Last night we celebrated the release of Room For Grace with so many smiling faces at FOX POINT LIBRARY. It felt like coming home, it felt like a great wedding, it felt like love and pride. Through the words, Mom's voice, and Dad's were heard, and cherished.
Thank you to Sandy Oliviera and Fox Point Community Library Staff, the library was our first choice, and you helped us accomplish our publication dream party!
To our wonderful friends, Ellen Lynch and Caroline Marcello, thank you for helping get the word out to friends new and old with your unparalleled charisma and excitement! Because of you there were almost sixty people I got to have meaningful one-on-ones with!
So much hard work went into the evening and I got to share the stage with Mom's former coworkers, confidents and friends Jackie Fish, Patricia Symonds, Friedrika Robinson and, Mom's former student, Justin Baptista and together we read excerpts from ROOM FOR GRACE. As an ensemble and as a team and as a community, we got to have thoughtful, beautiful, heart-to heart conversations that allowed us all to share deep meaningful connections.
And my family was there! I mean, oh, thank you! My mom’s sisters and my grandmother who is "grace" herself. it was so comforting! And I got to give Kate Cox, one of our family's best friends, a huge hug! My gosh there were also some of the beautiful hands and hearts from The Miriam Hospital. For years they gave my mom such loving comfort and last night they shared their love with me! I was beaming!
Special shoutouts to Ocean State Sandwich Company and the Handwerger family who donated such a delicious fantastic spread and also, Kevin Miller, my best of friends through thick and thin, who ran the merch table and helped take many wonderful photos so we'll always remember this special night.
If you took photos you'd like to share, please share them on the ROOM FOR GRADCE Facebook page and use the hashtag #RoomForGrace.
Friends, one final plea, please please please head to Amazon and write a few comments about the night and any thoughts about the book so we can continue to make new friends and get the book to more readers. I'm gushing.