Blogging
News Bulletin: A Book is Born
After writing two books (Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia published 2014 and Maggie: A Journey of Love, Loss and Survival published 2018), I figured I’d exhausted further book-length writing projects. I’d already written two more books than I ever dreamed I’d write. My self, however, soon informed me otherwise. The stories my dad told and retold me years ago about his parents kept creeping into my consciousness. Basically, they wouldn’t leave me alone and I finally had to admit these tales were simply too compelling not to share. I will also acknowledge that I love to write historical fiction. Edits completed, Harry and Grace: A Dakota…
My friend, Jaxon
Two weeks ago, my 12+ year-old mini Schnauzer, Jaxon, was diagnosed with an osteosarcoma in his left, back leg. In the previous couple of weeks, I’d noticed whenever he stood up after a nap that he kept weight off that leg. He’d hobble around on three legs for a few minutes before eventually walking (mostly) normally. When he began to refuse to use his dog door to go in and outside or walk up the stairs, I knew something definitely wasn’t right. The leg had become swollen and I suspected Arthritis. We went to visit our vet, with the hope he would prescribe an anti-inflammatory. I never expected to hear…
Saving, Tossing, Recycling, Donating: Is This an Aging Thing?
Sorting into piles. Saving, tossing, recycling, donating. No, we’re not doing a clean-out of a relative’s belongings after their passing. We’re slowly sifting through our own stuff. Old enough to be thinking about such matters, we decided it prudent to pare down some of the accumulation ourselves, so that when “that” time inevitably arrives, our kids aren’t faced with a mountainous task. We’re not shedding our furniture or home décor, artwork or travel mementos. Belongings which bring us joy or that we use on a regular basis will remain. No, it’s the “stuff” we’ve hung onto for years and years that we never look at, nor no longer need. Back…
AlzAuthors Book Sale
Stock Up On Great Alzheimer’s and Dementia Books! AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer’s and dementia from personal experience. I am fortunate to be one of the three founders of this nonprofit organization. This sale is an excellent opportunity to pick up new books about Alzheimer’s and dementia at discounted prices. Some are even free! The books represent a variety of genres: non-fiction, fiction, memoir, children’s books, and more. AlzAuthors Book Sale & Giveaway in Honor of Caregiver Appreciation Month Starts November 10th They cover a wide range of situations: caring for a parent, a spouse, Alzheimer’s, early-onset dementia, and more. All are available in a…
Dogs, Dementia and Kindness
A woman approached us as we walked along the sidewalk in the hospital corridor near my home. “May I ask you a question?” she asked. “Sure.” “Is it okay if I approach your dog?” “Of course.” She walked up to Jaxon and kneeled down to pet him. “Oh, I so needed a mini Schnauzer ‘fix’ this morning. We don’t live here and our dog is back home. I miss her so.” She looked up at me. “My husband is in the Intensive Care Unit.” “Oh, dear. Covid?” I asked. “No, he had a heart attack. And, last night they had to take him back into surgery where he then suffered…
“Somebody Stole My Iron” made it to the Best Alzheimer’s Books of All Time
I’m excited to announce that Somebody Stole My Iron: A Family Memoir of Dementia was selected for BookAuthority’s Best Alzheimer’s Books of All Time. BookAuthority collects and ranks the best books in the world, and it is a great honor to get this kind of recognition. Thank you, dear readers, for all your support!
Meet Julie, narrator of “Maggie: A Journey of Love, Loss and Survival” Audiobook
Julie from Mathilda Joy Productions has joined me today for an interview about narrating audiobooks. Julie, I’m so pleased to have you as a guest on my website! Before we get started, I’d like to publicly thank you for doing such a fantastic job narrating Maggie, turning the written story into an audiobook. Your voice was perfect for the job, right down to the Irish accent for a couple of the characters. I’d like to know more about the whole narration process, so I have a few questions I’d like to ask you. Let’s get started! First of all, how did you come up with the lovely name Mathilda Joy Productions for your business?…
Order By Numerals
By Vicki Tapia I gravitate toward an orderly life. Perhaps it was instilled in me by my mother as a small child. Repeat after me: A place for all things and all things in their place. Numbers have always been the constant in my life through which I can find a wee bit of harmony in a disorderly universe. I am often unconsciously lining up numbers; adding, subtracting or multiplying them. I believe that five minus four equals one. People have been known to say to me, “You should have been a bean-counter.” I find numbers to be calming. They ground me. If she were this age, what age was…
My Idiosyncrasy Revealed
By Vicki Tapia While I’ve always felt I don’t quite “fit in,” a couple of years ago I learned I actually do share an oddity with about one percent of the world’s population. I am a synesthete, meaning I experience grapheme-color synesthesia. Huh? What is that? Is it contagious? Is it dangerous? Well, no, it is neither. Grapheme-color synesthesia means my perception of letters and numerals is associated with color. Yes, that’s correct. Whenever I think of a letter, word or number, it has a color or hue in my mind. This perception has been with me as far back as I can remember, is involuntary and completely consistent over…
Live in the Moment
An ever-growing realization of the finiteness of life can leave me feeling blue. I accept the fact I ought to be prepared to depart this existence at any moment, and the odds of that moment arriving increase with each and every birthday. Although this information is not breaking news, for some reason lately, I’m more acutely aware of the possibility. I suspect the heightened awareness of my mortality may have something to do with holiday memories of departed loved ones. A trail of trickling tears can be set off by sentiments in a book or news article, something someone says or does, thinking about my kids or grandkids or by…
