I am in Galway, alone. Oh, I am with friends. However, I am not with Nick. He and Arden are up in Donegal and I will join them on Monday. This weekend I am presenting at a conference on Mothering at Galway University. My talk is entitled, “The Unexpected Mothering Story. When the story doesn’t
Nick woke up Monday morning quite excited. He didn’t even say good morning in response to me entering his bedroom. He started singing, “On the road again!” I cracked up. He knew that we were traveling to Ireland and understood the sentiment in the song. He couldn’t articulate his excitement but he could communicate it
In the fall of 2010, Nick’s seizures were out of control. Our epileptologist (a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy) was looking for all sorts of solutions including the usual medicine changes. Some of the factors used to manage epilepsy can include controlling his environment, eating or restricting certain foods, following a strict medicine schedule and
Ancient Greek philosophers taught us “The only thing that is constant is change.” It seems that just as soon as I get used to the current changes in our lives, we are facing a new normal. Nick has fallen a couple of times this past spring, one caused a broken ankle, the other caused a
I wanted to share this story not only because I think that it is a very cute story about Nick, but also because I believe that wisdom and support can often come to us from unexpected sources if we are open to receiving it. The other day, Nick’s younger brother Derek and I were discussing
As a parent, I understand that one of my main duties is to keep my child safe. Safety for infants is different than safety for toddlers, teenagers or adult children. Each of their developmental stages required me to relearn my role as their parent. I had some success and some failures in my journey of
During our trip to Ireland last fall Nick had a seizure while Arden was bringing him down the stairs. Because someone was with him as always, he wasn’t injured, but we felt that it was a warning. We determined that we needed to make some changes to our home here. We needed to think outside
Nick loves music, especially when it is performed live. We noticed from our first trip to Ireland that the musicians here are very talented. Nick has a special place in his heart for a local singer/songwriter, Shunie Crampsey. Just after the concert with Phil Coulter this past week, Nick said to us, “Now Shunie.” Meaning
Most every morning Nick wakes up in a great mood. He sings songs and talks non-stop while we get him cleaned up to start the day. Arden loves to tease Nick when they are talking or singing. He will change words around or will completely ad-lib lines. His sense of humor is one of the
For the past 18 months, we have been doing everything we can to give Nick all of the experiences that will bring him joy. The doctors have told us that his epilepsy is progressing and it is obvious to all that know him that his capabilities have diminished over this time. I know that sounds
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.
