Monthly Archives: June 2011

The Many Faces of Loss and Grief

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

Autumn Colors is more than a novel. It’s a study of loss, and how people deal with loss. Loss is universal, regardless of age or life condition. There’s Kerry, the main character, whose whole life seems to be about losses … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn Colors, Grief and Loss | Tagged Autumn Colors, family, grief, loss, love | 1 Comment

MEMOIR OR FICTION?

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

I’ve been meeting with book clubs and doing signings since the release of Autumn Colors. A question that comes up repeatedly when I tell groups that the story is based on a real life experience is “why did you not … Continue reading →

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THERE’S NO DEADLINE ON GRIEF

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

I’ve been talking with a dear friend recently about “getting over” and “moving on” from the loss of a loved one. Specifically, we discussed the expectations of others on how long it’s reasonable to grieve. Let me start by saying … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn Colors, Grief and Loss | Tagged Autumn Colors, grief, loss, Relationships | Leave a comment

Why Self-Published Books “Get No Respect”

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

Well, for starters, some of them are just plain awful. Although many writers have good stories to tell, they often make two errors: 1) they don’t hone their writing skills through courses, conferences and reading; and 2) they fail to … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn Colors, Publishing, Self Publishing | Tagged copyediting, Editing, Publishing, Self-publishing, writing | 1 Comment

HIV and AIDS – Still Thriving After All These Years

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

I’m often asked what motivated me to include Hilary and George, a young married couple with AIDS, in the mix of characters in my novel, Autumn Colors. It wasn’t something I planned at the outset of the story. But it … Continue reading →

Posted in AIDS and HIV, Autumn Colors | Tagged AIDS, Autumn Colors, bisexual, gay, HIV | Leave a comment

Kirkus Review for Autumn Colors

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

Just had to brag a little. When Autumn Colors was published, my dream was to have a review by the likes of Kirkus or Publishers Weekly. I sent copies to them last fall, but never heard anything. Until today! The … Continue reading →

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INSPIRATION COMES IN MANY FORMS

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Dawn Essegian Lajeunesse

The year was 2002. It was significant in a number of ways. My husband, Dennis, retired from his career of over three decades. We were building our dream retirement home, a log house on water in the Adirondacks. It also … Continue reading →