"This beautiful and inspirational collection of poems and stories is for anyone and everyone who is a grandparent, or has family and friends that are grandparents."
"Child of my Child: Poems and Stories for Grandparents is filled with love (and the heartbreaks of love): intimate moments, the sweep of generations, voices of both grandmas and grandpas. Beautiful!"
--Reader Reviews
FINALIST 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Best Anthology
WINNER About.com 2012 Readers' Choice Awards Best Grandparenting Book
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Mark your calendar . . . to hear an interview with CHILD OF MY CHILD contributor Barbara Redfield ("False Teeth"). Barbara will be the featured guest on "The Author's Connection Show" on RadioEarNetwork.com. The air date (subject to change) is April 10th from 11AM to Noon EDT and again on the following Thursday from 7AM to 8AM for Europe. More details coming soon!
Child of My Child wins national honorsChild of My Child, an anthology of nuanced, literary poetry and prose about grandparenting by more than 60 accomplished writers from across the U.S., Europe and the Middle East, has been named a Finalist in the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards (www.IndieBookAwards.com) in the Anthology category.
It is one of five books to receive the designation in the nationwide contest. The awards were presented on May 24 in a ceremony at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. |  |
Child of My Child is also available in a Kindle edition for only $2.99! Click here to get your Kindle edition of Child of My Child: Poems and Stories for Grandparents now . . .
CHILD OF MY CHILD is now available in a hardcover edition.
A new sort of anthology for a new sort of grandparent . . .
CHILD OF MY CHILD: POEMS AND STORIES FOR GRANDPARENTS is not your grandparents’ collection of poems and personal essays about grandchildren. There’s no greeting card verse in this book. Instead, this new anthology from Gelles-Cole Literary Enterprises (www.LiteraryEnterprises.com) is a showcase of poems and stories on the theme by more than sixty highly accomplished literary writers who explore both the timeless emotions and the contemporary realities of becoming and being a grandparent in the 21st century.
You can read excerpts right here . . . and right here. . .
And you can watch a brief video about the book right here . . .
You can read excerpts right here . . . and right here. . .
And you can watch a brief video about the book right here . . .
"To read Child of My Child is to come to a deeper realization of the meaning of being a grandparent, and a parent, and a child. Maybe at some level that's what all literature is about."
--Susan Adcox, About.com Read the full review right here. "The generation that didn't trust anyone over 30 has gone grandparental, and this wide-ranging anthology explores new paradigms and timeless bonds. Shunning traditional 'greeting card verse,' the editors offer emotional, wise, and surprising works by more than 60 seasoned writers."
--Chronogram Magazine |  ISBN 978-0-9786621-2-7 |
FIRST WORDS by Kenneth Salzmann
CHILD OF MY CHILD was born in April, 2009, along with its flesh and blood twin, Josephine Diana, 7 pounds, 6 ounces upon arrival.
In truth, we didn’t quite know at the time that a book had been born.
All of our attention was focused instead on one small child who had just reshaped our lives and changed our identities in ways we are still discovering. But it was inevitable that, sooner or later, we would look for a literary response to Josie’s life-changing presence, given our own backgrounds and sensibilities.
For me, Josie’s birth brought the seemingly straightforward passage into grandparenthood. That joyful reality, however, was necessarily tempered by the acute awareness that her Grandmother Diana, my wife of nearly thirty years, did not live to see our only child become a father. For Sandi, who is now my wife, Josie brought joy as well, along with a flood of questions about the place she would have in Josie’s life as a step-grandmother.
We realized then that being a grandparent in the 21st century brings both timeless joys and sometimes harrowing challenges. Families fracture and recombine, often muddying traditional roles. For some, becoming a grandparent also means becoming a caretaker again.
For some, becoming a grandparent is an insistent call to look themselves or their own children in the face and take account. For others, not being a grandparent is a kind of loss. For many, that grandchild arrives bundled in equal parts hope and fear, because the baby’s parents may have struggled with substance abuse, financial or legal problems, or other demons. Sometimes, people become grandparents, but only learn that fact years later, as one poem here explores.
And, perhaps for all, the arrival of a new generation brings undeniable evidence of aging and mortality. That may be a particularly tough pill to swallow for the millions of Baby Boomers who have aged into this new role (and sometimes bristle at taking on traditional grandparent names).
When we decided to create this anthology and began soliciting contributions, Sandi and I suspected that some of these issues and concerns would be reflected and examined in the work we would receive. The mountain of submissions we received, however, brought many unexpected stories, too—along with much more excellent material than we possibly could use in a single volume. In assembling the collection, we have been blessed to have the always wise, sometimes surprising, sometimes challenging, prose and poetry of more than five dozen highly accomplished writers as our building material.
We are grateful to each of them and proud to include their work in CHILD OF MY CHILD.
That title, by the way, is borrowed from a wonderfully resonant image offered up, in slightly different forms, by two contributors to this volume: Barbara Evers and Karen Neuberg. It is both a powerful image in its own right and a fitting umbrella for the wide range of experience and emotion contained in this book.
In truth, we didn’t quite know at the time that a book had been born.
