THE LAST OF THE ORIGINAL WHEN IT RAYNES COVER. Yes my friends I've been told as of December, this cover will no longer be available. We will have all new covers for the Chambers of the Heart series. As this is exciting for me it is not without a sense of loss of losing this cover. This was my debut book and holds so many special memories for me. Most of all...getting to know all of you.
On this day of Giving Tuesday I am supporting a very special woman who has become a dear friend to me, Maureen Carrigan​. She has taught me the meaning of paying it forward. She has reaffirmed my love of humanity--reminding me that without the love shared among each other we have very little. In fact today, due to her ever present voice in my head, I've brought a pocket of gift cards to hand out to patients in need. With her influence in my life I remember the good in these acts as well as the importance in them when life seems so overwhelming.
When I was thinking of a way to support her I said I had nothing to offer her in the way of a fundraiser. She joked and said I could offer up my little Remi. I mean I love and want to support her but let's get real....Ha! So I am offering a raffle of one of the last few copies I have of When It Raynes with this cover. In this book I've written the first verses of the poem that started this series. It's not much. It may even be cheesy. But anyone who donates (no matter the amount) and puts in the memo "book", I will enter their name in a drawing.
Thank you for reading this post. Please take the time to read her bio. You will not be disappointed. The link to donate to MGH is below.
Maureen...good luck with this journey. Thank you for your friendship and for always reminding me that life is "a marathon, not a sprint". I'm so very proud of you!
Maureen's bio:
I am so excited and proud to run for the MGH Emergency Response Marathon Team. When applying to run I had to write a short essay stating why I wanted to run for MGH. The answer is easy.... To pay it forward.
I moved to Boston from New Orleans in 1994 not knowing anyone and without a job. It was the scariest and best thing I could have done for myself. Although I considered myself alone and "finding my way" in a new city, MGH was always by my side. I was hired in the department of radiology and encouraged to complete my education in Nursing School. Always supported by MGH through grants, tuition reimbursement and encouragement to meet my goals I completed my degree at Simmons College. My path to nursing was a marathon, not a sprint. My years in the department of Radiology are fondly remembered as the Starting Line to my career and I am forever grateful.
The next 16 years have been spent on Labor and Delivery. The relationships with colleagues are far more than friends, these women are truly my family. We support one another through births and loss, whether it is with our patients or in our personal lives. In August of 2005 hurricane Katrina hit my hometown of New Orleans. It was the ultimate loss of my home, thankfully not my family. The outpouring of support from my colleagues is indescribable. The staff of L&D jumped in and started fundraising for friends and family affected. The department of radiology contacted me, after five years of leaving my position. Their donations aided in the rebuilding of my childhood home and the homes of my extended family. The rebuilding of New Orleans was a marathon, not a sprint.
I am running the 2017 Boston Marathon to raise money for the MGH Emergency Response Team with gratitude for what MGH has done for me. I will never forget standing in front of my parent's home and baring witness to The Red Cross offering a hot meal to my mother. You never think "it can happen to you", but tragedy has no face, no gender, no race. The best of humanity was brought out from this experience.
I am humbled for the 22 years of support from my MGH family and am proud to run as a part of the MGH Emergency Response Team.
https://www.crowdrise.com/MGHERRespon...
When it Raynes