Twenty-Eight Snow Angels Interview

Check out the interview about my memoir, Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow's Story of Love, Loss and Renewal. Heidi Holtan of KAXE 91.7 fm radio in Northern Minnesota interviewed me for their Realgoodwords segment. She said what she liked about my book was that it portrayed "the real concepts of grief and that there were not many books like it." The interview addresses the fog of grief in the aftermath of the sudden death, how I coped with normal routines and what helped me through the difficult time. Go to to listen to the interview Twenty-Eight Snow Angels is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, Barnes and Noble, Outskirts Press at

Angels in Flight

Sitting alone in a motel room in northern Minnesota tonight brings back memories of traveling alone after the death of my husband. Three weeks after his funeral, I was hired for a new position as a literary coach in a school in Saint Paul. I had taught elementary students for thirty years and thought a job change would help pull me through the grief. When I applied for the job, I didn't realize I would be flying all over the United States to training sessions and conferences. On the first trip to Washington, D.C. in August of 2000, I remember pulling my suitcase into the hotel room, the door clicking closed behind me and staring into the corners of the empty room wondering why my husband wasn't there with me. Thankfully, I was blessed with the guidance of two very supportive team members. Like angels, they nurtured me and helped me become a seasoned traveler. Now when I travel to promote my books, when the hotel door clicks behind me I smile as I feel their presence and thank God for putting them in my life.

the Independent Life

Learning to do things on your own is a survival skill all women should acquire. When you're suddenly left alone after the death of a spouse or a divorce you'll need a sense of confidence that you can face challenges alone. Take time now to eat at a table for one in a restaurant, fly off to a far away city or venture out on a solo driving trip. Believe me you'll be glad you did. I recently met a woman at a conference who said, "I never travel without my husband. I don't think I could do it alone." Expand your solo adventures and gain confidence in your independence now, and you'll be better prepared to face the challenges of life alone. More thoughts on independence in Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow's Story of Love, Loss and Renewal

What the Death of My Husband Taught Me

I never thought when I said "I do" in 1972, that I would be a widow at 53. Months after my husband's sudden death, I discovered grief takes a huge amount of energy, time and hard work. I realized along the way, that you'll have ups and downs, but keep going. The loss shifts your life as you knew it. Give yourself time to conceive a new life as a woman and give it birth. Be kind to yourself. Cry when you feel the tears and sleep when you need rest. If you have a career, give it your best shot every day you can. If you need to take a day off, so be it. Maintain your connections with family, friends and your physician. Remember, your family and friends mean well, but won't always know how to help. Stay strong in your faith even when you're yelling at God. Remember, your loved one's death has catapulted you into the painful, yet creative process of rediscovering who you are. Support will come in different shapes and sizes. Watch for those angels weaving in and out of your life.

Hope, Inspiration and the Power of Angels

This excerpt is from my memoir, Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow's Story of Love, Loss and Renewal. The story is one of love, hope, inspiration and the resiliency of the human spirit.

John and I met in 1971 at the Rusty Nail, a smoke-filled bar in Brook-
lyn Center on the outskirts of Minneapolis. The Nail was a popular
hang out for the bar hopping crowd. Bar hopping, back in the seven-
ties, was like date surfi ng on the net, but you did it in a car, often your
best friend’s car. On any given night after working out at the European
Health Spa my college friend and I piled into her Chevy Nova. Driving
from bar to bar, we looked for the best band, cheapest drinks and the
highest number of single guys ready to invite us onto the dance floor.
In the noisy bar we sipped vodka gimlets and black Russians, praying
the band would pound out a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young or Creedance
Clearwater Revival song, and some hot guy would waltz over to our
table and ask us to dance. Fast-paced songs gave us a chance to check
out a guy with a minimal amount of small talk or body contact.

On that night of January 15, the band cranked out a high-energy
song. From the back corner of the bar John wandered over to our table,
leaned down and asked me to dance. His blue eyes fl ashed as the loud
music bounced and rocked us back and forth. When the song ended,
we hesitated on the dance fl oor while the band decided what to play
next. A soft chord rolled off the lead guitar player’s fingers as the band
switched to a waltz. We held out our arms and folded into each other.

Twenty-Eight Snow Angels Warms Hearts

Wonderful reader response to my recently released memoir, Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow's Story of Love, Loss and Renewal! Thanks to everyone who has purchased a book. Your support and positive reviews on Amazon and Barnes & Noble make my heart soar. After seven years of writing this personal story of the death of my loving husband, I am so pleased to know that my story is touching lives.

Twenty-Eight Snow Angels

Many thanks to ALL the readers who have sent such positive feedback on my memoir, Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow's Story of Love, Loss and Renewal. Your heartfelt, positive comments make my heart soar! If sharing my story gives others hope after the death of a loved one, the seven years of writing and tears will all be worth it.

Twenty-Eight Snow Angels

Reviewing the final galleys of my memoir, Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow's Story of Love, Loss and Renewal. The cover design is beautiful! After seven years of drafts, rewrites and title changes, I can't wait to get the book into readers' hands.

Twenty-Eight Snow Angels

My memoir is at the publishers! My editor did a great job on the final edit. She suggested a new title, so the book will be published as Twenty-Eight Snow Angels: A Widow's Story of Love, Loss and Renewal. I'm very excited about the new title and moving closer to getting the book published. I'll keep everyone updated!

Final draft of my manuscript, MENDING MY LIFE ONE STITCH AT A TIME, will be mailed to my editor Tuesday April 19th! The story is about rebuilding my life after the unexpected death of my loving husband John, in 2000.

Readers who read the final draft called it inspirational...a beautifully captivating story that gives those who have lost a loved one hope...a personal story of loss that captures the heart and lifts the spirit.

My goal is to have it on the market by July.

Author News

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

The Saint Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minnesota recently purchase multiple copies of my book, Miriam Daughter of Finnish Immigrants, to use as a resource in their social studies curriculum! Miriam would be pleased to know her story will be read by students. Also, in the final stages of completing my memoir, Mending My Life One Stitch At A Time, about rebuilding my life after the death of my husband.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

March 4, 2011 Nordic Event 7:00 PM at the Sail Away Cafe in Afton, MN Join musician Diane Jarvi and me for an evening woven with music and excerpts from Miriam Daughter of Finnish Immigrants!

April 21, 2011 Afton Historical Museum Presentation 7:00 PM Afton, MN

A New Year

Welcome to 2011! Today instead of watching football games and parades, I organized my writing projects. Tomorrow I'll tie myself to my chair and hit the laptop keys. My goal is to get my memoir, Mending My Life One Stitch at a Time, finished and on the market by spring of 2011. It's a story about rebuilding my life after the death of my husband in 2000. As a writer my goal sounds impossible, but with daily writing and some luck, I know I can do it. If you know of any editors who are reasonably priced, let me know. I need a final draft editor. Also looking for women's organizations for marketing. Thanks and wishing you a GREAT 2011!