More kudos for Leaving the Hall Light On

http://www.LuckyPress.com/madelinesharples.html

My friend and advisor on all things related to getting a book published, Mark Shelmerdine, CEO of Jeffers Press, sent me this note yesterday after he finished reading a review copy of my book. I thank him immensely for his kind words.

I finished Leaving the Hall Light On last night.  It is a very moving, very intimate and very inspiring memoir.  It must have taken great courage to reveal your story to yourself and your family let alone to the world at large.  I have huge respect for the way you have exposed your feelings for Paul, Bob and Ben with such candor; it is something that it would be impossible for me to do probably because I am a reticent Brit.  The poetry and photographs add an extra dimension that is missing from most memoirs like this since as a reader you get much closer to the reality of what is being described on the page.  For 321 pages I was completely caught up in your life and the heart-wrenching drama that you were experiencing.

What came across for me so eloquently was how hard you tried to make it right for Paul despite all the obstacles he put in your way.  And, then at times you realized you had to back off and take care of yourself and your marriage.  This I believe will be most helpful to readers who are in a similar situation – that as a parent you can’t continue to be a victim to the behavior of your child and that at some point you have to let go and take back your life.  It is a great credit to both of you that you were able to hold your marriage together since I know that even the best marriages fall apart in these circumstances....

The world is a better place for your having written and published this book.  I hope and pray it finds a huge audience.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mark!