All of our attention was focused instead on one small child who had just reshaped our lives and changed our identities in ways we are still discovering. But it was inevitable that, sooner or later, we would look for a literary response to Josie’s life-changing presence, given our own backgrounds and sensibilities.
For me, Josie’s birth brought the seemingly straightforward passage into grandparenthood. That joyful reality, however, was necessarily tempered by the acute awareness that her Grandmother Diana, my wife of nearly thirty years, did not live to see our only child become a father. For Sandi, who is now my wife, Josie brought joy as well, along with a flood of questions about the place she would have in Josie’s life as a step-grandmother.
We realized then that being a grandparent in the 21st century brings both timeless joys and sometimes harrowing challenges. Families fracture and recombine, often muddying traditional roles. For some, becoming a grandparent also means becoming a caretaker again.
For some, becoming a grandparent is an insistent call to look themselves or their own children in the face and take account. For others, not being a grandparent is a kind of loss. For many, that grandchild arrives bundled in equal parts hope and fear, because the baby’s parents may have struggled with substance abuse, financial or legal problems, or other demons. Sometimes, people become grandparents, but only learn that fact years later, as one poem here explores.
And, perhaps for all, the arrival of a new generation brings undeniable evidence of aging and mortality. That may be a particularly tough pill to swallow for the millions of Baby Boomers who have aged into this new role (and sometimes bristle at taking on traditional grandparent names).
When we decided to create this anthology and began soliciting contributions, Sandi and I suspected that some of these issues and concerns would be reflected and examined in the work we would receive. The mountain of submissions we received, however, brought many unexpected stories, too—along with much more excellent material than we possibly could use in a single volume. In assembling the collection, we have been blessed to have the always wise, sometimes surprising, sometimes challenging, prose and poetry of more than five dozen highly accomplished writers as our building material.
We are grateful to each of them and proud to include their work in CHILD OF MY CHILD.
That title, by the way, is borrowed from a wonderfully resonant image offered up, in slightly different forms, by two contributors to this volume: Barbara Evers and Karen Neuberg. It is both a powerful image in its own right and a fitting umbrella for the wide range of experience and emotion contained in this book.
Hear Sandi Gelles-Cole reading her essay "Steps" . . .
What reviewers and readers have to say about Child of My Child. . .
"Little house of God -- may we deserve you. . . Those are the final lines from "Emanuel," a poem by Naomi Ruth Lowinsky which evokes just one of the dizzying number of surprising, yet universal emotions that explore the grandchild-grandparent relationship in this unique anthology. At first, one wonders how the scope of these poems can continue to broaden. But finally, one feels the subject is limitless. The publisher reports being overwhelmed with a mountain of submissions on the topic. Perhaps we can hope for Child of My Child Volume II.”
--Author Lucia Nevai
“This is a collection beautifully put together and brilliantly edited. Without flaw, Child of My Child is truly the first collection of poems - penned by professional writers who also happen to be grandparents - to capture the aching love, angst and hope inherent in being a grandparent. It is a gem of a gift - for grandparents AND for parents - impossible to put down and even harder to forget.”
--Author Cathie Beck
“This marvelous little book is quite simply the loveliest possible gift for anyone who has family. Provocative, beautifully written and thoughtfully produced, this book can be read and savored repeatedly. A joy.”
--Author Marion Roach Smith
--Author Lucia Nevai
“This is a collection beautifully put together and brilliantly edited. Without flaw, Child of My Child is truly the first collection of poems - penned by professional writers who also happen to be grandparents - to capture the aching love, angst and hope inherent in being a grandparent. It is a gem of a gift - for grandparents AND for parents - impossible to put down and even harder to forget.”
--Author Cathie Beck
“This marvelous little book is quite simply the loveliest possible gift for anyone who has family. Provocative, beautifully written and thoughtfully produced, this book can be read and savored repeatedly. A joy.”
--Author Marion Roach Smith
More comments from readers . . .
This book is a treasure! Our family has been blessed by reading the sweet stories inside. Definitely a must read!
Child of My Child rejects the Hallmark version of grand-parenthood. It does not present a series of uncomplicated, sappy discussions of the joys of having a baby without changing too many diapers. Rather, it explores the complicated ways that having a grandchild transforms one's sense of self and familial relationships. The poems are mostly joyful, but it's a joy that can be believed, for it is tinged with doubt, pain, and fear. In this respect, it's not your grandparents' grandparent-hood.
This beautiful and inspirational collection of poems and stories is for anyone and everyone who is a grandparent, or has family and friends that are grandparents. It illustrates so simply and elegantly the love that this stage in life brings, and what a blessing it is.
I have to add, that the cover of the book is fantastic, so unique and meaningful. it sits on my coffee table and brings a smile to my face daily!
Whether you ARE a grandparent or just happen to love one (or two), this delightful collection is a treat you should not pass up (hint: great holiday gift). Salzmann and Gelles-Cole have cooked up a winner. Its recipe for success? Start with a delicious mix of poets, each with a unique and savory take on what grandparenting is all about. Add a heaping cup of heart-string plucking. Throw in a dash of originality. Edit to perfection and serve. Seriously, the question I asked after a few pages was, "Why didn't I think of this?" As a doting grandparent, I find that every one of these gems resonates. Next to enjoying my grandson's endless antics, this is perhaps the best part of being "Pop." Big thumbs up.
