It is a popular greeting in our culture when we are finishing a conversation with someone else. Take Care of yourself! Often we are sincere but sometimes it is just something that we politely say. This next week, Arden and I are taking this to heart. We are leaving today on a dream trip to
When I was a young mom, I was not naïve; I knew that life has it ups and downs. I expected a Merry-Go-Round, and got a Roller-Coaster. I thought that my life would go up and down, up and down, in gentle expected cycles of highs and lows. I didn’t anticipate the sudden terrifying plunges,
We have all heard the old adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” The warning is to not make quick judgements about people. If we don’t dig beneath the surface, we can underestimate them, which also means we can undervalue them. At first glance, in a public setting, Nick is an adult male, typically
One of the biggest lessons I have learned from taking Nick in his wheelchair with us wherever we go is to ask for help from others. A few weeks ago we went to Portland Oregon to see the new Cirque du Soleil show titled Crystal. It was amazing by the way. We had never been
Castle Bridge in Buncrana, County Donegal is impressive. It has stood crossing the Crana River near its mouth for 300 years this year. Brigid Rose Higgins, local Inishowen artist, has captured the solid strength and serene beauty of the bridge in her recent acrylic painting. It is really beautiful. The Buncrana Castle Bridge has an
Nick loves the movie Top Gun. He watches it over and over, singing the songs while following the story line. In case you are not familiar with the story line, this is a spoiler alert! Goose dies. Nick always tells us at that pivotal point in the movie, “Goose is dead.” It is like he
I watched a facebook video the other day that had gone viral. A brave young mother tearfully shared her feelings about her life caring for her child with autism. She said, “Some days it is not ok.” My heart swelled with pride and compassion for her, then clamped down with fear. I couldn’t read the comments
Yesterday, at the end of the day I thought, “Today was an ordinary day during tax season.” I met with clients, I worked on files in between appointments, made phone calls, talked to Arden and Nick, I was tired, ate meals, etc. Typical day, nothing special. Then, almost immediately, little vignettes of the day flooded
What happened! I was so motivated, again. I had all the best intentions, I bought all the right stuff. Clothes, equipment, I even got a cute water bottle. Glass of course. I started out dedicated and gung-ho. This time it was going to be different. Again. I did great for two weeks. I rode my
I have never been on a surf board, and I am not sure that it will ever happen, but I do like playing around in the ocean. While the waves are beautiful as they come crashing onto the shore, the ocean is powerful and we need to recognize signs and understand some basic rules in
Announcing that I have finished a book with the working title of “The Fairy Fort.” I am currently pitching it to publishers. Keep checking back to watch the progress of my newest novel.
Here is a quick glimpse of the story.
Sarah Doherty is an 18-year-old living in rural Ireland at the tail end of the Great War. Plagued by severe epilepsy, she is protected by her parents and lives a sheltered, secluded, lonely life. The Fae, local Irish fairies, interfere with her life. She falls forward a century in time through the local fairy fort of standing stones. She had a seizure in 1918 and woke up in 2020. The 21st century world includes life-saving prescriptions, physical comforts and the independence and freedom she seeks. The locals are welcoming and Andy Mclaughlin, a handsome young historian, is intriguing. She doesn’t want to return home.
Then a letter arrives from Boston divulging the story of Sarah and Andy’s lives that are deeply entwined in the previous century. They are not yet in love but as they seek to verify the letter through online resources, they feel a growing obligation to their unborn family and to each other. What would happen to their posterity living in Boston if they don’t return to 1918? Even if they do make it back, her parents can never know what happened to her or that would change everything.
This Young Adult time-travel romance explores the question: Do we have the freedom to make choices or is free will an elaborate illusion?
This is my third book. I love reading time travel romances. I am an advocate for epilepsy awareness because my 43-year-old son has intractable epilepsy. As a genealogist specializing in Irish research, I live part of the year in the village where the story is based. I wrote the book to help young adults understand that difficult situations can change your life. Sometimes miraculously.
