HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Are you going to have ANY time off in the next week? Saturday, maybe, when the guests have gone and you are down to the last snibbles of turkey, and you think…hmmm. I need a really really good book.
After you've taken care of all your holiday obligations, who is going to take care of you? Well, who better than a marvelous brilliant author, one who will carry you away with a completely immersive and relatable story.
When you snag that moment to take care of yourself this holiday week (if it is for you) or if not, when you simply capture some time just to take care of YOU–what better than the amazing Jessica Strawser’s new THE LAST CARETAKER?
She is too modest to tell you it has been an Amazon NUMBER ONE novel, and it is still a Kindle First (whoa, such an honor! And it means you can–briefly–get it free! Before the book is published in hardcover on Dec 1!) CLICK HERE!
Plus. Please do let me add that Jess is a dear true friend and colleague--hilarious and wise and such a brilliant teacher and editor…an amazing author and a wonderful mom and wife and and I am honored to introduce you to her.
And today she’s asking a very provocative question…what if you have the chance to start from scratch? Have a life do-over? Hit your personal UNDO button? See what you think.
The Appeal of a Fresh Start
by Jessica Strawser
Why is it, I wonder, that so many great stories begin with a character gearing up for a fresh start—a clean break, a do-over?
A fresh start, of course, can come in myriad forms—undoubtedly that’s part of the appeal. The concept is at once familiar and fantastical, in fiction and in life. Maybe it’s been forced upon a character: They’ve been fired, evicted, or cheated on, left to fend for themselves, lost whatever they held dear. Maybe they’ve gained something: inherited a house in some faraway place, or scored one last chance at a career, romance, or dream that seemed out of reach.
Or maybe they’re on the run, and they don’t know where they’re going—only that they can’t turn back.
Does it all speak to some secret longing we all have, when things get rough, to fantasize about what it would be like to toss it all and start from scratch? To wait for our letters from Hogwarts to summon us away from our ordinary lives and let the real adventures begin?
Or is it, in fact, the opposite: a fear that we can’t imagine ever having to walk away and rebuild our lives, and yet we know just how fragile the things we hold dear we really are, how everything can change in the blink of an eye?
Maybe we’re afraid that if we reach for a fresh start, we’ll get more than we bargained for.
For better or worse, maybe we’re right.
As a novelist, I’ve written plenty of fresh starts before, big and small—but never have I had more fun on the page than with my latest, The Last Caretaker, which begins with a woman named Katie (I’ve never met a Katie I didn’t like) reeling from her divorce. She and her husband co-owned a business, and their lives are so entwined that extracting herself seems impossible.
Enter her old pal, Bess, a free spirit who works at a sprawling nature center conveniently located hundreds of miles away. It so happens the resident caretaker on their most remote property has quit without notice, and the job comes with a furnished farmhouse. The gig is Katie’s if she wants it… and so what if she isn’t “a nature person”? Bess will help her fake it till she makes it.
But from the moment Katie arrives, something seems off. The house looks as if the last caretaker never packed up. And when a woman in distress shows up in the middle of the night, expecting a safe place to hide, it’s clear caretaking involves duties that aren’t exactly in the job description.
Will Katie find the courage to join this underground network she’s unwittingly stepped into—finding a new sense of purpose in the process? Or will her new home never feel safe until she can figure out what happened to the last caretaker?
Writing this picture of Katie’s new life, I thought a lot about what it really means to start over in every sense. It was a moving journey full of surprises (for me and Katie both!). So I’d love to know: Why do you think the idea of a fresh start piques our curiosity? And do you have a favorite story—true or fictional—that begins this way?
HANK: And listen to this: Jess is offering an advance copy!
Join our discussion in the comments for your chance to win an advance copy of The Last Caretaker! (One winner will be chosen at random by the end of the day Nov. 24, 2023. U.S. mailing addresses only please.)
