Month: May 2021

Bitmo Sunday book review

Sunday Book Review – Talking to Heaven by James Van Praagh

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Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. As many of you already know, my reading interest since my husband’s passing is solely being hungry for books about getting through the grieving journey, as well as books about the hereafter. Talking to Heaven was a beautiful book, giving a deeper understanding to what goes on with the transition of death to the next realm.

 

 

Blurb:

James Van Praagh is a spiritual medium—someone who is able to bridge the physical and spiritual worlds. Though unaware of his gifts until his twenties, he slowly came to terms with his unique abilities. Talking to Heaven explores his most revealing sessions with grieving people seeking to contact the spirits of loved ones. From a devastated mother receiving a message of hope from her deceased little girl, to communicating with a young man, killed in Vietnam, who doesn’t realize he’s dead, Van Praagh affirms his belief in the existence of a peaceful afterlife. Talking to Heaven also offers those who are grieving methods to recognize and positively deal with the pain of grief in a healthy, honest manner.

Part spiritual memoir, part case study, part instrumental guide, Talking to Heaven will change the way you perceive death and life.

 

My 5 Star Review:

Medium James Van Praagh is a well-known psychic medium who writes in this book about his live experiences doing readings for people wanting to connect with lost loved ones.

He shares how he introduces himself to each client by sharing incidence in the client’s life that nobody else would never even know. Using examples of stories of his encounters with spirit, he shares how he receives his information and how he feels what the deceased experienced as their death.

For anyone curious to learn what happens to spirit on the other side after life, this book is a calming and informing about how our loved ones who’ve passed may be gone from their earthly life, but remain around us for the rest of ours. Praagh also tells us the same about our loved and lost pets and how they still come round and hang out in their favorite spots from their earthly life.

Praagh goes into the chakras and meditations that help to open us up and allow us to go deeper into ourselves, teaching us with guided meditations how we can connect on another realm with a lost loved one, something I certainly hope I will eventually be able to do.

In this book, the author shares a lot about himself, detailing how he came to be a psychic medium through his own experiences, as well as sharing many experiences others have encountered with lost love ones from the other side with his assistance. Stories of hope for others to learn how to connect and understand better, the hereafter.

 

©DGKaye2021

 

We are the World Blogfest

#WATWB – We are the World Blogfest – Giant rock snake started by a 7-year-old at a Toronto beach is melting hearts

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Welcome to May edition of #WATWB – We are the World Blogfest, where writers share an inspiring article they’ve come across, to share some of the goodness in the world and to deflect from negativity.

 

Today I’m sharing a heart-warming article I first saw on our local TV news, then searched for the article. Because of the never-ending lockdowns in our city, it’s especially important to keep up the good spirits in children who are sorely missing out on social interaction. This little boy, Lucas Walker, has started a ‘snake chain’ of Kindness Rocks he hand-painted then started the chain of rocks at one of our Toronto beaches, and invited others to join in and add rocks. Now, people of all ages are visiting and enjoying reading the rocks and so many others are adding their own.

 

Kindness Rocks!

 

Giant Rock Snake is melting hearts in Toronto:

“Something as simple as a rock snake is getting plenty of smiles from the community after seven-year-old Lucas Walker started it last week.

Since the Beaches kid placed the first four painted rocks next to the Kew Beach boardwalk and set up a painted sign encouraging others to join in, it has grown to about 15m.

“He was just looking for an activity to do and wanted to get others involved,” Walker’s mom, Sema Sali, told blogTO. “We were heading to the beach one day, and were like, ‘Hey, why don’t we do something fun and creative’ and he was like, ‘Let’s paint some rocks!'”

Please visit the original post at BlogTo.com to see some of the wonderful rocks and how many more that have been added since Lucas began with four rocks.

 

Source: This now giant rock snake started by a 7-year-old at a Toronto beach is melting hearts

 

If you’d like to join in with a post about something good going on in the world, please join us with your post by sharing it in our WATWB Facebook group. 

