We are giving away one book today. One copy of The Last Will Of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh. You may have heard that Therese has a second novel coming out March 2014 called The Moon Sisters. Plenty of time to read Therese’s first novel before the second comes out, if you have not already. Please help me welcome Therese!
Introducing Therese Walsh
Therese Walsh’s debut novel, The Last Will of Moira Leahy (Crown, Random House), was named one of January Magazine’s Best Books of 2009, was nominated for a RITA Award for Best First Book, and was a TARGET Breakout Book in 2010. She co-founded Writer Unboxed with Kathleen Bolton in 2006, a blog about the craft and business of genre fiction that was named as one of the top 100 sites for writers by Writer’s Digest in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and again in 2012. Before turning to fiction, she was a researcher and writer for Prevention magazine, and then a freelance writer. She has a master’s degree in psychology.
Her second novel, The Moon Sisters (Crown, Random House), will be released in March of 2014.
Learn about The Last Will of Moira Leahy
This haunting debut novel explores the intense bond of sisterhood as a grieving twin searches for her own identity in the ruins of her sister’s past.
A LOST SHADOW
Moira Leahy struggled growing up in her prodigious twin’s shadow; Maeve was always more talented, more daring, more fun. In the autumn of the girls’ sixteenth year, a secret love tempted Moira, allowing her to have her own taste of adventure, but it also damaged the intimate, intuitive relationship she’d always shared with her sister. Though Moira’s adolescent struggles came to a tragic end nearly a decade ago, her brief flirtation with independence will haunt her sister for years to come.
A LONE WOMAN
When Maeve Leahy lost her twin, she left home and buried her fun-loving spirit to become a workaholic professor of languages at a small college in upstate New York. She lives a solitary life now, controlling what she can and ignoring the rest–the recurring nightmares, hallucinations about a child with red hair, the unquiet sounds in her mind, her reflection in the mirror. It doesn’t help that her mother avoids her, her best friend questions her sanity, and her not-quite boyfriend has left the country. But at least her life is ordered. Exactly how she wants it.
A SHARED PAST
Until one night at an auction when Maeve wins a keris,a Javanese dagger that reminds her of her lost youth and happier days playing pirates with Moira in their father’s boat. Days later, a book on weaponry is nailed to her office door, followed by the arrival of anonymous notes, including one that invites her to Rome to learn more about the blade and its legendary properties. Opening her heart and mind to possibility, Maeve accepts the invitation and, with it, also opens a window into her past.
Ultimately, she will revisit the tragic November night that shaped her and Moira’s destinies–and learn that nothing can be taken at face value–as one sister emerges whole and the other’s score is finally settled.
The Last Will of Moira Leahyis a mesmerizing and romantic consideration of the bonds of family, the impossibility of forgetting, and the value of forgiveness.
Here’s my video review of The Last Will of Moira Leahy from a while back:
I asked Therese three questions about our giveaway’s theme topic, self-expression:
1. Is self-expression an important part of your life today, why or why not?
It’s extremely important to me. Life is like a bottle of soda, shaken, dropped, rolled around at irregular intervals and almost always without your consent. The result? Chaos. Self-expression is a means of slowly, slowly unscrewing the top and releasing the pressure inside of that bottle—preventing an explosive mess and allowing you to continue onward, drinking life or gulping it down as you wish.
2. What does self-expression mean to you and how do you do it in the world?
Though I have a very public presence, especially as the “blog mama” for the writers’ site, Writer Unboxed, I’m a pretty introverted person. Being able to sit quietly with my thoughts, transmit them to the page, and share them is empowering for me.
Maybe more importantly, writing is therapeutic. Sometimes—often!—I don’t understand what it is that I need to write about until it’s on the page. (I might think I know what I want and need to write about, but really I don’t.) Sitting down to a blank screen is like lying on a therapist’s couch, trusting and hoping that there will be a revelation that will ultimately help me to better understand myself and my world. The process hasn’t failed me yet.
3. How does your self-expression impact the world—your family, your friends, your readers, and everyone else?
I would like to think that my self-expression helps to inspire others, whether it’s via my storytelling or an article, but that’s so hard to say! Here’s what I know for sure: For better and for worse, I tend to be very real with people. I’ve heard from others that I come across as authentic in my correspondence and through my blog, and nothing could make me happier. Because this is it, isn’t it? This is life, and we will not see these minutes again. Don’t we want to be real, be heard, be truly known?
And Now, Your Turn…
You remember how this works right?
Please read the complete rules at least once!
I ask you a question.
