'The Widow or Widower Next Door' Released for Sale in Paperback

Is Grief More Taboo than Sex?

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Jan 05, 2015, 08:30 ET

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., Jan. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Mary Lee Robinson, author, 50% of happily married couples will become The Widow or Widower Next Door, the title of the book now available in both paperback and EBook versions from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Google and www.maryleerobinson.com.

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Mary Lee had just relocated 11 months prior, to the Low Country of the Carolinas when her husband suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage and was gone at age 63. Her story is one of twenty-five storytellers in the book who speak from the heart about their experience.

Most everyone knows that losing a mate to death is a painful experience. Those who have not had such a loss of someone very close, seldom realize the depth and breadth of that pain. As a result, in an effort to make the bereaved (or themselves) feel better, and to distance themselves from the event, they say some outrageous and unthinking things. Others, possessing very tender hearts, say and do some of the kindest things imaginable. Most all of those who participated in writing this book found themselves surprised by other people's reactions to their loss.

You may wonder why the question "is grief more taboo than sex?" "That's easy," says Mary Lee. "You can start up a conversation just about anywhere and bring up the topic of sex and people will join in, offer opinions, say just about anything. Try mentioning grief (or the fact that their spouse just died) and all of a sudden – the conversation is over. It is too uncomfortable. No one knows what to say."

The Widow or Widower Next Door is a collection of stories revealing the unexpected reactions that occur. We prepare for school by attending Pre-K. We prepare to get our Driver's License by taking driving lessons. We got to pre-marital counseling before we wed. Nothing prepares us to lose a spouse. We hope to get people thinking and preparing, and we hope that it will help them learn how to help a friend or a neighbor with a loss better. Isn't it time to talk about it?

Readers asked why is there a logo of a hand with a heart in it as the cover of the book. The answer lies in The Valentine's Story, excerpted from the book: "The doctors told Mary Lee that Pat was not going to be with her much longer. She took a red marker and a ballpoint pen with her to the hospital on Valentine's Day. She took his hand and drew a heart on his palm. She wrote "my heart" inside it and said 'I love you; you hold my heart in your hand'. The mortician left it in place. Mary Lee states, "Pat still holds my heart in his hand and my heart is warm because of it."

Mary Lee describes her search on the Internet for a widows' club and found none in her area. She decided to start one herself. In this town of 30,000 people, the club now boasts a membership of 170 in a year. No longer connected with that club, she took some time off to devote to writing the book.

The twenty-five storytellers "hope to educate others who care, about what is helpful, and what is not. The intent is to take the profits of sales and use them to start other widow and widowers social clubs in other cities." It is aimed at those of us who either have widows and widowers as friends, neighbors, co-workers or think they might ever meet one. In short? It is a must read for everyone. Early reviews found on Amazon.com have been excellent.

Book's Name: The Widow or Widower Next Door
Company: Next Door Books
Publisher: Mill City Press (January 1, 2015)
Sold at: www.maryleerobinson.com
Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Barnes & Noble
Google Books

Mary Lee Robinson
PO Box 51778
Myrtle Beach, SC 29579
843-868-1756

Email

Website:
MaryLeeRobinson.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thewidoworwidowernextdoor

Twitter:
MaryLeeRobinson @WidNext

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SOURCE Mary Lee Robinson