Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – New Book on the Shelves – #Preorder – #Poetry – Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance by Elizabeth Gauffreau

Delighted to share the news of the new release by Elizabeth Gauffreau on pre-order at a special price for September 26th – Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance

About the collection

“Poetry readers willing to walk the road of grief and family connections will find Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance a psychological treasure trove. It’s a very accessible poetic tribute that brings with it something to hold onto–the memories and foundations of past family joys, large and small.” ~Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review

“Grief Songs: Poems of Love & Remembrance is a passionate ode to loved ones lost and an intimate portrayal of one family’s shared grief. It holds the key to solace in home photographs and illustrates just how special our singular moments can be. ~Toni Woodruff, Independent Book Review

“A beautiful, personal collection of family photos and poems that express the author’s most inner feelings. Nostalgic and heartfelt, Gauffreau’s poems are written in the Japanese style of tanka, simple, thoughtful, and full of love. Filled with wonderful memories of the past.” ~Kristi Elizabeth, Manhattan Book Review

Head over to buy the book at the pre-order price of $2.98 for September 26th:
Amazon US – And for £2.16: Amazon UK

Also by Elizabeth Gauffreau

A recent review for Telling Sonny

Pete Springer 5.0 out of 5 stars Coming of Age in the Hardest of Ways Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2021

Telling Sonny is a compelling read about a naive girl, Faby, and her misfortune in being starstruck by Slim White, a vaudeville performer. Set in the 1920s, Elizabeth Gauffreau masterfully writes this poignant tale. Growing up in a small town, Faby and her sister, Josephine, look forward to the annual appearance of the vaudeville troupe who perform from town to town. Slim, one of the slick hoofers in the group, takes a special interest in Faby. She is fascinated more about the lifestyle than the man, but she meets him for several walks and shows him around the town.

On the last night before the troupe moves on, Slim takes advantage of Faby’s innocence and naivety and forces himself upon her before she understands what is going on. Months pass before Faby understands she is pregnant with Slim’s baby. She manages to keep the secret from her mother and father, but her grandmother, Maman Aurore, realizes the truth.

Slim, otherwise known as Louis Kittell, comes back to Faby after learning she is pregnant and takes her with him on the road. Faby finds the stories and lifestyle exciting initially, even though she knows little of the world’s ways. I had great empathy for her as it was a trying experience for such a naive girl. However, there were times I felt frustrated with her, especially the night Slim doesn’t come home all night, and Faby doesn’t even ask for an explanation when he leaves her alone at the theatre.

Gauffreau does an excellent job of portraying Slim as an egotistical and self-centered performer. He tries to attend to Faby’s needs at times, but he’s primarily thinking about himself.

The most heartwrenching part of this great read for me was when Slim puts a very pregnant Faby on a train to travel two days back home by herself. The reader is left wondering what the reception for Faby will be when she shows up at home unexpectedly, nearly ready to have her baby. I won’t spoil that part of the story, which has a sad but realistic ending.

Read the reviews and buy: Amazon US – and : Amazon UK – Read more reviews and follow Elizabeth: Goodreads – Twitter: @LGauffreau

About Elizabeth Gauffreau

Elizabeth Gauffreau writes fiction and poetry with a strong connection to family and place. She holds a B.A. in English from Old Dominion University and an M.A. in English/Fiction Writing from the University of New Hampshire. She is currently the Assistant Dean of Curriculum & Assessment for Champlain College Online, where she is an Associate Professor. Her fiction and poetry have been published in literary magazines and several themed anthologies. Her debut novel, Telling Sonny, was published by Adelaide Books in 2018. Liz lives in Nottingham, New Hampshire with her husband.

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will head over to pre-order Elizabeth’s poetry collection.. thanks Sally.