As a breast cancer survivor, my goal is to help other women who have been newly diagnosed to experience hope as they go through the journey. It is my faith in God that kept me going. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, it is also my privilege to help families who are affected by this horrible disease. My husband of almost 40 years and I have two grown children who are married, and seven grandchildren.
In my last blog, I promised a demonstration of my puzzle box from Guatemala, so here it is! The video is only 3:33 minutes long, and you’ll get to see the treasures inside.
This week I have been finalizing all my personal appointments along with a few trips to the Airstream to get ready for our big road trip. One more sleep! 🤩🤩🤩
Scans (CT and Bone) were completed on Monday (my body is still stable, PTL ❤️❤️). Filled up my pill box. Got my hair done. Cleaned the house. Got my treatment (well, getting treatment while blogging). My nurse thought I was working, as many people do that during treatment. I told her I did that for many years, and I decided it was just too much. I’m so glad those days are behind me. Now I can do what I enjoy doing without the stress of the job.
Today is chemo day, and after that we should be ready! Aside, my doctor decided I don’t need bloodwork before my treatment anymore, so that was one less thing to do. It’s a beautiful day outside!
I admit I’m a little tired. Time for a nap! 😴 I’ve been so keyed up at night thinking and planning for the trip, I have had some trouble falling asleep. Last night I put all our stops and parks in the calendar so we can ensure we remember where we are going, and which days we are scheduled to work (er, when Tim has to work haha). It’s a very big trip and I look forward to sharing it with you as we go.
Living life to the fullest in spite of MBC!
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
I started this book about a month before my book club meeting, picked it up, put it down, then got into it about two weeks later. Once I got into it, I had a hard time putting it back down. I finished it at midnight the night before the meeting.
I’ve discovered some things about me and my style of reading. This is just a start. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot more as I continue to read more novels and fewer academic books.
First of all, I love historic fiction. I don’t know that I ever knew that for a fact, but I love reading all the human interest stories surrounded by true historic events. Second, it takes me a while to get into a book. Call it procrastination, or feeling tired, or dread, I don’t know. But, if it’s a good book, I do get into it and then I have a hard time letting it go until I finish. I do enjoy true stories, so perhaps the truth of the history is what draws me in.
This month’s book was All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. He won a Pulitzer Prize (2015 Fiction Prize) the year after it was published. I was curious to find out why, and I was not disappointed.
Sitting on the back patio, enjoying my book (and the baby birds that just left the nest).
I tried to explain the plot to Tim, but this book is so full of intricate details, defining it is a massive challenge. What can I say? Read it!
Basically it’s a story of a boy and a girl who experience the atrocities of war, and the intersection of their stories. The book tells us about a blind Marie-Laure’s experience from the French side, as well as Werner’s front line witness on the German side. Werner was a child prodigy, fixing broken radios from a young age, then he is called to enter the war with others who would share in participating as students and military personnel in Heitler’s Reich. Marie-Laure learned to make use of her other senses at a young age, opening puzzle boxes within minutes, smelling her way around town, and recalling her steps by counting drains. Their family members are also followed, and the chapters rotate between various people and locations. This kept me on my toes.
There is much history told within the pages of this book. I feel like I understand more about the war, the important role played by the radio and trigonometry (math comes in handy in real life at times), German’s propaganda, the attack on Paris, the sad demise of the city of Saint-Malo, and how war impacts everyone to some degree or another (to name a few). I felt attached to the blind girl with freckles, whose father created small replicas of her town so she could find her way around when she ventured outdoors. I loved reading some French phrases, and actually understanding them!
The father’s puzzle boxes reminded me of the puzzle box my mother brought home to me from Guatemala, when I was a little girl. She was there on an extended mission trip after a major earthquake shook their world. I meant to take it to the meeting to show my fellow book clubbers, but I forgot to pick it up as I was walking out the door. Perhaps I can create a video to show you what it looks like, as well as the treasures found inside. It’s an antique now!
I liked the relatively short chapters, which helped the pages flip a bit faster. It’s quite a story. I enjoyed seeing the resilience and perseverance of those who experienced trauma and war crimes. The storyteller drew me in with his beautifully written phrases, exquisite attention to detail, and storyline. As I carried the book with me to doctor’s appointments and other errands, I heard more than once, “That’s a great book!”
