Robin, a fiery red-head, arrives home from her freshman year of nursing school, to discover her home is slated for demolition for upscale housing she can’t afford. Her summer vacation devolves into a chaotic circus of exploration of sexuality, violence, and tragedy. Then, thieving by an ex-friend threatens Robin's job and brings her to court; but that's not all. Robin’s summer spins further out of control when the unanticipated reunion with her estranged mother is derailed by family violence that leaves Robin grappling with grief and railing against the world. Back at school, the Nurseketeers band around Robin to embrace women’s issues, gender discrimination, cultural diversities, and plan a March against Violence. A chance meeting motivates Robin to question her sexuality in an era when homosexuality was illegal in every state but one - and that one wasn’t Texas. Her roommate’s homophobia challenges the need for secrecy as Robin explores her emerging lesbian impulses. Exposure could turn her nursing career into an impossible dream or worse, she could land in jail.
Joy Don Baker & Terri Goodman, nursing students in the ‘70s like the fictional characters in their Nurseketeers series, are both writers in professional nursing literature. They met in the ‘80s and have remained friends for years. As co-authors, their mission is to share enjoyment, writing, and learning through meaningful stories about diverse nursing characters.
Both are well-established leaders in perioperative nursing. Dr. Baker teaches at the University of Texas at Arlington and served as the editor-in-chief of AORN Journal. Dr. Goodman is an entrepreneur and an approved provider of continuing education as the principal at Terri Goodman & Associates.
Baker & Goodman have produced the award-winning book A, B, & Cs of Author Partnering, the definitive how-to guide that leads readers through creating a partnership, establishing a productive work environment, and producing a work of fiction, non-fiction, or journal article.
Whether reading for fun or in quest of knowledge, the value of reading lies in its unique ability to expand the boundaries of the human experience. From a practical standpoint, reading is the ultimate shortcut to wisdom, allowing us to download life lessons through failures and triumphs described by the world’s greatest minds. Reading also sharpens the intellect, improves focus, and builds a vocabulary that allows us to articulate our own internal worlds with greater precision. However, the true joy of reading is found in the "silent conversation" between author and reader. There is a specific, quiet magic in seeing your most private, unspoken feelings put into words by a strange. This recognition fosters a profound sense of empathy and creates the sensation that we are not alone.
Book Excerpt
Against the World
The library’s too far to walk and buying books and magazines is too expensive. A neighbor used to lend me books.” A smile crossed Aileen’s face and was quickly replaced by a frown. “Once she lent me John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. It was so beautiful and so sad. Harold told me I wasn’t to fill my head with such crap and to quit borrowing books. After that, she lent me Lady Chatterley’s Lover and I hid it because I knew Harold would have a conniption fit.
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