Nick, like the rest of us, learns best from watching others. When all of our kids were little, we noticed that often as his younger siblings were growing up and working on a specific developmental skill, Nick would make great progress in that area. Then that sibling would pass him up, and Nick would be on
Nick doesn’t feel obligated to do things just because it is expected. He carves out his own path in most social settings. Our oldest son Ryan was getting married to Tiffany in May of 2001. Karen and I organized a bridal shower for her in early April. Her mom and sisters were coming up from Portland
Nick loves holidays. He looks forward to each one and remembers in great detail our family traditions surrounding that holiday. These traditions need to remain the same year after year or he is upset with us. Tomorrow is Valentines Day, and Nick told me that we needed to wear red tomorrow and have cards to give
Even though it had been nice, Nicky’s second Christmas didn’t meet my expectations. Perhaps it was just an indication of where I was emotionally. We didn’t have any extra money and our families knew it. Our siblings all asked what the boys wanted and they were showered with toys. They were very generous. Nicky wasn’t
I believe that some of the best stories begin with, well, you see, there was this girl…. In 1992, when we moved out to Carnation, Nick was 13 and he fell in love. That is pretty normal for a teenage boy. To Nick, Emilee Jo Soptich was the most beautiful girl he had met. When
In September, Arden and I were talking while driving in the car, when Nick piped up from the back seat, “I want to have a job.” We reminded him that he had a job. Nick has had a few different jobs supported by job coaches for the past 16 years. It is a program that
I have mentioned that Nick broke his ankle last week. Well that has brought many unexpected experiences. Some of them are more fun than others. All have been memorable. Nick continues to amaze me. Let me share this one story as an example. He has been very tired since he broke his ankle. One day this
We were without power for over 36 hours and although that can seem like a hardship to bear, we really were comfortable. Arden has developed a backup-generator system that is automatic. It runs the furnace, many of our appliances and the lights. My main complaint is that we don’t have internet including our internet based
I believe that it is human nature to avoid doing something that we don’t want to do. Either we think that it will be unpleasant or we aren’t sure of the outcome. Will we be successful or will we fall flat on our face? Sometimes this procrastination pattern is subtle and not easily recognized. At other times,
Nick loves music and he loves to sing. He knows hundreds of songs with all of their verses. We will sing together, sometimes for hours, but he usually won’t sing for others. Years ago we were at a party honoring our friend Paddy Bogside Doherty in Derry City, Northern Ireland. Paddy had been awarded an honorary
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.
