Welcome to my journey!
Writing is Living is the official website for my memoir, Biography of a Friendship.
"After one of her typical bouts of wit one day, I told my friend I would write a book about her life. I wanted to give her one last gift. A glimpse of a future she would never know."
BIOGRAPHY OF A FRIENDSHIP
ISBN 978-1-962707-68-8 (Ingram)

Biography of a Friendship is a deeply personal memoir and the fulfilment of a promise the author made to her dying friend, diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.
How can the author be the friend she needs?
With the flow of a novel, this candid story shows what it’s like to accompany a friend to the end of her life, while transporting the reader to France and Switzerland.
As they navigate the illness, often from a distance, the author supports her friend through thought-provoking perspectives on life and death while experiencing that being in 'her conversation' is the only honest way to help.
This emotional story shares the candid moments that shaped their lifelong friendship, the misunderstandings that tested them, and the hidden truth that unsettles the author before their final goodbye.
The story continues with the author being drawn into an introspective journey until she discovers the healing power of forgiveness from lessons she had learned but not applied.
Discover the sights and scenes of the story on my Pinterest board!
I am a Goodreads author.
PRAISE FOR BIOGRAPHY OF A FRIENDSHIP
“As a travel writer, this journey of a friendship, that shows and not only tells, took me on a different type of trip, one that made me reflect on my own experiences of loss, soothing those memories. I could not put the book down.”
—Karen Berger, New York Times bestselling author, 'America Great Hiking Trails'
“From the opening chapter of this beautiful story, I was invited into the heart of a friendship and the memories of an incredible woman. This memoir reads like a novel and takes the reader on a journey through the intertwined lives of two strong, funny, unapologetic, and colourful women as they navigate love and loss, strengthen their friendship over distance and time, and learn how to let go and say goodbye. This book will make you laugh and cry, and will serve as a reminder of the precious nature of life.”
—Kate Gajdosik, Producer, IMDb
“A compelling story that leads the reader into the warp and weft of the timeless meaning of friendship between two women. Time can heal, sometimes in unexpected ways.”
—Laila Radage, co-author, 'Through the Golden Age'
“From the perspective of grant donors, to help advance better treatment of pancreatic cancer, this book eloquently informs of the reality of patients and their families after diagnosis. It highlights the difficulty of such an emotional journey without the support of an organization such as PanCAN. It’s also the captivating story of a friendship.”
—Steve, and Cheryl Kole - PanCAN PurpleStride Silicon Valley/Promise & Progress Team Captain
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