Kindness Fridays
A bit unusual post on my part.
I have a medical condition – going on 2 years – for which no medical professional has provided a solution.
This condition has caused 8 nights of no sleep due to its symptoms in the last 6 weeks alone, and many other sleepless nights in the past 24 months. We cancelled a trip September 2015 because of it.
The most recent episode had me calling the specialist office to reach the on-call doctor this past Sunday. He is not my normal specialist but he provided a treatment that two of his own fellow physicians were not able to provide for the past 2 years.
Today I celebrate the kindness of a medical professional who took the time, on a Sunday, to prescribe the right treatment for me. He is my new specialist. Quite frankly, he is my medical hero.
This was and is a kindness that has made a huge difference in my health.
Lighten up Mondays
I’m in the mood for some medical humor, so here goes:
Q: What’s the difference between a general practitioner and a specialist?
A: One treats what you have, the other thinks you have what he treats.
*****
The best doctor in the world is the veterinarian. He can’t ask his patients what is the matter – he’s got to just know.
– Will Rogers
*****
A patient arrived at the Emergency Room at 0400 with no complaints: “I have been having chest pain for 4 months but I am not having chest pain now. The reason I’m here now is because I heard that 4am is the best time to come cause there are not that many people. ”
*****
My friend is a Botox junkie—she can’t stop getting the injections. But surprisingly, when I reminded her to get her flu shot, she shuddered. “I hate needles,” she said. I had a solution: “Just pretend it will make your arm look younger.”
*****
Visiting the psych ward, a man asked how doctors decide to institutionalize a patient.
“Well,” the director said, “we fill a bathtub, then offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient, and ask him to empty the tub.”
“I get it,” the visitor said. “A normal person would use the bucket because it’s the biggest.”
“No,” the director said. “A normal person would pull the plug.”
Community discussion on Alzheimer’s disease
Saturday, August 26th, 3 pm
I am excited about my next author event which will take place at Book Tree in Kirkland, Washington.
Book Tree is a fabulous, quaint, neighborhood bookstore that truly excels at bringing the community together.
Here’s the content of their website’s About section:
BookTree is a vibrant gathering place for the exchange of ideas, and discussion of books and the literary arts. It is a place where all are welcome to continue their journey, expand their knowledge, feed their interests and further their education through books and literature. It is a place for families to find and enjoy the best of current literature. A place where our customers can hear local and traveling writers, authors and poets present their work.
BookTree is one of the few remaining independent bookstores on the Eastside that will be an important part of our city’s identity. It will be successful because of the generous support of our community who values a stand-alone retail bookstore.
BookTree is owned by 2 people who are passionate about the inherent value of books, reading, writing, listening and sharing diverse ideas, and viewpoints.
I hope to see you on the 26th!
Kindness Fridays
This week’s kindness places a spotlight on a primary person in my life who has supported me on my road to publication. If ever there was a kindness a debut author might covet, encouragement and unfailing belief in the writer’s abilities, goes a long, long way.
My husband, Jerry, lived through my Alzheimer’s caregiving experience with my father. He was on the receiving end of each one of my crying bouts and frustrations and always offered sage advice when none could be found within my own fractured psyche. When I announced I was thinking of writing a novel, he backed me 100%: reading portions and offering honest input such as telling me that the way I had written the male characters didn’t sound like the way a male character would act or talk. That was such valuable advice because my debut novel’s characters are equally split between male and female. Although my novel could fall into the Women’s Fiction genre, that is not the only audience for which it was written.
Quite simply, my husband enabled me – in a very healthy way – to accomplish what I have accomplished: the publication of Requiem for the status quo; a five year journey with a decidedly happy ending.
Cheers to the best man I could ever hope to spend my life with.
Lighten up Mondays
Here are some great football jokes in honor of this past weekend’s pre-season start:
Three fans were talking about the sad state of their local football team:
The first fan blamed…: “I blame the manager; if we could sign better players, we’d be a great team.”
The second fan blamed…: “I blame the players; if they made more effort, I’m sure we would score more touchdowns.”
The third fan blamed…: “I blame my parents; if I had been born in a different town, I’d be supporting a decent team.”
