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Liana Hornyak's avatar

My comment is not giveaway-related. I just felt the need to warn you that while “we are all completely beside ourselves” is an absolutely incredible book and you should definitely read it, I’d describe it as “gut wrenching and heartbreaking” more than “entertaining and funny.”

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Courtney Maum's avatar

thank you for the heads up!

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heath's avatar

so excited for your hammock reading this summer -- enjoy!

I read a ghost in the throat over a year ago and it is STILL humming inside my veins. so so so good.

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Julie Falatko's avatar

YES, I posted the same thing. I got it from the library having almost no idea what it was about, and here I am, a year later, and I still think about it all the time. It's rare that a book truly shifts me into a different reality, but that one did, for sure.

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heath's avatar

you totally remember those books, don't you? I think I can count on hands the never-letting-you-go books I've read. have you read anything else by Ní Ghríofa? my library doesn't have any of her poetry collections.

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Julie Falatko's avatar

I haven't read anything else by her! Honestly if they affect me like A Ghost in the Throat did, I need more time before I'm ready for that kind of earth shaking.

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Suzanne Guess's avatar

More books to read, darn it (sarcasm). I'm lasered in on Ordinary Notes and House of Cotton.

I'm not a mom to a human, but I am a dog mom to a fluffy Australian Shepherd. Does that count?

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Courtney Maum's avatar

It counts! Does your dog need a Substack subscription? lol

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Suzanne Guess's avatar

Well, she doesn't have thumbs so it would be hard to log in.

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Julie Falatko's avatar

I am commenting not to enter the giveaways but to say that A Ghost in the Throat is one of the best books I've read in the past year.

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Courtney Maum's avatar

You're the second person here to say so!

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Stanley Stocker's avatar

Such a generous treat, Courtney. I'd like to nominate my wife Aki. She a dedicated mom to our 8 year old boy who is wonderful and definitely a handful. She works hard to take care of our family and recently bravely quit her journalism job to go back to school and get her second BA, this time in Biology, so that she can become a park ranger. She became a mom relatively later in life so it hasn't been easy, but whatever she does she tries to do her best so I really admire her. I think she would enjoy your memoir because she too finds solace in her relationship with animals. For her it's cats. She and our cat Mikey have a special bond. Even when works was stressful or parenting is hard or now when school is stressful she can find a little peace when spending time with him.

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Maggie Russell's avatar

I’m in a writing group with Heather, an incredible woman who is writing a memoir about adopting her children, including the experience of emergency fostering. I adore her writing and how she’s building this memoir. She is a great mom and an elementary school teacher. I so want her book to come out and into the world bc I think it will give voice to a lot of what non-biological moms live through. She (and the moms who will benefit from her book) deserves a gift subscription to this newsletter.

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Courtney Maum's avatar

Hi Maggie! I sent you an email for you to share Heather's info with me-- check your inbox and if you don't see that email, please write to me with Heather's full name and email address to thequerydoula (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks!

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Charlotte Dune's avatar

I took the Domestika memoir course last summer, it was amazing and so worth it! So many great tips in that course, especially for anyone writing short form creative non-fiction/personal essays.

Highly recommend!

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Courtney Maum's avatar

Thanks Charlotte!

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