Meet Linda Brendle, Author of “A Long and Winding Road: A Caregiver’s Tale of Life, Love, and Chaos”
Visit AlzAuthors.com where I have been invited to share my thoughts on writing, caregiving, and Alzheimer’s.
Archive for March, 2018
Signs of Easter | by Linda Brendle
Published in the Rains County Leader on March 27, 2018:
Like any other holiday, there are tell-tale signs that Easter is almost here. The earliest ones are commercial – the Cadbury Bunny begins his annual television campaign, and the stores have special shelves dedicated to all things egg related. The shop windows change their displays from boots and sweaters to sandals and flowered dresses with graceful lines, and spiral cut hams and asparagus are on sale in the weekly grocery ads.
There are literal signs, too, as churches post notices and run newspaper ads announcing Easter egg hunts, Good Friday Services, and Sunrise Services. The flowers inside the churches are changed from Winter’s subtle colors to the brilliant hues of Spring, and the sanctuary banners depict the crucifixion and the empty tomb. (more…)
Kitty’s New Game | by Linda Brendle
Published in the Rains County Leader on March 20, 2018:
Anyone who has pets, especially curious cats, knows that these animals have a thing about closed doors. They have a strong desire to be on the side of the door where they’re not. It’s the pet version of “The Grass Is Always Greener” – that thing that causes cows and horses to stretch their necks between strands of barbed wire to try and reach one scrawny dandelion while standing in a patch of lush green clover. It was also probably the inspiration behind the invention of the pet door that so many of us have installed in our homes. (more…)
Book Review: Wild Revelations (Cold Springs Mystery Book 1) by Sara Caudell
About the book:
After ten years of being away from her hometown, Cary returns to find a paralyzed father, dead cattle, legal problems, mustangs and guns.
My review:
Wild Revelations is the story of Cary, a young urban professional, who returns to her roots on a Colorado ranch to check on her father who has suffered a paralyzing stroke under somewhat mysterious circumstances. The author weaves an entertaining web of stolen breeding records, property disputes, unexplained cattle deaths, unbroken horses, and one too many suitors.
The book is well written for the most part, although the editing is a little careless toward the end. The characters are fully drawn so that the reader roots for the good guys and boos the bad ones. The romance is a small but enjoyable part of the story, but the few intimate scenes are a little awkward. Regardless of a few shortcomings, I would recommend Wild Revelations, and I look forward to reading more of Sara Caudell’s work.
About the author:
I grew up in a small ranching community in Colorado where I learned to judge beef on the hoof and under wrap. After moving around the country for my husband’s career and catching college courses as I could, I finally found myself in one place long enough to finish my degree. I was an artist (acrylic), raised three children, managed offices, and started my own genealogy resource business before weaving my stories and experiences into novels. I now live in central Texas with my patient husband and four cats. In my spare time I do genealogy and historical research and nurse orphan kittens back to health for the local animal shelter.
Find Sara on her website and on Twitter
Buy the book on Amazon
Blessings,
Linda
Why Do Old People Smell Bad? by Linda Brendle
Published in the Rains County Leader on March 13, 2018:
Last week I warned that my mind might be a little foggy from the time change when it came time to write this week’s column. Of course, it could also be the allergy/cold medicine I’ve been taking for the last three weeks. Regardless of the cause, I was having trouble coming up with anything readable, so I’m recycling a blog post from several years ago that has been an all-time reader favorite.
When my grandson was 7 years old, he asked his dad why older people sometimes smell bad. That question came up a lot in the caregiver support group we attended in Florida. We also talked a lot about why the homes or rooms of the elderly smell bad. As group facilitator, I tried to come up with answers and even resorted to Google and Wikipedia. The consensus is that there isn’t an overall reason for that “old” smell, like an aging cellular structure or elderly pheromones. Some articles attributed the smell to certain oral medications or topical ointments. Most agreed, however, that the biggest culprits are poor hygiene, both personal and household. (more…)
FREE – This week only – A Long and Winding Road by Linda Brendle
Free! Monday thru Friday this week!
Alzheimer’s is a family disease, and A Long and Winding Road is a love story—not a boy-meets-girl love story, but a family love story:
The story of the love of a daughter for her parents and her willingness to take them into her home when they could no longer care for themselves;
The story of a mother and father who loved their daughter but no longer remembered exactly where they were or why;
The story of a husband who loved his wife so much that he stood beside her as they fought to survive the ravages of the brain-wasting disease that was stealing her loved ones away a piece at a time.
