TOOTS

by M.E. Roche

TOOTS is the unforgettable tale of one woman’s path to self-discovery. From the time she traveled from the shores of her home in Ireland and crossed the sea to America at the age of ten, Annie Smith worked to support herself. And just when she thinks her life is settled, and it’s as good as it gets, she unexpectedly meets a handsome homesteader who sweeps her off to the plains of Nebraska for a life she never could have imagined. Brimming with silent strength, Annie learns to push through every obstacle life throws her way, drawing courage from the family that keeps her going, including her husband Michael, her sister Nellie, and her supportive brother-in-law Frank. A celebration of trailblazing Irish-Americans and the resilience of the human spirit, TOOTS inspires us all to face challenges head-on and fight for the lives we want to live.

Paperback

Published May 1, 2024

About the author

While the product of a Midwest upbringing, M.E. has lived and worked on both coasts as well as in Ireland. As a registered nurse, she has had the opportunity to work in many facets of nursing from pediatrics to geriatrics, from labor representation to administration, including the implementation of hospital information systems for nursing.

While officially retired, she continues to volunteer at a neighborhood clinic where she lives in southwest Florida. When M.E. discovered that nothing had been written about nursing for young readers, since the 1950s and 60s, her first novels were written to address this deficit—to show young readers something of what nursing was like today. As she got to know her characters and their involvement with law enforcement, M.E. decided she needed more direct experience. She connected with her local sheriff’s department and began volunteering with the coroner’s division.

Her adult novels have been a product of that experience, giving Nora Brady the somewhat enviable opportunity to merge her talents for that of nursing with those of law enforcement.