THE INSPIRATION FOR ‘NOT DEAD YET’
My ultimate dream is to one day, write for a living, you know, have my passion for writing pay the bills, but alas, thus far, that is sadly not the case. I work as an Aged Care Clinical Nurse Consultant in an Emergency Department. I have specialised in caring for older people for the past 15 years (I am showing my age) and have worked in many different Aged Care focused roles, with a particular passion for dementia care.
Over the years, I have had the great privilege of listening to their life stories. Stories of triumph, grief, adversity, love, loss, estranged relationships, rewarding careers, regrets, and hardships. The list goes on and on.
After publishing ‘Crayons and Chaos’ and ‘Making March’, I wanted to challenge myself as an author. I wanted to write a story that tackled more challenging issues faced by older people, particularly older women, whilst still keeping the book light hearted and fun.
Older women face unique issues as they age, such as sexism, and double standard ageism, with many stating that they begin to feel invisible once they hit fifty. Most stories, TV shows, and movies, centre around youthful beautiful people.
Older people possess such wisdom and we can learn an awful lot from them. I feel privileged to be in a position where I get to ensure they receive the respect they deserve and be their advocate when they present to hospital.
I wanted to pen a meaningful story about an older woman and her struggles, trying to get on with life after losing her husband of fifty-one years, with some laughs thrown in along the way, of course. It wouldn’t be a ‘Hayley Walsh’ book without the humour present.
I am sure I will continue to draw inspiration from my career as a nurse. People, their relationships, their trials and tribulations, their joy, their heartache, and their spirit, are always at the heart of a good story. There are not a lot of jobs where you get to hear so many varied stories from all walks of life.
‘Not Dead Yet’ is available for pre-order in the kindle store. Release date – 8th March 2022
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK
Glaring at Gertrude with pure hatred in her eyes, Mary snatched the bottle from her and raised it high above her head, as the curious onlookers all gasped in shock. ‘You know what? You’d be lucky if I refrain from smacking you in the face with this. You smug cow. Who do you think you are?’
Noreen carefully took the bottle from Mary and beckoned for her to sit down. By this stage, Mary was shaking from head to toe, and Gertrude had turned a fiery shade of crimson. A nervous rash working its way up her neck like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
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