Читать книгу Instant Family - Donna Gartshore - Страница 4

Dear Reader,

I’m so excited to share my debut novel with you! Thank you for coming on this journey with Ben and Frankie.

It meant a lot to me to write this book for a few different reasons. My father suffered with Alzheimer’s disease before he passed away and, like Ben says, I missed the person he had been long before he actually died. He wasn’t a pastor like Ben’s father, but was a journalist who taught me my love of books and writing and always encouraged me to write. Many of Al’s behaviors are modeled on my dad’s, but I know that it’s a complex disease that can affect people in many different ways.

I am also a single mom like Frankie—my husband passed away of heart disease several years ago. In writing about Ben, I thought about my husband’s kind heart, sense of humor and work ethic.

More than anything, though, I wanted to write a book about second chances. Of course, I thought a great deal about my dad and my husband, and sometimes had a few tears, but more than anything I thought of the many blessings that I’ve been given as life has continued on—my daughter, my family, my friends, my writing community and, now, readers like you.

Life has unexpected turns, but I believe in God and I still believe in happy endings!

I’m active on social media. Find me on Twitter at @gartshoredonna and on Facebook at facebook.com/dlgartshore. Feel free to email me at deelynn1000@hotmail.com. Come find me—I love to talk about books and writing and hear what people’s goals and dreams are.

Thanks again!

Donna