I rated it a 9.0, with one point deducted primarily due to the ending. Club members also rated it strong, with some ratings increasing from 8.0 to 9.0 after our discussion.
Spoiler Alert! Skip this paragraph if you plan to read the book. I was a bit disappointed by the ending. I was hoping for a Hallmark ending, and that didn’t happen. A few people’s ending were left unclear, as the characters in the book were unable to find family members and friends. Werner and Marie-Laure do meet, and he saves her life more than once, but they only meet in person for less than a day. He seems to have fallen in love with her before they met, but when they leave the country in separate ways, he becomes ill and wanders into a mine field. I was really hoping they could stay together until the end of the book. It’s fiction after all. Why didn’t the author end it that way? I guess war is like that. Not a lot of happy endings.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
Nearly three weeks ago I lay on the MRI table, once again checking my brain. The reason? I had an eye exam and my double vision has gotten much worse since the last time i was in the eye doctor’s chair. So much that my optometrist won’t put that much prism in my glasses. The double vision results in some dizziness, a few headaches, and, of course, two of everything. Some things are good to double; others…one is enough. My last MRI was in February, and usually I go annually. But my oncologist wanted to double check it.
I don’t get super concerned, anxious, or panicky when I see something show up on the test results. I respond like the line from Bridges of Spies, “would it help?” Worrying doesn’t help, but I do think about it at times.
I get my test results within a few days, before I see the doctor, so I tend to Google everything I don’t understand (which is most of it 🙄). However, I know if there is a cause for concern, my oncologist will call me at some ungodly hour of the morning or night. The dude never sleeps, but he is on top of it. I knew I had an appointment with him today, so even though something new popped up on this one, I just decided to wait and see what he thought about the result.
After three years of reading, “No evidence for intracranial metastasis,” this is the first time I’ve seen “lesions” show up in my brain scan since the gamma knife zapped those little suckers, so naturally I had a few questions brewing. They were described as “punctate,” which means smaller than a millimeter. More specifically, “there are 2 punctate enhancing lesions in the right-sided cerebellum and cerebellar vermis,” with “suspicious for metastasis” and “further follow up” written into the impression and recommendation. They are in the same spots where I was treated for lesions with gamma knife in 2019.
Dr. K. is not overly-concerned. He’s going to do the right thing, and watch them closely, but we aren’t getting too worked up about it and over scanning my brain either. He’s going to send over the images to the radiation oncologist just to be sure, but he doesn’t think I will need to be scanned for a few months or so.
He explained it this way. The MRI takes slices of your brain, and those slices are about 3mm apart. The chances of them catching something as small as these are very slim. They could have been there all along. Regardless, it’s most likely they are showing the healing in my brain from the gamma knife. Or, they could be some residual metastasis. Apparently the gamma knife decreases the size, but doesn’t typically eliminate them entirely (that was news to me 😳). It’s possible the MRI just happened to slice the brain on them this time, and the radiologist decided to write about it.
He did order my regular bone and CT scans, so I can get those out of the way before our big summer road trip. Which is NINE DAYS away 🤩🤩. He didn’t seem bothered by us Airstreaming, going out of town, or missing a treatment. In fact, they are all very happy for us to travel and enjoy life. We can continue with our adventure as planned.
We will be back at the end of July, and I can get another MRI done then if needed. If they want it sooner, I will be home in June for my grandson’s first birthday. Of course I won’t miss that!
Tim went with me to this appointment. Typically I go by myself. Whenever he goes with me, Dr. K. is very chatty. Not so much about cancer, although that’s part of it, but we talk about world politics, society, how it is changing, the extremes and the middle-ground, and how we all have to learn to just live with it. But we are also looking forward to the day when we no longer have to live with it. *Sigh* 😔
I’m reminded of the song, “This world is not my home!” Aside, Dr. K. is a Christian, too. 🥰
We talked about the visit on the way home, rain pouring over our sunroof. I told Tim I was glad to hear what Dr. K. had to say about the MRI results, and the lesions (or whatever they are) in my brain. While I don’t get overly anxious about it, I said, it has been on my mind.
“Literally.” He replied.
We both had a good laugh.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
Have I told you I am a published author? I published a couple of professional books and articles while I was working in my career as a marriage and family therapist and full-time faculty, but now I have stepped into a totally different genre. It’s kind of a second career for me. I have had these ideas swirling around in my head for many years, so I finally decided to just go for it when my full-time career came to a halt.
I guess one could argue it’s more of a hobby, as my expenses are way more than I bring in 😂🤪😂🤪, but I am taking on the identity of a children’s author and loving this new lease on life. I have published three children’s books (a picture book and two chapter books), and I’m working on writing some more. I also illustrated my chapter books.
I have a new website, primarily devoted to my books. Please, check it out! www.lucindawest.com. Also, join my Facebook page Books by Lucinda, if for no other reason than to boost my fragile ego 😄. No, I’m not Lucinda Riley and I did not write the Seven Sisters LOL. Rather than search for books by Lucinda, click on the link provided above to find the right page.
First Day (Afternoon Slot)Second Day (Morning slot)Texas Library Association
I recently had the privilege of attending the convention of the Texas Library Association (TLA) in Austin. I met a bunch of librarians and other authors. It was quite an event! Apparently TLA is the largest in the United States.
Standing with other authors at the SCBWI booth.
I joined an organization as a children’s writer. It’s the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). They offer a lot of training and resources, as well as camaraderie. They purchased an exhibit booth at TLA, then extended to all the authors an opportunity to sign up for a time slot and sell our books. It was a little challenging, since so many authors were giving books away for free. But I did sell a few, and it was a great networking event. I had a great time!
It was too far to drive for an early morning time slot. Since I also saw the afternoon slot open up the previous day, Tim drove me out there and we stayed overnight in the Fairmont. It’s right by the Convention Center, with a unique canopy connecting to it. It’s a relatively new, high-end hotel, and I highly recommend it if you are looking. Tim enjoyed working from the room while I attended the convention. We lucked into a special rate on the room, or we might not have stayed there.
Fairmont Canopy (that’s the convention center on the other side). The open sides were a bit daunting 😳😳. It crosses the street below.
We left town right after my early morning MRI (of the brain) on Thursday and made the three hour trek to Austin. I had chemo the next day (Friday) in the afternoon, so the time I had at TLA was limited. I did get to walk around after my Thursday afternoon book signing and talk to some of the exhibitors. We had to leave after my time was up Friday morning.
Needless to say, I was a bit tired after all that setting up and tearing down, and travel back and forth (plus the two visits to MD Anderson), but I’m just happy to be alive and have the opportunity to do things like this. I just schedule life and then rearrange my doctor’s visits accordingly. If it’s last minute (like this kind of was), I make it work in between.
Most people see me and have no idea. I kind of like it that way. That’s life with metastatic breast cancer.
One of the hardest parts about being an author is the marketing side of things. Most authors are introverts, and they are asked to make public appearances, reach out to venues, and talk about their books. A wise author once told me, writing and speaking go hand-in-hand like a ball and glove. You can’t have one without the other.
Publishers will often help with that, but I decided to go the self-publishing route instead of hiring a literary agent. I’m still learning how to get into various venues, and searching for the best ways to reach people with my books. Lots of people say they love the concept, and love the books, but sales are low.
I have reached out to schools (they are much harder to get into than they used to be). I also have some events scheduled in Krogers, and created banners to draw attention to my table. I’m going to set it up outside our Airstream at the International Rally in Wyoming (coming soon). I just sat with a friend who gave me heaps of ideas as well as contacts, so that’s my next list to address. Although I’m open to traveling and conducting book tours, I’m working on strengthening my brand in the local market.
I am also considering ways to market to grandparents. After all, parents and grandparents are the ones who will buy the books. So, that’s one of my next steps. Unfortunately no, AARP doesn’t permit personal ads 🙄🙄.
