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Off-Script: a mom's journey through adoption, a husband's alcoholism, and special needs parenting
A young girl dreams of the perfect life—marriage, children, and a career—her happily ever after. When a life-threatening medical condition, an alcoholic husband, and a traumatic special needs adoption shatter that dream, there are only two choices--crumble or change the narrative. Valerie learned to embrace the unimaginable to create an extraordinary life.
Back of book copy:
Many girls fantasize about their futures: a loving family, dream job, and a house with a white picket fence. These dreams often turn into expectations for “happily ever after.”
For Valerie Cantella, childhood hopes of a soul mate, children, and a fulfilling career turned into a script … written and edited to perfection. But life didn’t follow her plan. No matter how hard she tried to make it.
Over the next twenty years, life unraveled. A lifelong battle with Type 1 diabetes, the unfolding trauma of mental health crises with a special needs adopted daughter, and her husband’s struggle with alcoholism shattered her childhood dreams. And nearly crushed her.
Nearly.
But sometimes, an off-script journey takes you through the unimaginable to where you were meant to be all along—amid hope and healing.
Back of book copy:
Many girls fantasize about their futures: a loving family, dream job, and a house with a white picket fence. These dreams often turn into expectations for “happily ever after.”
For Valerie Cantella, childhood hopes of a soul mate, children, and a fulfilling career turned into a script … written and edited to perfection. But life didn’t follow her plan. No matter how hard she tried to make it.
Over the next twenty years, life unraveled. A lifelong battle with Type 1 diabetes, the unfolding trauma of mental health crises with a special needs adopted daughter, and her husband’s struggle with alcoholism shattered her childhood dreams. And nearly crushed her.
Nearly.
But sometimes, an off-script journey takes you through the unimaginable to where you were meant to be all along—amid hope and healing.
207 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2022
7 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Cantella
3 books7 followersValerie Cantella is an award-winning multipassionate communications and public affairs professional living a life beyond her wildest dreams. She is the author of Off-Script: a mom’s journey through adoption, a husband’s alcoholism, and special needs parenting. She shares her journey as a mother of teens with mental health issues, the struggles of special needs parenting, the effect of alcoholism on a marriage, and how she learned to embrace the unimaginable to create an extraordinary life.
Valerie calls herself a recovering perfectionist and is passionate about using her experiences to help others. She volunteers with organizations supporting those with mental health and substance abuse issues and serves on the County’s Behavioral Wellness Commission.
Her love of writing began when her stubby little fingers learned to form letters, and those letters made words that crafted sentences. From those sentences, she wrote short stories, articles, poems, and even two books for her grade school author showcase. Valerie later turned to journalism and a career in communications.
She is the mom of three adult children–a biological son, an adopted daughter, and a bonus son by marriage. Valerie and her husband Tom live in Santa Barbara with their exuberant yellow lab, Charlie. When she isn’t writing or speaking, you will find her walking at one of their beautiful beaches.
Her mantra: I will look forward. I will trust God. Today is a new day.
Valerie's publishing company is Recovering Perfectionist Press.
Valerie calls herself a recovering perfectionist and is passionate about using her experiences to help others. She volunteers with organizations supporting those with mental health and substance abuse issues and serves on the County’s Behavioral Wellness Commission.
Her love of writing began when her stubby little fingers learned to form letters, and those letters made words that crafted sentences. From those sentences, she wrote short stories, articles, poems, and even two books for her grade school author showcase. Valerie later turned to journalism and a career in communications.
She is the mom of three adult children–a biological son, an adopted daughter, and a bonus son by marriage. Valerie and her husband Tom live in Santa Barbara with their exuberant yellow lab, Charlie. When she isn’t writing or speaking, you will find her walking at one of their beautiful beaches.
Her mantra: I will look forward. I will trust God. Today is a new day.
Valerie's publishing company is Recovering Perfectionist Press.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 13, 2022
Valerie Cantella's heartfelt narrative is both heartbreaking and inspiring, but one I'm very glad to have read. As she unveils the events that unfolded over the course of her life, crescendoing as disappointments and revelations pile on top of one another, you can't help but wonder how much else can be borne. However, Cantella never claims to be heroic. She humbly reveals her own doubts and fears, as well as the questions that plagued her heart and mind and faith. Any parent - or human - who has felt desperate for a breath above the pounding waves life brings can empathize with her well-presented words. I am thankful to have learned about another family's journey through a multitude of challenges, and Cantella's honesty comforted me as I read and reflected on struggles my own family has endured over the last decade. If you'd like or need an easy-to-read, yet thought-provoking story of faith, hope, love, and incomparable yet imperfect strength, this book is a great choice!
February 6, 2022
The authors writing is incredible, and her resilience and beautiful heart even more so. I simply couldn’t put this book down, despite the fact I have never (fortunately) experienced any of what she has written about. This book would be an amazing resource and source of support, inspiration and hope for anybody who is, or has, experienced any of the topics written about.
Highly recommend if you are looking for a book to lose yourself in.
Highly recommend if you are looking for a book to lose yourself in.
February 4, 2022
I highly recommend this riveting, raw, and authentic read. Many unfortunate circumstances that are compounded, hooks the reader in awe. Every woman can relate to Valerie’s life experiences and life lessons at some moment of her own journey. Whether it be through the lens of a parent, wife, daughter, or a young woman dreaming of her promising future. The prominent themes of control and surrender, teach us that life truly works for us in the most mysterious of ways.
February 19, 2022
This is an honest and genuine perspective of making it through many life challenges. It is an easy read and encouraging to read about what the author learned and how she could handle things better in the future. Her insights can help us all learn for the future.
December 23, 2022
Such a real, raw, honest, and well-written memoir. A
quick read that will captivate you! If you have experienced any of the things Valerie has experienced - you will feel seen! If you haven’t, you will have increased empathy and understanding for the experiences of others. Highly recommend.
quick read that will captivate you! If you have experienced any of the things Valerie has experienced - you will feel seen! If you haven’t, you will have increased empathy and understanding for the experiences of others. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews