WILSON, Wis., August 25, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Nanette Jordahl always imagined she would live the "perfect" life, picturing herself with the ideal marriage and family. In her new book, Chasing Sophie's Ashes (now available through AuthorHouse), Jordahl shares the true saga of three decades spent searching for and redefining her perspective on the things that matter most in life.
Chasing Sophie's Ashes unfolds quickly as Jordahl's family faces one devastating blow after another. The author chronicles her struggle to finish a doctoral degree when she suddenly finds herself facing life alone; a single parent of three small children after her 44 year old husband succumbs to the side effects of an experimental treatment for adult leukemia. Nine years later, in the same hospital, she openly relates her reactions to the treatment and recovery process she endured as a victim of the same disease.
In a refreshingly frank, often humorous style, Jordahl carries readers through heartache and loss to reveal the true importance of hope and appreciation for the small things in life.
"I believe that every human being possesses the ability to overcome the impossible if he/she can just search deeply enough into his or her own soul to find what is truly important when everything we thought was important is stripped away," she writes. "If this book can help someone else survive devastation or look at problems in a different light, then I will have accomplished something in life."
In an era of self-indulgence and fervent attention to accumulation of wealth, prestige and material gain, Chasing Sophie's Ashes reminds readers about the truly valuable things in life.
Jordahl received both bachelor's and master's degrees in Communicative Disorders from the University of Rhode Island. She completed all coursework for a Ph.D. in Educational Administration at the University of Minnesota, but remains "ABD - all but dissertation." She is currently an associate professor of communicative disorders at the University of Wisconsin River Falls. An avid animal lover, she owns 13 horses, a donkey, a goat, four dogs and five cats. She lives on the same 40 acre farm she built with her husband.
AuthorHouse is the world leader in publishing and print-on-demandservices. Founded in 1997, AuthorHouse has helped more than 18,500people worldwide become published authors. For more information, visitwww.authorhouse.com.