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“A raw and, at times, humorous journey of a mother navigating her grief. As a parent who has also lost an adult child to addiction, I can relate to the need to stay connected to my child. This book provides a cathartic tool that could help the many parents veiled in the cycles of grief find some comfort.”
— Gary Mendell, Founder & CEO, Shatterproof
“So many parents have joined a club that no one wants to be a part of the “my child died of an overdose” club. For these families, grief is often overshadowed by shame. This book will resonate with so many families, as it explores Deborah’s loss, her full-bodied love for her daughter, and the ever-lasting bond between the two of them, reminding the reader that addiction has nothing to do with morality…”
— Emily Hage, President & CEO First Call Alcohol/Drug Prevention & Recovery
“The exchanges in this trove are astonishing in their frankness, earnest in their emotional depth, and frequently as surprising in their wry humor as they are inspiring in their worldly wisdom. To anyone who doubts the potentially transformative power of symbolic correspondence between the living and dead I say, read this book. I will recommend it to mourners seeking a healing continuing bond with those they have loved and lost, as well as to the creative therapists walking alongside them.”
— Robert A. Neimeyer, PhD, Director, Portland Institute for Loss and Transition & Editor, New Techniques of Grief Therapy
Deborah Shouse’s An Old Woman Walks into a Bar is a compelling exploration of aging and the undying desire to be a fully participating member of the community. Shouse’s work, with its ensemble of unforgettable characters, paints a vivid portrait of ordinary people grappling with existential questions. Why am I here? How should I best spend the time allotted to me? Written in clear, sharp prose, this splendid book is a compelling journey from first page to last.
— Jacqueline Guidry, author of The Year the Colored Sisters Came to Town
About
Deborah Shouse, Kansas City, Missouri, enjoys the flexibility, humility, excitement, connections, and joy inherent in the writing life.
She has been featured in many anthologies, including more than five-dozen Chicken Soup books. For years, she wrote a Love Story column for The Kansas City Star. Deborah and her life partner Ron Zoglin co-wrote Antiquing for Dummies and she co-authored several volumes in the Yes, You Can financial series.
For years, Deborah has worked with and written about people who are living with dementia and their care partners.
She has authored two books on this subject: Love in the Land of Dementia: Finding Hope in the Caregiver’s Journey and Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together. Working with medical professionals and care partners, Deborah and Ron have presented their stories and ideas in countries such as New Zealand, England, Chile, Costa Rica, India, Italy, and Turkey.
Now, hundreds of articles, essays, and short stories, dozens of books, plus a myriad of editing and ghost-writing projects later, Deborah is living out a long-time dream: writing a novel. An Old Woman Walks Into a Bar is a work of her heart and she is honored to share it with you. If the story resonates, she’d love to hear from you at DeborahShouse@pobox.com.