Books
YOUR NUMBER’S UP: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Would anyone believe you if you predicted someone’s death?
My mother may have lost her marbles years ago, but when she said someone was going to die, I believed her. The problem was trying to convince everyone else.
Hi, my name is Marie, and my mom, Rose, is the oldest resident at Overlook Terrace, an assisted living facility in Pennsylvania. Mom is still feisty, but at age 102 she suffers from dementia, and her conversational repertoire is limited. Without warning, she might break into song, swear like a sailor, or say something else inappropriate. Luckily, the staff thinks she’s a hoot.
Mom also has uncanny senses. Some might call it Extra Sensory Perception or ESP. So, while she might not be the most reliable source of information, when she predicts someone’s death, my sister, Gina, and I believe her. Turns out, she was right. And when more mysterious things start to happen, and Mom seems to be a target, we start to worry she might be in danger.
It’s time to discover who has it in for Mom and whether the government is involved. You in?
Lucy and Ethel meet Agatha Christie in this cozy comedy/mystery with a paranormal twist!
Musings: Short Stories to Inspire and Delight
In this collection of stories are examples of characters drawing on wisdom to embark on new beginnings. Some characters encounter situations that offer new perspective. Others draw on knowing themselves to recognize the wisdom of taking a new direction. Two of my stories are included.
Blowup by Marylou Webster Ambrose - Hoping to discourage him from getting a similar job, a father tells his teenage son about a disturbing experience he had delivering pizzas forty years ago.
Kindred Spirits by Marylou Webster Ambrose - A ghost visits three friends in assisted living and gives them a new lease on life. Pawsitively purrfect!
Other stories that take you to new places
The Bump & Grind by Laurie A. Guzda - A young writer looking for her next chapter in life finds inspiration at her local coffee shop.
Coyote and Dove by Donna Consiglio - A heartwarming tale of love and selflessness. Coyote’s unwavering devotion to Dove leads him to make sacrifices that remind us that every day is a new beginning and that small acts of kindness can have a profound impact on those around us.
Entering the Heart of Darkness by Dana Bree - A chance meeting at a party in NYC turns into a life-changing journey to the heart of Africa. A deadly green mamba and laughing hippos are just the beginning.
Gus and Martha by Elaine Leet - Baby boomer loyalty and determination overcome all barriers and love will not be bound, not even by death.
Late to the Party by Mike Vreeland - A downhearted homebody gets invited to a barbeque. Stepping out of his comfort zone proves transformative.
Life Without Time by Susan Martha Thompson - Dax Shadowalker, the first Native American to be hired as a police officer in Park City, Utah, looks back on some of his own experiences as a youth which gave him insight into a better understanding of himself and the world around him.
Name Your Days by Laurie A. Guzda - Grief can make you do strange things. Yet, one can find comfort in strangers. Death is a powerful shared experience in so many ways.
Ready or Not by Elaine Leet - Susie Watkins records musical echoes in the lava caves of Craters of the Moon National Park. She expected to encounter strangers, but some are stranger than others.
The Reunion by Carol McManus - Friends for life takes on a deeper meaning when four women get together to celebrate their sixtieth birthdays. Every decade marked a special milestone but this year brings them to the start of new beginnings.
Why the Roadrunner Runs by Susan Martha Thompson - Frustration mounts as Chelsey attempts to share the Native American tale she wrote with her granny, who finds unplanned parenting this fourteen-year-old overwhelming.
Several of the books were co-written with Veronica Deisler.
Praise for Investigating Diabetes: Real Facts for Real Lives,
by Marylou Ambrose
“This text covers what it aims to cover so comprehensively and clearly that it might even serve as an introductory textbook for medical school students.”
Science Books & Films, 2010
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“This book is well-sourced... it is highly recommended for biology classrooms and high school libraries.”
Children’s Literature
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Awards:
The American Association for the Advancement of Science awarded Investigating Diabetes: Real Facts for Real Lives, by Marylou Ambrose, and Investigating Eating Disorders: Real Facts for Real Lives, by Marylou Ambrose and Veronica Deisler, as Best Books of 2010.
Investigate Drugs Series
Investigate Alcohol
Investigate Cocaine and Crack
Investigate Methamphetamine
Investigating Diseases Series
Investigating Diabetes
Investigating Eating Disorders
Investigating STDs
Other Books
The Complete Idiot’s Guide - The Right Words for Any Occasion
The playwright is one of 13 million U.S. Baby Boomers caring for an ailing, elderly parent. She interviewed friends and family members, and also “interviewed” herself. The monologues are honest, heartfelt, and sometimes, uncomfortable to hear. But they tell the truth about what it’s like to care for a loved one with dementia.
Among others, you’ll meet Marlene, who puts makeup and jewelry on her mom every day, because it makes both of them feel good; Dennis, who’s mad as hell at the way his mother was treated in the nursing home; Leslie, who deals with her mother’s bodily functions on a plane; and Jim, whose mom fell in love in assisted living with a “younger man” of 87.
You’ll also meet Dr. Dementia with his facts and stats, Gina the Generic Caregiver with the lighter side of losing your marbles, and Page the Dementia Poet, whose poems say a lot in a few words. To paraphrase the actress Bette Davis, “Old age isn’t for sissies.” To quote the playwright: “Neither is dementia.”
For more information about “The Dementia Monologues”, please fill out the form on the Contact page.