In addition to writing a new picture book (a sequel to Onomatopoeia), I’m working on a second edition to my camping (chapter) book. Hopefully this will generate more interest as the cover will be simpler and well designed. (I also get to correct that typo in my mail address 🙄). I’m contemplating hiring an illustrator for the next edition when I get to that point, but I haven’t decided for sure. There are pros and cons!
If you have any ideas on how to market children’s books, or would like to let me know if you think I should hire an illustrator, please comment below. I’m also open to comments about ways to improve my writing. Just be kind, please 😁. Thanks so much for your feedback, and of course your support!
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
I’ve managed to make it to all four book club meetings this year, and I’ve read all four of the books. That’s more than I’ve read in a while, so I’m pretty proud of myself. Each month someone different picks a book, so we never know for sure what we are going to read. This month’s book was The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown. It’s a true story about the boys who rowed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics–and won. It’s a long story, demonstrating all the obstacles they had to overcome to get there.
The main character (Joe) was interviewed by the author, along with Joe’s daughter, as he was nearing the end of his life. Apparently she kept many newspaper clippings and had journaled their story in detail, so this helped the cause. Much research had to have gone into this book in addition to her contribution. Historic events in Berlin under Hitler’s dictatorship showed a side of propaganda I found very interesting, as it was woven into the context of the story in a way I have not heard before. And the competition between the east and west was also new to me. Very intriguing how the underdogs were treated.
It was a good read. I learned more about rowing than I ever thought I would! I’m not sure I could do it! The torture these boys endured would probably not be permitted in schools today (e.g. rowing every day in the snow and bitter cold). The book was a bit technical for my liking, with a few too many rowing races described in infinite detail. I admittedly skimmed a few parts to get to the end where they competed in the Olympics. It took a while to get there. I do think it’s amazing that this true story, a fabulous part of history, is in print. It needed to be told.
Carol’s summary of our discussion was again spot-on.
"Nine of us gathered this afternoon to discuss The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. We marveled at how these Washington poor young men overcame all the obstacles thrown at them and how they kept rising up and beating the odds. The Depression; the weather; the practices and still went to a job and had to do homework; the east coast having all the money/prestige; having to come up with $5,000 to go to the 1936 Olympics; the lane that they got at the Olympics; Don Hume deathly sick at the Olympics. You could go on and on. We all hated Thula, Joe’s stepmother, and how she could abandon Joe at 10 years old and how Joe’s father let it happen was so pathetic. Several of us got sick of the description of the art of rowing over and over. It was too repetitive. We thought the propaganda town of Berlin during the Olympics fascinating that they really pulled it off. We all loved the ending and finding out what each one became and the families getting together each year. We were sad of course that they all are gone. We were all thankful for this true story being written. We rated the book 8.5."
There are a lot of memories about Joe’s family and growing up. I probably enjoyed reading these sections the most. Watching the family dynamics was intriguing as a family therapist. But it was hard to absorb as well. His family was a challenge, and I can’t imagine anyone who would abandon their son the way they did. His step-mother was stereotypical, and could have come straight from a classic Disney movie. Having said that, overcoming this challenge is just one of the many things that made him into the great man he became.
I pondered whether our current society is too easy on people. It seems our younger generation has become soft, and tends to give up more readily. I’m not saying we should permit bullying, but I wonder if the bullies in one’s life could actually help bolster an individual if we get the right perspective about it.
Perhaps we all need a few more obstacles to strengthen our internal muscles. We can moan and groan and complain, or we can choose to welcome the obstacles in our lives. Rather than focusing on how someone else can change, think about how their interaction with you can change you. These challenges may be the very thing we need to become the next (better) version of ourselves.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
As I was looking back over my blogs, I was surprised to see very little about my grandkids! I post about them on FaceBook frequently, but I have not updated my blog to reflect my love for them. ❤️❤️❤️ Yes, I do love them! 🤩🤩🤩
I remember a time in life when I didn’t think I would ever be a grandmother. It just didn’t seem possible. I was much younger then, but when I was diagnosed with cancer the first time I thought I might not live long enough. I’m so happy to report SIX grandchildren, with another one on the way. Jedi #7 is due on my birthday.
