Back Home Again, in Celina, Ohio

Author Visit at the Library

About three weeks ago, I got a call from Emma Fischer at the Celina, Ohio library. She said that people had been asking for my memoir, Dr. Beare’s Daughter, and that there was much interest in the book. She invited me to come to the library for an author visit.

I live in Michigan now and was glad for the opportunity to go “home” to Celina to talk about writing the book and read a few excerpts from my story. What I looked forward to most was connecting with people who remembered my parents, especially my dad’s medical practice, and those who shared experiences from my childhood.

It was a wonderful visit. A couple of people told me that they were brought into the world by my father. Two of my contemporaries shared that at a very young age, they were sent by their mothers to walk to my dad’s doctor’s office by themselves to get a shot! Others wanted to tell me that I had written about things that brought back their own memories of growing up in Celina. I felt I had a lot in common with everyone, and it gave me a great sense of belonging. I wish I could have had a one-on-one lunch with each one, as they all had interesting stories to share.

I came away with a renewed passion to keep writing. I’ll be publishing a novel in the fall. The Night the Bridge Cried, is set in a fictional canal town somewhere east of Celina and north of St. Marys. The main part of the story takes place in 1960, and explores the themes of being different, living with the consequences of our choices, and the intrinsic value of truth.

I’m also continuing work on the sequel to Dr. Beare’s Daughter in which I tell the story of my search for my birth family.

A Ride on Grand Lake

While I was in Celina, I stayed at the East Bank Inn because it faces Grand Lake and has a view of Harbor Point, a peninsula that juts out into the lake. My childhood summers were spent on Harbor Point in a lakefront cottage, and I loved being on the lake, boating, fishing, and water skiing.

The lake looked so inviting from my hotel, that I took a sunset cruise with captain Ramy and his dog, Oso, of Helton Lodge Rentals. It was the first time I’d been on Grand Lake in over forty years. The lake was quiet, the sunset was beautiful, and Oso was a good mate. It brought back many happy memories.