A Cake - for Me?

Well, I did share it! It was the afternoon treat when I attended a book group at a golf resort with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law a couple of weeks ago. (The rocks were yummy - like m&ms!) I was amazed to see my name on the events sign at the entrance to the park. I was really amazed to see 33 people in the clubhouse, waiting to hear what I had to say about Eddie's Wake, waiting to ask some great questions. It was fun, but kind of embarrassing, too.

Soon we'll have a book celebration at our church for friends and family. We sent out 50+ invitations today! What will I fix to feed all these people? Wish I had time to make Maggie's apple pie. True comfort food, if it ever existed.

And tomorrow, I'll be talking to a reporter from the local newspaper, who wants photos.

This is all fun and exciting, but I want to remember - and maybe you can help me with this - that writing Eddie's Wake was never meant to be about me. Yes, I love writing, and I'm antsy to start the next book, but that's not what this is about, either.

I wrote Eddie's Wake for every person who has lost a loved one, who has pined for someone who no longer walks on this earth; it's about everyone who knows first hand what "vain longing" is like. Eddie's Wake might be a good read, but it's supposed to bring the message that life goes on and healing happens - even though the scars of loss never really go away. It's about love, and how true love comes about in the strangest ways. It's about how love does, indeed, conquer a whole host of problems, or at least make them a bit more bearable. Most of all, it's about how the love of God trumps all.

No, Eddie's Wake is not about me. It's all about you, my friends.
May peace be with you.

A Tribute

Where have you been?
I know it has been a very long time since I have posted.
You do know how important a web presence is to selling Eddie's Wake, don't you?
Yes, I do, but... well, a lot of things have happened. Like my 'day job,' which isn't really a day job at all, with all those evening meetings.
You missed some of those, too. You're becoming a slacker!
And then there's my family. It's been a busy summer helping my Mom weed through her belongings and move. I missed lots of work for that and had no time or energy to think...
You're making excuses.
They're all true. And then, we we thought things would settle down, someone important died. My father-in-law.
Oh, dear.
He used to terrify me, but once, before I was even officially in the family, and I was visiting their house with my beloved and it was winter and I was freezing even with an extra sweater on, he turned up the furnace. I told him he didn't have to do that just for me, and he said, "What's the matter, don't you think you're worth it?" And the truth was, I didn't think I was worth it. That has stayed with me for over 35 years. Somehow, I thought I was being a good Christian or at least a good girl if I always put everyone else first, which would have meant, if the family wanted to save money on fuel oil, I should ignore my own needs and go along with it. It took a scary person telling me I was worth something before I began to believe it.
You've come a long way, baby.
Most of the time. But now I hear myself saying those same words to others. Maybe that's the greatest tribute I could pay.
Indeed.
So now do I have an excused absence from blogging?
Of course. You're worth it. Just don't forget about us.
Never.