“When Angels Fly” by S. Jackson (pen name) aka Mary L. Schmidt is a memoir of truths. Truths from the age of five years up living with an abusive mother. My teenage years became more abusive, and I left home only to fall into a relationship with a man that turned out abusive. There is hope! Always hope! Even with child loss. When I hung up my nursing hat in 2012, I decided to dig out old journals so that I could place them into digital format for my living son, but an epic memoir came from that thought. My youngest son, Sammy, inspired me to write this book. He fought a hard cancer battle. My memoir is not a sad book, rather it is uplifting and helpful to people around the world as I have testaments to that fact.

I wrote this book with passion and the understanding that my story would open a can of worms. It is true, I struggled and did have a tragic life, but so much good came from that. The good is my focus. To understand the good, one must know my truth. Suffering women and victimized children are scarred for life. The pain, hopelessness, and agonies with each bone and muscle screamed inside my head. But there is a clear reminder that there is a way out, there are good people in this world, and there is life after darkness. My faith in humankind, family, and love are not lost, but I survived by keeping my last hope alive, a faith in God. It took me a long time to realize that I was worthy as a normal human being, to feel happy and raise my children in a peaceful and a safe home. It is not easy to break away from an abusive mother and husband and domestic violence. But it can be done! Help is out there! Please don’t despair. If this fits you or someone you know, then help is available. Try a search online for the closest place to help you and your children. Note: Men are also abused by their wives. Help is out there for them as well.

Wounds may heal, but the aching scars are constant reminders of everyday pain, every minute of struggle and the irreplaceable loss of two of my children. Child loss is the King of Loss, and only one who has lost a child can relate to a mother who has kissed her baby goodbye for the last time. Photographs included in my memoir bear testament to my truths, prove my words are true, and prove the love that can exist despite how one grows up. Life does not happen in a vacuum. You can have a significant event in your life – a wedding, a birth, a serious injury/illness or – regrettably – a death – but that doesn’t mean the rest of your life is put on hold so you can either bask in or contend with that event, uninterrupted. Grappling with the devastating diagnosis and treatment of Sam’s cancer – from “big ticket items” like a previous tragic loss of a baby, to the somewhat less “dramatic”, but still significant challenges, like a long commute to the hospital where my son required very lengthy stays (translating to, among other problems and complications, prolonged absences from my other son). One has to remember that when they see someone struggling to come to terms with a [negative] life event, when maybe they shared a similar event of their own or know someone else who has and seemed to recover “faster” or “easier”, that there are many “side” circumstances that translate to significantly different experiences. If you lose a child but you have a supportive family helping you through it, that’s an ENTIRELY different situation than losing a child and having family member(s) sabotaging and knocking you down at every opportunity. If you lose a child under such extreme circumstances, you can’t judge YOURSELF against others who also suffered a tragic loss but had the love and support I didn’t have.

Life lessons abound in my story, and one of the important ones not written about above is to be there for your sick child. Be an advocate for your child. Nursing units are busy. Things happen. If your child receives their IV antibiotic an hour late, don’t complain, but if pain medicine is more than 30 minutes late, call the nurse. If you child has the wrong medicine or chemo hanging and running into your child, then STOP and get nurse ASAP. Be involved in your child’s care. Take notes and keep track of what your child receives. Read literature and handouts. Talk with other parents on the unit. But don’t pick on each (wrong) as you will only alienate the nursing and medical staff and they won’t want to take care of your child. Be a true advocate for your child. Shower with love and hugs as you may not have another chance. I openly give my children, and Sammy with cancer, a final, beautiful gift in sharing him with the world his story of incredible grit, wisdom beyond his years, and beautiful soul. Stop your busy lives for a moment and take a close look at your blessings. Stretch out your hand to the helpless, sick, and needy, wipe away the tears of a crying child or just hug the person next to you (when Covid-19 is over). Kindness matters and support encourages. A little sign of love will not go unnoticed. Stand up for the voiceless, and do not be afraid to be a voice for victims. A huge thanks to “Authors Lounge” for inviting me to share a piece of my soul.

BIO: Mary L Schmidt aka S. Jackson is a retired registered nurse, winner of the coveted Leora Stroup award in Nursing for academic excellence and community involvement, as well as graduating with high honors and inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She has written 30 plus books and has been included in five anthologies. Many of her books have won international medals and awards. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She is a member of the Catholic Church, has taught kindergarten Catechism; she has worked in various capacities for The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Cub and Boy Scouts, (son, Gene, is an Eagle Scout), and sponsored trips for high school music children. She loves all forms of art but mostly focuses on the visual arts; amateur photography, traditional, and graphic art as her health allows. Together with her husband, Michael, they like to fish, read, play poker, travel adventures, and time with their grandchildren, Austin, and Emma. 