 

©DGKaye2021

 

D.G. Kaye on Relationships

D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships – May 2021 – The #Grief Process | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

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Well it’s been a very long year for me, and my thanks to Sally Cronin for keeping my spirit alive while I’ve been living the very recent loss of my husband. Sally has been generous with her resharing of past articles while I’ve been mostly absent from blogland and not fulfilling my monthly contributions to her Smorgasbord Blog Magazine. So in staying with the current theme of my life this year, my recent article is about Grief and touching on what one can expect on this journey, through my experience.

 

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships – May 2021 – The #Grief Process

Hello to my wonderful Smorgasbord family.

I’d like to first say thank you to the so many of you who’ve been sending light, love and condolences with messages, emails, cards, and even some unexpected gifts. And a huge thank you to Sally for keeping my spirit alive here and beyond. Undoubtedly, I have a lifetime of stories to write about, and I’m not here today to write specifically about the 180 my life took not even two whole months ago, when my husband seemed to be getting sicker by the day and a palliative doctor came into the hospital room to talk to me about his ongoing care, before we’d even had confirmed results back from an oncologist. This was the beginning of the end.

 

Grief

 

But today’s article isn’t about all that what went down with my husband’s end of his life, but more geared toward the topic about what this series represents – Realms of Relationships, not just about relationships, but also about situations and emotions that we endure and or encounter in life in relationships, and how they affect us and how we deal with them.

So, for today, I’d like to share a bit about what I’m learning about how this grief process works, and since I’m currently living the nightmare, who better than me to share with you my experiences, straight from this proverbial horse’s mouth. And always remember, everybody’s own grief is unique, but one thing is for certain, there are definitely the same steps and stages involved in the grief process, and possibly a bit overly cliché sounding, but it is the old standard – the five stages of grief – Denial · Anger · Bargaining · Depression · Acceptance, which are, and will be components of the journey, no matter how one grieves. Yup, they’re real. There are variations for sure, which I’ll get into later. But suffice it to say, there are no shortcuts with grief.

 

despair

 

Books on grief are typically not our first ‘go to’ genre. Let’s face it, how many people want to read about end of life? But ahh, how many who’ve lived through a heart wrenching loss wish they had someone to help them understand the inner torment grief brings to the table, wishing they knew more about what to expect?

As I grew myself up by reading self-help books about growing self-esteem, reading true stories and situations about people and how they handled their hardships, it paid off helping me to learn what I needed to better myself. In the same circumstance, wanting to reach out and look for some way of relief from the grieving process, books and gatherings with people who’ve walked in the shoes, really can help too.

Now I’m not saying reading books about grieving will help us get out of our grief, but they can do several other things such as, allow us to feel with another who has walked in the same devastating shoes of unbearable grief; it’s almost like a feeling of camaraderie, like when we shake our heads as we read something that resonates, as if to affirm every single emotion and stage we’re going through as we read. It’s a natural instinct for us to want to connect with others who are familiar with all the new emotions we will go through.

Truly, I believe that only someone who has lived the journey can write these kinds of books, and you can be sure, somewhere down the road, I’ll be writing one of my own – one day, when the stinging rawness of my unacceptance at willing to face all the music I keep locked up in a compartment in my head so that at present, I can function and get on with the grueling things that demand attending to during my hours of grief, like, arranging funerals, Covid restrictions, two religions dilemma, and fulfilling my husband’s wishes, all in the same moments while my very own hell in my heart resides within. I will write a book.

I’ve read books all my life to try to better myself and learn, so naturally, and despite the fact that I haven’t been able to read for pleasure at present, a single page of any book since my husband began deteriorating, Only after he passed I had a hunger to devour books that could make me feel I wasn’t alone. I felt compelled to read a few books about grieving. I needed to know how people got through it all. I needed to learn about all the other goodies (sarcasm) I had to look forward to.

 

 

I was immediately drawn to Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s work as a psychologist and her own experience with grief, and her work with people who’ve had near death experiences and came back to tell, which I’ve recently read – On Life After Death. . . .Please continue reading at Sally’s Smorgasbord.

 

Source: Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – D. G. Kaye Explores the Realms of Relationships – May 2021 – The #Grief Process | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

 

©DGKaye2021

 

Book reviews by D.G. Kaye

Sunday Book Review – New Book on the Shelves and #Review – Word Craft: Prose & Poetry: The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry by Colleen M. Chesebro | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

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Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. If you’ve read my yesterday post, you’ll learn that I’m overwhelmed between grief and busyness – getting ready to move. Also, because I’ve been on a rip-roaring tangent of reading many books from grief to afterlife, and often, reading two books at once, I don’t have a review of my own written yet, so today’s book review is a reblog of Sally Cronin’s recent shining new review for Colleen Chesebro’s newest labor of love – Word Craft – Prose and Poetry – The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry. If you enjoy either reading and/or writing poetry, you may want to expand your horizons and learn about the various styles of writing syllabic poetry.

 

Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – New Book on the Shelves and #Review – Word Craft: Prose & Poetry: The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry by Colleen M. Chesebro

 

 

As a participant in Colleen Chesebro’s weekly Tuesday Tanka Challenge, I have discovered so many different forms of syllabic poetry and come to love creating poems in these formats. I am delighted to share the news of Colleen’s new release and also my release for the guide.

 

 

Blurb:

Are you ready to learn how to craft Japanese and American poetry? Consider this book the first step on your journey to learning the basics of how to craft syllabic poetry. Inside, you will discover many new forms, syllable combinations, and interpretations of the different Japanese and American forms and structures of haiku, senryu, haiga, tanka, renga/solo renga, gogyohka, haibun, tanka prose, the cinquain, and its variations, Etheree, nonet, and shadorma poetry.

So… what are you waiting for? Let’s craft syllabic poetry together!

 

Sally Cronin’s 5 Star review for the guide and poetry collection May 19th 2021

I have enjoyed poetry from childhood and would write stories in verse from an early age. I was introduced to Japanese syllabic poetry when I began participating in Colleen Chesebro’s Weekly Tanka Challenge three years ago. At first hesitantly, but then as my confidence grew under her tutelage, I became more adventurous.

Word Craft: Prose and Poetry shares an expanded guide to the various forms of syllabic verse shared on the author’s website, and includes the history and provenance of the traditional and more modern versions. It is fascinating and also humbling that we are in this day and age, creating poetry with such a lineage.

This guide reminded me of how much I still have to learn about the intent of each form and their accepted applications. Nature and the self are prominent, but in some there is a freedom to express emotion, irony and humour. Most forms tell a story and the challenge is to do so with sometimes as few as seventeen syllables and within the framework of the format.

I was very honoured to have some of my challenge pieces included with the talented poets who have participated, and whose poetry brings such pleasure to those who read it in the challenge recap… and that includes the author who always explains the intricacies of a particular form then shows with examples for even beginners to follow.

I recommend this guide and collection for all lovers of poetry who will enjoy the poems shared throughout the book, beginners who are looking for a way to express themselves with brevity, and more experienced poets who are looking for a new challenge. For me as a writer of short stories and novels, writing syllabic poetry has been a great way to learn how to make a few words convey more.

 

Visit Colleen’s Amazon Author Page for a list of all her books.

 

Visit Sally’s blog for the full post

 

Original Source: Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – New Book on the Shelves and #Review – Word Craft: Prose & Poetry: The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry by Colleen M. Chesebro | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

 

©DGKaye2021

 

Writer's Tips

Writer’s Tips and a Personal Note – #Amazon, #Canva, #Audible, #PDF Converter, and #Blogging Tips

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Well, a day late, but I’m getting my Friday post up today on Saturday. My life is very crazy right now, so my posts throughout the coming weeks and month will be erratic. Besides the grieving journey I’m on now for my husband, I am also moving! Yes, that is a story in itself, but suffice it to say, I’m moving to a smaller condo in the same complex, and that involves cleaning out ‘our’ life and getting rid of so many things in order to final downsize. Besides the physical gruel of this mission, don’t get me started on the emotional gruel it takes to look at every single thing we’ve owned and shared together. But that will be a post for another day. In the meantime . . .