Jessica Strawser is the author of five previous book club favorites: Almost Missed You, Not That I Could Tell (a Book of the Month selection), Forget You Know Me, A Million Reasons Why, and The Next Thing You Know, a People Magazine Pick. Her latest, The Last Caretaker, releases December 1, 2023. She is editor-at-large at Writer’s Digest; a popular speaker at writing conferences; and a freelance editor and writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and others. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, she lives with her husband and two children in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she served as 2019 writer-in-residence for the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library. Find her on Facebook @jessicastrawserauthor, Instagram @jessicastrawserauthor, and Twitter @jessicastrawser.
by Jessica Strawser
Why is it, I wonder, that so many great stories begin with a character gearing up for a fresh start—a clean break, a do-over?
A fresh start, of course, can come in myriad forms—undoubtedly that’s part of the appeal. The concept is at once familiar and fantastical, in fiction and in life. Maybe it’s been forced upon a character: They’ve been fired, evicted, or cheated on, left to fend for themselves, lost whatever they held dear. Maybe they’ve gained something: inherited a house in some faraway place, or scored one last chance at a career, romance, or dream that seemed out of reach.
Or maybe they’re on the run, and they don’t know where they’re going—only that they can’t turn back.
Does it all speak to some secret longing we all have, when things get rough, to fantasize about what it would be like to toss it all and start from scratch? To wait for our letters from Hogwarts to summon us away from our ordinary lives and let the real adventures begin?
Or is it, in fact, the opposite: a fear that we can’t imagine ever having to walk away and rebuild our lives, and yet we know just how fragile the things we hold dear we really are, how everything can change in the blink of an eye?
Maybe we’re afraid that if we reach for a fresh start, we’ll get more than we bargained for.
For better or worse, maybe we’re right.
As a novelist, I’ve written plenty of fresh starts before, big and small—but never have I had more fun on the page than with my latest, The Last Caretaker, which begins with a woman named Katie (I’ve never met a Katie I didn’t like) reeling from her divorce. She and her husband co-owned a business, and their lives are so entwined that extracting herself seems impossible.
Enter her old pal, Bess, a free spirit who works at a sprawling nature center conveniently located hundreds of miles away. It so happens the resident caretaker on their most remote property has quit without notice, and the job comes with a furnished farmhouse. The gig is Katie’s if she wants it… and so what if she isn’t “a nature person”? Bess will help her fake it till she makes it.
But from the moment Katie arrives, something seems off. The house looks as if the last caretaker never packed up. And when a woman in distress shows up in the middle of the night, expecting a safe place to hide, it’s clear caretaking involves duties that aren’t exactly in the job description.
Will Katie find the courage to join this underground network she’s unwittingly stepped into—finding a new sense of purpose in the process? Or will her new home never feel safe until she can figure out what happened to the last caretaker?
Writing this picture of Katie’s new life, I thought a lot about what it really means to start over in every sense. It was a moving journey full of surprises (for me and Katie both!). So I’d love to know: Why do you think the idea of a fresh start piques our curiosity? And do you have a favorite story—true or fictional—that begins this way?
HANK: And listen to this: Jess is offering an advance copy!
Join our discussion in the comments for your chance to win an advance copy of The Last Caretaker! (One winner will be chosen at random by the end of the day Nov. 24, 2023. U.S. mailing addresses only please.)
Jessica Strawser is the author of five previous book club favorites: Almost Missed You, Not That I Could Tell (a Book of the Month selection), Forget You Know Me, A Million Reasons Why, and The Next Thing You Know, a People Magazine Pick. Her latest, The Last Caretaker, releases December 1, 2023. She is editor-at-large at Writer’s Digest; a popular speaker at writing conferences; and a freelance editor and writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and others. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, she lives with her husband and two children in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she served as 2019 writer-in-residence for the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library. Find her on Facebook @jessicastrawserauthor, Instagram @jessicastrawserauthor, and Twitter @jessicastrawser.