You answer in the comments for your chance to win a book each day.
Please just respond once, even if you make a typo. 
Answer in the comments in 50-200 words (no less and no more to qualify to win one of today’s books).
Are you allowed to make mistakes? What about some of the biggest mistakes you have ever made? Have you forgiven yourself? Can you? Will you?
Ready, set, comment! I will hold the drawing tomorrow and post the results here in my blog.
Thanks for participating in the Writer Mama Every-Day-In-May Book Giveaway!
And thanks for spreading the word. We will be giving away great books by wonderful women authors all month.
View the complete list of authors and books.
View the giveaway Pinterest board.
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My husband would allow many more mistakes from me than I allow
from myself. I am always working on trying to allow myself to make more mistakes. On a pretty consistent basis, the mistake I make most often is that of being critical. I’m critical of myself, of my husband, of my family, of our church. I’m critical of the U.S.
as a whole and the decisions made by governing officials. I would
like to let my hair down a little bit and just have fun with life! A mistake I’m consistently trying to rectify! As far as more cut-and-dry mistakes go, I made a cucumber soup once with a new recipe. That was most definitely a mistake. A very vinegary, slimy, green mistake.
I constantly tell my children, husband and art students that it is okay, even good, to make mistakes. However, I am not so easy on myself. Although I have loosened up since I reached middle age, I still tend to beat myself up mentally when I mess up. The mistakes I have made in the past are too many to list, but I think that I have forgiven myself.
Mistakes seems to be an on-going part of my life, but I am fortunate that none of mine have been devastating. Painful and unpleasant at times, but always forgiveable. I like to look at mistakes and aknowledge why I made them. Forgiveness is not so hard when I accept where I was emotionally when mistakes were made. There are always regrets and the mystery of “What if?” But I love where I am, so I have litle energy to devote to those fantasies.
I worry about making mistakes. I don’t want to look foolish.
I worry about the little oops that causes the car insurance to get cancelled or the health insurance to deny the claim or the IRS to say you owe us. I’m working on, and have been for years, not worrying so much and on taking risks where I may make a mistake, where I may fail or fall short. I started doing it for myself, but I do it now for my kids too, hoping they won’t be afraid to dare for fear of making a mistake.
We’re all hardest on ourselves. I recently learned that. I don’t remember the scenario, but I had just given my friend a hard time about an error she made (I was the one telling her not to be so hard on herself) then a few weeks later I made the same mistake and she kindly sat by while I groused about my error. Ouch!
Have I ever forgiven myself for the biggest mistake I made? Hmmm, it depends on the day. Sometimes I think have. Yet, there are days I still kick myself. Will I ever reach a point where I will forgive myself, completely? Probably not.
I just made a couple funny mistakes today when I attempted to enter a contest at my local library. It isn’t even time yet to bring your entry so I have time to fix my contribution. I will need to keep track of the days leading up to the actual day for the contest, and think of a great edible contribution to go with the display basket I have already put together. I have a great start and as my book is about the benefits of eating chocolate every day I plan to use the library activity and this blog to keep myself motivated to write during the summer.
We are all human, so we’re going to make mistakes. That being said, I’m still way too hard on myself when I make one. I keep reminding myself that mistakes mean I am at least trying – instead of letting the fear of making one stop me from doing anything at all. In hindsight I am usually easier on myself about my mistakes; when it first happens I dwell on it a lot. Sometimes I think that the dwelling on it means that I have a lesson to learn from the mistake before I can completely forgive myself for it. If I can learn something from the error, then at least it was useful.
I tell my children all the time that mistakes are how we learn. But I don’t seem to follow that myself. I realized that I don’t even dare “mess up” a plain white sheet of paper. I’m very forgiving of mistakes in other people, but I don’t know how to do that with myself. I’d rather not do anything than try to do something and end up doing it wrong. I’ve been attempting bigger leaps in life, but wow! It’s a trust fall. 🙂
I try not to beat myself up too much when I make mistakes but it’s hard not to. I hate making mistakes but I always try to remind myself that every mistake is a lesson learned. I think that mistakes can actually be a positive thing as long as you learn something from them. Luckily I haven’t made many big mistakes so I don’t have to worry about punishing myself for them. But I’m a single, 24 year old single girl so I’m sure the mistakes will come if I ever have children.
We are absolutely allowed to make mistakes! Now, for the people out there who absolutely never, ever make mistakes and are constantly wronged by society/other people . . . well, that’s a different story!
