I am delighted to welcome Sara Connell here at Choices today to discuss her writing and coaching life. Her memoir, Bringing in Finn is indeed an incredible surrogacy story. To win your free copy, please leave your comments here. I'll announce a winner, picked randomly, on Monday, December 2. Book Summary and Details Bringing in Finn by Sara Connell is an incredibly moving story of surrogacy and how it created a bond like no other between a mother and daughter. In February 2011, 61-year-old Kristine Casey delivered the greatest gift of all to her daughter, Sara Connell: Sara's son, Finnean. At that moment, Kristine the gestational carrier of Sara and her husband Bill's child became the oldest woman ever to give birth in Chicago. Bringing in Finn: An Extraordinary Surrogacy Story tells this modern family's remarkable surrogacy story. is an achingly honest memoir about a couple that wanted nothing more than to have a family and a mother who would do anything for her … [Read more...]
Please welcome Toni Piccinini, author of The Goodbye Year
I'm so pleased to host Toni Piccinini during her WOW! Women On Writing blog tour. Her memoir, The Goodbye Year, is an inspirational, honest, and hilarious tale of Toni's approach to the end of an era in the Piccinini household. For many mothers, a child's senior year brings about a serious look back on the past eighteen. Every event from Halloween to Mother's Day becomes The Last Time. Toni Piccinini knows exactly what that's like, and in The Goodbye Year, she offers the loving support every soon-to-be Empty Nester needs. Think of Toni as your bossy-but-loving Italian auntie, with modern sensibilities and a packed pantry. With the wisdom she's acquired from saying goodbye three times to her own children, she reassuringly holds your hand while encouraging you through the insanity of the college application process, the rejections and the acceptances, and the teary dorm drop-offs. Even better, she reminds every mother that the best is yet to come freedom, creativity, flexibility, and … [Read more...]
A huge welcome to author Judy Mandel
Here's what Judy has to say about how she found out exactly what she should do with her life. Switching Gears to a Writer's Life They say that when you find out what you should be doing with your life, you will have already been doing it. At least someone said that to me once. Which always confused the hell out of me. But, now, finally it makes sense. I was always a writer, although now the title seems to be written with a capital W instead of a small one. For many years, I wrote about other people's lives, or a company's products. As a newspaper reporter, I found interesting stories for features because I hated writing police reports and attending long town hall meetings. The hours were terrible, and I left to work in public relations, advertising and later, corporate marketing, thinking the stress would be less. Not so much. It was good though. As a single mother for several years, the stability of my corporate gig helped me provide for my son and myself, buy a home, … [Read more...]