Congratulations, Jessica, on your newest book . . . what an intriguing idea for a story; I can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteI think fresh starts intrigue us because we all have those days where the prospect of a “do over” seems quite appealing . . . sometimes, I think, it's just the thought of that possibility that's enough to get us through a challenging time.
I think you're absolutely right. Sometimes it's just a fleeting moment where it sounds appealing, but we've all been there!
DeleteCongrats on the new book!
ReplyDeleteI think a fresh start appeals to us because we imagine it will be so much better than what we know and are already struggling with. Of course, the new also has bad parts, but we don't see it before we start, and we ignore them at first.
You're right, of course, when the reality is that starting over is incredibly difficult and takes a lot of courage and resilience. Thanks so much for the kind words, and for joining the conversation!
DeleteWelcome, Jessica, from a fellow Cincinnatian! (Anderson here). I was hoping to meet you this past Saturday at Books by the Banks, but couldn't make it.
ReplyDeleteI just started reading The Last Caretaker yesterday, and I have to ask which of our many wonderful nature centers yours is based on?
Fresh starts offer so many juicy opportunities to put characters into unknown territory, physically or emotionally. Misunderstandings or misperceptions can provide conflict, too. Katie is very much a fish out of water in this book, in so many ways. Can't wait to see where that takes her.
Nice to "meet" you, Karen! I loosely based Grove Reserve on the Cincinnati Nature Center's Long Branch Farm & Trails property out in Goshen. That property really is for CNC members only, and there really is a caretaker living there! (I talk more about this in the Author's Note at the end of the book, but I won't encourage you to skip ahead and read that until you've finished the story due to spoilers.) Thanks so much for reading—and sorry I missed the chance to see you at Books by the Banks! I'll also be at Joseph-Beth Rookwood Nov. 29 (giving a talk at 7:00 and signing books) and at the Cincy Book Bus Depot in Sharonville on Saturday, Dec.2, from 11 a..-1:00 p.m. which is more of an informal meet and greet where shoppers can stop and chat if they'd like and have a book signed for their holiday gift list or themselves.
DeleteAh, thank you! I didn't realize there was a caretaker at Long Branch Farm. I'm at the point in the story where Bess spends the night.
DeleteMy husband's dad (Karl Maslowski) was one of the founding members of the Cincinnati Nature Center; he brought Stanley Rowe and Carl Krippendorf together, since he was friends with both men. It's a very special place to our family.
I'll try to make it to your Jo-Beth talk!
Oh, what an impact your husband has had! It's a wonderful place -- grateful to him for helping to make it all possible.
DeleteCongrats, Jessica, on your new book! It sounds like a book that I would love to read. Thank you so much for this chance at your giveaway. pgenest57 at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteSo glad it's up your alley -- thanks for saying so!
DeleteCongratulations on your book Jessica and thank you Hank for featuring it. It sounds like a wonderful book!
ReplyDeleteVery kind, Sheri, thanks for taking the time to say so!
DeleteI'm so pleased for you that The Last Caretaker is such a success, Jessica!
ReplyDeleteA "starting over" story that I haven't read in a while but remember loving is Rumer Godden's "In This House of Brede," about a successful working woman in her forties who joins a convent.
Because I've moved so often and dramatically, both as a child and an adult, I've done quite a bit of starting over myself. It has its pros and cons and can be pretty scary, even without worrying about missing people and odd visitors at night. However, mysterious expectations from everyone around me that I never anticipated, such as your character, Katie, experiences, have definitely been par for the course in my life! Luckily, my latest starting over here in Switzerland turned into a success.
I loved “In This House of Brede”! Suzette Ciancio
DeleteSwitzerland -- wow! Thank you so much for sharing your story: I'm so happy you've landed so well. I've not yet read In This House of Brede and am off to check it out right now!
DeleteThe new book sounds intriguing and compelling, Jessica. It's a great premise.
