I recently experienced one of my most difficult parenting challenges. My thirty-something adult child asked me if things will be okay. Authenticity, honesty, trust, compassion, optimism. These qualities are important to me as a parent and friend. Both our daughters work in health care, one with critically ill patients in the ICU, and the other as a mental health professional; tough industries even without external pressures. Perhaps you can imagine how I answered, or you too have fielded similar questions recently. With all that we do to address our angst, including taking actions we hope do more than only make us feel better, we too must keep ourselves healthy. Somehow. Perhaps like you, I have few answers at the moment, but I send you courage, patience, activism and compassion as we try our darndest to positively assert to those generations after us we all are better than this.

The best moments for me now are with family and friends, and in writing. Those things I must keep doing. More intentional community building; less scrolling. While I’m not ready to talk about my current Work in Progress (except with my amazing writing group, of course), I am pleased to share a few recent or upcoming events.

First, I hope you listen to my February 28, 2025 KBOO radio interview recording if you missed it live. While Russ was less involved in my earlier book writing, being too enmeshed in local politics, I look to him now as a trusted confidant in my writing. As I left the KBOO studio, he sent me a loving message of support. Later I learned how he enjoyed his Friday night by opening a beer in his parked car, and sat in the dark garage while listening to KBOO. I can imagine his surprise as he heard the first notes of Kris Williamson’s Song of the Soul. It was only a few minutes before the live interview when I was asked if I had a special song to kick it off.

When Mom was first exposed to Williamson, her lyrics beautifully intersected with Mom’s journey. It was a recording we listened to often, especially in Mom’s last years. During the pandemic as I was unable to find a version not recorded live, I commissioned our good friend Ari to record it a capalla, to make it easier for Mom to hear. If you were at Mom’s memorial, you may recall Ari, accompanied by Shelly on the violin, play this lasting song. This month marks the anniversary of From First Breath to Last as well as Mom’s March 6, 2021 death and March 28, 1933 birthday. (And in fact, today would have been Dad’s 95th birthday). Thank you, Consuelo, for reminding me that her essence lives on. If you were curious about about her life not shared in my book, you can still find her obituary.

And so, as we move ahead with our own creative and community-building work: here are a few things to know about.

1.Listen to my KBOO recording

Thank you to KBOO and Consuelo for your commitments to community radio and the power of sharing stories. (Music and interview begins about 2 minutes in.)

2. Register for my Wed., March 19 workshop to be held at the City of West Linn Adult Community Center.

See flyer below. No cost but pre-registration requested at 503-557-4704. Thank you to the Adult Community Center and West Linn Parks Department for hosting this! I will have books available to sell, but plan on doing your own writing.

3. Invite me to your book group to discuss any of my books

From First Breath to Last: A Story About Love, Womanhood and Aging (2024, memoir); Humanity’s Grace (2022, literary fiction short story collection); Beyond the Ripples (2019, literary fiction); My Music Man (2017, memoir). I am excited to have two upcoming local in-person book groups. I can meet online too if you’re farther away.

4. Looking for fiction that reminds us of the power of human connection, kindness and hope?

Begin the journey by reading Beyond the Ripples. Continue Annie and Frank’s story, with a host of other characters in Humanity’s Grace. AND, just maybe if we’re lucky, you’ll be ready to delve into my current work as it is published where you can follow Celia and Paul’s continued journey. Order any of them from your favorite bookstore – or find them at a few already – or online; request your library to carry them if it doesn’t already. Yes, that’s how we support authors – thank you! (Oh, and yes…please and thank you for writing a review.)

Above all, take care of yourself and those who are being ignored or mistreated. Foster and instill the kind and compassionate qualities that we humans are capable of.