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Make Sure Your Final Years Are What You Want
A Lie Called the Present follows a woman suffering with Dementia who tries to keep her family together despite their efforts to the contrary. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The story of A Lie Called the Present transpired in much the same setting and with a similar plot line to what occurred in my family. My mother was removed from our family home of 47 years because of her oncoming dementia and family politics. My father conspired with others in the family in what was a progression of very difficult decisions that taught me many lessons about life and informed my writing.
What was your inspiration for the characters and their relationship?
The inspiration for the characters in the play comes from family members and friends who live under the pall of pain, illness, and distress that aging brings, often with little hope of improvement or recovery. The emotional toll that these people bear helped me appreciate the courage and drama that they use to fight off their physical and mental demons. Dealing with my aging parents brought a whole new dynamic to sibling interaction, often reverting to old childhood power struggles and hurts that were acted out but in a more adult way. I didn’t model the sibling relationships just on my own family but also on what I have witnessed among my friends and their siblings as well.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The family is a powerful institution that you dismiss at your own peril. The story drives home the importance of long-range planning in making life decisions to make sure your final years are what you want, and not what your children think they should be. Shakespearean verse and speeches add dramatically to the depth of a literary work.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have a collection of sonnets in the works. It will be quite a while before they are ready.
Author Links: Amazon
The mother clings to her home, staving off dementia. Her children desperately hide their pasts and deny their futures.
In A Lie Called the Present, betrayal lurks in the depths of the family.
A Lie Called the Present
At the core of Jim van de Erve’s A Lie Called The Present lies a captivating and unique take on a familiar story, that of aging parents and partners. The author deftly takes us on a journey through the lives of the Jackson family, where the matriarch Yvonne is facing the challenges of dementia. Her struggles have a profound impact on the lives of her adult children, Catherine, Jackie, Ray, and Bret, as well as her husband, Harry. Through the power of verse, Erve explores the intense human emotions of sadness, frustration, uncertainty, and nostalgia that this family experiences.
As readers, we are left wondering whether this family can find the light at the end of the tunnel and achieve the freedom and futures they seek. To discover the answer, one must delve into the captivating world of A Lie Called The Present. Erve’s work is a testament to his passion for writing and storytelling, and I commend him for his evident dedication to this work. He leaves no stone unturned in exploring the often-ugly aspects of having an aging parent that many people shy away from discussing. The feelings of sadness, bitterness, and the yearning for a brighter future despite one’s love for a family member are all authentically portrayed. I am always impressed by a story that confronts life’s unpretty aspects without sugarcoating them. Such works are a vital part of literature because they make readers feel seen and heard. This is one such work, exploring the complexities of the human condition with honesty and empathy.
A Lie Called The Present is a thought-provoking story told in verse. Readers will be transported into this family’s life and experience all the turmoil that goes with the aging stage of life. Erve’s work is a true testament to the power of literature to explore the nuances of the human experience.
Pages: 200 | ASIN : B0BWRX7FWC
LITERARY TITAN 