Manon Rinsma

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Manon Rinsma

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January 2018


Manon Rinsma, a Dutch-American author known for exploring deeply personal narratives, first gained recognition with her debut memoir, 13 Diamonds: Life Before Death from a Child’s Perspective, which reflects on losing her mother to brain cancer at twelve. On the 20th anniversary of this loss, Rinsma returns with A Far Cry from Yesterday: Finding Tomorrow in Distant Lands. This memoir chronicles her heartfelt journey across four continents to confront grief, anger, and the drive to rebuild. Through unflinching honesty and vivid storytelling, Rinsma takes readers deep into the heart of healing and what it means to move forward.

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Manon Rinsma A travel memoir, a sequel to 13 Diamonds! It is coming out 20 years after my mother's death on February 1st, 2025. In 2015 I put on my red Nikes and s…moreA travel memoir, a sequel to 13 Diamonds! It is coming out 20 years after my mother's death on February 1st, 2025. In 2015 I put on my red Nikes and strapped on a backpack to wander across four continents to find my sense of belonging back.. somehow, after feeling everything was ending and home as I knew it was gone. Ask me for an Advanced Reader Copy! I would love to hear your thoughts. (less)
Manon Rinsma 13 years ago - the day my mother passed away, before she died, I started writing "A life without a mother - how would that be?" I was twelve years old…more13 years ago - the day my mother passed away, before she died, I started writing "A life without a mother - how would that be?" I was twelve years old and ever since, I felt the need of writing about my experience. So many times I felt misunderstood or kept out of the loop, while I was missing out on valuable time with my mother. By sharing my perspective, I hope to initiate tough conversations among others who are in the same predicament now as I was then. I wish I could remember the last words my mother said to me, but for someone else it might not be too late. (less)
Average rating: 4.78 · 60 ratings · 42 reviews · 3 distinct worksSimilar authors
A Far Cry from Yesterday: F...

4.76 avg rating — 33 ratings — published 2025 — 2 editions
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13 Diamonds: Life Before De...

4.80 avg rating — 25 ratings2 editions
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MBOSSED: Leaving Your Mark ...

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings2 editions
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February 1, 2O25

2O years ago, as my mother was still breathing, I sat behind my computer and typed: “𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳—𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦?”

I was twelve. An hour later, she was gone.

Grief isn’t just measured in years. It’s the memories that stay, the love that lingers. It’s in the stories we tell, in the words that bring her back to me. Writing became my way of holding on—not just to moments, but to her. Whe Read more of this blog post »
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Published on February 01, 2025 11:39 Tags: death, loss, new-release, travel-memoir
The Assassin's Blade
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All the Way to th...
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Manon’s Recent Updates

Manon Rinsma is now friends with Raphaël Zéla
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13 Diamonds by Manon Rinsma
"Literally every parent going through cancer should be reading this book. Doesn’t matter what kind of cancer it is, there are so many universal things this book hits SO HARD on. It is incredible. 13 Diamonds: Life Before Death From a Child’s Perspecti" Read more of this review »
A Far Cry from Yesterday by Manon Rinsma
"Manon Rinsma’s memoir is quiet, steady walk through grief, wanderlust, and the stubborn work of becoming. What begins as escape gradually turns into a search with purpose. Rinsma never inflates the drama of border stops or new romances; she lets the " Read more of this review »
A Far Cry from Yesterday by Manon Rinsma
"Manon Rinsma’s A Far Cry from Yesterday: Finding Tomorrow in Distant Lands is wonderfully honest and raw, showing readers herself as a woman with her own vulnerabilities, who also has the courage and fortitude to leave her comfort zone and become int" Read more of this review »
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The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas
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All the Way to the River by Elizabeth Gilbert
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A Far Cry from Yesterday by Manon Rinsma
“Even the most gilded dreams must eventually give way to the light of day.”
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The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
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Quotes by Manon Rinsma  (?)
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“If you do feel lonely - let us be alone together.”
Manon Rinsma, 13 Diamonds: Life Before Death from a Child's Perspective

“This was something I began appreciating about life abroad: how much more malleable we become to chance encounters.”
Manon Rinsma, A Far Cry from Yesterday: Finding Tomorrow in Distant Lands

“Even the most gilded dreams must eventually give way to the light of day.”
Manon Rinsma, A Far Cry from Yesterday: Finding Tomorrow in Distant Lands

“Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt I love.”
William Shakespeare, Hamlet

“Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about.”
Winston Churchill

“This was something I began appreciating about life abroad: how much more malleable we become to chance encounters.”
Manon Rinsma, A Far Cry from Yesterday: Finding Tomorrow in Distant Lands

“I told them how I missed her the most on rainy days, and during winters. I told them that the sky hadn’t been as blue since she passed, but as of late, with every mile I traveled and every challenge I overcame, I was getting closer to her, or solidifying her presence within me, and I was beginning to notice the indelible hue again.”
Manon Rinsma, A Far Cry from Yesterday: Finding Tomorrow in Distant Lands

“Even the most gilded dreams must eventually give way to the light of day.”
Manon Rinsma, A Far Cry from Yesterday: Finding Tomorrow in Distant Lands

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