I HATE PINATAS
Surviving
Life's Unexpected Surprises
A Memoir
by
Heather Maloy
Heart surgery doesn't happen in a vacuum. This is what Heather Maloy
learned first-hand when her son, Colman, was diagnosed in utero with a
combination of congenital heart defects which are fatal without surgical
intervention. I Hate Piñatas is a compelling story of hope and strength that
vacillates between heartbreaking and outrageously funny as Maloy takes you
through what three heart surgeries in three years looked like for one family.
Author's Note: I Hate Piñatas is not an inspirational book, but rather a
true and honest account of what we went through as a family. In my quest to
keep it real, there are curse words contained within the story. However, it's
my hope that this book will leave you feeling inspired.
BUY
LINKS:
Awards won by I HATE PINATAS
●
2015 Independent
Publisher Book Awards' Gold Medalist - Best Adult Non-Fiction E-Book
●
Honorable Mention
in the 2015 San Francisco Book Festival
●
2015 Indie
Excellence Awards' Finalist - Memoir.
Kirkus Review
Maloy
bares her heart (and sometimes her teeth) in an honest debut that’s both snarky
and sweet.
It’s hard to imagine that a memoir about
a baby with a rare heart defect could make readers laugh. But that’s what
“Crazy Heart Mama” Maloy’s blunt South Texas voice does. Sometimes her
irreverent humor feels more like whistling in the dark; e.g., when first
finding out that something could be wrong with her baby, she sadly wonders if
he’ll be a “bobblehead.” Other times, her gritty humor is a pressure valve
releasing stress, albeit in a juvenile way, such as when she felt like telling
her mother-in-law to “go eat a giant bag of dicks.” And there are a few
startling admissions; for example, when sick baby Colman wouldn’t sleep, she
almost called him a “little fucker.” But honesty is the beauty of Maloy’s to-the-point
voice. What sleep-deprived mom hasn’t fantasized—even with a healthy baby—about
handing her screaming bundle of poop to somebody else for eight hours? The fact
is that when Colman was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and a
leaky valve, Maloy rolled up her sleeves and became his biggest advocate.
Describing Colman’s condition as being born with “half a heart,” Maloy adroitly
details the excruciating choices she and her husband had to make. None of the
options were good. The author’s brusque voice may make some readers flinch—at
times, even her family thought she was cold—but there’s no doubt that she
dearly loves her son. Whether it was caring for Colman’s bloody hernia, being
covered in projectile vomit, or waiting through surgery during which her baby
would be clinically dead, Maloy’s well-written, heart-rending story spares no
detail.
A heartbreaking, inspirational account.
Heather
Maloy works full-time as a court reporter in district court and writes
sporadically on her blog, Crazy Heart Mama.
She
lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband, three boys, and their dog Buster,
who doesn't seem to mind that none of his people are dog people.
blog tour services provided
by
Check out these other great blog stops on the tour!
*NOTE FROM KRISTINE at HALL WAYS: The content of this promo post was provided by Lone Star Literary Life Blog Tours. If you're a Texas blogger interested in joining the ranks of Texas Book Blog Tours, contact Tabatha Pope.
No comments:
Post a Comment