The prize for this month's contest is a new book, The Route by Gale Sears. The winner will also get his or her choice of books from previous contests which haven't yet been claimed. The contest begins now and runs until noon August 15. I enjoyed this book and reviewed it for Meridian. You can read the review here.
Gale said this about her book:
For several years I had the privilege of delivering meals to an interesting contingent of seniors. They had varied backgrounds, temperaments, and ailments, and over the months I grew close to them—even the cranky ones.
They made me laugh and cry: Tom from China with his amazing agility at age 93, Mary with her coke bottle glasses and wicked sense of humor, and Goldie with her ever positive outlook on life. There were many others in my rogue’s gallery, and each gave me a gift. Not a tangible gift (although Tom often gave me Godiva chocolates wrapped carefully in a baggie), but gifts of insight, a proportioned world view, and a whole bunch of fun. While serving them, I came to understand that one day I would put on one of those rumpled suits of old age, and my wise and zany older friends gave me a road map for navigating there more gracefully.
As the years passed I watched them confront challenges and changes. I worried with them over errant children and grandchildren. I shared in their positive perseverance. Then circumstance pulled me off to other commitments and I had to leave my aged chums. I admit, I cried. I knew I would miss them—even scrawny, acerbic Viola, with her footwear of pink Keds, and her body adorned in brightly colored dusters, cinched around the waist with a man’s brown tie.
I mourned for a time as my delivery days came and went, and then I hatched this brilliant idea to write a book about my adventures among these wondrous and wacky older folks; that way I could relive times with them, and relearn the lessons they taught me. So, I wrote The Route. I send this little tome out to the world, hoping that others will come to love my gaggle of seniors as I did.
Thanks Gale for helping me out at this hectic time.
1 comment:
I remember when I was a little girl when these volunteers would bring meals to my grandma. I remember watching one day and was suprised to see them taking time and talking to my grandma when they didn't have to. I really appreciate that time they took to make my grandma feel special.
I'm really excited about Gale Sears new book. I'm looking forward to the time when I can read it.
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