About a week after we got back from Florida, we had to take a trip to Oklahoma for another work-related event (Tim’s, of course). And then on to Wisconsin for a second work trip. During the week at home, we snuck in a visit with our four “Jedi” who live close to us. We celebrated our first Jedi’s eighth birthday. Hard to believe she’s that old!
Did I mention we have #7 on the way (March 5 was the reveal). When they told us, I was so excited. “Yay! You’ve having another baby??!!” Tim, however, had a different response, “Oh no!” LOL. He is excited. He just wasn’t expecting it this soon. Seven is the perfect number, but I wouldn’t put it past our daughter to have some more as well.
Speaking of our daughter…In between Tim’s work gigs, we were able to see our other two grandkids (Elizabeth’s children). Their family moved out of state last year on Labor Day weekend for their dad’s job. We miss them terribly! Their parents are a bit selective about sharing their location, due to “safety” issues 🙄🙄, but we did some super sleuthing in February and located them during another work trip. On our second visit, Elizabeth let the kids spend the night with us at the hotel while mom and dad had a date night. We didn’t take the Airstream as it was another quick trip up and back.
We were SO glad to see them, have an early Easter egg hunt, see where they live, visit Elizabeth’s job, and spend quality time with her at lunch as well. The kids came running when they saw us. Anthony was doing errands so we didn’t see him this time. In case you are wondering, they live “somewhere” east of the Pacific Ocean. Hopefully that’s vague enough for their liking, if they ever read this blog 😂🤪🤪😂.
We also had our traditional Easter egg hunt with Bryan’s family on Easter Sunday. It was Jaxson’s first Easter, and Mikayla (not even two) was climbing the big playground to slide down the giant slide. My heart skipped a few beats, but she is a good climber! We discovered a different way of doing the egg hung so everyone was able to find some eggs and it took longer than usual. It was a great day.
Without further ado, here are some pictures of our wonderful grandchildren over the past few months. We call them Jedi, because Tim is “Yoda” and we hope to mentor them in a positive way of life. There’s nothing like being a Grandma. I am so blessed to be alive!
Alison, Jedi #1.Paige, Jedi #2.Hannah, Jedi #3.Gabriel, Jedi #4.Mikayla, Jedi #5.Jaxson, Jedi #6.Bryan’s lovely family! Easter Sunday.Elizabeth, with the wreath I made her for Easter.Fun times with Elizabeth’s kids.Jaxson’s First Easter. We got this walker to play with (and contain him LOL). Coloring Fun with Paige and Gabe.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
We left my Dad’s graveside and drove straight to Florida. Tim had a job there, and while we would arrive a day late, he was still needed at the church in Ft. Myers. The trip couldn’t have come at a better time. It offered me the opportunity to rest, take long walks on the beach, talk to God, capture some great photos, and reminisce. Unfortunately we weren’t there long enough to see any of our friends or family. We were only there for just a few days, then back home. I needed the rest! Amazing how much the ocean can heal the mind and soul.
Still evident was a lot of destruction from the hurricane. Boats were stacked up like a junk pile, even sitting in the tops of trees, and other rubble remained all through the city. Many businesses are still closed. Sad indeed. Never underestimate the power of God’s hand.
They are working hard to clean up the beaches. Not all of them are open, but I was blessed to go here.
Huge coconuts dotted the shore, seaweed pointed the way, incredible sunsets took my breath away, and I came back to the hotel with burnt feet. These all made the experience worthwhile.
“I see the stars. I hear the rolling thunder. Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul. My Savior, God to Thee. How great Thou Art. How great Thou Art!”
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
I have to admit, I thought my father would outlive me. I thought most people who were still alive in my family would outlive me. When I was first diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in December 2016, they didn’t think I had long to live. Yet, I have long surpassed the “average” length of time I should have lived. Every time I go in to see my doctor I am greeted by nurses and techs who smile with surprise and excitement to see me doing so well. My brother (Shawn), and now my dad, have gone before me in that period of time. Mom passed away in 2014, so it’s just me and my sister left.
Dad had just purchased a new scooter, 500cc. It was his second ride. I didn’t even know he was thinking about getting one. He sent me a personalized Christmas ornament with Tim and me on a motorcycle. We had talked motorcycles off and on because of our rides, and we had even texted that morning about something else. I didn’t know he was riding, or even contemplating it.