I’ve been curating and keeping some great help articles for writers and bloggers, and there are some goodies in this edition – new Kindle Vella for serial publishing, creating animated logos in Canva, #Audiblegate and more!

 

Nicholas Rossis has some amazing news for authors with Amazon’s new short writing program – Kindle Vella

https://nicholasrossis.me/2021/04/23/hello-kindle-vella/

 

At the blog of Anne R. Allen – Three things you should know to make your query letters stand out

Three Things Your Query Letter Needs to Stand Out

 

Deborah Jay shares some great information on making sure authors are using all the tools available in our Author Central accounts

https://deborahjayauthor.com/2021/04/12/are-you-making-the-most-of-your-amazon-author-central-account-editorialreviews/

 

Also by Deborah Jay – Have you heard about the madness going on with Audible? #Audiblegate

https://deborahjayauthor.com/2021/03/29/audiblegate-and-why-its-important-to-all-authors/

 

Nicholas Rossis shares a new PDF Converter Tool – The Tool Rocket

https://nicholasrossis.me/2021/04/02/toolrocket-a-free-pdf-converter/

 

Blogging Guru, Hugh Roberts with another blogging tip lesson – How to reblog correctly

https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2021/03/15/how-to-reblog-a-blog-post-correctly-on-wordpress-bloggingtips/comment-page-1/?unapproved=113951&moderation-hash=1100de8fefb69389c0439d41bc1900f8#comment-113951

 

And Natalie Ducey with another informative tutorial on How to Create Animanted Logos FREE in Canva

https://natalieducey.com/2021/03/11/how-to-create-an-animated-logo-for-free-in-canva/

 

These should keep us all busy for awhile. Don’t forget to save these articles, no doubts we’ll want to come back and reference them!

©DGKaye2021

 

Al Di La

Kindness, Tears and Loving Beyond – #Grief and Loss

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Unexpected kindness is the small things, ordinary things someone kind may do in passing, like when someone sends us a card to let us know they’re thinking of us as a lovely gesture, often without them realizing how a simple gesture can mean so much and can bring a smile – or a tear.

 

I’ve received some lovely cards – both physical and ecards, as well as many messages, and it is comforting and humbling to know that people hold us in their thoughts. Yes, I do realize I keep saying ‘us’, as old habits die hard. I remember reading in quite a few books, how grievers tend to speak about their lost loved one in the present tense, as though they are still here. I am guilty of this as in my heart my beloved is still here with me. I don’t know that I shall ever use the past tense for my husband.

This journey of grief is certainly not for the faint-hearted. The ripples and waves, and sometimes tsunamis of grief roll through randomly and unexpectedly 24/7. Tears splash so easily – a thought, a memory, a condolence, a photo, loneliness, even opening the fridge door and catching a glimpse of his favorite foods will set off a new stream of waterworks. The smiles aren’t as plentiful as it literally hurts my heart to smile sometimes.

The tears are a constant release of pain that ooze out through the eyes, somewhat allowing the heart a tiny bit more of breathing room – until the pool refills itself, something that stuns me, the abundance of tears that never cease to replenish.

The only comfort for me in this time is being able to talk about my husband and all the good and funny things about him. But these talks only satisfy me if they are with someone who knew him well, because they could appreciate the moments with me. And then there is music, but most days I find songs too painful to listen to so I’ll resort to mindless TV.

It’s barely been six weeks since I laid my husband to rest in the double-decker grave I bought for us, yet, the pain in my heart feels like it’s been trodden over for years.

