In August 2007, I saw breaking news about the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse in Minnesota.  A news crew was interviewing a man who had just lost his pregnant wife, while she was driving over the bridge.  I remember thinking about what I would do if that happened to me, and how could one move forward from such a traumatic event in their life.

That story became a 'what if' story for me, which turned into my first fiction novel, The Other Side of Goodbye.  Since 2007, I have been working on it, and now, it will finally be released within a few weeks.  It has been a sorrow, yet joyful journey, and I dedicate it to all those who have suffered such tragedies.  It's odd how fiction fancies life, but I wrote it to inspire people to think about hope, survival, and moving forward when something so traumatic happens.

During this Christmas season after hearing about my book, a friend sent me a link to Madonna Badger's Vogue story in Connecticut.  I finally read it yesterday and wept.  My heart goes out to her and I am so proud of her for having the courage to move on with her life, after so much pain.  She is an inspiration to us all.