*****
Q: Why do coaches like punters?
A: Because punters always put their best foot forward.
Q. Why do ducks fly over Gillette Stadium upside down?
A. There’s nothing worth pooping on.
Q: Which football player wears the biggest helmet?
A: The one with the biggest head.
Q: What’s the difference between the San Francisco 49ers and a dollar bill?
A: You can still get four quarters out of a dollar bill.
GO SEAHAWKS!!!!!
Interview of fellow BRW author: Matthew Brockmeyer
I’m always thrilled to promote fellow authors, especially those who have the same publisher as myself: Black Rose Writing.
Another author, Rebecca Howie, who interviewed me on July 16th, provides this wonderful peek into the world that Matthew Brockmeyer has created in his novel. I hope you’ll investigate what he’s up to!
Free Booksy giving away my novel for free!
My debut novel is ranked #1 in all free books available in the Alzheimer’s disease category. Just a few hours remain to get my novel Requiem for the status quo for free as a Kindle book. Giveaway ends at the end of the day, August 12th. Look closely, the cost is $0.00.
Free Booksy is sponsoring this giveaway. Even when my book is purchased for free, it has a positive impact on my book’s ranking on Amazon.
What are you waiting for?
Meet the authors on Facebook — MARY K. TILGHMAN WRITES
Please say you’ll come…. I am hosting a Facebook Meet the Author Party this coming Tuesday at 7 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) It’s all online so you can “come as you are.” What’s a Facebook party, you ask? It’s a way to collect people who’d like to meet right there on Facebook. Everybody comes to […]
Kindness Fridays
Very briefly, I’ll relay a kindness that was gifted me earlier this week.
I entered an elevator in a business building occupied by two other patrons from higher floors. People who share an elevator with me are always caught unawares because I’m one of those annoying people who talk to others in elevators while the rest of the general population pretends they are invisible as they hover in the corner.
This older gentleman – older than me by at least ten years – had on the brightest green sneakers…there was no way I wouldn’t compliment him on his choice of footwear. He explained that he wears those sneakers when he’s riding his bike through the streets of Seattle – plus lots of lights and flashers – because he doesn’t want to end up as a bicyclist pancake on the street.
We arrived at the Lobby floor, much to the delight of the other, non-talkative elevator occupier, and I extended my hand for her, and the older gentleman to leave, after all, they occupied the elevator prior to me. That is the unwritten right of passengers.
No. That was not to be the case. The older gentleman waved me ahead of himself because he still maintained the courtesy of letting women go first.
That’s all; that’s my kindness, and it was delightful.
I’d love to see you on Thursday, August 17th!
Just one week from today, I will hold my first author reading event and you can be front and center to witness it!
I hope those of you who live in the greater Puget Sound region of Washington State will be able to wend your way to Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park for my 7 pm event. It’s really, really close to Bothell and Kenmore, and not at all far from Redmond, Kirkland, and Bellevue.
Be sure to allow ample driving time…not only will people be in a rush to get home after their work day, but they’ll probably be clamoring to get to Lake Forest Park for my 7 pm event. 😉
Lighten up Mondays
Because I’m in a grandparent-ty mood, today’s funnies focus on children:
- What do you get when you cross a baby with soldiers? Infantry.
- What is a baby? A small human that makes a lot of noise at one end and has no sense of responsibility at the other.
- What does a baby computer call his father? Data.
- A worried mother does better research than the FBI.
- Shower Schizophrenia: The constant belief that you hear a baby crying when you’re trying to take a shower.
- I see all these moms who can do everything, and then I think, “I should have them do stuff for me.”
- My parents accused me of lying today. I looked at them and said, “Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, Easter Bunny” and walked away like a boss.
- I haven’t been able to get my kids to pay attention to anything I’ve said all day, so I’m gonna sit here and pretend I’m on the phone. That should do it…or try to sneak-eat a candy bar or read a book…same result.
Kindness Fridays
Today’s kindness takes yet another turn: I simply cannot not write about our grandson, Lucas.
Lucas came into our world on May 11th, 2017. His parents were already a blessing in our lives and when their family increased by one, the blessings increased exponentially.