He thought the scooter he bought might be a bit too big for him, so he decided to try it one more time before taking it back. That’s when he had the accident which took his life. He was 85. They think he had a heart attack which caused the wreck, but no autopsy was done to confirm. They deemed it an accident.
It was a total shock, of course. I thought he would live to be 100, or 95 at least. He died on a Monday and the funeral was that Friday. I had chemo on Tuesday and an echocardiogram on Wednesday, so we jumped in the car and drove to Kentucky for the funeral right after that. It’s a two-day drive from Conroe.
I saw my sister, of course, and her family. Some cousins were there that I haven’t seen in probably 30 years or more. It’s funny how funerals tend to bring people together. An old friend of ours from college also stopped by when he saw my FaceBook post. He lives in the same town where Dad lived, oddly enough, and his wife had even heard about the accident because one of her work colleagues was a first responder to it.
Disney is right. It is a small world after all.
The older I get, the more I realize how small the world really is, and how short life becomes. Every time we turn another month over on the calendar, the days, months, and even years get shorter and shorter. The world is spinning faster and faster with every tick of the clock. Sometimes it feels like I’m on that merry-go-round we rode as children, and it makes me dizzy.
Providentially, I had been going through some old slides that my dad had taken when we were kids growing up. It was a thing. Taking pictures and then get togethers with family gatherings usually included watching a slide show. I’ve had these for a few years, since my brother died, but I had just gotten around to turning them digital.
We had planned on going through Kentucky during our summer trip, and we were going to get together with Dad and Phoebe (his wife). I was going to show him some of the pictures and ask about them. I thought it would be fun to reminisce a bit. I had written “Visit Dad” on my calendar. Little did I know that he would be gone before then.
He was only in a few of the slides, because he was typically behind the camera. Here are a few of my favorites when I was 5-6 years old. It looks like he made use of the timer on his camera. The pictures remind me of the good times, the fun times, and the moments when our family was a family.
This was a family vacation to Florida I think.
Merry Christmas!
I remember that aquarium, and fish netting.
Dad’s Family. My family, aunts, uncles, and cousins.Dad is working on someone’s farm, or maybe he’s just trying out the seat. I don’t think this was our farm.
It’s surreal. You’ve probably been there if you have lost a parent. This is different from when I lost my mom. Different circumstances for sure. her death was expected, and I was blessed to spend the last three weeks of life with her in Hospice care. I had a chance to say good-bye, and say things as well as ask her questions.
This was different. Sudden death is no easier or harder, just different in my experience. Dad and I were not what I would call “close,” and we were just starting to re-connect over the past few years after many years of distance. The disconnect was primarily due to my parents’ divorce and events leading up to their divorce. (It’s a very long story, which I will spare you.) He was always closer to my sister, and I was always closer to my mom. He came to visit when I was diagnosed with MBC, and we started having conversations via texts after that. I was hoping we would have a few more years to continue developing a deeper connection, but God had other plans.
The cemetery was in another city and country from the funeral, and I was impressed with how respectful people were as we processed to the graveside. They pulled over, put their hands on their hearts, took off their hats, and waited for our long line without incident. We held up traffic for an hour across two counties, yet that didn’t seem to phase them. They just waited. I was impressed with their level of dignity and respect.
RIP Dad. Until we meet again on the other side…
I was surprised they already had the date on his headstone.
I snapped a few selfies of me and some family members. I missed my cousin Glennis but he was there as well.
Dad re-married three times after my parents divorced, so he had other families besides ours. I have a second sister who was also at the funeral. She was really little when we first met. We didn’t grow up together, but we keep in touch on FaceBook. It was good catching up with her at the funeral as well.