Every new day brings with it yesterday’s sorrow within. I miss my husband terribly and I can’t help but wonder if it will ever get easier. But one thing I know for sure, I will always love him from the core of my being, and not time or anyone can take that away from me.

I’ve been humming a song in the back of my mind lately. It’s a passionate song about loving someone forever, and it’s a beautiful Italian song that I always loved, only now, it’s taken on so much more meaning. Al Di La means ‘Next Life’ or ‘Above and Beyond’, I will love you beyond the beyond. This song was made famous from the 1962 movie – Roman Adventure starring Suzanne Pleshette and Troy Donahue.

 

Take a listen. And if you would like a direct translation of the lyrics, you can find them here.

 

 

©DGKaye2021

 

Bitmo Sunday book review

Sunday Book Review Topically Challenged Volume 1 Flash Fiction Anthology – New Book, Proceeds to Charity

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Today I’m sharing a book that I totally forgot I’d submitted to be part of in this wonderful anthology – Topically Challenged. In this book 100 writers submitted entries of short stories and flash fiction containing 100 stories on news-themed stories. Authors who submitted their work to – “Alice’s ‘Trump This’ News Writing Challenge”. After reading the intro to how this book came about, in both, A.H. Creed’s and Chris Fielden’s introduction to the book, he states that the topic came about as a play on words by Creed, so to speak, as the former president seemed to be hogging the news headlines for a few years, hence, the title of the challenge. Now this isn’t to say that all the stories reflected around Trump, but of course, quite a few stories were based on some of the headlines he was making. My story included.

Visit Chris Fielden’s announcement post for this book. Chris invites writers to many writing challenges, and many are made into anthologies. All profits from this book go to the UK’s largest reading charity – BookTrust.

The book was officially launched on Saturday 3rd April 2021.

 

Profits from this book go to BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity.

 

Blurb:

Topically Challenged Volume 1 contains 100 news-themed stories from 100 authors who submitted their work to Alice’s ‘Trump This’ News Writing Challenge on Chris Fielden’s website.

They are:

A.H. Creed, A S Winter, Alan Barker, Alan Pattison, Allan Tweddle, Allen Ashley, Amanda Garzia, Andrea Goyan, Andrew Ball, Andrew Carter, Andrew Stiggers, Antonio Salituro, Ashutosh Pant, Barbara Hull, Benjamin Noel, Betty Hattersley, Brian Mackinney, Bridget Scrannage, Cathy Cade, Chris Espenshade, Chris Green, Chris Lee, Christopher Fielden, Clare Tivey, D.G. Kaye, David McTigue, David Rosenblum, David Silver, Debbie Singh, Dee La Vardera, Derek McMillan, Dora Bona, Dr Betty, Duane L. Herrmann, E. F. S. Byrne, Edmund Piper, Francesca Pappadogiannis, Frank Havemann, Gail Everett, Gary McGrath, Gavin Biddlecombe, Geja Hadderingh, Glen Donaldson, Guy Monson, Hajra Saeed, Hullabaloo22, Jack Caldwell-Nichols, Jacob Weller, James Goodman, James Louis Peel, John Gisby, John Holmes, John Notley, Jon Drake, Jon Spencer, Josie Gowler, K. J. Watson, Kelly Van Nelson, Ken Frape, Kenneth Muir, Klaus Gehling, Kwame M.A. McPherson, Len Saculla, Lesley Anne Truchet, Leslie Roberts, Louise Burgess, Lucy Morrice, Lynne Chitty, Madeleine Fox, Maggie Elliott, Majella Pinto, Malcolm Richardson, Mark J Towers, Matilda Pinto, Meghan O’Brien, Mehak Vijay Chawla, Michael Rumsey, Mike Scott Thomson, Nam Raj Khatri, Paul Mastaglio, Peggy Gerber, Pete Armstrong, Peter J. Corbally, Raymond E. Strawn III, Sam Nichols, Sandra Orellana, Sarah Charmley, Sarah Mosedale, Simon Williams, Stacey George, Stephen P. Thompson, Steven Barrett, Teresia Nicolas, Tiffany H White, Tony Thatcher, Vaki Kokkinaki, Valerie Fish, W R Daniel, Yvonne Mallett and Yvonne Mastaglio.