ReplyDeleteMany cozy mystery series begin with the protagonist getting a fresh start. And being an outsider is always a good thing for an amateur sleuth.
I've had quite a few semi-fresh starts, many by moving to another country for a year or two, but also when I left the day job to write mystery fiction full time a decade ago. SO glad I did!
Thank you, Edith, very kind! Good point about the cozies. (While none of my own mysteries are cozies, I do keep the body count low.) Many congrats on your success -- writing full-time is no small feat!
DeleteJESSICA: Congratulations on THE LAST CARETAKER! High praise from HANK is a great endorsement.
ReplyDeleteYes, as EDITH mentions above, most cozy mystery series have a (female) protagonist leaving an existing home/job/relationship for a fresh start. A new community, challenge and chance for acceptance draws them in.
As for me, I have also had a couple of fresh starts. I accepted a 1-year assignment in the late 1990s (which got extended into 3 years) after getting an email & a phone call from a stranger. I flew into the city to check him & the workplace out in-person & accepted the job on the spot. Easier said than done...I had to tell my director in Toronto that I was leaving and then I had to find a place to live in Ottawa. I did not even tell my parents that I was moving until I left & was settled in the new city. Best decision made, one of the most enjoyable jobs I ever had.
And then I got a layoff notice at the age of 45. I could have stayed in the same building, but those of us who got the pink slip were always treated like pariahs so I knew I could not stayed in that unwelcoming environment. Plus the 2.5 daily commute was taking its toll. So I again accepted a new job from someone I only vaguely knew (met once). Endorsements about him from respected colleagues helped me make the leap to take a very different type of job. And again I made a whirlwind trip to find a new place to live & started working there 6 weeks later.
Grace, thanks so much for sharing these wonderful stories! I think these go even beyond a "fresh start" into the "leap of faith" category -- I've done that myself and it can be so scary and yet so rewarding. Sounds like you have very good instincts and are smart to follow them!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteYes, "leap of faith" is a good descriptor. I was also glad to leave bad/grim work situations and those fresh starts both turned out positive!
DeleteYou are such an inspiration, Grace!
DeleteCongratulations on your new book, and what a fascinating premise: already, like Katie, I'd like to know what happened to the previous caretaker.
ReplyDeleteNew beginnings? Well, like Kim I've moved a lot in my life, especially childhood, but I wouldn't call those moves "new beginnings" because the decisions weren't mine. What were my own decisions, really did open up new avenues: leaving home; going to college (then paying off debts); meeting my husband; beginning a teaching career (which I loved); retiring from teaching to write (and getting published); and two and a half years ago, hubby and I moved to Portugal and we love being here. Naturally there were helping hands all along the way - one never accomplishes things all alone. But I feel truly blessed how it all turned out.
Portugal! I'm fascinated and thrilled for you! This is such a good example of how one thing leads to another, and it all adds up to an adventure. :)
Delete“The Last Caretaker” sounds wonderful, Jessica! The title is at once ominous and contemplative. I love the cover. Thanks for the chance to win a galley! Whenever I think of a life “do over” I wonder if I would take it? Would I make a fresh start? Or would I just keep blundering on? Looking forward to reading “The Last Caretaker”! Suzette Ciancio
ReplyDeleteThanks, Suzette! I love the cover, too -- the black-eyed Susans are symbolic to the story, so it's one where the cover image takes on deeper meaning once you've read it.
DeleteJessica, congratulations on the new book. The premise is definitely very intriguing.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I am not sure any kind of new/fresh start would matter all that much if it wasn't significantly different from the life before. So I figure, my life is what it is and what it shall be. Unless I win the lottery so the fresh start comes with money to do everything and anything I felt like, a new life would be pretty much like the one I have now.
Jay, I do believe you have inspired me to go buy a lottery ticket. ;)
DeleteOnce again JRW's is tapping into my psyche. I am facing a fresh start. After 9 years of working towards Ordination, I was advised to forget about it, and to work on myself. (ow). So yesterday I started writing again. The Eternal Aspirant will be completed, in time, perhaps. What is certain is that the Last Caretaker will be finished and reviewed before 1Dec23. Congratulations on your new book.