He just turned twelve weeks old and let me tell you, his personality is coming through very clearly.
If you’re me, you talk a lot.
If you’re my grandson Lucas, you’re subjected to all that talking.
Just as is the case with every human being out there, when he’s had his fill of my jabbering, he’ll let me know that his Grandma Olson talking threshold has been reached – for the time being – but before that happens, he gifts me with smiles and conversation to beat the band.
What a reward it is to have an impact on a young person’s life and when that young person is now able to gift others with smiles, funny faces, and “language”, my oh my, that’s a gift of kindness of greater value than all the riches in the world.
Online purchases: whether cotton balls or books, customer reviews are a must!
If a book doesn’t have any reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers’ sites, does it really exist?
It does, but to potential readers, no reviews may equate to a risky purchase. Let’s face it, you can hardly purchase a bag of cotton balls online without having dozens – if not hundreds – of reviews to peruse prior to consider pushing that all important BUY button.
The same goes for books, but even more than that, an author’s literary credibility is tied in with author and sales rankings and reviews are part of what feeds those rankings. Authors aren’t getting rich on their craft, and that is certainly not my goal. What is my goal, however, is that many people read my novel and at its end, they feel they’re better off having done so.
If you have read REQUIEM FOR THE STATUS QUO, won’t you please post a review on three of the sites for which said reviews are very important? Here’s the link for Amazon, and for Barnes & Noble, and for Goodreads. But fear not; you do not need to write a unique review for each of those sites, simply write a review on Amazon, for example, then copy and paste it into the review sections for the other sites. Easy peasy. And many, many thank you to those who have already posted your reviews. You have fed my soul and made my day.
AND IF YOU’RE ONLY GOING TO POST A REVIEW ON ONE SITE, PLEASE MAKE IT AMAZON.
If you have yet to purchase my novel…please consider doing so. And if you have a copy but have yet to read it, please remember my shameless begging in this post and submit a review once you have. Please, no mention of your relationship to me…absolutely not necessary and it’s advisable, from Amazon standards, that you don’t.
My plea for reviews isn’t my attempt at stroking my flaccid ego, no, it’s merely my efforts at making my novel more attractive to the person looking for a book on the subject, and when they purchase and read it, and they are impacted in a positive way by my words and my experience, then all that has lead up to this time will have been worth it.
The secret of Alzheimer’s disease
I discovered something shocking during the weeks that followed my novel’s release:
Alzheimer’s disease is still a secret.
I know; we’ve all certainly read about it, especially when a celebrity is diagnosed with the disease. Every once and awhile there might be an Alzheimer’s Association commercial on television…that is assuming we don’t fast forward through it or walk out of the room. Another reason we’re familiar with the disease is that it is happening to so many people with whom we are acquainted – whether intimately or tangentially.
But it’s still a secret. The very definition of the word speaks to its intent: adj. not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others; n. something not properly understood; a mystery. from the Concise Oxford English Dictionary
In many of my promotional posts and boasts for my novel Requiem for the status quo, I’ve indicated that my book tour would probably look more like a senior center tour than what is normally the route for authors: readings and signings in major and independent bookstores. That’s the tact I took, approaching numerous senior centers in Western Washington. 25% of those I approached booked my author event on their activity calendars. But when I approached a major senior housing community foundation to get on their speakers’ calendar, I was told the residents pushed back at the foundation’s previous efforts to enlighten and inform when they hosted those who spoke to the reality of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia.
Lighten up Mondays
The following funnies came directly from a BuzzFeed page poking fun at book nerds:
- He said, “Books or me.” I sometimes remember him when I’m buying new books.
- I like big books and I can not lie.
- A cartoon shows a husband and wife sitting in their reading chairs with an open book on each of their laps…but their chair tables were empty. “We forgot our reading glasses.” Lo’ and behold, a glass of red wine appeared on each of their tables in the next frame.
And here are a few from JokeQuote.com:
- The great thing about books is that there are no commercials.
- Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. – P.J. O’Rourke
- I took a speed-reading course and read War and Peace in twenty minutes. It involves Russia. – Woody Allen
- One trouble with developing speed reading skills is that by the time you realize a book is boring you’ve already finished it.