The news writing challenge was created to raise awareness of the importance of a story’s theme, support authors and raise money for charity.

Every story submitted to the challenge is published, so writers can gain the experience of having their work edited and then see their stories distributed in print and eBook formats all over the planet.

Profits generated by sales of this book are donated to BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. They transform lives by getting children and families reading.

Please help us raise money for this worthy cause and spread the joy of topical stories around the world – buy this book 🙂

You will find many writing challenges, all run in support of charities, on Chris’s website in the ‘challenges’ section.

 

My 5 Star Review:

I am one of the authors who contributed to this writing challenge that ultimately, became a book, an anthology of stories told in flash fiction or micro short story fashion. The writers were asked to compose a fictional story based on a headline that grabbed us. The topic of the anthology writing challenge was titled: Alice’s ‘Trump This’ News Writing Challenge. The idea was to choose a headline from the news that ‘spoke to us’ and write a short fictional story that would coincide with the title of the news article.

In this book there are 100 creative and entertaining stories on a multitude of topics that touched writers in various ways. Many stories stemmed from politics – mainly US and UK related. Topics talked about cover a myriad of social issues from politics, medical system, animal rights, environmental issues, bullying, transgender issues, to racism and more. Every story is told in each author’s choice of style whether in sarcasm, satire, cynism, even humor. And like Felden mentions in his intro this book, “If a theme resonates with a reader, it can help them remember a story long after they’ve finished it”.

 

Just to share a few of the many stories that resonated with me:

Why Do My Nipples Hurt? Written by Chris Espenshade, cracked me right up. The headline he chose was inspired by Trump’s comment after the hate crime spree in a Pittsburgh synagogue – comedic sarcasm.

End by Allen Ashley. – Inspired by ‘the end of austerity’ on the BBC 2018 budget – government cynicism.

For Whose God and Which Country by Kwame MA McPherson – Inspired by the headline of Trump abandoning his umbrella, (MSNBC), while stepping on to Airforce 1 – fictional nonfiction.

You’re Fired by Dr. Betty. Inspired by the false alarm, missile threat alert in Hawaii, headlined on CNN – chilling ending!

Thoughts and Prayers by David Rosenblum – they do nothing.

Red Card by Jon Spencer – another chilling ending as Russia takes over the world.

Droning On by Len Sucalla – Inspired by the story of a drone hitting Gatwick airport.

Roald Dahl Whose Verses Were Censored by Gail Everett – Inspired by Aldi stores in Australia removing ‘revolting rhymes’.

Truth Uncovered by James Louis Peel – Inspired by Trump attacking his own CDC on how to reopen schools – hilarious satire written in sci-fi style, taking place in the year 2892.

The Fruit-Full Argument by A.S. Winter – Inspired by Apple’s fight with someone’s choice to use a pear as their logo.

Disney Self Identity vs. Labels by Raymond E. Strawn – Inspired by controversy over Disney choosing a new ‘black’ Ariel.

And last, but far from least, my own spin at a flash fiction that raises a question – What Do We Tell The Children? – Inspired by ‘The Children at Trump Rallies’ headline by Damon Winter, New York Times – #ChildAwareness and A parent’s dilemma.

For those of you who enjoy short stories and flashfiction that leaves a mark, I invite you to grab yourselves a copy of this entertaining book, and if you enjoy it, please don’t forget to leave a review. Also, all proceeds go to children’s reading charity,

 

©DGKaye2021

 

D.G. Kaye's books reviewed

#BookReview: P S I Forgive You: A Broken Legacy by D G Kaye @pokercubster | Welcome to Harmony Kent Online

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I came across a new review for my book, P.S. I Forgive You, from the talented author Harmony Kent, found on her blog. I need not tell any other author here how uplifting it is to come by a lovely surprise when someone takes the time to read our work, write a review and share it on their own blog. A truly wonderful community we all are and once again, I’m stoked that my book touched another person.

