Moynihan Memories is based on a series of stories I have been telling my granddaughter, Cassidy, for many years. Cassidy helped create our family and it has grown over the years.
Last June when Cassidy began her summer reading program I was at the library with her and I asked what the prize was for reading 40 books. She told me a gold library card.
I decided I would add to the prize and told her I would also give her a prize if she read 40 books. I then asked what she would want she read 40 books over the summer. Expecting she might ask for an American Girl Doll I waited for her answer.
“I will read 50 books if you will write a book for me.” And, of course, I said yes not knowing what I was getting myself into.
So began our saga. I have written finance books but never a chapter book as we started to call our book. I decided I would write like I told her the stories. I got a couple of notebooks and would write whenever I had a few minutes drawing from all of the stories I had told her.
At Christmas I gave Cassidy a sketch book and she began the illustrations for our book. When she was born her Dad and I had talked about doing a children’s book with him doing the illustrations and me the writing. It was going to happen after all.
Once finished I looked at my hand written product and wanted to get it on the computer so I could begin the editing process and finish writing. I had no idea how long chapters should be and I had forgotten everything Sister Mary Judith had taught about punctuation in 5th grade.
I also had difficulty reading my own writing so I knew someone else could not figure it out. My daughter, Jennifer, figured out I could record the story easily on my computer and get someone to transcribe it. Jennifer became the technical director on the book’s production. Without her help there would no Moynihan Memories.
You can order the book here: Moynihan Memories on Amazon.com
There are lots of great recipes in the book too. If interested, you can download the recipes here:
And you might find the Moynihan family tree helpful too. You can see the picture of the family home to the right and you can download a list of the family members below:
Again, you can order the book here: Moynihan Memories on Amazon.com
We hope you enjoy it!
