Author. Speaker. Artist. Publisher.
I am the author of The Alchemy of Loss: A Young Widow’s Transformation, a memoir and Remember The Moon, a novel. I am a speaker, abstract painter and producer of websites and self-published books.
My Books.
After the death of my husband, Arron on 9/11, I found catharsis in writing and unexpectedly wrote my memoir, The Alchemy of Loss: A Young Widow’s Transformation, a story that spans four years of my life with my kids after Arron’s death. It is shows the messy aftermath of our lives in ways that anyone can relate to, and though it’s initially sad, it is also funny and inspirational and offers hope to anyone experiencing a loss. It shows the messiness of grief on a family and offers hope in the face of profound loss and death, how it awakens us to what really matters and makes us better appreciate life.
Remember The Moon came as a result of imaging Arron in the afterlife, which to me was a funny thought, given he wasn’t a very woo-woo, afterlife sort of guy. A chance meeting with a psychic turned into a friendship and our sessions became fodder for the book. It is written from the perspective of a dead husband and father who finds himself in therapy in the afterlife coming to terms with his life and his death. His wife and son struggle in their grief and as a “young” soul, he does a messy job of trying to help them from the afterlife.
Alone Together
Love, Grief, and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19
My essay, The House With The Mossy Roof is part of this anthology due to be published on September 1st, 2020.
This collection of essays, poems, and interviews serves as a lifeline for negotiating how to connect and thrive during a time of isolation as well as a historical perspective that will remain relevant for years to come. All proceeds donated to: Book Industry Charitable Fund, a nonprofit organization that coordinates charitable programs to strengthen the bookselling community.
Recent Posts
The first night, I still had no electricity. Luckily, knowing this, I bought a cheap Bluetooth speaker that doubled as a lantern, so it came with me everywhere as it got dark. I had bought a small wine fridge to bide me until my fridge arrived and Wendy and I set that up as a kind of cooler. It reached over 40 degrees (103 F) every day, so it wasn’t of much use, but it was something.
After the walkthrough, the scramble for acquiring basic necessities continued, but once I received the results of the meter readings I had what I thought I needed to sign up for both water service and electricity. I was able to sign up online for water service without incident.
I wish I had been writing every day from the moment I got here, to keep a record, but it’s been a whirlwind. I will try and encapsulate my first 2 weeks in France here, though I will need to break it into two parts so I don’t ramble on too long.
Only two days to go before I jump on an airplane across the world! It doesn’t seem possible!
Each day, I seem to inch closer to actually owning a French Chateau, though it feels painfully slow. I initially thought that we were due to sign the “Promesse de Vente” on June 20th. I have to say, “Promesse de Vente” sounds so much more romantic than “Purchase Agreement.”
On my first trip to France, I booked a visit to Chateau Lalande on what turned out to be their last day of guests for the season. I visited in hopes of meeting the YouTube famous Stephanie Jarvis and talk with her about the experience of owning a chateau in France as a single woman.
I must thank you all for your comments on my last post, though based on the poll, not one of you selected option A to tell me this whole plan was just this side of the worst financial decision I could possibly make in my lifetime. Instead (selfishly perhaps?), almost everyone who answered the poll selected B (plan a trip to visit) or D (buy in Tuscany).
And so, I have taken your advice and gone with option B! Next week, I fly to France!
Perhaps it’s an escape, but for this 20th anniversary, I’ve been fantasizing about buying a French chateau. Right out of left field. OK, this YouTube video may have had something to do with it. I’m a little bit in love with Phillip, the humorous film-maker behind the Vlog. He reminds me a little of Arron. Escapism? Projection? Nostalgia? Insanity? All of the above.
The Fire House Chronicles
I probably should back up a little here because I missed the two days of cleaning I undertook with my friend, Wendy before I officially moved into the house.