Blog: whenangelsfly.net        Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLSchmidt

When Angels Fly on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Angels-Fly-S-Jackson-ebook/dp/B07V6VNJVW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=when+angels+fly+s+jackson&qid=1563073539&s=gateway&sr=8-1

My Review: Yes. This book is the Boom! A great mystery and suspense wrapped up in an idyllic island setting. All the drama, the suspects, who had motive, and more. I wasn’t sure who killed Jake but when I read the word “foxglove” I knew who killed Bert. As a nurse, foxglove is medicinal heart medication, when use appropriately and checking the patient’s heart rate before giving a tablet. It’s also poisonous in larger amounts. Toss in a bit of narcissistic behavior from one or two characters and mental illness in another and the drama ensues. Five stars for this book!

Thank you for looking at my art pieces for today. As always, they can be found in my online art gallery here.

Editing freaks a lot of people out. Drafting is creative and inspirational, and every writer LIVES for that moment when you get into the groove and the words just flow. But editing is kind of the opposite. It’s analytical, with a rigid set of rules that have to be followed. I think this is why […]

Want a Stronger Manuscript? Read It Aloud – by Becca Puglisi… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

Enjoy. I love sharing these on my blog along with books I’ve read and author interviews. As always, my gallery is found here.

From Amazon: Gifted sleuth Page Wright’s inner world is anything but ordinary, yet her outer world craves a revamp from her mountain bookshop’s continuing demands. A summer escape to her beloved cottage on Shell Isle with cousin Betsy Ross always promised fun and relaxation…until this latest holiday. Two constants exist that Page can’t escape: Betsy’s spicy culinary fiascos she’s obliged to chase with endless antacids, and the special guidance she receives from ‘inklings’ when her sleuthing gifts are needed. While the ever-curious Page and Betsy savor lunch at the Bistro, the sleuth observes a cryptic exchange between her la-di-da neighbor, Catherine Lange, and a seedy-looking guy sitting a few feet away. Their words travel across the café’s table on a paper napkin. However, it’s the pistol passed under the table that awakens Page’s first inkling that unknown forces are conspiring to muck-up her and Betsy’s carefree sojourn. The cousins witness subsequent sightings of Catherine, dripping in her canary diamond jewelry and making ominous threats to five people in her inner circle. On alert now that trouble lurks, Page must entice an always reluctant Betsy to help when the nudge comes to act, knowing time is pressing.

My Review: Baubles to Die For! Wow. Where do I start???? How do I not giveaway the story? Two cousins travel to Shell Isle for a vacation at their dead aunt’s gifted home to Betsy. The local is gorgeous. Page seems to find her way into mysteries and murders rather I intuitively. The man in the cottage next door works for the FBI. Mayhem ensues, thefts occur, and a woman is murdered. The story is tightly woven and I couldn’t figure out the main culprit until the end. Five stars!

on Just Publishing Advice: When do you use a comma before which? The answer is easy. Yes. You use a comma when the word which introduces a nonrestrictive phrase, which is also called a non-defining clause. No. You don’t add a comma when which comes before a restrictive or defining clause. No. There is no […]

Don’t Let The Comma Before Which Confuse You – by Derek Haines… — Chris The Story Reading Ape’s Blog

I hope you enjoy today’s selections. gallery is found here.

Imagine That: The Magic of the Mysterious Lights 

by George Yuhasz

From Amazon: On a night when the sky is full of stars, sometimes there appears light that cannot be explained, even by the smartest astronomers… Evelyn is a little girl who lives with her parents and brother in a house with a big backyard. On nights when the sky is filled with brightly shining stars, she loves to go outside before bed to see the Milky Way and the Big Dipper and dream about the planets. But Evelyn has a secret: She is able to see flashes of light streaking across the night sky that no one else can see. And she’ll soon learn that her secret is actually a wonderful gift!

My Review: What a wonderful story for children. The illustrations are lovely and the word count is perfect in line with children learning how to use their imagination. Samples of a little girl and her imaginations are delightful and helps readers expand their own imaginations. Children are encouraged to reach for the stars themselves. Five stars.

Thank you for looking at my selections for today. All art pieces can be found at my gallery here.