I recently made a mistake where I was trying to submit the opening chapter of my WIP to a contest and there was a drop-dead date that it had to be in the hands of the officials. It got returned to me unopened because it got there a day late, after I had spent two weeks polishing up the entry and following every guideline to the letter (obviously I didn’t follow the guideline about getting the submission there on time, though!) When I got the envelope back with my submission, which had the words “not accepted, received 3/1,” on it, my husband laughed and said I needed to keep that envelope, because I would probably have a very good story related to this particular incident one day to share with others.
Mistakes? Me?
Uh yes actually I have made mistakes. Many mistakes. I’ve made mistakes in judgement, actions, deeds and attachments.
I find it best to face mistakes head on. No hiding or covering up. Apologize when I’ve hurt or wronged someone. The hardest part is to forgive myself and move on. The older I get the better I am at that part. It’s a critical part of life. That ability to move beyond our mistakes. I do believe the mistakes are learning moments if we acknowledge them.
Thank you. This books sounds wonderful!
I think we are all allowed to make mistakes, but when it happens to you (or me), we feel personally even more responsible for the mistake — potentially making it bigger than it really is, depending on the resulting outcome. I made a very expensive mistake (in my mind, my biggest mistake) in going to law school. Fortunately, I realized my mistake after my first year, and did not return. It meant a lot of money wasted in loans…but in the end, it helped me move onto my right path, almost even preparing me for the next few years to come. I have long since forgiven myself, but it took some time to overcome. In the end, the mistake became a blessing in disguise. Perhaps there are no real mistakes, and these are all life lessons for each of us on our specific paths?
What a coincidence that mistakes are the subject of today’s question. This morning a new client called to say how disappointed she was with the work we did on our first project for her.
My first mistake was shuffling our production schedule to delay the start of this project so we could accommodate some lucrative rush projects. Second mistake was underestimating the complexity of the project. Third mistake was rushing the graphic designer. Fourth mistake was panicking when I realized we had a problem and bringing in extra troops to help, which sent us way over budget. Fifth mistake happened this morning, when the client sent me a personal email criticizing our staff and I not only accidentally forwarded it to my staff, but cc’d her on it too.
We may end up losing the entire contract because of my mistakes. Am I upset? Sure. But stuff happens, and when it does, I take full responsibility, apologize, and move on.
In the long run, it’s not how many times you fall down that matters. It’s how many times you get back up.
It took me a lot of years to accept that everyone, including me makes mistakes. That is the first step to allow yourself to make more. And allowing more is the first step to forgiving myself.
The biggest mistake I made was not insisting that I had the right to get to know my biological father. By the time I knew it was a mistake he had died. I still have regrets but I recognize that it was not only my fault. Too many things were out of my control for me to continue to carry this as a burden. I am working on forgiveness.
Being the first-born in a family with a lot of high expectations for
greatness created a life-long perfectionist in me. I graduated #1 in my h.s. class which meant I got straight A’s, which must have meant I made few mistakes on tests. So making mistakes is something I’ve always tried to avoid. And even as I write that, I see how ridiculous that avoidance is.
THAT is the biggest mistake I’ve ever made: trying to avoid being wrong. Or looking stupid. Or appearing ridiculous. In all this quest for perfectionism, I recently realized that I’m missing out on the journey of life by not trying things and failing. Daily. Miserably.
Failing is a great teacher. I’m not good at it yet, but every day, I step out of my comfort zone and embrace my fears, doubts and imperfections. Mistakes are messy, and I don’t like messes, but trying to be perfect and unforgiving is a real mess up too. Here’s to being brave, bold, and wrong!
I am definitely allowed to make mistakes. But I am rarely happy about them, even if I do learn a lot from reflection. Mine usually stem from some kind of overreaction to a real or anticipated threat. I can be quite hot headed when I am feeling overwhelmed (which is a lot of the time) and it;s hard for me to calm down and get back to a good place. So I work hard to keep an even keel and avoid the overreactions. As a kid I recall I was drawn to hyperbole and it made my sister roll her eyes. Now I’d say I am more of a straight shooter but I tend to voice my opinion when it would be advisable to keep quiet! Writing helps me channel some of that expressive energy in productive ways.
I have always taught my kids that “mistakes are our friends”. I believe they are the way that life points out the things we need to work on. But if course it feels awful to make them and it is hard not to be hard on ourselves when we do. Maybe that is part of the process if learning… I make mistakes all the time but I think the hardest ones to face are parenting mistakes. Or maybe I make the mistake of thinking there are parenting mistakes and not just parenting twists and turns. The mistake of thinking we are responsible for every aspect of how our children turn out.!