ReplyDeleteCoralee, Ow, indeed! XXOO
DeleteCoralee, you have a gorgeous name -- I love it. You've come to the right place... none of us writers are strangers to rejection. Sometimes that kind of "advice" is worth taking and other times it's plain wrong. I hope this will end up being one of those situations for you where a disappointment turns out to be a blessing in disguise. Thank you for chiming in!
DeleteOh ouch, Coralee. Be kind to yourself during this re-set in your life... Sending love...
DeleteOof. Writing again is good. Also sending love, Coralee.
DeleteCoralee (you have such a beautiful name), we writers all know rejection too well! Hoping this will turn out to be one of those blessing-in-disguise situations for you.
DeleteYuck! Sorry you have been placed in this situation, Coralee. May you find peace while you to continue your writing.
DeleteOuch, sorry CORALEE! Sending positive thoughts and hugs.
DeleteOh, so sorry, Coralee. Ouch. But maybe it is a good new beginning.
DeleteCoralee! We love you so much--and we truly rely on you for judgment and balance in inspiration. xxxx
DeleteStarting over is such a wonderful thing to dream about, isn't it? I've had a few fresh starts in my life that mostly turned out well. And at least a fresh start means moving forward. My "problem" is I can't stop thinking about a certain phone call I didn't return more than 50 years ago. So many times I have wondered if my life would be different if I had done that. Or if I had been home when the call came. Possibly not one thing would be the least bit different but I wouldn't still be thinking about that question in the middle of the night, all these years later.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading this one, Jessica!
Ooh, Judi... That sounds like the premise for a novel right there!
DeleteOoh, Judi, that sounds like a wonderful premise for a novel!
DeleteSounds like a great premise for a novel, Judi -- I'm already intrigued!
Deleteoops--you'll see Blogger decided Jessica was spam--and then I unspammed here. And Judi--have you read The MIdnight Library? Let me know...
DeleteI have not, Hank. You think I should?
DeleteYes. Definitely. DEFINITELY! Your telephone question will be directly answered. xxxx
DeleteJessica, what a thoroughly provocative premise! If nothing else, I must find out what happened to the last caretaker and what the true challenge of this new opportunity means for Katie.
ReplyDeleteAs for the question of a clean start, there is so much involved in that. Is one reinventing oneself? Do you have something in mind for the "new you" or are you just packing up the "old you" and moving to another location? This always reminds me of a quote by R. W. Emerson: Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." That quote changed my life.
That's truly a beautiful quote -- thanks for sharing it! You've hit on something I ended up thinking a lot about in the context of writing this book. Katie is there for her own version of a fresh start (new place, new job, and finding out who she is outside her failed marriage) but the women seeking shelter from her are having to walk (run) away from everyone and everything they know to save their own lives. She recognizes that it's a whole different level while also relating to how hard it's going to be due to her own floundering. Lots to unpack there.
DeleteCarry it with us--I had not heard that quote, but it is perfect.
DeleteCongratulations on your new release! And good to catch up at Books on the Banks last weekend.
ReplyDeleteI like starting a series with a character's immersion in a new setting, which is new to both the character and the reader. My youngest and I shared the same miserable experience: we both moved to Cincinnati as HS freshman and learned to navigate a new home and culture. Huge coincidence, and I had to write about it.
It was good to see you too, Margaret. (Side note: I've been asking around re: your situation and have yet to find any meaningful advice or direction for you, but I'm working on it. I did find a few tweets about her that made me wonder if there's a place you can connect with other BR clients online somehow? Seems you might all be able to help each other...)
DeleteSuch a bonding experience for you and your youngest! I moved across Pennsylvania in junior high, a bit younger than that, and found it equally miserable. That's such a tricky and formative age and great fodder for a character.
thanks! BRLA has a private FB group.
