I'm so pleased that Susan Weidener invited me to participate in this blog hop and was so generous in her praise of my memoir, Leaving the Hall Light On. I'm now paying it forward by recommending a few traditionally and independently published books for your summer reading enjoyment. Please include some of your favorite reads in the comments below. Adventures in Mother-Sitting by Doreen Cox. In this love story Author Doreen Cox shares her experience as a "care bear" during the last three years of her mother's life and how she learned to live with her mother's slow progression from a viable, interesting, lovable, and happy woman to a woman overcome by dementia unable to handle even her most basic bodily needs. And Doreen doesn't shirk away from those details. She repeatedly quotes her mother's mantra: "You just do what you have to do." Doreen gave up her as a career group counselor at an alternative school for at-risk and SED high school students to care for her mother, and she never … [Read more...]
I’m so proud to know Doreen Cox, loving caregiver
I first met Doreen in a women's memoir group on LinkedIn. We got to chatting and then moved on to reading each other's books and reviewing them. I was so intrigued with Doreen's story about caring for her mother - the pure love mother and daughter had for each other - that I wanted to get to know Doreen better. I found that not only did she give undivided love to her mother she gives it to all of the people in her life. I have been a recipient. No day goes by when I don't hear from Doreen either on Facebook, Twitter, a comment on my blog, or an email. I am indeed blessed to know her. Please read about her journey in writing her first book and how she got it published. I can relate since my memoir was culled from years of journaling as well. A Cathartic Journey By Doreen Cox Throughout the three years of my Care Bear experience, I scribbled in a journal at night in order to stave off despair, to keep my sanity; to cut loose the tears that had been bottled up inside while I … [Read more...]
Writing resolutions check-in
Besides writing I do participate in other creative activities - like seeing a wonderful art exhibit at LACMA called In Wonderland. This painting is by Frieda Khalo. Time to revisit my 2012 writing resolutions (posted on January 1, 2012) and report how I've been doing. First for the things I've accomplished. I participated in the January River of Stones project, writing a small stone every day of the month. I finished reading Doreen Cox' Adventures in Mother Sitting and wrote and posted reviews for it. I overachieved in the review category, by finally writing and posting a review of Laura Mays Hoopes memoir Breaking the Spiral Ceiling: An American Woman Becomes A DNA Scientist. And I'm happy to report that my novel writing has gone very well. I'm writing a bit more than the one thousand words a week that was my commitment. I'm also writing a poem a week and writing my regular posts for NaturallySavvy and PsychAlive One of my best accomplishments of the month was … [Read more...]
Review of Adventures in Mother-Sitting by Doreen Cox
Adventures in Mother-Sitting by Doreen Cox is truly a love story. No, not a love story in the boy-girl romantic sense but a story about the love between a mother and a daughter. Author Doreen Cox shares her experience as a "care bear" during the last three years of her mother's life and how she learned to live with her mother's slow progression from a viable, interesting, lovable, and happy woman to a woman overcome by dementia unable to handle even her most basic bodily needs. And Ms. Cox doesn't shirk away from those details. She repeatedly quotes her mother's mantra: "You just do what you have to do." Ms. Cox starts out this story as her mother's daughter and friend and roommate. She gradually becomes her care bear and then her "mommy." Though her mother always could articulate a thank you and big toothless smile for everything Ms. Cox did for her, she became like a child thanking her mommy. Ms. Cox gave up her as a career group counselor at an alternative school for … [Read more...]
My 2012 writing resolutions
It's time to get back to my writing life again. I know this list looks daunting but it's not much more than I've already been doing for the last six months or so. But I must say that writing this all down makes it seem more ambitious. Hopefully, this list will encourage my writing readers to join me. · Participate in the January River of Stones project notice something properly and write a small piece (stone) about it every day this month · Finish Doreen Cox' Adventures in Mother Sitting book and write a review · Read and comment on other writing blogs to get ready for a May blog tour promoting the release of the eBook and paperback editions of Leaving the Hall Light On · Write a thousand words a week on my novel · Write at least one poem a week use Robert E. Brewer's prompts at Poetry Asides as a jump start · Enter a poem into a contest or for publication at least once a month · Post a poem a week on my Facebook poetry group pages, Poetry Pact and Poets. … [Read more...]
