The Weight We Carry
Quick Tip: Hold a Hand
My mother went nonverbal pretty early in her Alzheimer’s journey, which meant much of the time I was with her, I either held a conversation with myself or said nothing. Sometimes we’d walk down the hallway, hand in hand, and I would point out the window at the end. We’d look at the trees, the…
Read MoreQuick Tip: Change the Subject
Over the last five years, I’ve spent a lot of time with people with dementia. I’ve also spent a lot of time with family and friends of those living with dementia. Countless conversations have filtered to my ears, and the greatest lesson I’ve learned there is not to argue with someone who has dementia. Now,…
Read MoreQuick Tip: Tailor Your Responses
Today’s quick tip was inspired by something Tallulah Willis said about her father, Bruce. As those who’ve spent any time with people living with dementia know, each day is never the same. Sometimes, our loved ones will be chatty; other times, they refuse to speak. Some days involve plenty of smiles and the next day…
Read MoreQuick Tip: Walk Away
One question I get asked fairly often about The Weight We Carry is whether or not I have personal experience with dementia. Why yes, yes I do. My maternal grandmother had Alzheimer’s, my mother had Alzheimer’s, and my father has vascular dementia. I’m choosing to ignore what might be in my future at the moment…
Read MoreAudiobook News!
Audiobooks, like all other forms of books, are near and dear to my heart, and I’m so pleased that The Weight We Carry is now available as an audiobook. It’s always interesting to me how a narrator interprets a book, which means I just might have to ask this narrator, Dianne Jackson, to be an…
Read MoreThe Best of Women’s Fiction Hot New Releases
Back when I was promoting Rewrite the Stars, I was a guest on The Best of Women’s Fiction podcast. Lainey Cameron, author and host of the podcast, and I had a lovely conversation about the book, the writing life, and so many more topics. Well, Lainey, who is one of the best supporters of other…
Read MoreThe Big Idea: The Weight We Carry
Many authors practice literary citizenship in one way or another. Some lead a class for their local library, others, like me, run author interviews. John Scalzi, acclaimed science fiction and fantasy author of a plethora of books, runs a post called The Big Idea on his website (Whatever Scalzi) for guest bloggers. There, authors give…
Read MoreIt’s Release Day for The Weight We Carry!
That’s right, today is launch day for The Weight We Carry. The book is inspired by my own experience with my parents and a health crisis, and it feels great to have it out in the world. Synopsis: Marissa Raffaelo-Moretta is used to shouldering the burden. As the middle child, she’s played the mediator role…
Read MoreWho’s Publishing What?
Many, many thanks to Teri Rizvi and Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop for the support and encouragement over the years. The writing life is arduous at times, but knowing that you have people on your side makes all the difference. The Weight We Carry is featured in today’s Who’s Publishing What series over on the University…
Read MoreSee You at the Library!
I am so pleased to say I’ll be speaking at Wright Memorial Library in Oakwood, Ohio, on Thursday, September 21. That’s two weeks from today and World Alzheimer’s Day. On that night, I’ll give a behind-the-scenes look at my second novel, The Weight We Carry, which showcases the toll that navigating parents’ health crises can…
Read More