– Franklin P. Jones - Sure reading a book under a tree is peaceful but imagine how stressful it is for the tree to see a bunch of it’s dead friends in your hand.
– Kyle Lippert - Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers. – Harry S Truman
Indie Interview
So very grateful to Rebecca Howie, the author who interviewed me in a July 16th post on her blog. Here’s another interview that she so generously conducted of an author who writes younger-person books.
Kindness Fridays
Okay, today’s Kindness Friday is going to look a lot like another shameless effort on my part to promote by novel, Requiem for the status quo, and it is, but there’s lots of kindness wrapped up in it.
My very first author event will take place at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, WA on August 17, 2017. I dropped off my promotional poster that they’ll be using prior to and day of, and lo’ and behold, did I receive a welcome surprise when I walked into the store.
There, at the front of the store along with other authors’ announcements was my own announcement that the staff put into place. See it on the far left in front?
ALSO, on a kiosk just inside the door are announcements for every author in the month of August who will be holding a reading. And whose book do you think was found on that kiosk just waiting for someone to notice and purchase it?
Mine.
If that isn’t kindness, I don’t know what is.
And just in case you’re wondering, my novel is available where all fine books are sold, including Amazon (who now offers it in eBook version) and Barnes and Noble. Other eRetailers will be offering eBook format in the weeks ahead.
Buster and Moo, on #LisaBurtonRadio
Yet again, Craig Boyack and a guest author really hit an interview out of the park. Great job everyone!
Welcome to this week’s edition of Lisa Burton Radio. I’m your host, Lisa the robot girl, and with me in the studio today is a beautiful Jack Russel, Stafforshire cross known alternately as Buster and Moo. “Welcome to the show, and how would you like me to refer to you?”
“Is it okay to lick you, Lisa? I kind of have this thing about holding out my paw all the time and shaking it. Then if you don’t give me a treat I’m probably going to slobber into the microphone. What was the question? Oh, my name. Currently Moo.”
“How did you come to have two different names? Is one an alias of some kind?”
“Ha! Two names? I’ve had, let me see? Six? Maybe seven. There was the one my mother gave me, the one the guy who brought my dad to meet mum that time – she said…
View original post 1,818 more words
Lighten up Mondays
My husband and I hike every week in the gloriously beautiful Pacific Northwest region of Washington state. Here are some actual complaints received by Forest Rangers:
- A small deer came into my camp and stole my bag of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed?
- Escalators would help on steep uphill sections. (I have to say, I’ve joked about this while on the trail. While descending the mountain and encountering others struggling up, I’ll oftentimes say, “Oops, did you miss the sign to the escalator? Would have been much easier for you.”)
- Trails need to be wider so people can walk while holding hands.
- Found a smouldering cigarette left by a horse.
- Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill.
- Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests.
- Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them.
- The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake. Please eradicate these annoying animals.
- Need more signs to keep area pristine.
- A McDonald’s would be nice at the trailhead.
- Too many rocks in the mountains.
- The places where trails do not exist are not well marked.
Requiem characters’ radio interview
Craig Boyack, author and author supporter – yes, author supporter – conducted a radio interview of two of the characters from my debut novel, Requiem for the status quo.
Patrick Quinn, father of the protagonist, Colleen Strand, has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and he’s having a difficult time trying to figure out how not to be a burden to his daughter, Colleen. He’s friendly with the radio host, even joking about a part of the male body that withers and needs medicinal support and encouragement from time to time. (Don’t worry, it’s G-Rated, you have to read the context of the interview to fully appreciate the sense of humor this fine, eighty-four year old man exhibits, even in the midst of his disease journey.)
Jonathan Quinn, Patrick’s son, who’s not too keen on what has happened to the father whom he at one time looked up to. Yes, Jonathan is embarrassed by his father’s forgetfulness and seems to think his father’s challenges are all about him, Jonathan, instead of the person who has a front row seat to every twist and turn the plaques and tangles of his diseased brain takes. Jonathan is firmly implanted on the road to denial and sadly, it gets in the way of his relationship with his father.