Terri, me and Bonnie, my two sisters. Bonnie is on the right. She’s two years older than me. Terri was in my dad’s second family. She’s about 12 years younger than me.Me and Megan (Bonnie’s daughter) at the graveside. It was cold and windy, but it didn’t rain.My and my cousin Lisa. I always looked up to her growing up.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
Our book for the month of March was The Scent Keeper, by Erica Bauermeister. This is an intriguing novel and a New York Times Bestseller. Once I got into it, I had a hard time putting it down. I may read it again. It’s an easy read, and the story was captivating. There is a bit of mystery, sadness, love, laughter, and of course family. Hmmm, I may have just described the majority of popular novels out there. 😂😂 🤩🤩
This book is unique in that it is based on the concept of capturing smells in a bottle, the same way we capture moments on a photograph. If you wanted to remember a particular moment in time, from a scent perspective, you could open the bottle and it would transport you back to that time. Not literally, but emotionally and in a very clear memory. The main character, a teenager by now, was raised on an island with only her father to keep her company. It reminded me of the movie “Nim’s Island,” except Emmeline had no contact with the outside world as Nim enjoyed in the movie. She questioned her father’s constant dedication to the scent bottles, and as her eyes were opened to some things on the island, this is when her life really changed.
Aside, it’s interesting how a riff with one’s parent can change an entire destiny. I’ve seen it so many times as children become teenagers and then suddenly turn into young adults. Young adults need to grow up and become independent. Oh how I wish we could keep them small! And oh how I wish I could spend one more day with each of my parents.
I went to my book club, and we left immediately after that for our trip to Kentucky. My dad passed away this week, so it is a quick trip. I’ll write about that later. After that we are heading to Florida for one of Tim’s work gigs.
I’ll keep this review a bit shorter due to traveling. After the meeting Carol sent out her summary of our discussion. As usual, she captured the heart of the conversation. I especially enjoyed the question, “what is the smell of childhood for you?” Maybe you’d like to consider that question as well. Is there a particular scent that takes you back to a certain moment in time? Smell is such a strong sense, and we often overlook its power. Anyway, here is our leader’s summary. I should forewarn you that our summaries may spoil the ending for you.
Nine of us gathered this afternoon to discuss The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister. We started off the discussion with the question of what is smell of childhood for you……. The answers were the Library, Root Beer, Railroad engine, Seaspray, a picnic in an apple orchard, fresh cut grass and the earth, the outdoors and a basement, Pine Sol, Mom’s biscuits and pineapple upside down cake, white shoulders perfume, Prell shampoo to name a few. The majority of us thought it was an easy read and well written. Most of us had no idea of how smell is used in marketing and the different layers to entice buyers. We thought the topic of the book intriguing and interesting. We talked about Emmeline/Violet and her isolation on the island with her father, the second part being on the cove and then the city with her Mother. Lisa pointed out that the author named a lot of the characters based on what happens to them. Fisher for instance because he doesn’t fish with his abusive Father and Emmeline’s Father calling her Little Lark, which she does fly away. Several of us thought the ending was confusing and many of us read the ending a couple of times. Twelve of us rated the book and gave it a 7.5 rating. Sending condolences to Cindy who lost her Father and driving to his service in Kentucky. Safe Travels to you!!!!
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
I had a hard time writing this book review. For starters, I recommended this book to my book club, and it was a flop. Or was it?
I saw the movie a while ago and remembered hearing from some friends that the book was very good. Even better than the movie. I had in the back of my mind to read it one day. But I never actually did.
On the day of my chemo I went to give blood. Somehow, my phlebotomist and I got onto the subject of books. (I think I had Lessons in Chemistry with me at the time.) She told me her all-time favorite book, which she picks up and re-reads every year, is Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers. Hmm. That’s interesting. She is a believer, and the story resonates with her.
While I was getting chemo, our book club leader reached out to me and said the lady who was meant to pick our February book wasn’t able to be there. Could I choose one? This book seemed to be in the forefront of my mind for a reason. It’s about love, and February is the month of love, so why not. I asked if it was okay to choose a Christian book; she said no problem! I offered this best seller as a recommendation.
I enjoyed the book. It is a very sad story about a woman forced into the sex industry from the time she was a child. It may seem like fiction, but I was thinking about all the real-life scenarios where this is happening today. It’s easy to just “forget about it,” and move on with our lives. Yet, many women deal with this on a day to day basis.
