New Release!
The Gift of Remembering has recently been released on Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Rememberi...). The ebook is available for .99 now through October 6, 2021. I thought I'd share an excerpt from the book:
As with most catastrophic changes, it had begun with a war. But the conflict that raged throughout the entire world did not take Irene's family away from her. That was caused by what took place afterward. Not millions but billions had died in the fight, and once the conflict ended, most were fearful of starting a new one. In certain segments of the population, quarrels became taboo. They were the unforgivable sin. Many went out of their way to keep from instigating the slightest of disagreements.
Irene found her husband agreeing with the new sentiment. He insisted she not raise her voice nor argue with him about anything. He thought it a bad example for their three daughters. He would say, "We might have messed up, but their generation won't." That was the gist of the slogan for his new world.
Frustrated, Irene dug through her old books, retrieved the Bible she'd not opened since the start of the conflict, and pointed out how Paul argued with the pagans of his time. After that, Kent didn't speak to her for three days. That was when he came home with the brochure.
She knew her husband was struggling. His parents had been killed during the war, and he'd fought alongside a significant number of men who'd been tortured or who'd died as well.
"I hate them," he confessed to her one night. "I hate the other side for what they did." He then seemed to snap out of his anger, wiping his hand across his face, appearing guilty. "I can't get past this."
As time went on, he seemed to believe more and more that the information in the brochure could offer him the hope he was looking for and a better outcome than what time and his faith could deliver. The technology would allow him to forget. She resisted the idea, and when her disproval and caution led to further disputes, Kent became even more determined.
"Maybe we should let the girls go through the process too," Kent suggested nearly in tears one morning after a particularly rough night with Tia, who'd awakened from a nightmare—a common occurrence caused by what she'd witnessed during the fighting.
Irene went ballistic.
"Okay, okay," Kent conceded, apparently not wanting to start an argument. "I'll go. Just me," he said, taking Irene in his arms.
She remembered feeling both relief and guilt. Relief because her husband relented at targeting their daughters and guilt because, despite her reservations, she thought perhaps being processed was the right course of action for him . . .
As with most catastrophic changes, it had begun with a war. But the conflict that raged throughout the entire world did not take Irene's family away from her. That was caused by what took place afterward. Not millions but billions had died in the fight, and once the conflict ended, most were fearful of starting a new one. In certain segments of the population, quarrels became taboo. They were the unforgivable sin. Many went out of their way to keep from instigating the slightest of disagreements.
Irene found her husband agreeing with the new sentiment. He insisted she not raise her voice nor argue with him about anything. He thought it a bad example for their three daughters. He would say, "We might have messed up, but their generation won't." That was the gist of the slogan for his new world.
Frustrated, Irene dug through her old books, retrieved the Bible she'd not opened since the start of the conflict, and pointed out how Paul argued with the pagans of his time. After that, Kent didn't speak to her for three days. That was when he came home with the brochure.
She knew her husband was struggling. His parents had been killed during the war, and he'd fought alongside a significant number of men who'd been tortured or who'd died as well.
"I hate them," he confessed to her one night. "I hate the other side for what they did." He then seemed to snap out of his anger, wiping his hand across his face, appearing guilty. "I can't get past this."
As time went on, he seemed to believe more and more that the information in the brochure could offer him the hope he was looking for and a better outcome than what time and his faith could deliver. The technology would allow him to forget. She resisted the idea, and when her disproval and caution led to further disputes, Kent became even more determined.
"Maybe we should let the girls go through the process too," Kent suggested nearly in tears one morning after a particularly rough night with Tia, who'd awakened from a nightmare—a common occurrence caused by what she'd witnessed during the fighting.
Irene went ballistic.
"Okay, okay," Kent conceded, apparently not wanting to start an argument. "I'll go. Just me," he said, taking Irene in his arms.
She remembered feeling both relief and guilt. Relief because her husband relented at targeting their daughters and guilt because, despite her reservations, she thought perhaps being processed was the right course of action for him . . .
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