Books & Books in Coral Gables will host an evening conversation with Don Blackwell, the acclaimed author and mental health advocate, as he shares insights from his new book Retune Your Heart: Finding the Extra in the Ordinariness of Everyday Life. The event takes place Monday, June 9, at 7 p.m. at the store’s flagship location on 265 Aragon Avenue. Admission is free, and signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.
At first glance, Retune Your Heart seems like a quiet meditation on life’s everyday moments—a child falling off a bike, a discarded bouquet, a sidewalk hug. But for Blackwell, these small scenes hold the potential for transformation. His essays challenge readers to slow down, look closer, and find the beauty often hidden in plain sight. “If we pay closer attention, open our eyes a little wider,” he writes, “we can see beyond the ‘ordinariness.’ We can see something extra.”
The book offers a vision of awareness and empathy that grows out of personal experience. Blackwell, a veteran trial attorney based in Orlando, is no stranger to high-stakes environments. But it was his daughter’s life-threatening battle with an eating disorder—and the introspection it demanded—that shifted his perspective and launched his writing career. His first book, Dear Ashley, traced that emotional journey and helped establish him as a leading voice on issues of mental health and resilience.
Since then, Blackwell has spoken at legal and medical conferences across the country, organized the 2020 Legacy of Hope Summit, and become an advocate for more humane and effective treatment protocols for eating disorders. That sense of purpose infuses every page of Retune Your Heart. It is not a book of instructions but one of invitations—offering readers not solutions but new ways of seeing.
What makes Blackwell’s approach stand out is its blend of professional discipline and personal vulnerability. He writes with the clarity of a lawyer, the introspection of a memoirist, and the gentleness of someone who has had to rebuild his sense of the world from the inside out. His anecdotes are brief but evocative, often culminating in a moment of emotional resonance that stays with the reader.
The event at Books & Books promises to offer more than just a standard book reading. It’s a chance for community members, literary enthusiasts, and advocates alike to hear firsthand from an author whose work bridges personal storytelling and public service. Blackwell’s reflections are likely to resonate deeply in a city that values both personal growth and civic engagement.
The Coral Gables bookstore, known for hosting conversations that matter, has long been a platform for authors who tackle issues of mental health, identity, and community. Blackwell’s appearance continues that tradition. For those unable to attend, Retune Your Heart is available through the Books & Books website and at www.donblackwell-author.com.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as seating is first-come, first-served. The event is free and open to the public. For additional details, visit www.booksandbooks.com.
In an era marked by distraction and disconnection, Don Blackwell’s invitation is clear: retune your heart, rediscover your wonder, and pay attention to the details that make life extraordinary.