Along comes Mr. Hosea, who loves her from the moment he sets eyes on her (he doesn’t know Angel is a prostitute). He hears God speaking to him, telling him this is the woman for him. The story progresses from there as his unconditional love drives him to pursue a relationship with her. A godly relationship. His love eventually redeems her from the repugnant life she was living, but not without its many hardships along the way.
One other group member and I rated this book a 9. (She is also a believer, and has worked with teens who were sex trafficked.) The other group members were not as impressed, rating it as low as 4 or 5. I think one member even rated it a 2. Some thought the characters could have been developed more fully. (I agreed. This is why I rated it a 9, but I didn’t think that should knock off 6 or 8 points. ) It seems the connection to the Bible, Scriptural references, and the concept of hearing from God and loving someone in spite of their spiritual ugliness were a bit too much for some of the group members to swallow.
At the end of each meeting, our group leader summarizes our conversation and sends it to us in an email. I thought she captured the discussion well. Here is her summary.
“Ten of us gathered on this wet afternoon to discuss Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. This book brought a lot of discussion and topics especially sex trafficking. We all felt bad reading this book and also thought there wasn’t a lot of character development. For those of us who did not know the biblical story of Hosea, a prophet, who marries Gomer who is a prostitute, would have been beneficial to understand the book. Sarah/Angel who is Gomer, we all felt opened our eyes to the never ending cycle of prostitution and how she used it like money and the only thing she knew how to do. Some of us shared personal stories of working in the sex trafficking arena and how hard they become and how hard it is to break the cycle which is so heartbreaking. We were frustrated with the story at the end and felt it was wrapped up very quickly after all the angst. For those of you who would like to watch the movie, it is on Prime Video. Here is the Roger Ebert summary and review: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/redeeming-love-movie-review-2022 We rated the book a 5.05.”
~ Our Group Leader
I came away from the meeting feeling a little defeated, to be honest, since I was the one who recommended the book. I was glad to read a book that didn’t drop “F” bombs, as well as one that told a story of restoration. I naïvely thought other people would like it too, and I thought they would value a greater understanding of sex traffic victims. The books we read before this one ended abruptly, and had a few literary flaws, but the group didn’t drop down their rating as much as they did on this one. That was a surprise to me. There must have been other reasons. Perhaps their distaste was primarily due to the Christian emphasis.
I’m a little skittish about recommending another book. 😳
The link to Roger Ebert’s summary (above) of the movie was beneficial. It is a good review, and it did help me understand why the others in my book club may have rated the book so low. I understood when he said the author may have been “preaching to the choir.” Our group identified their lack of understanding of the story of Hosea and Gomer (I explained it to them). The book definitely resonated more with those of us who have a Christian background. Background definitely impacts how one may view a story. I think Francine Rivers missed the boat here. She could have had a greater impact if she had reached out to a broader audience, explaining in a prologue the story of Hosea and Gomer for those who are unfamiliar with it.
I admit there were a few points that had me confused. The author switches the names of characters throughout the book (gives them multiple names) and this could have been more clearly written. There was one character I thought could have been developed a bit further. However, as I was reading the book I was more focused on the story of redeeming love for someone who leaves, leaves again, and continues to leave the arms of Christ. Just when you think Angel is staying, she leaves again. She goes back to her prior lifestyle. She doesn’t know anything else.
This impacted me as I thought about sex traffic victims. How hard it must be to leave the only lifestyle you have learned. The only thing that earns you a living. The only thing you know how to do. The only thing that brings you “love,” albeit a twisted and ungodly form of love. Building trust would be so difficult after that; believing that someone can love you unconditionally would take a great deal of time and effort. How many men would be as patient and generous as Hosea?
Yet Hosea keeps on loving her, the same way Jesus does with us. Jesus loves us no matter what. Unconditionally! Every time we turn our back on Him, He is there watching for us to return. He wants us to. He desires a relationship with us. And He patiently waits for us to do so. He never gives up on us. And when we finally do come back, He doesn’t chastise us or make us feel bad. He wraps His loving arms around us and says, “Welcome Home.”
But, I may be preaching to the choir.
À la prochaine…hasta la próxima vez…until next time!
