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04/23/2006: "Review Day"
FALLING OUT OF BED comes out next week and here are two reviews I found:
“In this highly emotional, often sad story, Melinda's father, Stanley, is expected to die of cancer. At first, Melinda can't believe that her father is so sick, and she takes him back to her house to care for him. Mary Schramski shows how Melinda's husband reacts and changes during this time, and how Stanley's friends and ex-wife react to the news in realistic ways that aren't always nice. Falling Out of Bed (4.5 out of 5) is an effective look at how a fatal illness affects different people. Faith and belief are examined, and this story's heartbreaking qualities are offset by messages of hope and possibilities. This story probably will produce a good, satisfying cry.”
"A reviewer, April 20, 2006,
A complex family drama --5 stars (Out of 5)
Her father Stanley has always been a healthy workaholic horse until now. At seventy-two Stanley has cancer so his daughter Melinda, though in denial, brings him to live with her. Melinda who already quit her job as a schoolteacher since her spouse David has been successful plans to care for her ailing dad.-------------- David resents Melinda’s attention given to Stanley and is upset that they never really spoke about this. Melinda’s mother, divorced from Stanley, has mixed feelings about her ex’s health. However Melinda and her dad forge a strong relationship and she begins to realize that you live only once so don’t waste it snoozing, but the cost of her lesson could prove great.------------------- FALLING OUT OF BED is a complex family drama that focuses on the impact of a debilitating lethal illness on the prime caretaker and indirectly on others in her inner circle. Melinda struggles with seeing how helpless and hopeless her father has fallen while David feels guilt in spite of logically understanding why he still resents the attention his wife gives to his father-in-law. The other support cast members seem real as they, like Melinda and David, can get frustrated with Stanley. Yet interestingly with the struggles to decide what is right for everyone in a situation with no chance for win-win, this tale contains a brilliant underlying message of hope and faith that aging boomers will appreciate.------------"- Harriet Klausner
Life This Week:
I talked to a book group who read WHAT TO KEEP. There were about 30 in attendance, and I spoke for 20 minutes then the members asked me questions. Meeting with book groups is one of my favorite things to do. It’s inspiring to me when people ask questions about my characters, plotting points, setting and how I get my ideas. I have another book group meeting on May 1 and again I’m looking forward to it.
I attended my first official book group meeting where I’m actually a member! What fun. We met from 7pm till 9pm and talked about what BLESS ME, ULTIMA meant to each of us. Our next book to read is BLUES LESSONS: A NOVEL. Here’s what Publisher’s Weekly has to say about it:
"A young man growing up in the Midwest during the '50s comes to terms with the problematic legacy of his first love in Hellenga's heartfelt, provocative third novel. Martin Dijksterhuis is the high school student who is forced to grow up in a hurry when his attraction for an African-American girl named Cory Williams leads to the birth of their child. He is willing to marry Cory and settle into a life of working the family's idyllic orchards in tiny Appleton, Mich., but both Cory's and Martin's mothers have other plans." Sounds interesting!
See you next week.
