Tuesday 31 March 2020

Jemi Fraser - Dancing with Dementia - blog tour appearance - EMOTIONAL NONFICTION.


Today is the first day of Jemi Fraser's blog tour. I'm sorry my post is a little late due to circumstances beyond my control. Her TOUR CALENDAR  is at the end of the post.

I asked Jemi to talk to us about emotional nonfiction. Take it away, Jemi. 

EMOTIONAL NONFICTION

Writing is always an emotional experience. I know this is true for me, but I believe it is true for most authors as well.

I write romance, an emotional genre. My characters become important to me and Ive often found myself laughing and smiling along with them as I write. I worry along with my characters and cry for them as well. (Yes, even as I create the things that they worry and cry about!)

I figured writing romance was a pretty emotional experience.

And then I started writing Dancing With Dementia. Nonfiction, but more emotional than any fiction Ive written.

Because of the nature of the project, I found myself emotionally drained as I wrote. Watching our Loved Ones experience dementia is tough. Even those funny moments (and there are lots of them) in the book were emotionally difficult to write.

Writing about that dementia meant that I experienced each and every incident over and over again as I wrote and revised and edited and proofed.

I tried working on other writing projects to lighten my heart but the Dementia project refused to let me go. Those other projects were firmly booted to the back burner for a long time. Theyre battling for my attention now that Dancing With Dementia is heading out to the real world.

With the emotional impact DWD has on me, I had to make some adjustments.
           shorter time frames for writing
           don’t write immediately before or after visiting my mom (our Loved One dealing with dementia)
           don’t write late at night (guaranteed sleepless night)
           alternate between the serious moments and the ones filled with laughter and joy
           focus on how to help other people navigating those first steps in the Dance of Dementia

It will be interesting to see how my writing process morphs as I once again focus on fiction writing.


How about you? If youre a writer, do emotional bits of your project affect you in the Real World? Have you had to change up your routine because of your subject matter? As a reader, do those emotional works affect you as well?


It’s a pleasure to be participating in author Jemi Fraser’s DANCING WITH DEMENTIA, Recognizing and Coping with the Early Stages of Dementia Blog Tour through MC Book Tours today.

The author is offering a tour-wide international giveaway of an Amazon Gift Card. More information on the giveaway is listed below.

Recognizing and Coping with the Early Stages of Dementia
by Jemi Fraser
◊ Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
◊ Publisher: Just Jemi Books
◊ eBooks
◊ ISBN-13: 978-1-9991258-1-3

Dementia and Alzheimer’s touch the lives of millions around the world, but so much is still unknown.

As first-generation Canadians, we didn’t recognize the early warning signs. We didn’t know the differences between regular aging and the early stages of dementia. We’ve made mistakes but we’ve learned a lot.

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA will help you:
•Identify those early warning signs
•Use visuals to improve communication
•Choose your words wisely
•Redirect and reassure
•Stay calm and cope with your own emotions
•Consider nursing home options
•Improve caregiver self-care

We’ve learned to dance the early steps of the disease with our love and laughter intact. If you are looking for help recognizing early signposts along with practical ways to cope with early Dementia and Alzheimer’s, this book is for you.


DANCING WITH DEMENTIA buy links:
Amazon.com              Amazon.ca          Apple Books       Barnes & Noble          Kobo

Add DANCING WITH DEMENTIA to your Goodreads shelf

For those who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her.

Jemi Fraser writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her nonfiction work focuses on the ways that dementia has impacted her family. Her fiction work varies from contemporary romance to suspense and flash fiction. Years as a teacher have taught Jemi that life is short and that happy endings are a must.

Jemi lives in Northern Ontario, Canada where snow is always a topic of conversation and the autumn leaves make everything better.

