maryleemac

[maryleemac]

Avoiding Burnout: Support for New Caregivers

Even a small corner of a room can be a useful haven during a caregiver’s day. Unroll a yoga mat and do simple stretches to practice mindfulness and relieve body tension. Photo by Jeongsun Lee via Unsplash   Becoming a caregiver is a deeply rewarding yet demanding role, often requiring long hours, emotional resilience, and constant attention to another’s needs. When you’re caught up in providing…

[maryleemac]

The Greeks Believed in Fate

Does Fate still play a role in our lives? In ancient Greece, Fate wasn’t a single divine being. The three Moirai of Greek mythology were women with a subtle, but awesome, power. They decided a person’s destiny and determined whether that person was good or evil. They also chose how long a person’s life would be. Clotho, the spinner, spun the thread of life; Lachesis, the measurer, chose which…

[maryleemac]

Stories about growing up and growing old

(Cover images © Евгения Юшина; artyway via http://www.stock.Adobe.com) Gregory D. Williams, author of A Dry Heat: Collected Stories, captures turning points in the lives of boys and men. Two stories in the collection draw on the author’s memories of a boyhood spent playing Little League and slip-sliding on irrigated grass of Phoenix, Arizona’s city parks. Stories about fatherhood and middle-aged…

[maryleemac]

The Poppy Field

A restless wife. A handsome suitor. Will she say yes? When her husband, Phil, decided to become a missionary in Guatemala, his decision turns Katherine’s comfortable life in Indiana upside down. Trying to be a supportive spouse, she organizes the move and packs up the kids. Now, the family must adjust to life in colorful Guatemala, a land of coffee plantations, peasant farmers, and archeological…

[maryleemac]

A Dry Heat

  Little League players playing in the Phoenix sun (by Stuart Monk via Adobe Stock) In Arizona, where the sun beats down 300 days a year, boys are on their way to becoming men. This debut collection from award-winning short story writer Gregory D. Williams takes us back to the 1970s, a bygone era when parents didn’t always know what their children were up to and pre-teen boys were becoming men.…

[maryleemac]

A Safety Net for Health Care

Travel is often a component of active retirement. But what if one of these seniors tripped on the cobblestones and broke an ankle? What if a broken hip required months of rehab? Having a health care safety net in place can bring peace of mind. (via Pixabay) Advance planning for retirement and healthcare can provide an extra layer of security. And for caregivers of seniors, it’s especially…

[maryleemac]

Ten Questions for Lorraine Dusky

In this column I’m asking subscribers to share their knowledge about writing, publishing, and marketing their books. I’m calling it “Ten Questions.” Thank you, Lorraine Dusky, for allowing us to share in your excitement about your new memoir. The book is not just the author’s personal story, but the story of adoption reform.–Marylee MacDonald Lorraine Dusky’s Author Tip: “Begin writing. You can…

[maryleemac]

A classic novella for our times

Few references to the Spanish flu exist in literature. Even history books glide over an event that devastated families and claimed more lives than were lost in World War I. History looks back and searches for causes and effects. Historians can tell us where and how the pandemic began. It can chronicle the spread of a disease that swept the nation. But for all its benefits in providing insight…

[maryleemac]

An Important New Book about Adoption

This memoir about #adoption will break your heart. #bookstagram #booknerd #memoirs

[maryleemac]

Resources for Senior Caregivers

Being a senior caregiver is a rewarding job, but it can also be challenging, both physically and emotionally. It takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication to provide quality care while also balancing your own work and personal life. Long-term stress can take a toll on your overall well-being. Caregivers can be grandchildren, nieces, or nephews. Caring for seniors provides an opportunity for…

[maryleemac]

Montpelier Tomorrow

“An affecting, deeply honest novel; at the same time, a lacerating indictment of our modern health care system.”—KIRKUS REVIEWS A mid-life mom, Colleen Gallagher would do anything to protect her children from harm. When her daughter’s husband falls ill with ALS, Colleen rolls up her sleeves and moves in, juggling the multiple roles of grandma, cook, and caregiver, only to discover that even her…

[maryleemac]

Hole in My Heart

Official launch day, April 4, 2023. In the days before Roe v. Wade, an ambitious young journalist, abandoned by her beau, leaves Michigan for a dream job on the city desk of a Rochester, NY newspaper. Burned once, she’s eager for love, but as the only Girl in the newsroom, she’s more concerned with making allies and finding friends. When a new leading man appears, she recognizes a kindred spirit.…

[maryleemac]

How Writers Find Readers-Part 2

Here's my latest blog post on finding readers for your books.

A writer can get the word out about a book by doing guest appearances on podcasts. https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/woman-asking-questions-podcast_16132738.htm#page=4&query=podcast&position=5&from_view=search In a previous post, I talked about the difference between “writers” and “authors.” In my view, a writer’s goal is to write one book. After that, a writer pushes the book out into through…

[maryleemac]

The Power of Multiple Synopses

The Power of Multiple Synopses

[maryleemac]

The Best Side-Gigs for Senior Caregivers

The Best Side-Gigs for Senior Caregivers

Working as a paid senior caregiver is a meaningful and rewarding experience for many. However, in the long run, putting out energy to care for the elderly can take a toll on your mental health. That’s certainly true for family caregivers, and it is just as true for those who provide caregiving services for pay. Even though home-health aides provide essential services for seniors, the pay has…

[maryleemac]

Ten Questions for Nancy Poling

Ten Questions for Nancy Poling

  Captivated by the beauty of North Carolina’s mountains, author Nancy Poling has written about three women named Mary. One of them is an eco-warrior and the protagonist of her timely novel WHILE EARTH STILL SPEAKS. In this column I’m asking subscribers to share their knowledge about writing, publishing, and marketing books. I’m calling it “Ten Questions.” Thank you, Nancy Poling, for allowing us…

[maryleemac]

Yoga Is an Important Stress Reducer for Caregivers

Yoga Is an Important Stress Reducer for Caregivers

Despite what you might believe, yoga’s growing popularity isn’t limited to the young. Older adults are increasingly turning to yoga and meditation to find relief from stress and pain and restore physical function. Yoga and meditation have proven especially valuable for family caregivers, who face physical and mental health challenges that far exceed the norm. Homebound caregivers can get stared…