Tag: books

SAYING GOODBYE TO MY NEPHEW

Published on by Aimee Eddy2 Comments

Whenever I lose someone, I write about the person because it helps me grieve and get my feelings out. It was Thursday morning when I got a message from my niece wanting to give me a call. I was in bed, but I knew in my heart it was important, so I told her it was fine to call. Her voice was etched with sorrow and pain when she told me my nephew, Jason, had passed. I was in shock. I couldn’t cry. I just knew I had to tell my husband, who was very close to him. I had to be strong for him.

I married Lou in April 2007, and that’s when I met Jason. He was my husband’s sister’s son. Lou’s sister, her husband, her two girls, and Jason came to our wedding. I was delighted to meet my husband’s family. They welcomed me into the family with open arms. After the wedding, Jason gave me a big hug. His arms were gentle.

Nieces Jen, Holly, my husband Lou, Lou’s sister Debby and Jason

In the years to follow, Lou and I took vacations to Somerset, PA, where his sister and family live. Each time we visited, Jason took time off work to spend with us. We went to Latrobe to the Steelers training camp, we played putt-putt, we went to the mall, and we hung out at our hotel room. Jason’s laugh could brighten any soul. Hanging out with him was always the highlight of our trips, along with seeing the rest of the family.

Lou’s a Steelers fan, while Jason was a Titans fan. The two teased each other about their teams. When I got stuck in the middle, I sided with my husband. Even though he wasn’t a Steelers fan, Jason willingly went to Steelers training camp with us. He even pushed his way through the crowds to help Lou get autographs from the players.

During the time we hung out in our hotel room, I got to know Jason more. I came to love him dearly. He always had a bright smile and a kind heart. One time he told us we were his favorite aunt and uncle. That made me feel wonderful. It was hard coming into Lou’s family with nieces and nephews that were already grown up. Jason made me feel like I had always been a part of his life. It meant the world to me to be considered his favorite.

Jason was special in many ways. He had a fun and loving personality. He gave wonderful bear hugs and knew how to make the world shine brighter. It just doesn’t seem possible that he could leave this world so soon. He was only thirty-six and he had his whole life ahead of him. I saw him fall in love and then have his heart broken. I waited for him to find the right woman so I could go to his wedding, and some day hold his babies. Unfortunately, that never happened. It doesn’t seem like he was in my life long enough.

Jason, in the short time he was in my life, made a huge impact. My life was and is brighter and more beautiful because of him. It was an honor to be his aunt. He will always have a special place in my heart. He left this earth too soon, but I know he is in heaven making the other angels laugh and smile.

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My heart is broken because of losing Jason, but in time I know it will heal. I will never forget him. He will be in my heart forever. His memory will help me through my grief and guide me to the light of recovery.

Next week there won’t be a post because we are traveling to Somerset for Jason’s memorial service.

MY NEXT MEMOIR

Published on by Aimee Eddy3 Comments

It’s been a little while since I worked on my next memoir, The Years After the Garage. With all the hard times going on in my life, I haven’t been in the right mind set to relive my past. Plus, I’m learning a new role at One Life Project and that has been exciting, scary, and a bit overwhelming. Today, Saturday the twenty-eighth, I had the day off from work and it happened to be when Pennwriters meet in person. I haven’t been to an in person meeting in months. So, I printed out chapter one of my memoir and took it to the group.

I arrived there a little before one o’clock. There were some people I knew and some people who were new to me. I have reworked chapter one a couple of times, trying to make sure this book could keep the readers interest if they had not read the first one. That involved giving some details about things that happened in the first book. Details like coffee break was a break that the guys at E.L. Eddy and Sons Garage took. The new people who never read the first book said the memoir worked well as a stand-alone book. Even those who read the first book agreed.

One woman asked if I should add my perspective from me as an adult looking back. I explained that would take my readers out of the story. A good memoir brings the readers into the story and allows them to live each part with the author. I want my readers to cry, to get mad, to feel sad, to laugh, and to rejoice with the teenage me. This shows the readers what it’s like to go through bullying and to slide into mental illness. If I put the adult me into it, then I take the readers out of the story.

Minor grammar errors were found in my chapter. It was suggested to cut the chapter into two chapters, but that would make one eight pages long and the other one four pages long. I’m not sure if I can have chapters in such different lengths. I may have to add to the four pages chapter. When I got home, I talked with another memoir writer and posted on We Love Memoirs Authors group on Facebook to ask about the chapter lengths. Once I figure out what to do, I will know if I need to add, and then I will work on that. By splitting chapters I went from six chapters to eight, putting me further along in my memoir.

My first book was about bullying and finding acceptance from family. The second book focuses on mental illness and the accomplishments I make despite being sick. It shows the pressure I put on myself to succeed. What helps me deal with the mental illness is my writing and woodburning. The bullying I face in this book is a little different than what I faced in grade school. Bullying comes in many forms such as gossip, physical abuse, destruction of personal objects, and being ignored. I’m not going to tell you which one of these I face in the next book.

One theme I want to make clear in this book is that even though a person has mental illness, he or she can still accomplish a lot in his or her life. Mental illness doesn’t mean you cannot fulfill your dreams or succeed at your goals. I achieved a lot while struggling with my illness. It did make things harder, and I put myself through hell to reach my goals, but I did it. This book will show that.

The good news is after this meeting I am inspired to keep working on my next memoir. I came home and split a couple chapters up and reworked some scenes. I wanted to get this book done in two years, but it’s already been a year since I started it. I can’t write every day like many authors do. I write when I’m emotionally strong enough and inspired. I do hope it won’t take me four years to write it like it did the first one.

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Writing is my way of healing from the past and dealing with my emotions. When I’m not working on a book, I’m journaling. Releasing my feelings and past in words helps me stay in the light of recovery.