Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Family Relationships Blog Day

Today I'm participating in a mass blogging! WOW! Women On Writing has gathered a group of blogging buddies to write about family relationships. Why family relationships? We're celebrating the release of Therese Walsh's debut novel today. The Last Will of Moira Leahy, (Random House, October 13, 2009) is about a mysterious journey that helps a woman learn more about herself and her twin, whom she lost when they were teenagers. Visit The Muffin (http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/blog.html) to read what Therese has to say about family relationships and view the list of all my blogging buddies. And make sure you visit Therese's website (http://www.theresewalsh.com/) to find out more about the author.


MY FAMILY

My love of reading came from my mom. She taught me early on how to read--very early on. I was reading before I turned 2 years old. There have been many anecdotes told about my love for reading.

Just after my brother was born, my grandfather was taking care of me. I was 2 years old and he was "helping me" with my reading flashcards. Well, he held them upside down and I got so upset because I was sure I knew how to read, but couldn't read those!

My mom and I used to sit and read the newspaper together. Mine was a kiddie newspaper, of course, but I didn't know the difference!

And then all the way up through high school, and even now some times, my mom and I will walk into a bookstore and browse the books, with her buying me a book I've been wanting.

In junior high, she gave me stack of books that she had saved from when she was little, many including Nancy Drew. And she often gave me suggestions of books to read. Now, the roles have reversed and I recommend books for her to read. I introduced her to my favorite author- Jodi Picoult, and got her hooked on the Twilight series! I am so thankful for my mom, and that I inherited her love of reading!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Last Will of Moira Leahy
By Therese Walsh

A LOST SHADOW
Moira Leahy struggled growing up in her prodigious twin's shadow; Maeve was always more talented, more daring, more fun. In the autumn of the girls' sixteenth year, a secret love tempted Moira, allowing her to have her own taste of adventure, but it also damaged the intimate, intuitive relationship she'd always shared with her sister. Though Moira's adolescent struggles came to a tragic end nearly a decade ago, her brief flirtation with independence will haunt her sister for years to come.

A LONE WOMAN
When Maeve Leahy lost her twin, she left home and buried her fun-loving spirit to become a workaholic professor of languages at a small college in upstate New York. She lives a solitary life now, controlling what she can and ignoring the rest--the recurring nightmares, hallucinations about a child with red hair, the unquiet sounds in her mind, her reflection in the mirror. It doesn't help that her mother avoids her, her best friend questions her sanity, and her not-quite boyfriend has left the country. But at least her life is ordered. Exactly how she wants it.

A SHARED PAST
Until one night at an auction when Maeve wins a keris, a Javanese dagger that reminds her of her lost youth, and happier days playing pirates with Moira in their father's boat. Days later, a book on weaponry is nailed to her office door, followed by anonymous notes, including one that invites her to Rome to learn more about the blade and its legendary properties. Opening her heart and mind to possibility, Maeve accepts the invitation, and with it, a window into her past. Ultimately she will revisit the tragic November night that shaped her and Moira's destinies, and learn that nothing can be taken at face value, as one sister emerges whole and the other's score is finally settled.

To read reviews about The Last Will of Moira Leahy, please visit Therese's website

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Therese Walsh

Therese is the co-founder of Writer Unboxed, a blog for writers about the craft and business of genre fiction. Before turning to fiction, she was a researcher and writer for Prevention magazine, and then a freelance writer. She's had hundreds of articles on nutrition and fitness published in consumer magazines and online.

She has a master's degree in psychology.

Aside from writing, Therese's favorite things include music, art, crab legs, Whose Line is it Anyway?, dark chocolate, photography, unique movies and novels, people watching, strong Irish tea, and spending time with her husband, two kids and their bouncy Jack Russell.


Visit these other participating blogs:

Adventures in the Writing Life: http://adventuresinthewritinglife.blogspot.com/
A Girl, Her Career, and Life on the Dairy Farm: http://sandhillssequitur.blogspot.com/
The 5th Line Project, Page 56, Line 5: http://the5thlineproject.wordpress.com/
Read These Books and Use Them!: http://margodill.com/blog/
Julie Bogart's blog: http://juliebogart.com/blog/
A Ponderance of Things: http://rcponders.wordpress.com/
A Woman's Life Stages: http://www.awomanslifestages.com/
Danielle Buffardi's blog: http://www.daniellebuffardi.com/
Just Another Perfect Day: http://gundiva.blogspot.com/
Stories of life: one writer-mom's odyssey: http://www.kristinemeldrumdenholm.blogspot.com/
Once Written, Twice Shy: http://www.shywriters.blogspot.com/
Writing Cops...It's What I Do: http://melanieatkins.wordpress.com/
Anna Louise Lucia's blog: http://annalouiselucia.com/blog/
Erin Denver's blog: http://www.erindenver.com/
MamaBlogga: mom's search for meaning: http://www.mamablogga.com/
About.com's Freelance Writing: http://freelancewrite.about.com/
Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem: http://moonlightlacemayhem.blogspot.com/
Catch a Star Before It Falls: http://celestialgldfsh.livejournal.com/
Magical Musings: http://magicalmusings.com/
Fat and then, a journey back to my true self: http://fatandthen.blogspot.com/
Gayle Trent, Cozy Mystery Writer: http://www.gayletrent.com/blog/
Paris Parfait, Tara Bradford writes from the City of Light: http://www.tarabradford.com/
Cathy C.'s Hall of Fame: http://www.cathychall.blogspot.com/
Misadventures with Andi: http://www.misadventureswithandi.com/
Kristin Bair O'Keeffe's blog: http://www.kristinbairokeeffeblog.com/
Writing is About Putting Yourself to Words: http://aspnovelist.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth Kirschner's blog: http://elizabethkirschner.wordpress.com/
Entering the Age of Elegance: http://www.maturingmodernwomen.com/
Mother Daughter Book Club Blog: http://motherdaughterbookclub.wordpress.com/
Natalia Maldonado's blog: http://www.nmaldonado.com/blog/
writers, dogs, and germans*: http://sdennard.wordpress.com/
Little Miss Information: http://s-frostie.tumblr.com/
Dianne Sagan, Life as a Ghost(writer): http://diannesagan.wordpress.com/
North Side Four (plus Eleanor Roosevelt, the Senator and the President): http://www.northsidefour.blogspot.com/
Teresa Shen Swingler's blog: http://teresashenswingler.com/
Color Your Life Happy-Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.: http://coloryourlifehappy.com/blog/
a-century-of-thoughts: http://chehrenegar.blogspot.com/
'Manda Blogs About...: http://mandablogsabout.blogspot.com/
SFC Blog: Families Matter: http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com/

2 comments:

  1. Growing up my mom was a sub teacher at the local middle school and her best friend there was the librarian. I used to love when she worked because she would bring home a whole pile of books the librarian sent home for me!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes,All mom's behave like a teacher to their children. But some time they will be a best friend, caring, loving and etc.visit here for more: http://truthofrelationship.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete