Author Lynda Simmons and her latest release ISLAND GIRL on BTR Show Conversations with Renée

Feb. 25, 2011 - PRLog -- Toronto, Canada: Island Girl, the emotionally riveting story of a 55 year old mother, Ruby Donaldson, fighting to reunite her family as she struggles with the diagnosis of early on-set Alzheimer’s. 100 million people have been touched by Alzheimer’s and 35 million are worried about it; we all know at least one family that’s been affected by this disease. A question also raised is that if a mother, or anyone for that matter, has been unkind to their child or family, does that forgive them a lifetime of sins just because they’re sick? Does illness somehow grant them instant immunity, a moral get-out-of-jail-free card? Lynda Simmons has constructed a riveting tale whose characters give insight into the answers to these and many other questions.

About Lynda Simmons:

   Lynda Simmons is a writer by day, college instructor by night and a late sleeper on weekends. She grew up in Toronto reading Greek mythology, bringing home stray cats and making up stories about bodies in the basement. From an early age, her family knew she would either end up as a writer or the old lady with a hundred cats. As luck would have it, she married a man with allergies so writing it was

   With two daughters to raise, Lynda and her husband moved into a lovely two storey mortgage in Burlington, a small city on the water just outside Toronto. While the girls are grown and gone, Lynda and her husband are still there. And yes, there is a cat – a beautiful, if spoiled, Birman.

   When she’s not writing or teaching, Lynda gives serious thought to using the treadmill in her basement. Fortunately, she’s found that if she waits long enough, something urgent will pop up and save her - like a phone call or an e-mail or a whistling kettle. Or even that cat just looking for a little more attention!

   Lynda Simmons, author of Getting Rid of Rosie and now Island Girl, grew up in Toronto and now lives in Burlington, Ontario. www.lyndasimmons.com


About Island Girl:

   Facing the terrible reality of her illness, Ruby refuses to let the disease control her future. But before she can take any final action, she must find a way to convince her elder daughter Liz to grow up and come home; to take her place as head of the family thereby securing the future of their home on the Island, and ensuring that Liz’s younger sister, Grace, will be cared for in the only place that is safe for her.

   But there’s a reason why Ruby and Liz are estranged and Liz can’t help wondering: do you have to forgive someone a lifetime of sins just because they have Alzheimer’s? Does illness somehow grant them instant immunity, a moral get-out-of-jail-free card?
   
   Ruby always thought she’d have a lifetime to make things right for her troubled family, but suddenly time is running out.

“Simmons exhibits an exquisitely deft understanding of the extraordinary difficulties that unite a family, and her portrayals of the three women, told in alternating first-person chapters, enable satisfying connections with each." Publisher's Weekly

“…elegantly written and insightful.” RT Reviews

"...this is not a reworking of Still Alice, but the thickly plotted story of a mother trying to clean up the messes in her life. . . a page turner that will both satisfy and enchant its readers." Winnipeg Free Press

To learn more about Lynda Simmons and her book ISLAND GIRL go to www.lyndasimmons.com

Join us Thursday afternoon for a fascinating conversation.

Just follow this link to listen via your computer:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yolandarenee/2011/03/03/a-co...

Or call (347) 215-9536 – you can listen to the show or ask Lynda a question. All shows are downloadable from iTunes.

About CONVERSATIONS with RENÉE:

CONVERSATIONS with RENÉE is an interactive, live Internet talk-radio show that focuses on authors and writers of all genres and mediums. Host Yolanda Renée explores the careers, advice, writing style and personality of each guest. Callers are encouraged to call (347) 215-9536 to listen or ask questions. The stream and archives are available at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yolandarenee.

The show is live every Thursday at 3 p.m. Eastern/ 6 p.m. PT. The show is hosted on Blog Talk Radio. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yolandarenee

About Blog Talk Radio:

Blog Talk Radio is a free, web-based platform, which allows any user with a phone and a computer to host a live, interactive Internet broadcast. Hosts call into the service by phone, managing callers on the web-based host dashboard. Shows stream live directly from the host’s Blog Talk Radio web page with archives available for all past shows. Blog Talk Radio has been featured on ABC News, The Washington Post, Portfolio, Talkers Magazine, and TheStreet.com. The citizen-broadcasting network can be found at http://www.blogtalkradio.com

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As the host of “CONVERSATIONS with RENÉE” I explore the careers, writing style, and personality of each guest. If you would like to be a guest contact me at yolandarenee@hotmail.com.