Welcome back to Lamon Reviews. Today we have a book spotlight for Letters To Jacob and an interview with author Maria Hopfgarten.
Enter to win an ebook copy of Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child by Maria Hopfgarten! (3 winners/USA only) (ends Dec 6)
Book Details:
Book Title: Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child by Maria Hopfgarten
Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18+), 138 pages
Genre: Self-Help / Grief and Bereavement
Publisher: Amazon
Release Date: July 2021
Content Rating: G – (It’s general content, no sex at all)
Book Description:
“If you have lost a child, you know you’re weathering the largest storm life can bring you. I hope that my words of loss, tears, punches, smiles, friendships, and renewed happiness can give you a sense of not being along on this journey.”
Maria Hopfgarten’s son Jacob was born on January 31, 2006. He was the most perfect baby boy she had ever seen. But Jacob had devastating health issues, culminating in a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease, a fatal condition.
In the ten short years of Jacob’s life, Maria found strength in blogging about Jacob’s life. Her raw, honest posts from the year after Jacob’s passing have been gathered into this book along with Maria’s tips for parents coping with their own grief after losing a child.
Maria is the President of the non-profit Miracles for Mito and has been supporting families living with mitochondrial disease for over a decade. She has also been an active Parent Partner at Children’s Hospital Colorado and has been a Parent voice for many chronically ill children. Maria also sits on the Patient Safety Committee of the Board at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Originally from Sweden and with a degree in Journalism from Stockholm University, Maria lives with her husband Joakim, daughter Sarah, and rescue dog Max in Colorado. Her favorite thing to do is to share a good cup of coffee or glass of wine with a friend. Maria loves the outdoor and is always up for a bike ride or hike.
Connect with the Author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
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Enter the Giveaway:
Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child Book Tour Giveaway
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Todays author was kind enough to answer interview questions for Lamon Reviews during the Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child blog tour.
What made you write a book about Grief and your son Jacob?
My son Jacob lived with mitochondrial disease, which is a genetic metabolic disease without a cure. As he was one years old, he started to be in and out of the hospital with often critical medical conditions. To keep family and friends updated on his health, I started a blog. Over time, the blog got many dedicated followers and became a therapeutic tool for me caring for my critically ill child.
When Jacob passed away five years ago, I didn’t know what to do. I continued my blog writing letters to Jacob to make sense of life. Those letters are the foundation of my book. I also wrote this book knowing how lonely and gut wrenching it is to lose a child. I am hoping my words will help someone experience loss and grief. I also wrote the book to keep a little piece of Jacob alive in this world.
There are many books out there about Grief. What makes yours different?
When we were told by Jacob’s doctors he was going to die, I went to the hospital library to pick up a few books on grief. I found many books on the grieving process and the stages of grief, but not many personal stories I could relate to. I wanted to give my fellow grievers the raw and personal truth about grief and still finding joy. At the same time, I wanted to give grievers practical tips on how to cope with grief. I wanted to be that friend you can relate to in the hardest times of life.
If you’re a mom writer, how do you fit writing in?
Writing Letters to Jacob became my covid-19 project. When we were in lockdown, I decided to devote my Sunday afternoons to writing. It’s important to treat your writing as a project with a schedule and deadlines. I always made myself a cup of coffee and cuddled up in my favorite chair for a few hours at a time. I found it extremely helpful to have a specific place in my house being my writing spot and finding a set time each week.
What do you like to do when not writing?
I love to have a genuine conversation over wine or coffee with a dear friend or family member. It fills my cup every time. I also have a job that I love and where I get to interact with colleagues around the globe from my home office in the suburbs of Denver.
If there is one thing you want readers to remember about you, what would it be?
The one thing people keep telling me is that I have a lot of positive energy. I believe it is because of my loss of my dear son. I know how precious life is, so I try to embrace every day with a smile and seeing the good in life. Love and loss always go together, and everyone has a story to tell.
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I hope you enjoyed todays post. Remember to enter todays giveaway for your chance to win an ebook copy of Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child by Maria Hopfgarten! (3 winners/USA only) (ends Dec 6)
Thank you to todays author, Maria Hopfgarten for taking the time for an interview during the blog tour!
Let us know what you think in the comments below. You can also follow the tour for todays book using the link below.
Tour Schedule
And As Always…
Go forth, dear readers, support your favorite indie authors and encourage reading and literacy.
K. LaMon
Lamon Reviews
Lamon Reviews 