The interviewer is a fictional character, Lisa Burton, a character in one of Craig Boyak’s novels. The interview takes place on her show, Lisa Burton Radio. This different way of interviewing an author, in this case, me, and spotlighting the author’s novel, is so ingenious, you will be taken aback by how effective Craig’s blogging methods are.
Please, read the interview, and when you’ve done so, I hope you’ll purchase my book from any of the many online and brick and mortar book stores out there, including Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Be sure to shop around for the best price, you won’t be sorry you did. And for those of you with eReaders, the eBook will also be available at most online book retailers on, or about, July 27th.
Dementia caregivers: 21st century heroes
Those family members who have had, or who currently have, a family member or close friend with Alzheimer’s or other dementia, you are my hero.
You took on the task of showing your love and compassion by signing up to become a family caregiver which at its best is a learn-as-you-go, long-term commitment. Your efforts make a difference in the life of your loved one. They may not be able to express their appreciation for all that you do, but please know that the essence of who they are acknowledges your kindness.
Your name and/or identity may be lost to them, but you are still a vital part of their lives, and your friendly and loving demeanor goes far toward affirming them and making them feel valued and loved.
Thank you for all that you have done, continue to do, and will remain doing in the future. It is an honor to be in your company.
Requiem for the status quo was released by Black Rose Writing on July 20th. You can order Requiem at Barnes & Noble and Amazon as well as all online and brick and mortar chain and independent bookstores. Be sure to shop around for the best price, you won’t be sorry you did. And for those of you with eReaders, the eBook will be available at most online book retailers on, or about, July 27th.
Release day for Requiem for the status quo
Today is release day for my debut novel.
On December 29, 2012, I first sat down to write that novel.
On the day of the fifth anniversary of my father’s October 13, 2007 death, I decided to write a novel inspired by my caregiving experiences as his Alzheimer’s care manager. I was certain novel writing would be a huge undertaking because up to that point, I had never written fiction. Because of the enormity of said project, I figured I would wait until the beginning of the following year – you know, a fresh start and all.
But the universe had other plans. My December 29, 2012 horoscope was what the universe used as the catalyst to get my attention. More than that, it shocked me into action. The horoscope so alarmed me, I cut it out of the newspaper, typed it out in large font, and after writing my novel’s very first page, I framed all three to memorialize the outstanding coincidence of what my Taurus-scope said. Here, for your enlightenment, is its wording:
Now’s perfect to start a new writing project; no need to wait until next year. Put down your thoughts without worrying about form, one word at a time.
I showed the horoscope to my husband and if it at all possible, he was more shocked than I at the horoscope’s content. He left me alone the remainder of the day, knowing the horoscope meant business, and so did I. I closed the door to my office, sat at my computer and started typing.
I didn’t know what I was doing. As I mentioned earlier, I had never written fiction. At that point, my personal blog, Living: the ultimate team sport was filled with 100s of non-fiction pieces, most of which centered around aging, long-term care, as well as numerous posts about Alzheimer’s disease, other dementia, and the caregiving struggles faced by families. But to write prose – with dialogue!!!!! – was beyond my skill set, and remained to be for quite some time.
The short of the long of it is that Requiem for the status quo was not the first title for the novel, there were many, the first being Have we met? Aren’t you glad I changed it to its current one? Not only were several titles tried on but my magnum opus went through many rewrites, most notably and importantly, the first draft contained a whopping total of 140,000 words. You see, I had a lot to say and I just kept typing until I had nothing more to add.
That’s an excellent way to get thoughts down on paper, but the first draft is by no means the final product that is pitched to agents and publishers. My now published novel is less than 68,000 words. Yes, lots of cutting and slashing took place over the years, to the point where not only am I proud of the finished product, but a publisher is also proud of it, Black Rose Writing.
I will close this post by providing glimpses of my father to you over the years. I hope you enjoy this montage that includes, from top left: My mother and father’s wedding day, 1947; my wedding day 2000 (my favorite photo of my dad and I); and the Desonier family circa 1971.
Reader discoveries
To celebrate my novel’s release, I held a giveaway on a Facebook readers group, A Novel Bee, and made some extraordinary reader discoveries.
