Father's Day and Book Birthday!

But I Digress...June 2026

I’ll always be grateful for the fact that my book came out the Tuesday after Father’s Day. It is, after all, an homage to my father and his father.

As I mentioned in my last letter, while reading all the letters between my ancestor Howard Hyde Russell and his wife Lillian, I immediately honed in on the fact that he was an absentee father. And, it would appear, things weren’t going well with his daughter. He wrote of the need for her to “shape up” and consider her reputation in the community. He wrote as a man of God, someone who believed God had conferred upon him the duty to travel the country in support of Prohibition.

His story makes me want to write historical fiction, emphasizing the hypocrisy of such a man, but that’s a project for the future.

Parent-child relationships can be complicated and devastating. The two books I’ve recommended this month explore those difficult and challenging connections. They can also be wonderful and nurturing. I had one of each and I think I turned out okay. But I’ve had to do a lot of work around my own suffering and eventual grief when my dad finally passed. And my relationship with my mother will remain unresolved and challenging.

These days, I talk to my dad when I want to feel close to him. When something cool happens that I know he’d be excited about, I celebrate with him. When I’m struggling, I think back to all the times he encouraged me, even when my future looked very uncertain. He inspired me through his optimism. When I’m feeling down, I know that I need to tap into that optimism. After all, it’s in my genes. And when I compare my dad to Howard Hyde Russell, I think I’d rather have a father who cared about his children more than a grand plan to change the course of an entire country.

I always share my joy after successful author events with my dad. He was excited about my book way back when it was still an idea I was trying to wrap my arms around. There’s a chapter in there about a very special day we spent together, just the two of us and I gained wonderful insight into his life as a young person. For some reason, my parents’ generation didn’t like to talk about their pasts. I firmly believe that it’s one thing all parents should be willing to share with their kids, especially as they mature into adults.

Last weekend, I had a couple of wonderful conversations with readers about the themes in the book. And I sold two books, both to young women that I would have never guessed would be in my reader demographic. I hope they enjoy it!

To celebrate Crossing Fifty-One’s third birthday, I’m offering it for HALF PRICE when you buy it direct via my website. This offer is only good through the month of June, so pick up your signed copy today!

Garden Update:

This year’s vegetable garden is off to another challenging start. I’ve had to make additional adjustments to the fortification, as the critters identified (Red Squirrel and/or Junior Woodchuck) are not deterred by foul sprays or granules. It’s just been a week, but my new construction, along with my attitude, seems to be holding…for now. Stay tuned!

Fiction project update:

As you may recall, part of the grant money awarded to me last fall includes money for a manuscript critique of my new novel. The last several months have been filled with medical and physical therapy appointments, spring garden projects, travel, and too much procrastination. That said, I plan to have a first draft completed by the end of the month and can hopefully do enough editing/revising to turn it over in early July. I’ve had a burst of creativity over the past couple of weeks, so I think this goal is attainable.

Until next month!

~ Debbie

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JUNE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

FICTION

Father of the Rain by Lily King

This is a story of a complicated and codependent relationship between a daughter and her alcoholic father, and is a reminder of how adults impact their children in ways they might never understand.

NONFICTION

Memorial: The Year My Dad and I Stopped Keeping Score by Nita Sweeney

Nita is one of my very first author friends and I was proud to provide this blurb for her newly released memoir: “MEMORIAL is a touching exploration of the mind and heart. Over a series of golf dates with her dying father, Nita Sweeney eloquently captures the complexities around their relationship, her struggles with depression and her coming to terms with her own life - as a reflection of her father’s…a gift for anyone who’s navigated difficult family relationships.”

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BONUS PODCAST RECOMMENDATION:

I want to direct you specifically to the May 10th episode, where Chris interviews Simone Stolzoff about managing uncertainty. One of my takeaway quotes is trust is an act of engagement with the unknown. The whole episode resonated with me and I hope it does with you!