookies on your computer or device, you should set your web browser to refuse cookies.However, please note that doing this may affect how our website functions. Some pages and services may become unavailable to you.
Unless you have changed your browser to refuse cookies, our website will issue cookies when you visit it.To learn more about cookies and how they are used, visit All About Cookies.Controlling information about youWe will never lease, distribute or sell your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or the law requires us to.
Any personal information we hold about you is stored and processed under our data protection policy, in line with the applicable regulations.SecurityWe will always hold your information securely.To prevent unauthorised disclosure or access to your information, we have implemented strong physical and electronic security safeguards.
We also follow stringent procedures to ensure we work with all personal data in line with the applicable regulations.Links from our siteOur website may from time to time contain links to other websites.
Please note that we have no control of websites outside our domain. If you provide information to a website to which we link, we are not responsible for its protection and privacy.Always be wary when submitting data to websites. Read the site’s data protection and privacy policies fully.
Terms & Conditions
IntroductionWelcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern Tracey Hunter's relationship with you in relation to this website.The term ‘Tracey Hunter' or ‘us’ or ‘we’ refers to the owner of the website. The term ‘you’ refers to the user or viewer of our website.The Contract between usWhen you place an order, including a pre-order, the order is only accepted once full payment is received. Once payment has been received you will receive an order confirmation. Our acceptance of your order brings into existence a legally binding contract between us.In the unlikely event that the goods are no longer available, or that we have made a pricing mistake, we will email you to advise you of the options.PriceThe price payable for your order is set out on the website along with postage details.AvailabilityIf we cannot supply a product ordered, you will receive an email and have the option to wait until we can get the product or to cancel the order with a full refund.ReturnsThere may an occasion where you may need to return a product. Products can be returned within 7 days of receipt. Please drop us an email telling us why you are returning the product so we can sort the problem out. You will receive a refund if there is a problem with the product or an error on our part.Cancellation by yourselvesIf your order has not been despatched in the stated timescales, you are free to cancel your order by email at traceyislay@gmail.com. Your statutory rights are not affected.Cancellation by usWe reserve the right to cancel the order if we have insufficient stock to deliver the products you have ordered. If this happens, we will contact you to advise when the product will be back in stock.DeliveryExcluding pre-orders, your order will be dispatched within 2-3 working days of being placed. If there is a delay, we will contact you. Please order with enough lead-time as we cannot be liable for any loss caused to you by late delivery. UK orders will be sent by Royal Mail 2nd Class post.Pre-orders will be dispatched within the timeframe specified on the pre-order page.The order will be delivered to the delivery address provided. It is your responsibility to provide us with accurate delivery information. If Royal Mail or other delivery partner has attempted delivery whilst you were out, a note should have been left advising you of your parcel.Please note that we cannot be held responsible for any damage caused through postage such as climatic conditions affecting the product. We make sure that all items are in perfect condition before they are sent to you. If your parcel does arrive in a poor condition, please contact us. We shall have no liability to pay any money to you by way of compensation other than to refund to you the amount paid by you for the products in question.Payment dataOur payment processing is provided by a secure third-party payment services provide, Stripe.com. At no time is any private payment data such as credit card numbers, expiry dates or CVC numbers given to, visible to, or stored by Tracey Hunter.See the Privacy Policy for further information on data management.WebsiteReproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions. Unauthorised use or abuse of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offence. Your use of this website and any dispute arising out of such use of the website is subject to the laws of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.Governing lawThe contract between us shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with Scottish law and the Scottish courts shall have jurisdiction to resolve any disputes between us.Website disclaimerThe information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Tracey Hunter and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, Tracey Hunter takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control. If you are having problems please get in touch with us.Copyright noticeThis website and its content is the copyright © Tracey Hunter 2023.Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all the contents in any form is prohibited without our permission. You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.