I love this anthology of poems. The poems are reflections, not just about being a grandparent, but about relationships. They are thought provoking and endearing. I highly recommend this book to anyone. Like all poetry, this book touches the heart and stirs the soul.
It's been awhile since I've picked up a collection of poetry that I simply could not put down.Child of My Child captures the "three-levels of heartbeats" inherent in the parent/child/grandchild dynamic -- beautifully, luxuriously and individually.Even as the parent/child/grandchild feelings are forever the same across the human spectrum, the individual voices of the writers that contributed to this collection come through clearly and resonate long after the final page is turned.It's a lovely tribute to families everywhere, but equally important, this body of work illuminates some of the best writing anywhere, any time.I honestly could not set it down once I opened the front flap.
Child of My Child rejects the Hallmark version of grand-parenthood. It does not present a series of uncomplicated, sappy discussions of the joys of having a baby without changing too many diapers. Rather, it explores the complicated ways that having a grandchild transforms one's sense of self and familial relationships. The poems are mostly joyful, but it's a joy that can be believed, for it is tinged with doubt, pain, and fear. In this respect, it's not your grandparents' grandparent-hood.
This beautiful and inspirational collection of poems and stories is for anyone and everyone who is a grandparent, or has family and friends that are grandparents. It illustrates so simply and elegantly the love that this stage in life brings, and what a blessing it is.
I have to add, that the cover of the book is fantastic, so unique and meaningful. it sits on my coffee table and brings a smile to my face daily!
Whether you ARE a grandparent or just happen to love one (or two), this delightful collection is a treat you should not pass up (hint: great holiday gift). Salzmann and Gelles-Cole have cooked up a winner. Its recipe for success? Start with a delicious mix of poets, each with a unique and savory take on what grandparenting is all about. Add a heaping cup of heart-string plucking. Throw in a dash of originality. Edit to perfection and serve. Seriously, the question I asked after a few pages was, "Why didn't I think of this?" As a doting grandparent, I find that every one of these gems resonates. Next to enjoying my grandson's endless antics, this is perhaps the best part of being "Pop." Big thumbs up.
I love this anthology of poems. The poems are reflections, not just about being a grandparent, but about relationships. They are thought provoking and endearing. I highly recommend this book to anyone. Like all poetry, this book touches the heart and stirs the soul.
It's been awhile since I've picked up a collection of poetry that I simply could not put down.Child of My Child captures the "three-levels of heartbeats" inherent in the parent/child/grandchild dynamic -- beautifully, luxuriously and individually.Even as the parent/child/grandchild feelings are forever the same across the human spectrum, the individual voices of the writers that contributed to this collection come through clearly and resonate long after the final page is turned.It's a lovely tribute to families everywhere, but equally important, this body of work illuminates some of the best writing anywhere, any time.I honestly could not set it down once I opened the front flap.
Child of My Child is now available in a Kindle edition. Click here to go to Amazon.com.
Featuring the writing of . . .
*Barbara Adams*Christine Allen-Yazzie*Diana M. Amadeo*Lynore Banchoff*Helen Bar-Lev*K. Biadaszkiewicz*Regina Murray Brault*Clinton B. Campbell*Sherry Gage Chappell*Elayne Clift*Edward M. Cohen*Barbara Crooker*Darcy Cummings*Laurie Lee Didesch*Meredith Escudier*Michael Estabrook*Barbara Evers*Anne C. Fowler*Hugh Fox*Lewis Gardner*Sandi Gelles-Cole*Carol Gordon*John Grey*Nancy Gustafson*Werner Hengst*Barbara Hoffman*Louise Jaffe*David James*Sheila Golburgh Johnson*Pearl Karrer*Linda Lancione*Charlene Langfur*Janet M. Lewis*Naomi Ruth Lowinsky*Mary Makofske*Arlene Mandell*Rochelle Mass*Marsha Matthews*Paul Milenski*Pearse Murray*Sheryl L. Nelms*Karen Neuberg*Carol Nolde*Charlotte Otten*Barbara Redfield*Carlos Reyes*Larry Rubin*Natalie Safir*Marian Brown St. Onge*Kenneth Salzmann*Mollie Schmidt*Ada Jill Schneider*Mary Koloda Scott*Joanne Seltzer*Myra Shapiro*Johnmichael Simon*John Oliver Simon*Elaine Starkman*Parker Towle*Karen Waggoner*Donna Wahlert
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See other recent titles from Gelles-Cole Literary Enterprises . . .
The Memoir of Marilyn Monroe by Sandi Gelles-Cole
Albany Scrapbook: A Montage of Life and Lore in Albany, New York Through Four Centuries
Lane Change: Poems by Kenneth Salzmann
The Memoir of Marilyn Monroe by Sandi Gelles-Cole
Albany Scrapbook: A Montage of Life and Lore in Albany, New York Through Four Centuries
Lane Change: Poems by Kenneth Salzmann
