The Rose: A Life Between Petals and Thorns

When I decided to write a memoir of my incredible mother, I thought about all the random and disconnected stories that she told me over the years and figured that would be a good place to start. As I put down words to describe her stories, I found that I was subconsciously blending them into my own vivid memories and recollections. I felt compelled to describe what I knew about the life she lived for over 100 years in ways that most people would not know, or never know.

It wasn't until I had...