MONDAY MUSINGS

I'M WITH YOU will be released tomorrow, Tuesday April 15th!!!!

I received an amazing message from an ARC reviewer:

(this is the first message I've received about the book, besides beta readers)

I just wanted to let you know that I literally just finished reading I'm With You, and I am absolutely floored and speechless. An amazing book as well as heartfelt, I cried and felt my heart break with Chloe. It's amazing how these tragic moments in our lives shape our futures, and this wonderful grandson of yours gave you the strength, courage and words to let others know about grief as well as Trisomy 18. I just wanted to drop a little line to let you know that since the beginning of your posts, I've been wanting to read about this journey of love and grief, and would like you to know how amazing your book turned out.

She made me cry after reading her kind words.

Always, before the release of a book, I wonder if anyone will like it.

I wonder if the book is silly, boring, too slow, cheesy, horrible, cringe-worthy, offensive, too effusive, etc, etc.

You get the idea.

All of my fears come crashing to the forefront and I'm suddenly as insecure as a kindergartner on the first day of school.

Seriously, it's as if I suddenly have no confidence whatsoever.

So pathetic.

It's a mighty scary thing to release your "baby" to the public.

However, the above message made my heart sing.

It was just what I needed to hear.

Especially for this book, that is so very personal to me.

I hope you enjoy the journey that is I'M WITH YOU.

There is a song that brought great comfort to me when we lost our Trisomy 18 baby. It's by Craig Cardiff and it's called Smallest and Wingless. I've posted it before, but if you haven't seen it, be prepared, it's a tearjerker. It brings back the memory of just how precious our little Jerad was to each of us. While a heartbreaking experience, it was also a precious experience.

                            

I found an interesting article the other day, written by a grieving mother.

In her short article she says exactly what I tried to express in

 I'M WITH YOU.

It took me 94,000 words. 

It took her a few short paragraphs.

To read the article, go here.

I know this is a painful subject. But, if it helps someone deal with their own loss, or helps someone deal with a friend or family member who has lost, then it will be worth every ounce of energy it took to write this novel.

Most of all, it helped me deal with our loss.

Thanks for reading.