DeleteI'm glad, Margaret -- that's probably one of the most valuable things you can all do for each other (and yourselves) right now.
DeleteCongratulations, Jessica. THE LAST CARETAKER sounds intriguing.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has pondered the allure of a "fresh start" many times, I think the human desire to do things "better this time" is strong. We've all made mistakes and we see where those led us. What if we could go back, do it again, and avoid those mistakes? Would we end up happier, more satisfied, more at peace? Of course, we'd make other mistakes, so who knows, but it's an question long to answer.
Exactly! Could have, should have, would have...
DeletePerhaps it's a question we can never truly answer, and that's why we can't stop asking!
DeleteJessica, The Last Caretaker sounds wonderful. Through my church, I participate in a ministry where we accompany immigrants, so I am very interested in the concept of sanctuary and stories that involve fleeing from danger to safety. Those who seek asylum in a foreign land are making a completely fresh start. My friends from Nicaragua arrived here in the US 5 months ago and I am filled with so much admiration for their ability to keep moving forward despite missing their past life so intensely.
ReplyDeleteSanctuary is the perfect word and one we don't use (or honor) often enough. What a wonderful ministry to be a part of.
DeleteOh, I so agree...we can hardly even imagine. Thank you for this reminder...
DeleteOh yes, I'd sign on for a fresh start -- just to see where that road leads, what options exist next time round, as it were. Jessica -- The Last Caretaker sounds highly intriguing. Congratulations on your huge success with it!
ReplyDeleteVery kind, Amanda, thank you!
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DeleteCongratulations on the release of The Last Caretaker which sounds captivating and intriguing. A fresh start would be a wonderful opportunity to right wrongs, change our ways and become more adventurous and enterprising. Yes, I am all for it.
ReplyDeleteThat's the great hope, isn't it? Thanks for weighing in!
DeleteAdventurous and enterprising -- I love that!
DeleteYou new book sounds very intriguing. Would I want a do over? No, the thought of starting over, right now, is terrifying. Not that the present is all that warm and fuzzy but to start over? No, please just let me get to retirement in as much peace as possible.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading The Last Caretaker, it has been added to my wish list of books to find and read.
Peace is a good goal, Deana! Wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving.
DeleteI think people are intrigued by a fresh start because most people have to make a fresh start at some point in their lives. I had to make a fresh start in my 30's, I separated from my husband and the company I worked for went out of business at the same time. I had some tough decisions to make, but everything worked out and I got a great job and a divorce. It turned out to be the best thing that could have happened, but I didn't realize it for a couple of years. Looking forward to reading the book, sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou make a great point that fresh starts are often more by necessity than by choice! Thanks for the kind words.
DeleteYes, the fresh starts that are not by choice are certainly a trial--but SO many people (like me!) have the same experience as you did--that the terrible experience turns out to be a good thing..
DeleteJESSICA: Congratulations on your new novel!
ReplyDeleteRegarding fresh starts, I think that is amongst the stories that people love to read. I think that most of us have made mistakes and wish that we could have do-overs or chance to "reboot" ourselves?
Most recent story I can think of is a Harlequin ? Romance by Makeena Lee about a woman moving back to the small town in Texas where she grew up after a divorce and having a fresh start in establishing a new career. And she meets the love of her life. Stories about fresh starts often remind me of Hallmark romance stories. I have mentioned her books on my Instagram feed (@wonderwomandbookish).
Unless I misunderstood the question?
Diana
Fresh starts are such natural starting places for romance, too! Hope you have a great week.
DeleteOh, Jessica, THE LAST CARETAKER sounds utterly fascinating - I'm definitely one of those readers who LOVES a fresh start story. I suspect because we all tend to get into the rhythm and repetition of daily life, and when we DO get a fresh start in our real lives, it's usually accompanied by trauma or trepidation instead of a sense of adventure. But not for the fictional characters we love!
