The Ties that Bind

I love getting mail from readers.

Whether we share the common ground of growing up in the ’60s and ’70s in Calgary, the struggles with anxiety, or the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, these emails and letters are always an honour to receive.

When Separation Anxiety first went out into the world in 2015, I couldn’t have predicted that six months later I would receive a letter, my name handwritten on the string-tie envelope and a return address I didn’t recognize. I unfolded the two creamy vellum pages and started to read.

The letter began with the writer telling me she’d read my book and felt she could reach out to me. She then suggested I have a glass of wine or cup of tea before reading any further.

She’d been searching a long time to find me and my two older sisters. It took all her courage to write and send this letter.

The letter went on to reveal something both heart-wrenching and mind-blowing: a personal connection I could never have imagined.

She was our half-sister.

Her compelling story is now a book. It is a brave, honest and compassionate read.