I started to tie a bib around Tucker’s neck but I had the strongest desire to strangle him with it. I could see it in my mind, his head growing larger, like a balloon as his neck was cinched off by the strings. His tongue bulging, his eyes protruding, just before his skull was ready to pop--1
Jodi Graham knows that this is more than the “baby blues” she is feeling, but just before she slides completely into postpartum psychosis she comes up with an unconventional solution. She takes a job as a long-haul truck driver while her husband takes over full-time care of their son. 2
For Jodi, motherhood is more frightening than hauling 40 tons down an icy mountain. But something happens that will force her to drive headlong into her worst fears. 3
Morning Star is based on Danna Hobart’s real life struggle through postpartum depression/psychosis. 4
Danna Hobart was born in California’s San Joaquin Valley, but grew up in New York’s Finger Lake’s Region where she met her husband Todd. After their second son was born, Danna and Todd moved to California where Danna is attending college, working toward degrees in English and psychology. She has published articles and poetry, and is the Poetry Director for Allwrite Magazine. 5
After suffering the devastation of postpartum depression, Danna made it her mission to spread awareness and understanding of this still misunderstood medical problem. She has a web group set up to support women experiencing it. Her novel is written in the first person, to put the reader right into the head of someone suffering from postpartum depression, but there is so much more to Morning Star. It is not a book structly for women. There is a lot for a man to identify with. You will get swept up in the excitement of the trucking world. You get to see what the impact of something like postpartum depression is like on the whole family. There is loss and frustration, of course, but there is also romance, humor and triumph as well. Once you have read it, you will never see postpartum depression in the same way again. 6
You can read a sample chapter of Morning Star as well as find out ordering details here: http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/MorningStar_DannaHobart.shtml
A contest entry
- PUBLISHED POETS ... LOOKING FOR INSPIRING BOOKS by maa.
333 points, ended December 24, 2007, 3 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 5 of 5
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Such an inspirational piece!
My wife can relate to this, I'm sure. She, too, suffered from postpartum depression after our first son, Dante, was born. She has the book that Brooke Shields wrote on its devastating effects. Congratulations on writing something that will surely be a blessing to those women out there who know exactly where you're coming from in your novel. Many men will benefit from this too, because men really need to know what it is that their mates are going through. We can help those we love a little better by being more understanding at times. Your novel could very well be an eye opener for the men out there.
Don -
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I am sorry to hear that your wife has suffered through PPD, but glad that it is in the past for her. Thank you for your gracious comment. I appreciate it very much.
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Interesting idea, but I feel as if you could have worded it better. Congrads on the silver trophy.
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i though you wrote this story very well, I found a couple of grammatical errors but nothing too bad. keep writing! your great!
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thrilling and suspenseful ...
I love the way you have projected your own life-experience onto fictional characters who will perform their role and teach the reader about a "real-life-challenge" in a more detached manner than an autobiographical story would do ... I feel that an author can bring very much emotion into a story while projecting on fictional actors, yet the detached view helps not to get overwhelmed with one's own feelings ...
the feminine-masculine experience further shows how the people involved in this challenge live with it ...
sounds really exciting ...
thank you for sharing ...
maa
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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