Hitting the Pause Button…. 
Every so often in a writer’s career, she’s reminded of why she’s writing in the first place. Last night was such a time for me. So I’m interrupting my regularly scheduled post today to share the email that brought me to tears and then turned my tears to sobs:
Review: HOPEFULLY EVER AFTER by Linda Barrett
HOPEFULLY EVER AFTER is a book that must be read by everyone. It is a story of encouragement for all cancer patients, it a story of affirmation for families and friends of someone with cancer and it is a story of celebration for cancer survivors. But it is more than that, it is Linda’s story, a story of surviving breast cancer not once but twice in ten years. Through her ups and downs, life continued for Linda and she faced it all in a very human, “let’s do this” kind of way.
Battling cancer is a team effort that is made bearable with support. Ms. Barrett allows her readers a glimpse into her journey and all the twists and turns and bumps along the way. Her Knight in Shiny Tinfoil, aka her husband, played an indispensable part as did her team of doctors, surgeons, oncologist, radiologist, and nurses. Although fighting cancer does take a huge chunk of time and effort, Linda Barrett did not let it rule her life. She continued to teach adult literacy classes, write novels and fulfill her roles as mother and wife while preparing to move from Texas to Florida.
HOPEFULLY EVER AFTER contains information about breast cancer and especially about the BRCA1 gene mutation of which Linda Barrett is a carrier. But it also describes a life being lived to the fullest with love, persistence and encouragement. Talented Linda Barrett has always been a favorite author, I have followed her career from her first published romance novel, but HOPEFULLY EVER AFTER is her greatest love story to date. Thank you Linda, for telling your story, one that is all too familiar to a number of people, and for putting a face to this frightening disease.
| Donna Zapf, Reviewer — CataNetwork/Single Titles Star Rating: 5 Stars | |
| Not only do I want to thank Donna Zapf for her thoughtful and well-written review, but more important, I want her to know that I cried because she “got me.” She understood what my journey was really about. | |
| Communication from the heart is what every author hopes to do with every single reader. That is why we write. | |
My very best to each of you. As always, thank you for stopping by. I hope to see you for the next edition of Starting Over when the pause button will be released, my regularly scheduled blogging will resume and the winners of the October contest will be announced 🙂
OCTOBER CONTEST: Two winners in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Post a comment and your name will be entered in this month’s drawing for two of the books shown below and a $25 gift card to either Amazon or BN. Your choice!
Hopefully Ever After sounds like an awesome book. You were very courageous to write this. I’m so thankful that you are a 2 time survivor. Thank you for the contest.
Thanks so much for your good wishes, Martha. I’m glad to have survived but I’m also glad the treatments are over! Glad you stopped by.
Linda, what a touching review of a book that deals with the most personal aspects of your life. You’ve always pulled up your big girl panties and dealt with life head on. Thanks for sharing a wonderful review with the rest of us.
Roz
I had to share this. It made me cry more than writing the book did…and that was a pretty wet experience 🙂
AWESOME! Excellent review, Donna. And so very true.
Congrats, Linda. I continue to spread the news on Twitter for you.
Hugs,
Deb
Donna does a great job of recapping a book and giving her opinion. I’m very grateful she’s always followed my work. And I can’t thank you enough, Deb, for helping me on Twitter. Folks — she does this because she’s a good friend and I haven’t learned the art of Twittering. She feels sorry for me! I’m lucky I figured out Facebook…