I gave the members of that group 24 hours to leave a comment on my giveaway announcement if they wanted to be entered into my contest to pick one lucky (hopefully lucky) reader to receive a complimentary copy of my novel, Requiem for the status quo.
I received 37 entries, and a considerable percentage of those readers’ entries made mention of their own personal Alzheimer’s/dementia caregiving journey. Here are just a few of those comments:
- I am a geriatric care manager, can’t wait to read it!
- My friend just had to put her mom into a caregiving rest home because she could no longer handle her. She was becoming quite violent. It is a horrendous disease.
-
I love that you are writing inspiring stories! Many of us are or were caregivers and the hopelessness we feel when we dont see them getting better can be overwhelming. Your compassion is so sweet and much needed in todays world. Im really excited to find a new author I can enjoy!
- I would be honored to read this book, my father had Alzheimer’s disease. I want to tell you that the cover is totally amazing !!!!!
- I would love to win. My husband has Alzheimer’s/ dementia so it is if special interest to me.
Even as familiar as I am with the statistics for this disease – 44 million diagnosed worldwide as of this writing – it still astounds me to hear the personal stories associated with it. Like every terminal disease known to man, Alzheimer’s and other dementia are very personal diseases. The brain – the very essence of a person’s being – is the initial body part affected. What we say, how we behave, and who we are resides in the various, vital parts of our brain. Our brain is the grand traffic director of all things me.
It’s no wonder the very long goodbye associated with this disease is so devastating to the one diagnosed, as well as for the one caring for her or him. It’s very personal, isn’t it?
I am of the belief that family dementia caregivers are 21st century heroes. Additionally, all caregivers, not just those on a dementia caregiving journey are the best of the best. They are:
Ordinary people, doing the ordinary right thing, at an extraordinary time.
I am honored to be in your company.
Requiem for the status quo will be released by Black Rose Writing on July 20th. You can order Requiem at Barnes & Noble and Amazon as well as all online and brick and mortar chain and independent bookstores. Be sure to shop around for the best price, you won’t be sorry you did. And for those of you with eReaders, the eBook will be available at most online book retailers on, or about, July 27th.
Lighten up Mondays
I’ve recently had some computer frustrations that regardless of what I do and regardless of who provides much needed technical assistance, the problems that caused those frustrations keep hanging around. Alas, in celebration of those frustrations, I provide these technological jokes
*****
After i-messaging back and forth with my wife, I jokingly commanded Siri to pass along this message: “You need to get back to work now; you have a husband to support.”
Here’s what Siri sent: “You need to get back to work now; you have a has-been to support.”
*****
- Instagram is just Twitter for people who go outside.
- The closest I’ve been to a diet this year is erasing food searches from my browser history.
- I put so much more effort into naming my first Wi-Fi router than my first child.
- If an anonymous comment goes unread, is it still irritating?
- If nobody likes your selfie, what is the value of the self?
- To see a man or woman’s true face, look to the photos he or she hasn’t posted.
- GPS map programs really need to start directions on step number five. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
Author Celebration: Books about Alzheimer’s disease
To celebrate my own book’s July 20th release, a book that’s about Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, I am tooting the horn of other authors who have done the same, a few of whom I know personally.
There’s a high degree of sadness surrounding this list because almost without fail, those authors who have written memoirs, story collections, fiction, and non-fiction books have done so because of their own personal Alzheimer’s journey.
Ann Hedreen, Her Beautiful Brain – A Memoir. Ann lives in Seattle, Washington, and has provided valuable support to me through my own publication journey. To quote Amazon.com:
Her Beautiful Brain is Ann Hedreen’s story of what it was like to become a mom just as her beautiful, brainy mother began to lose her mind to an unforgiving disease.
I can not imagine the struggle Ann endured while being a new mother whose time and energy was already spread so thin when life happened to her and her household, in a manner hardly believable to so many of us.
