CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- Author BJ Appelgren made many offers to scribe the memoirs Berry wanted to leave to her family. However, it isn’t until the younger woman describes the difficulties she is having with her own writing that the older woman relents on one condition—that BJ accept Berry’s assistance in improving BJ’s writing.

Until Berry’s death, the two women alternate working on the stories of their lives. Perhaps Berry’s closeness to death and her lively interest created a safe refuge for BJ to tell her death-related stories. Because each had a mysterious element and had invited scorn from other people, BJ kept the writing to herself. Instead, Berry lent a mentor’s experience in helping BJ tell a story with enough detail to make it believable yet left enough unsaid to allow readers their own perceptions.

Berry, who thought at first that a scribe would interfere with her writing process, found that BJ provided a perceptive audience for Berry’s wit and a social worker’s appreciation for the conflicts she struggled with throughout her life.

“BJ and Berry quietly shared the every-dayness of time slipping on, both knowing Berry was dying. And for this exchange of feeling cheer instead of fear, I feel infinitely indebted to them both. This is a book I needed and will need again, for it reads like poetry. As a clinician and psychotherapist, I know others need it too—a non-gendered spiritually committed version of Tuesdays With Morrie.”

Dr. Heidi Spencer, Psychotherapist

“This is a complex work, immediately rewarding as the story of a new found passion and unexpected friendship – the elegantly awkward exchange of vitality between one human being and another. As one door closes, another opens. In it's depths, however, one is invited to an eclectic meditation on the many forms of "parenting." In particular, that grave yet pregnant moment, in the long slow dance of parent and child, teacher and student, when familiar roles reverse – challenging each to embrace, or resist, the intimation that death is calling the changes.”

Stephen Longworth, Psychotherapist

The Transparent Feather: Gifts of an Unexpected Partnership
Paperback / ISBN 0-9619884-0-1 / $16.95 paper / 272 pages / $3.99 ebook

Free shipping! Available from Zillah, Inc. P.O. Box 887, Charles Town, WV 25414 or order online at http://www.healingartsreport.com

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