Making Up Stories: A Novel

All families have their secrets. How far will they go to keep them hidden?A dying mother reveals to her daughter her family’s long history of trauma in the hope she can break free of it. . . . It is inspiring – the past can never be escaped, but that does not mean it must serve as destiny. . . A captivating novel, intellectually stimulating and literarily engrossing. Kirkus ReviewA Five Star - Must Read from Reedsy Discovery. “I have not had a book affect me so strongly for a long time, “ Kendall Nischan. “If you are interested in the topics of generational trauma, parent-child relationships, and death with dignity—this one is a must-read,” says Sue Hinkin, named Rocky Mountain Writer of the Year.Savannah Schaeffer believed she was protecting her daughter by keeping the dark truths of their family’s secrets. Now, facing her imminent mortality, Savannah realizes her efforts may have caused more harm than good. With little time to waste, she finds a way to work around her inability to speak the truth. She prepares a scavenger hunt to reveal the secrets of her past that she had withheld from her daughter, Chloe.The scavenger hunt will lead Chloe to two explosive journals—her great-grandmother’s and her grandfather’s—to reveal how intergenerational trauma impacted Savannah’s life and why she kept it secret. Chloe also has plans for the final week of her mother's life. She has promised to honor her mother's wish for a peaceful passing. A palliative care physician, Chloe is ready from a medical standpoint but feels unprepared personally. She has called off her engagement at her mother's request and is now second-guessing her decision. She also wants to understand her mother's choice never to marry.Making Up Stories: A Novel tells the story of family secrets and explores a mother's and daughter's desire to break free from intergenerational trauma. It's a story about their love for each other and the sacrifices they're willing to make for each other. Complex characters and situations raise profound, sometimes unanswerable questions about family, life's gray areas, and the promise of hope.This novel is perfect for book clubs discussing death with dignity, mother-daughter relationships, and intergenerational trauma. Read more