Collin Tong, Seattle journalist, Into the Storm – Journeys with Alzheimer’s, a compilation of true stories that starts with the very personal story of Collin’s caregiving journey with his wife, Linda. Collin’s support of my project, telling me not to give up when so many agents and publishers wouldn’t give me the time of day, inspired me to keep on keepin’ on. His story collection is amazing. Again, quoting Amazon:
In his compelling new anthology, Into the Storm: Journeys with Alzheimer’s, twenty-three writers, journalists, educators, health practitioners, social workers, clergy and other family caregivers from across the United States share their intimate stories of caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Each of the twenty-three stories are gems that you do not want to miss. I know you will be as impressed as I was by each and every one of them.
The next entry contains numerous authors and their books, found in one central location: AlzAuthors. The purpose for their site states:
We are AlzAuthors. In some way, each of us who have come together on this site have been affected by Alzheimer’s Disease/dementia. We share our experiences to bring knowledge, comfort, and understanding to others on this journey.
Click on this link to the AlzAuthors Bookstore to discover a wealth of informational and engaging books that will meet the needs of those who are caring for parents or grandparents, spouses or partners, those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, fiction books, books for children and teens, and those offerings that provide helpful information for one and all.
3rd Act Magazine, not a book, but a publication addressing the third act of one’s life, usually heavy on those of us who are Baby Boomers. This publication has so much to offer its readers. I, for one, am pleased that the subtitle of their magazine reads, Aging with Confidence. You got that right! You’re not done with us yet; we have so much to offer the world that is spread out before us.
And yes, all of the above-mentioned projects prove that a lifetime of experience – the good and the not so terribly good – equates to having something to say, and not being afraid to say it. Which brings me to my part in that effort:
Requiem for the status quo is currently available at just about any bookstore you can walk into or find online. If a particular store doesn’t currently stock my novel, simply request that they order one for you and you should be able to get your hands on it in short order. You can order Requiem at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Be sure to shop around for the best price, you won’t be sorry you did. And for those of you with eReaders, the eBook will be available at most online book retailers on, or about, July 27th. Additionally, would you like your local library to carry my novel? Simply ask them; quite often they are quite willing to accommodate individual requests.
Requiem for the status quo is dedicated to my father, Don Patrick Desonier, who wore his disease with the dignity it did not deserve.
I love you Dad.
Kindness Fridays
Those of us who have been blogging for quite some time always appreciate comments that readers leave in response to our articles.
Jill Weatherholt, author and friendly blogger extraordinaire, is one of those readers who never fails to leave some sort of comment on each and every post I make on my blog. Jill has her own blog that focuses on her writing career. You would be very wise to visit her site, especially if it means you’ll be introduced to her novel, Second Chance Romance, which is available everywhere books are sold. (I’ve attached the Amazon link for ease of purchasing.)
I read Jill’s novel a couple months ago and thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. The development of her characters excels, providing the reader with a clear understanding of who they are and how they tick. If you do read her novel, please be sure to leave a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads. Authors thoroughly rely on reader reviews for sales rankings and marketing so if you take the time to read her book, please also take the time to leave a review.
Jill and I will probably never meet in person – she lives in Charlotte, NC – but that’s okay, because like the rest of you, I could sure use some internet friends upon whom I can rely; friends that I know won’t bully me, but will only encourage and affirm me.
That’s what Jill does for me, and that, my friends, is this Friday’s Kindness offering.
The family caregiver’s hope quotient
Each person reading this post has experienced a time when their hope quotient was at an all time low.
The definition of hopeless: 1) feeling or causing despair about something; 2) inadequate, incompetent.
When life happens, as it always does regardless of our preferences, we’re bound to find ourselves unable to manufacture even a modicum of hope to get us through the circumstances in which we find ourselves:
- The loss of a job and the financial repercussions resultant from that loss.
- Crimes against our body or our property.
- Relationship disruptions.
- The devastating diagnosis of a debilitating disease: cancer, ALS, Alzheimer’s disease.
Hope isn’t what a person feels when the rug has been yanked out from underneath them and their very existence as they knew it, maybe even just five minutes earlier, takes an irreversible turn.To be sure, that’s how quickly hope can take a nosedive. Equally as quick, we can not imagine we will ever feel happy again, nor can we imagine not being overwhelmed with how life has showed up. In an instant, our level of hope took a nosedive. Read the rest of this entry »
Lighten up Mondays
My novel, Requiem for the Status Quo, will be released on Thursday, July 20th (although it’s currently available for preorder on Amazon and Barnes & Noble). Here are a few jokes about the craft and those who attempt the craft.
