Say The Word

Say The Word

Adult fiction
"Fran draws a quavering breath. 'Honey, I'm sorry, but--well,
your mom had a stroke last night. The doctors don't think she'll make
it. You really should come.' She chokes and adds, 'I'm so sorry,
Shawna,' before hanging up on me."
Can you imagine getting that phone call...as a high school
student?
When Shawna, protagonist of Jeannine Garsee's Say The Word, was
seven her rather flighty artist mother, Penny, came out as a lesbian
and ran away to New York with her lover, Fran. Since then she's lived
with her controlling, perfectionist father, who really wishes he had a
son.
Shawna has adapted by splitting herself into three
personalities. Perfect Shawna aces her schoolwork, is polite, and
makes her father proud. Pathetic Shawna craves attention. Evil
Shawna, unles stifled by Perfect Shawna, says the things her bodymates
don't dare to.
When Shawna arrives in New York she's caught in a mightmarish
situation. Her mother is connected to machines, only barely alive,
and unconscious. She has to deal with people she barely knows--Fran
and her two sons. Older son, Arye, makes it plain that he doesn't
like her. Then when Daddy dearest arrives things go from bad to worse.
If you fancy a riveting narrative with a teen protagonist
dealing with conflicting loyalties and emotions in a very difficult
situation you'll find Say The Word to be a must read.
On a purrrsonal note, I'm having a very nice weekend. I took
yesterday off to cruise around Maine with Eugene. The photo below is
from where we had a lunch picnic. We stopped at yard sales and
discovered where the Ellsworth Goodwill is. We got lots of
treasures. I got five more books for my second peak stash and a
really cute shirt which I'll post after I post this. That really was
a treat. (Jules)
My hoomans had a date. Romance is in the air. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes to Eugene.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway


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