For more on Jemi and her writing, visit her following sites:

Amazon Page        BookBub      Goodreads       Facebook       Twitter       Quick Tips Videos

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This tour-wide giveaway is for a $20 Amazon Gift Card. The giveaway is open internationally.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Jemi on her week-long tour HERE. You never know what you might find out. I hope dementia hasn’t touch your family or friends, but in case it has do you have any tips to share on dealing with this terrible disease?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR CALENDAR:
Monday, March 30Denise Covey – Guest Post
Mystery Writing is Murder – Guest Post
Defending the Pen – Q & A & Review
Constantine – Guest Post
Tuesday, March 31Joylene Nowell Butler – Guest Post & Feature
Mainewords – Guest Post
Tara Tyler Talks – Interview
Wednesday, April 1Alex J. Cavanaugh – Guest Post
Spunk on A Stick – Feature
Circle of Friends – Feature
Rockin’ Book Reviews – Feature & Top Ten List
The Girdle of Melian – Guest Post
The Warrior Muse – Top Ten List
Thursday, April 2Lisa Haselton’s Reviews & Interviews – Q & A
Thoughts in Progress – Review
Friday, April 3Pat Garcia Book Reviews – Review
Writer’s Gambit – Top Ten List
Ellen Jacobson Author – Top Ten List & Review

25 comments:

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much for hosting me and Dancing With Dementia, Denise!! I appreciate it!!

Mason Canyon said...

Jemi, your book is not only helpful but inspiring. Readers can feel the emotions you share and know they are not alone in their own struggles.

Denise, thanks for being a part of Jemi's tour and sharing her post.

Denise Covey said...

You're welcome Jemi! Enjoy your tour!

Denise Covey said...

It's a pleasure, Mason. Jemi's book is going to touch so many lives.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Working on it too long would be really draining. I hope you can dive into some happy writing next.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Mason - it was sure an emotional journey for all of us!!

Jemi Fraser said...

It really was tough at times! I'm working on a romance series now. While there is always danger, at least I know there's a guaranteed happy ending!

Elephant's Child said...

A wonderful interview - and a much needed book. I am quite certain that multiple tears were shed writing this gem. How could they not.
I am very glad to hear that Jemi is working on a lighter series now - and wish her much success with both.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much Sue! As you well know, the disease is devastating. I'm definitely enjoying my Romance Series now!!

Pat Hatt said...

Would sure drain if working on it for too long of a spurt. Sometimes we do just have to adjust or take a break depending on subject matter.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Congrats to Jemi! I can imagine that this would be an emotionally draining experience to write about dementia when you've been a caregiver. Thanks for sharing all your advice in your book, Jemi.

Deniz Bevan said...

Congratulations, Jemi! It's all so exciting :-)

Pat Garcia said...

Hi,
I truly enjoyed your book. It pointed out so many things that took me back to my own mom when I and my siblings went through it with her.
Great work. Your book has heart in it.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat Garcia

Jemi Fraser said...

Exactly! I think I'd be the same for horror - and I know even my romantic suspense causes me stress in certain scenes!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Natalie! I hope the book can help people facing the early stages of this disease!

Jemi Fraser said...

It really is, Deniz!!!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Pat! I'm so sorry you had to face this disease as well!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

You certainly don't want to be writing really emotionally charged items alone. Although if someone is around, they might end up bearing the brunt, too!

Jemi Fraser said...

Exactly! It's always a fine line to walk!

Botanist said...

Sounds like a very difficult topic to write about, especially when it's drawn from firsthand experience.

Jemi Fraser said...

It really was a tough task, but worth it if it helps others!!

Yolanda Renée said...

I agree writing is an emotional experience regardless of the subject, but when it's personal, ever more so. I think that's why writing a memoir is so tough!

I'm glad you worked through it Jemi, you did all of us a favor!

I forgot how quickly a tour moves and how many blogs it hits on consecutive days. Duh, I'm starting my own, better be better prepared. :)

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much Renee! Memoirs are (in my opinion) the most difficult to write!!
Tours are QUICK! Looking forward to yours!!

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Denise and Jemi - I think it will be such a useful book to many ... helping us understand something about Dementia - and if Dancing helps ... then dance lots. I know there was someone in my Mum's nursing centre, who had had a stroke too - she could sing, but couldn't talk ... and could eat; whereas my Ma couldn't eat and needed intervention to let her live - she'd evaluated that decision sometime before her stroke caught her ... and so we could talk and spend those last years (as it happened) together as best we could ...

Take care both of you and all the best - Hilary

Jemi Fraser said...

There are so many sad diseases and circumstances out there! I'm glad you managed to have good moments with your mom! Our mom loves music and we sing a lot. it definitely helps keep her communication skills stronger. We'll keep dancing!