It’s also the story of a seven-week trip for four across sixteen U.S. states in a forty-foot motor home—a trip that involved stopped up toilets, wet jeans, laughter, and headaches that were far from the easygoing retirement the Brendles had imagined for themselves.
Linda Brendle takes you on a roller-coaster ride of emotional and spiritual challenges that many families are facing right now. Co-dependency, mental breakdowns, and finding love after divorce are just a few of the issues weaved into this journey of caregiving.
A LONG AND WINDING ROAD: A Caregiver’s Tale of Life, Love, and Chaos is the story of the chaos that happens when four people, two of whom have Alzheimer’s, spend fifty-three days in a 400-square-foot box on wheels.
Free! This week only!
Blessings,
Linda
Free Titles for a Limited Time #YA #Memoir #Kidlit #Inspy
My memoir, A Long and Winding Road, will be FREE on Amazon beginning Monday for a limited time only. This book is about the hilarity and chaos that happen when 4 people, 2 of whom have Alzheimer’s, spend 53 days on the road in a 40-foot motor home.
We have two titles that are #free this week! Check them out below and click the link to read for FREE!
MARCH 11 – 15
HEIR OF KORADIN by Lisa Dunn #YA #Inspy
Dagger of Willow and Strike has waited a lifetime to return to the village of his birth. He’s been promised the throne of Koradin, but getting captured by his treacherous sire wasn’t part of the plan. Dagger needs a miracle to turn his childhood dreams into reality—And Grit of Berth and Stone might be that miracle.
Unfortunately for him, Grit’s stuck in the rival village of Thresh, and she’s in way over her head. Having bluffed her way into commanding an army of incompetents, she’s useless to Dagger if her new recruits don’t learn the right end of a sword. To make matters worse, Dagger’s sire seeks Grit’s life, and there’s no telling when he’ll return to…
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Book Review: A Kink in the Road (A Deadline Cozy Mystery Book 7) by Sonia Parin
About the book:
Humorous Cozy Mystery. Clean read: no graphic violence, sex, or strong language but lots of fun characters and quirky dialogue.
Eve’s new inn is about to open, with or without a name. As a new local business owner, Eve thinks it would be a splendid idea to attend a local town meeting. Little does she know she’s been excluded from them for a good reason. She’s been labeled a troublemaker. Now there is a new resident in Rock-Maine Island and she’s been warned to stay away from him.
One look at William Hunter the Third is enough to convince Eve she wants nothing to do with the man. Despite everyone’s efforts to keep Eve away from him, the inevitable happens and he lands on her doorstep.
To make matters worse, the billionaire brings along an entourage which includes his ex-wives, his friends and… a killer.
There have already been two deaths at the house she’s turned into an inn. Another death makes it three. Thinking disasters come in threes, she hopes this will complete the cycle. But what if she’s on a treadmill and doomed to play host to murder and mayhem? The town will surely rise up against her…
My review:
A Kink in the Road is a fun read about a young woman named Eve who finds herself in a small town with a large, possibly haunted, house on her hands. She decides to convert it into an inn where she can entertain guests and show off her culinary talents. Since there wouldn’t be much of a plot if things went smoothly, several days before she’s ready to open, an inconvenient storm strands a group of weekend visitors. Their wealthy host has a home of his own in town, but he isn’t prepared for overnight guests, so he and his friends end up in Eve’s inn. The situation turns out to be the perfect recipe for murder and mayhem that kept me guessing and laughing at the same time. This is the 7th in the Deadline Cozy Mystery Series. I look forward to going back and catching up on what I’ve missed.
About the author:
I write humorous Contemporary and Paranormal Cozy Mysteries with fun dialogue and quirky characters. When I’m not reading or writing or consuming vast amounts of chocolate and caffeine, I tend to watch favorite movies or reruns of favorite TV shows. I love creating engaging promotional blurbs for my books. You can find these posted on Twitter and Facebook.
Buy the book on Amazon
Blessings,
Linda
Daylight Savings Recovery Day | by Linda Brendle
Published in the Rains County Leader on March 6, 2018:
Next Sunday is one of my least favorite days of the year – the first day of Daylight Savings Time. On that day, people in seventy countries around the world and the entire Continental United States with the exception of Arizona will begin doing everything an hour earlier so that we theoretically have an extra hour of daylight in the evening. The truth is that most of us will miss that “extra” hour because we will fall asleep with our faces in our dinner plates, exhausted from waking up before the crack of dawn. (more…)
