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ECHOES
“From a grandmother – granddaughter tandem comes a poetry book, ECHOES, authored by Lisbeth Thom and her granddaughter , Rachel Nelson. This collection presents a collaboration of parallel poems, written on similar subjects. Both spent the summer bouncing poems back and forth, turning their dream of creating a book together into a reality. Enjoy their poetic banter and differing thoughts on life in this unusual book.”
Lisbeth Thom is the author of novel, Roy Away From the Rocks, a psychological tale of love, loss, and dying. She has also published articles, short stories, and poetry in national magazines such as: The Catholic Digest, Ideas Magazine, Home Life Magazine, and in numerous issues of The Milwaykee Journal and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Lisbeth lives in Savannah, GA, is married, and has three children. She graduated summa cum laude from Georgia State University with a B.A. in English-Creative Writing.
Rachel Nelson is a 7th grade student at the Central Middle School. She enjoys creative writing and has taken a writing workshop at The Loft in Minneapolis, MN. As a sixth grader, Rachel was chosen by her English teacher to attend a writer’s conference at Bethel College. Rachel lives with her parents and her brother in Eden Prairie, MN.
BUY THE BOOK ECHOES On Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com
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Row Away From The Rocks
“This poignant and honest peek over Carrie Barnes’s shoulder and into the journal of the months spent with a dying grandmother will resound with anyone who has ever been or known one of these unsung angels otherwise known as caregivers.”
Suzanne Strempek Shea, author of Becoming Finola.
BUY THE BOOK Row Away From The Rocks On Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com
Orphaned mysteriously and raised by her grandmother in Wisconsin, newly married Carrie Barnes is enjoying a new life in Atlanta when she receives word that Gram is dying of cancer. She puts her life on hold to care for Gram, not the typical sweet little old lady, but rather a cantankerous old woman who turns Carrie’s life upside down. All of her reserves of love and compassion are tested as she tries to make her grandmother’s last days as tranquil as possible while coping with pressures on her job and her marriage. A troubled relationship with her cousin adds to the difficulties.
This much of Lisbeth Thom’s novel may seem familiar to many women who have struggled with the terminal illness of aging parents or grandparents, but Carrie’s story has a twist. While putting Gram’s affairs in order, she uncovers new information about the death of her parents. This resolution of this mystery allows her to forgive and changes her relationship with her cousin, which ultimately brings her a sense of peace.
ISBN: 158838-154-4 Court Street Press, a division of New South Inc., Montgomery, AL
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Row Away From The Rocks Reader Reviews
“Lisbeth Thom exhibits a rare sensitivity to her characters and to the human condition in all its variations. In addition, her highly readable style, her everyday subject matter, makes her a likely candidate to become our next Elizabeth Berg, or even Carol Shields.”
- Rosemary Daniell, author of The Woman Who Spilled Words All Over Herself, Fatal Flowers, and Confessions of a Female Chauvinist
A novel with heart and a quiet surprise. Lisbeth tells an honest story that illuminates what it means to tale care of another person, both the challenges and the beauty. – Jody Scheisser
Row Away From the Rocks breathes life into a subject that affects a huge segment of the population but is virtually ignored in current literature and by the news media. Carrie Barnes, who is like the many women, who quietly and invisibly take on this role, lets us hafe a bird’s eye view of what the owrld of a caretaker really is. This novel’s surprise turns shed light on thte devastating effects of family secrets yet also illustrates the resilience of the human spirit. – Linda Carroll, Pacific Sundog Productions, Manhattan Beach, CA
Row Away From the Rocks is a heartfelt story of a granddaughter rising up to the challenge of caring for her dying grandmother. Carrie puts her own life and marriage on hold while she tends to Gram who seems to think ignoring her prognosis is the best remedy. As they both struggle to find dignity in the process of letting go, Carrie learns about a secret that will forever change her family relationships. A beautifully written first novel with masterful prose, Lisbeth Thom has created a wonderful tribute to those who provide care for loved ones. - Barnes and Noble review. Anonymous
“I believe certain books come into your life when you need them the most, and your book was one of them for me. I began reading your book when I was totally involved in caring for my mother. When she entered the hospital preparing to die, your book became too painful to read, so I put it down. That was probably when I needed it the most. Since my Mother”s passing, I picked it up again and have just finished it. Now, I begin my journey to take those things I learned from my mother and move toward independence. It”s a struggle, but I know I will begin down the path soon. I thank you for your book and all the years it took to write it. ”
- Jane Mueller
