And Now, Back to Me —
a new book by Rita Lussier
Someday, it will come. We know this. But there’s life to be lived. Play dates and finger paints. Soccer games and bloody knees. First driver’s license and first love. And then, just like that, there it is. The day our last child leaves home and we’re left staring into an abyss like nothing in our experience. For so many of us, it’s a time in our lives shaken by dread, fear, sadness and the question we thought we’d never have to What now? But the news from the empty nest is far from all bad as we discover in Rita Lussier’s memoir, And Now, Back to Me. Her story, as told over 40 chapters, takes us on an emotional roller coaster that is, at once, gut-wrenching and playful, at times seemingly disoriented but ultimately brimming with optimism.
“Rita Lussier’s And Now, Back to Me is a loving, heartfelt journey of the empty nest: marriage, kids, career, aging parents and the warm embrace of community.”
-Matt Bombeck, Writer, Son of Erma Bombeck
“And Now, Back to Me made me laugh, cry and most of all relate. This beautifully written memoir is a collection of essays that tell the story of every woman - or at least many of us – who combine career and family. It explores the mixed joy of reclaiming independence when the last child leaves the house and the ache of taking care of aging parents, all with honesty, insight and tenderness. A great read and a great gift for so many women you know.”
- Jan Brogan, author of The Combat Zone, Murder, Race and Boston’s Struggle for Justice, Final Copy, and The Hallie Ahern Mystery Series
“As someone who recently became an empty nester and is approaching retirement, I so appreciated reading about Rita’s journey through this challenging but invigorating time of life. Rita shows us how responsibilities will change, relationships will shift, opportunities will emerge, and she points out that we need to be prepared to be kind to ourselves as we navigate this uncharted territory. So much of what Rita shares resonates with my own experiences. Her insights helped me to face the future with optimism.”
-Cynthia Dawson Bonn, Dean of Admission,
The University of Rhode Island
“The bittersweet emotions of letting go of our grown children are nothing new, but journalist Rita Lussier refreshes those familiar feelings with sharp, clear-eyed humor, insight, and uncommon grace. In her words, parents see where they have been and where nature insists that they go.”
-Jacquelyn Mitchard, Author Deep End of the Ocean
“Rita Lussier’s poignant memoir, And Now, Back to Me, offers a revealing, intimate look into life’s crossroad moments and the choices that define us. It’s a captivating read about the power of shaping the life you desire. With emotional honesty and reflection, she takes the reader on a journey of the heart.”
-Teri Rizvi, Director of the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop and Author of One Heart with Courage: Essays and Stories
“It feels like Rita has taken the hand of every mother, to reassure us that even when our kids are fully grown, we get to keep growing too.”
-Liz Gumbinner, Writer, Creative Director,
former Editor-in-Chief Cool Mom Picks
“Rita Lussier has the gift of taking the ordinary events of our lives, be it a daughter’s return on college break, the illness of a pet, dinner with a spouse or coffee with a friend, and writing about them in an extraordinary way that allows us to feel them fresh as an early morning run.”
-Joel Rawson, Former Executive Editor of The Providence Journal