Debra Twilight Copes shares grief journey in bestselling anthology

Debra Twilight Copes, a sonic voice artist and metaphysical practitioner, is featured in the newly released anthology The Moment We Rise, which reached bestseller status across multiple countries after its September 9, 2026 release. Her chapter traces the death of her mother, a period of silence and burnout, and the moment she says she found a new purpose for her voice.

Why it matters: - Debra Twilight Copes is using a high-profile anthology to frame grief, faith and recovery as part of a larger conversation about healing and purpose. - The Moment We Rise reached bestseller charts in the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, expanding the reach of stories centered on healing and transformation. - Proceeds from the book benefit Brighter Healing Foundation, which supports access to holistic healing tools, education, resources and support.

What happened: - Debra Twilight Copes is one of 15 contributing authors in The Moment We Rise: Stories of Healing, Purpose, and the Courage to Choose a New Beginning. - The anthology was released on September 9, 2026. - The book was compiled by Vickie Gould, founder of Life Changing Energy, and published by Morning Oak Publishing. - Copes’ chapter is titled “My Million-Minute Silence: The Day I Stood Still.” - Her chapter focuses on the grief that followed her mother’s death, along with isolation, burnout and a loss of identity.

The details: - Copes says the period after her mother died forced her to slow down and confront the emotional and spiritual weight she had been carrying. - The chapter describes how familiar distractions and creative outlets fell away, leaving her in unexpected stillness. - Copes says she buried both her mother and her own voice, including her dream of being on stage, before later finding a higher purpose for that voice. - She describes the experience as being caught between silence and a spiritual calling that became harder to ignore. - In the chapter, she says she faced an ultimatum of “Give up. Or get up.” - Copes says an experience she later describes “had restored my voice for purpose, not performance.” - She also said, “Writing about that day was one of the hardest things I've done, but it reminded me how far I'd come, became another part of my healing and brought my role and purpose to life.”

Between the lines: - The chapter positions silence as a turning point, not just a period of loss. - Copes frames grief, the pandemic and invisible health challenges as part of the same collapse in routine, identity and emotional capacity. - Her story also reflects a broader theme in the anthology: personal disruption can lead to a redefinition of purpose. - Copes now connects that experience to restorative and storytelling circles, suggesting her own recovery has become part of her public practice.

What's next: - Copes says she is building on her rediscovered vocal purpose through sonic art, immersive soundscapes and holistic offerings. - Her evolving vision, Empath's Odyssey, includes women-centred restorative and storytelling circles and experiences that combine voice, sound and ceremony. - She hopes circles and other connection-based spaces become a more familiar part of everyday community life. - More information is available at the project website.

The bottom line: - Debra Twilight Copes is turning a deeply personal grief story into a public message about healing, voice and belonging.