Greetings!
I have written several books for others, all of which have been published, sometimes with my name on the cover, sometimes inside, with a message of gratitude. I always knew if I ever found the time and the courage to write my own story, to develop a memoir about a twin imagining, meeting, bringing home, adopting, and loving beautiful baby twin girls, it would be my requiem, “a great act or token of rembrance.”
It was, as the story of our lives unfolded and I endeavored to raise children born of a homeless hookup, that I remembered hearing how Mozart’s writing of his “Requiem” for a grieving patron, actually may have been his own undoing. So it is said.
A little dramatic, yes, but my point is that the undertaking of what is now and forever titled, “What We Wished For: An adoption story,” felt, at times, like an undoing, a forced reckoning with the choices I’ve made during a 20-year saga that allowed for no do-overs.
As celebrated author Rick Bragg wrote, “…dreaming backwards can carry a man through some dark rooms where the walls seem lined with razor blades.” (All Over But the Shoutin’ (1998)
At other times, my writing wandered into tender moments, loving, happy, even joyful moments that allowed for empathy for my partner, my children and, sometimes, even for me.
And now, my book, not unlike the outcome of my story, is no longer in my hands. It rests in the experienced care of my publisher who, through Acorn Publishing, will escort it across the finish line. On May 15, Acorn and I will post an “author announcement.” On August 15, we will present the cover of “What We Wished For.” On November 11, my memoir will be released, and I will carry it with me to the Kauai Writers Conference for the first of many events through which I will let readers know “What We Wished For.”
I admire the bravery of your truth. An inspirational and freeing example for us all to live by everyday. Excited for the release!
And I am ever so proud of you for taking this brave and terrifying step. Can't wait for my signed copy, and for you to feel the freedom that awaits.