Author Meredith Fields' formerly placid suburban existence is shattering, and she's not entirely unhappy about it. She feels guilty over placing her mother, Katherine, in a nursing home. Her husband, Keith, wants a divorce. She's emotionally estranged from her children. And her next book is overdue. As she sorts through her mother's house before selling, she finds clues to Katherine's shadowy past. She begins to understand why her mother related so poorly to her children and is shaken by parallels in her relationships with her own children. When Meredith finds a journal she kept in her twenties, she is reminded of the love she once felt for Keith, and the extent of her loss settles in. A series of crises forces them to confront their relationship, but will it be enough to put Meredith on the path to mending her shattered family and life? Back in my school days, I loved English and creative writing best. The practical people in my life nudged me toward a more secure profession, nursing. But I continued to write. Newsletters, magazine articles, and private journals and stories filled the gap. I took several writing courses at local colleges and through on-line programs (such as Writers Digest University) to hone my fiction skills before diving into my first novel, Autumn Colors. Having recently completed In Her Mother's Shoes, I'm juggling writing a third book around my day job, a three hour round trip commute, and training for marathons and half marathons. I live in the Adirondacks in New York State with my husband, Dennis, and Border Terrier, Nala. We can be found frequently paddling our canoe on lakes and rivers, cross country skiing, or climbing one of the beautiful mountains surrounding us. My novels come from real life experiences - some my own, some from people close to me, and sometimes just from someone I've observed. The settings are places I know and love. I maintain an active presence on social media, blog several times per month - usually about writing-related topics - and keep my website fresh and current.For my first novel, Autumn Colors, I enjoyed meeting with book clubs and speaking for local groups. I also maintain an email mailing list to keep readers aware of changes in my website (www.dawnlajeunesse.com) and upcoming activities.