On Grief

 

I started my writing career writing comedies (I Waxed My Legs for This? anyone?). When I began writing more emotional books, some readers were surprised...and I'm so thankful they stuck with me. There was so much to explore in these stories about being human. One I've come back to again and again is grief.

Loss. 

We all carry some grief over a loss with us. As a writer, I have the luxury of writing my way through my grief. One of my most autobiographical books is Briar Hill Road. I had a very close relationship with my mother-in-law. She was one of my best friends. (We used to joke that if my husband divorced me, I was getting her in the settlement. Thankfully, we never had to test that one!)  Losing her...well, it left a hole in all our lives. I wrote Briar Hill Road as my way to work through that loss. The story is fictional, but there are so many layers of my truth in it.

I wrote Just One Thing as another side of exploring loss and grief. It was a book I knew was different. I mean, most of the book took place on Mondays. (Yep, it was my homage to my Monday Glee.) And it was a story told in reverse, through flashbacks. I had someone close to me who dealt with depression. That feeling of helplessness in the face of their pain...this was my way of dealing with it. And though I suspected it would be a hard sell, I still felt driven to write it. My agent kept getting..."We love it but..." rejections. But eventually it found its home and went on to be my bestselling book to date. And I've received so many touching notes from readers who found some comfort in the story. I can't tell you how much that meant and means to me.

I understand that when I'm writing a book, I own it. It's my journey from Once Upon a Time to The End. But the minute I type the end, that story lives a life of its own. It might change under editorial revisions, but I still own those revisions. And then it goes to the readers. Sort of like a train. (I'm using train because a certain family member is crazy for them.) My book is a train and the reader is the passenger. They bring all their own baggage with them when the board and they pick their seat...each seat might have a slightly different view. They own the story at that point. Whenever their view moves them to send me a note...well, I treasure that. And when I hear that a book helped them deal with their grief...it means even more.

Homecoming is a different type of book on loss. Learning to let go and open yourself to something new.  It was part of my Hometown Hearts series. Each of the books dealt with some kind of loss. From giving a child up for adoption, to dementia, to losing a friend... The series dealt with community and how they can help us heal. Having someone else believe in you when you're at your lowest point makes a difference.

I like to think that though my books are fiction, they represent real life. From laughter to love to loss. The whole of it. And each one of those come into play to different degrees in each of my books.

My July release, Chances, deals with yet another kind of grief and loss. One tragic accident changes my heroine's life. Despite her grief, she finds a new path that gives her...well, another chance. It's available for preorder now. And I hope you'll check out these...and my newest release, A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery. 

Holly

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A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery
Kindle
iBooks
Kobo
Nook

Have you missed any of my Hometown Hearts series? Here's the list:

Crib Notes: Hometown Hearts #1

Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBook

A Special Kind of Different: Hometown Hearts #2

Kindle, iBook, Kobo, Nook

Homecoming: Hometown Hearts #3

Kindle, Kobo, IBooks, Nook

 Suddenly a Father: Hometown Hearts #4

Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iBooks

Something Borrowed: Hometown Hearts #5

Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iBooks

Something Blue: Hometown Hearts #6 

Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Apple Books

Something Perfect: Hometown Hearts #7 

Apple Books, Nook, Kobo, Kindle

Something Unexpected: A Hometown Hearts short story 
Amazon

A Hometown Christmas: Hometown Hearts #8
Kindle 
Nook
AppleBooks
Kobo

McConnells Mill State Park

121 Pennsylvania State Parks.
5 down. 
116 to go!!

I said in my last blog about State Parks that I wanted to hike them all...eventually. 

Yesterday we went to McConnells Mill State Park. 

We went to see the Hell's Hollow Falls. It was so lovely. It was only a half mile hike from the parking area, then back again. So it was an easy hike. The trail was wide and there were stairs that take you down to the falls. The kids had a blast climbing fallen trees. I only freaked out slightly when the got too near the edge of the creek. There was a very lovely flume on the way to the falls...water had carved a path through the rocks. It was running super fast. Good news is, no one fell into the water. (It's always a good hike when you get back to the car with as many Minions as you left with.)

 Then we drove to the Alpha Falls trail. It's a seasonal falls. We hoped they'd be running with all the spring rains but was just a trickle. Still it was a fun hike. Not must farther than the first one, but a lot hillier with tons of giant rocks. We started by a covered bridge, then went by the old grist mill and finally a walk along the water's edge. Again, we didn't lose any kids over the edge...so it was a good hike! LOL (I know the covered bridge pic is crooked, but one of the Minions took it and I like that slightly askew look...it suits me! LOL) It was cool that the kids were able to associate the mill with the flour and corn meal we grind at home. One mentioned the mill was MUCH bigger. 

These were super easy hikes...even with five kids. Hiking with kids can be like trying to herd cats. It can be challenging but so much fun. We'll be taking them on more state park hikes, but I talked to my hiking buddy and we're going to try for a few adult only ones! I suspect they'll be hikes that don't require me saying, "Don't go close too close to the edge," over and over. 

On a side note, I'm still doing my spring walking challenge. Yesterday was the four week mark and I've reached 197.9 out of my 400 kilometer goal. We have until the end of May, so I'm right on track!

I've spent so many years writing about PA. I'm enjoying seeing my favorite state in new ways! Thanks for coming along for the journey, both through my books and this blog!

Holly

Past State Park Blogs...Parks 1-4 Blog. 

Check some of more recent PA books! (Homecoming is on sale for $.99 for a few more days! Each book stands alone, so you shouldn't have any issues, tho characters cross over from one book to another, which is why reading them in order can be fun!)

A View to a Kiln: A Harry's Pottery Mystery
Kindle
iBooks
Kobo
Nook

Have you missed any of my Hometown Hearts series? Here's the list:

Crib Notes: Hometown Hearts Book #1 Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBook

A Special Kind of Different: Hometown Hearts #2

Kindle, iBook, Kobo, Nook

Homecoming: Hometown Hearts #3

Kindle, Kobo, IBooks, Nook

 Suddenly a Father: Hometown Hearts #4

Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iBooks

Something Borrowed: Hometown Hearts #5

Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iBooks

Something Blue: Hometown Hearts #6 

Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Apple Books

Something Perfect: Hometown Hearts #7 

Apple Books, Nook, Kobo, Kindle

Something Unexpected: A Hometown Hearts short story 
Amazon

A Hometown Christmas: Hometown Hearts #8
Kindle 
Nook
AppleBooks
Kobo