In All An Act, Lulu comes face to face with a part of her past that she thought was no longer an issue. That is until she runs into André. The deep-seated bitterness she held toward him affected more areas of her life than she would like to admit.

This story is supposed to be a rom-com of sorts, but the question I asked of these authors is rooted deeper than I had hoped it would be.

Was there ever a time that your past mistakes or situations jumped out from nowhere in the present? How did you handle that moment?

Lulu is more like me than many realize. For some reason, I felt the need to rip the band-aide off of “Missy” and show her off to the world. The bitterness she holds on to, the feeling of worthlessness, the inability to keep her life straight — all of it is like a mirror into my own life. I couldn’t believe my fingers exposed so much of my inner self in such a short time.

That said, I won’t apologize for being so transparent through fiction.

I have a child who was diagnosed with ADHD at the beginning of the covid pandemic. He tested and then the nation was shut down. So, when it came time for those results, it was a good ol’Zoom call with the therapist, my son, and myself. As she is listing off her findings, she states that he has moderate to severe ADHD among other things. As she continues to talk to him about how there are ways to manage his life with this, I remember ALL the times I got after him for his “naughty” behavior when it was really something he couldn’t control. The number of times I ground him, put him in timeout, and any other number of disciplinary techniques to get him to behave shamelessly flashed in my mind.

Then I heard her say, “Most of the time, ADHD is hereditary.”

I asked for clarification and how it looked for girls (which, btw, is very different than with boys) and I was humbled.

I looked at my son in the middle of the call and said, “I’m sorry, Bubba. I didn’t know. I didn’t see.”

We had several friends with children with severe ADHD, so we always missed it in him, but none of the mothers ever discussed their daughters or themselves. Everything the therapist said was typical for girls was precisely the things I had struggled with my whole life, and none of it involved wreckless and “naughty” behavior that boys display.

After that, my son, my daughter, and myself have worked to create a routine of sorts to stay on task. we even changed our diets.

So, how does this relate?

There were times I would get so mad at my son. Some of it was because of my own inability to regulate my emotions,and some of it was not knowing how to handle him, but however you look at it, the situation had put a wedge between my son and me. After that apology, our dynamic changed. I have more patience with him, even as an adult, and he knows to take a deep breath when Mom can’t stay focused on what he is saying. We show great amounts of grace and forgiveness each day, even when it’s hard.

About the Book

All An Act

genre: romance

Not all weddings end in marriage. Not all hurting hearts remain broken.

In the year since Something Suamalie started, the dynamic trio Kiana, Lulu, and Meilani have accumulated a glowing reputation at home and abroad for brides and their wedding day dreams. But when a triple-booked weekend forces Lulu to manage the wedding of the Onirique events coordinator by herself, panic sets in. Her lack of confidence and ADHD, not to mention the return of a devilishly handsome man, could easily spell disaster.

When André left the Suamalie Islands to pursue a career in Paris, he never dreamed of returning. The islands hold a treasure chest of memories he wishes to keep locked away, but recent changes in his life force him to face those very things. And a choice for his future that will break more than one heart.

With neither of them able to talk about their feelings, how will Lulu and André be able to set aside their pasts and move on?

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

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