THE OTHER FAMILY--out April 1, 2020!!
I still can't rate my books--it doesn't feel right. What I can do is explain why I wrote THE OTHER FAMILY, and why I hope you'll want to read it...
So...I was at a party (shocker, I know) a few years ago. A group of us were discussing the now ubiquitous 23andMe DNA test--it was fairly new then, and people were curious. How did it work? If you did it, what did you find out? Were you surprised? Well, anytime people are that interested in something, my writerly brain kicks in, alert to possibilities. Among the interested faces was a guy who looked, for lack of a better term, pissed. I mean...ANGRY. I'm nosy, and I can't help myself when it comes to satisfying my curiosity, so I asked him, "Everything okay?"
Turned out he did the test, and, because relatives are listed, found out he had an aunt and cousins he never knew about. Apparently, his father had feuded with his sister before this guy was born, and cut all ties. He'd grown up without much in the way of extended family, and now that his father passed, he felt he'd unfairly missed out.
"Wow," I said, rendered almost, but not quite, speechless. "Wow."
"Yep," he seethed.
Again, I couldn't hide my curiosity. "What happened when you contacted them?"
He gave me a weird look. "Why in the world would I do that?"
Um...because that's the first thing I would do! Wouldn't you?
At about the same time, I began to notice a disturbing trend--more and more of my family and friends were getting sick with autoimmune syndromes/diseases/illnesses. At times it seemed everyone around me was suffering from something. Many of our immune systems were horribly confused, attacking healthy tissue and causing all kinds of debilitating problems. And, in addition to the burden of not feeling well on a daily basis, many sufferers could not get a solid diagnosis from their doctors without countless tests and office visits. Some had yet to get a definitive answer for their distress. Watching loved ones suffer was devastating, and I felt so helpless. Unfortunately, I am not a doctor; however, I am a writer so...
I started writing THE OTHER FAMILY. It's the story of Ally, a woman who is struggling to find some answers for her ten-year-old daughter's autoimmune struggles. In doing so, she uses DNA testing to research the possibility of a hereditary illness. Ally is adopted and knows next to nothing about her birth family, and, to her great surprise, the DNA test reveals a biological aunt living nearby. Putting her misgivings aside, Ally contacts this aunt, which, in turn, introduces Ally and her daughter, Kylie, to a whole new world of...
...you'll have to read the novel to find out what craziness ensues. I promise you'll laugh while reading about Ally and Kylie's adventures, and cry a little, and just maybe, if you or your loved ones suffer from a chronic illness (Isn't that everyone at this point?), you'll feel a little hopeful.
Happy reading!
XOXO,
Loretta
So...I was at a party (shocker, I know) a few years ago. A group of us were discussing the now ubiquitous 23andMe DNA test--it was fairly new then, and people were curious. How did it work? If you did it, what did you find out? Were you surprised? Well, anytime people are that interested in something, my writerly brain kicks in, alert to possibilities. Among the interested faces was a guy who looked, for lack of a better term, pissed. I mean...ANGRY. I'm nosy, and I can't help myself when it comes to satisfying my curiosity, so I asked him, "Everything okay?"
Turned out he did the test, and, because relatives are listed, found out he had an aunt and cousins he never knew about. Apparently, his father had feuded with his sister before this guy was born, and cut all ties. He'd grown up without much in the way of extended family, and now that his father passed, he felt he'd unfairly missed out.
"Wow," I said, rendered almost, but not quite, speechless. "Wow."
"Yep," he seethed.
Again, I couldn't hide my curiosity. "What happened when you contacted them?"
He gave me a weird look. "Why in the world would I do that?"
Um...because that's the first thing I would do! Wouldn't you?
At about the same time, I began to notice a disturbing trend--more and more of my family and friends were getting sick with autoimmune syndromes/diseases/illnesses. At times it seemed everyone around me was suffering from something. Many of our immune systems were horribly confused, attacking healthy tissue and causing all kinds of debilitating problems. And, in addition to the burden of not feeling well on a daily basis, many sufferers could not get a solid diagnosis from their doctors without countless tests and office visits. Some had yet to get a definitive answer for their distress. Watching loved ones suffer was devastating, and I felt so helpless. Unfortunately, I am not a doctor; however, I am a writer so...
I started writing THE OTHER FAMILY. It's the story of Ally, a woman who is struggling to find some answers for her ten-year-old daughter's autoimmune struggles. In doing so, she uses DNA testing to research the possibility of a hereditary illness. Ally is adopted and knows next to nothing about her birth family, and, to her great surprise, the DNA test reveals a biological aunt living nearby. Putting her misgivings aside, Ally contacts this aunt, which, in turn, introduces Ally and her daughter, Kylie, to a whole new world of...
...you'll have to read the novel to find out what craziness ensues. I promise you'll laugh while reading about Ally and Kylie's adventures, and cry a little, and just maybe, if you or your loved ones suffer from a chronic illness (Isn't that everyone at this point?), you'll feel a little hopeful.
Happy reading!
XOXO,
Loretta
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