Life Imitates Art

Mom and I just finished our final galley approval on the book interior and are just about to sign off on the book front and back cover! What a journey. But even funnier is how life so imitates art. The irony of being in the middle of yet another move as this book nears its end and while editing all my character's feelings on the subject does NOT escape me.

This move is the first time my 10 year old (or any of my children) has ever had a lot of emotional investment in a geographic location. When we moved to MD (we've lived here four years - my longest time since having children and the 2nd longest I've ever lived anywhere), my girls were 6, 4 and 1. Wherever Mom and Dad were was home. They found comfort in us and each other. Man have times changed.

Every emotion Jackie is feeling right now is so real to me, not just because I lived it but because I wrote about it in such detail. I remember all the times as a kid I swore to myself (and loudly out loud to my father!) that I'd NEVER move my children. NEVER say never.

I hope for my girls' sake this is our last move, but I know better than to make any promises or predictions. Maybe Jackie can read Depression Cookies some day and know her mother really does understand what she's going through. (Lord knows this book made me empathize with what my mom went through).