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A writer died and was given the option of going to heaven or hell.
She decided to check out each place first. As the writer descended into the fiery pits, she saw row upon row of writers chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they were repeatedly whipped with thorny lashes.
“Oh my,” said the writer. “Let me see heaven now.”
A few moments later, as she ascended into heaven, she saw rows of writers, chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they, too, were whipped with thorny lashes.
“Wait a minute,” said the writer. “This is just as bad as hell!”
“Oh no, it’s not,” replied an unseen voice. “Here, your work gets published.”
A linguistics professor was lecturing to his English class one day. “In English,” he said, “a double negative forms a positive. In some languages, though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However, there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative.”
A voice from the back of the room piped up, “Yeah, right.”
A writer comes home to a burned down house. His sobbing and slightly-singed wife is standing outside. “What happened, honey?” the man asks.
“Oh, John, it was terrible,” she weeps. “I was cooking, the phone rang. It was your agent. Because I was on the phone, I didn’t notice the stove was on fire. It went up in a second. Everything is gone. I nearly didn’t make it out of the house. Poor Fluffy is–”
“Wait, wait. Back up a minute,” The man says. “My agent called?”
Support for my readers
I’ve mentioned in previous posts that my “book tour” may look more like a senior center tour than a literary one. The reason: I want to reach those who could use a bit of what I have to offer. As my Author Bio states, I want to make a difference in the lives of others by writing novels that encourage those who just might need another cheerleader in their corner. At the bottom of each of my site’s pages is a section titled READERS CORNER. Each week I provide a new element of encouragement as my simple way of standing in my readers’ corner.
Yesterday I witnessed one small way in which someone was reached by my novel.
I had a haircut appointment with my wonderful stylist, Molly, of C.J. Salon. Molly has followed my entire publishing journey and is very familiar with the topic of my soon to be published novel, Requiem for the status quo. She finished up with her previous client and welcomed me into her chair. I did the reveal of my published novel which I had brought with me for a much anticipated Show and Tell moment. I also gave her several copies of my marketing brochure that provides a peek into the storyline and the lives of the characters. “Please hand them out to women who could possibly benefit from reading my novel.”
She grabbed one of the brochures, said, “I’ll be right back” and ran out into the parking lot to flag down her previous client. Turns out this client is fully-involved in a family member’s dementia journey and Molly felt she could benefit from reading my book. Turns out she was right. Her client was so excited, she hugged Molly and basically said, “This is what I’ve been looking for!”
That, my friends, was the highlight of my week – someone who wanted what I had to offer and just might benefit from the read. But you wanna know something else? My appointment was initially scheduled for 3 pm. The day before I found out I had a change of plans for my Friday, freeing up my morning, so I called C.J. Salon, asked if they had an earlier opening, and I grabbed it.
Molly’s client benefited from my change of plans – a change that initially was upsetting to me, but turned out to be just what was supposed to happen.
My oh my, I love how the Universe cooperates when its occupants are just going about their lives, oblivious to its whiles!
In less than two weeks, Requiem for the status quo will be released. It is currently available for preorder at Black Rose Writing; enter discount code PREORDER2017 before July 20th for a 10% discount. You can also preorder Requiem at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Be sure to shop around for the best price, you won’t be sorry you did. And for those of you with eReaders, the eBook will be available at most online book retailers on, or about, July 27th.
Indie Author Friday: Rebecca Howie
I am reblogging, from another author’s blog, this interview of Rebecca Howie. Rebecca focuses on writing Young Adult literature and is also a gracious web host who interviewed me for a July 16th spot on her own blog: https://rebeccahowiebooks.wordpress.com/indie-interviews/. I hope that you 1) enjoy this particular interview of Rebecca by Teri Polen, 2) that you look into purchasing her books, and 3) that you’ll visit Rebecca’s site on July 16th for her interview of me!
Source: Indie Author Friday: Rebecca Howie #IndieAuthor #YA #mystery #thriller @RebeccaH2016
Living: the ultimate team sport 