ReplyDeleteExactly! I think vicarious fresh starts are more fun than the real thing, at least at the beginning. :)
DeleteHi Jessica! I can never resist as Katie heroine, as my daughter is one, although she spells it differently. And the premise of The Last Caretaker is so intriguing. Fresh start stories offer such a great opportunity for character growth and development! Does anyone remember the Anne Tyler novel where the wife and mother just walks out of the house one day and starts in a new town as a fry cook in a diner?
ReplyDeleteYES! Anne Tyler is one of my all-time favorites.
DeleteHI ALl! I'm home in the US, and back here in an hour. Meanwhile, Jessica 's comments are getting eaten, so she will hide for a bit and then be back when Blogger no ;longer thinks she's a bot..Grr.. xoxooo
ReplyDeleteWe are so happy you're back! (Bots and real people alike.)
DeleteWe are used to the bot problem around here--it is so frustrating and unpredictable!
DeleteCongratulations on the book. I am looking forward to it ... and thanks for starting all these wonderful stories.
ReplyDeleteSo kind, thank you!
DeleteAs you can see, Blogger had decided Jessica was a bot, and held on to her answers...and then I released them. Never a dull moment!
ReplyDeleteWe shall prevail over the technology. :)
DeleteThe idea of a fresh start evokes so many different ideas! A move where you know no one? Do you still have connections elsewhere that you keep up or do you disappear? A change where you avoid making the same mistakes and instead try new things? New career? New personality? Witness protection? Trying to live your life the way you imagined it would be? Or healing wounds while you figure out what happens next? Whatever Katie deals with I hope she succeeds.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great little brainstorm, all in one comment! Makes me think this would make for a wonderful writing prompt.
DeleteANd we will see it on Career Authors soon, right? https://www.CareerAuthors.com
DeleteMaybe so, Hank! ;)
Delete"Or is it, in fact, the opposite: a fear that we can’t imagine ever having to walk away and rebuild our lives, and yet we know just how fragile the things we hold dear we really are, how everything can change in the blink of an eye?" No matter how old our children are, parents live with the fear, some more than others, depending on the grown child's occupation, that something will happen to your child. It probably isn't something you think about all that much, but the fear is wedged in your brain somewhere. Well, my worst fear came true six months ago when my son was murdered by an idiot with a gun. So, I now have a life I never wanted or thought I'd have. My husband and I and Kevin's sister all have to remake our lives without our dearest quirky family member. Old lives and new lives divide into before and after, and in our case the building that after will be a continuing process for maybe the rest of our lives. This time last year, I was waiting for my son to walk in the door the night before Thanksgiving. I fixed his favorite meal that night for him, baked spaghetti. Not sure I'll ever be able to fix it again. Somethings you have to leave behind in order to make your new life gain peace and new joy.
ReplyDeleteKathy, I am so unbelievably sorry for your loss. My own best friend was murdered on Christmas Eve nearly 15 years ago, and I know how unbearable it was for her parents most of all. I can't imagine what you must be going through. I wrote an essay about the heartbreak of facing these milestones (holidays, birthdays, anniversaries...) in The New York Times Modern Love years ago -- I won't pretend it will bring you any solace, but I can tell you that every year at Christmastime I still get flooded with messages and emails from people who are hurting and find comfort in knowing they are not alone. I'll attempt to share the link here, if the website will let me. Please know you are in my thoughts.
Deletehttps://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/fashion/modern-love-an-extra-angel-on-top-of-the-tree.html
First, I am so honored that you two now know each other. You are both incredible.
DeleteAnd Jess, I did not know you when I read this column so long ago, but I completely remember it.
Love this post! Sorry I'm a day late (rescuing a kitten - don't ask) but I am absolutely snatching a copy of The Last Care Taker! Can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteSo kind of you, lovely to hear! And what a lucky kitten. :)
Delete