 

#BookReview: P S I Forgive You: A Broken Legacy by D G Kaye @pokercubster

 HARMONY KENT  POSTED ON    POSTED IN REVIEW   32 COMMENTS  TAGGED WITH , 

Hi everyone. Good news: my long awaited chest x-Ray shows my lungs are clear! Yay! 😁🎉. The issues seem to be down to an overactive immune system, which the new tablets are helping with, plus all the inhalers, lols. I appreciate all of your well wishes and support over these many months.

I owe an apology for not being around online much this last week or so. My first COVID vaccine has hit me hard and left me tired and with headaches. I’m well on the mend, though, and glad I’ve had the first dose.

Today, I have a book review for an author I’ve known and admired for a long time, Debby Kaye. Her honesty and bravery shine through in this book of non-fiction, and I feel it’s one everybody should read >>>

About the Book:

32492158. sy475 Confronted with resurfacing feelings of guilt, D.G. Kaye is tormented by her decision to remain estranged from her dying emotionally abusive mother after resolving to banish her years ago, an event she has shared in her book Conflicted Hearts.

In P.S. I Forgive You, Kaye takes us on a compelling heartfelt journey as she seeks to understand the roots of her mother’s narcissism, let go of past hurts, and find forgiveness for both her mother and herself.

After struggling for decades to break free, Kaye has severed the unhealthy ties that bound her to her dominating mother—but now Kaye battles new confliction, as the guilt she harbors over her decision only increases as the end of her mother’s life draws near.

Kaye once again struggles with her conscience and her feelings of being obligated to return to a painful past she thought she left behind.

 

My Review:

5 star rating

As soon as I saw what this book was about, I had to read it, and I am so pleased I did.

Because of the difficult subject matter, and my own history, I had to take a deep breath before I plunged in. Not only has this writer’s honesty and bravery helped me to understand my parents a little better, it has also shown me precisely what my sister has become. I’d missed that, and this explains so very much.

It is a sad fact of life that, all too often, the victim becomes the perpertrator, unless we have the insight and strength to do something about it. I have long joked that I’m the reverse ‘black sheep’ of my family, and it seems to me that Debby is too. For all our successes, and the miracle of growing into well-adjusted adults in spite of it all, we will never be accepted by a parent who demands that we live their lies, manipulations, and abuses. The same with any sibling who demands the same.

Some lines that resonated with me in particular:

‘A narcissistic mother doesn’t have to be in one’s presence. She can still demand and demean no matter how far away.’

and

‘It is my decision to banish my mother from my life and a resolution to find peace within myself with my decision.’

and

‘[…] if we’re lucky enough to realize the bad, we have the opportunity to steer ourselves in a better direction.’

For a while now, I have struggled to think of what I will do when one or the other of my parents dies. I’m not even sure they would let me know, at this stage. And reading this honest and brave account from D G Kaye has helped me immensely. It has also helped to explain the till-now inexplicable behaviour of my twin sister. She has grown up with emotional neglect, as did I, and has now become a narcissist. This book has helped me to identify why she lives and behaves the way she does.

From my own life, I know how hard it is to go against the grain to become your own person despite your upbringing. It takes work, day by day, to resist some of those unhealthy habits instilled in us as children and to trust our judgements and motives. It takes courage to not give in to the insidious lack of self-esteem with which such adults are often left. The author has overcome much, and I admire her deeply both for her acheivements and for putting her journey into words so that others of us can also be helped.

PS I Forgive You: A Broken Legacy gets a solid and resounding 5 stars from me. A difficult read, but a book everybody should read.

 

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

 

Original Source: #BookReview: P S I Love You: A Broken Legacy by D G Kaye @pokercubster | Welcome to Harmony Kent Online

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