“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. ~ Matthew 5:3-4, MSG

 I am excited! I am overwhelmed! I am thankful!

Who would have thought that writing about the times I was aversely separated from my oldest son—and about the inescapable nonstop grief I have felt since I lost him—would turn into a labor of love? I actually started writing about my mother-child separations and child-loss to help me cope with the unthinkable. I never thought the day would come when this therapeutic exercise would become my approved-for-publication memoir.  

There is the possibility that Untimely Farewells—my memoir—could be published this month. If not, then I am certain it will be in July.

The following manuscript review comments are what a Xulon Press copy editor says about my upcoming book:

“General Overview

Through her powerful personal testimony, the author shares her journey from life as a young wife and a new mother to her season as a divorced woman grieving for the death of her son. Her collection of moments and memories tells the story of a mother’s love for her child in the face of heartbreaking times of separation and encourages readers to never take their loved ones for granted.

Manuscript’s Strengths

• The book contains a strong, solid introduction that clearly shares the author’s message. The author’s explanation of “things that transcend the color line” is an effective way to express the universal nature of death and grief, and it also introduces the author not only as a writer at heart, but also as an intellectual who views aspects of life in interesting ways.

• The author’s writing is eloquent and beautiful, with description that is creative while also informative; the author’s description of events, characters, and moments in the story does not leave important details out of the plot.

• Throughout the text, the author includes a nice balance of dialogue and narration, so that the book flows like a story with the characters speaking to one another in conversation, as well as a decent amount of narration to share the author’s true, vulnerable thoughts with the reader.”

Thank You, God, for helping me write my memoir. Thank You, God, for Your Comfort and Peace.  Thank You, God, for how You will use by memoir—Untimely Farewells—to help other parents who are experiencing parent-child separations and child-loss.