Rochelle Weinstein's The Mourning After tackles rare childhood illness: glycogen storage disease

July 16, 2013 - PRLog -- With the widespread acclaim of her debut novel, WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND, Rochelle B. Weinstein has won the hearts of readers worldwide.  Weinstein’s skillful ability to create relatable characters and contemporary themes has garnered her critical praise and a fiercely loyal following. Her highly anticipated second novel, THE MOURNING AFTER (June 2013), beautifully written and touching, explores childhood trauma, family dynamics and unspeakable tragedy. It is a tale of bravery, acceptance, and above all, hope. In THE MOURNING AFTER, Weinstein expertly integrates important information into the story about Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD), a rare genetic disorder that afflicts 1 in 100,000 babies across the globe, a disease that requires constant medical attention and round-the-clock care. Weinstein digs deep to examine the complexities of this difficult illness, and explores the ways in which we live, love, and find meaning in our lives when faced with great adversity.

Fifteen-year-old Levon Keller is wedged between his golden boy older brother, David, who can do no wrong in anyone’s eyes, and Levon’s younger sister, Chloe, who battles with GSD.  A not-so-classic middle child, Levon changes the lives of everyone around him when he is blamed for being behind the wheel of a car that accidentally kills David, whom Levon idolized, admired and adored.  The family faces unspeakable suffering and devastation.  Each member has a unique response to the accident: Madeline, Levon’s mother, cool and indifferent, whose love and loyalty Levon longs for so desperately, searches for answers she may never find; Craig, Levon’s father, who, according to Levon, is “perfect and tall like a Florida palm,” and “weak in the presence of Mother Oak;” and Chloe, wholesome and courageous, whose medical condition causes daily concern for everyone, becausewhen a child is chronically ill, the entire family feels the pain.There’s Lucy Bell, an intriguing teenager who moves in with her family next door to the Kellers. Levon is immediately drawn to Lucy and the two develop an unexpected and extraordinary bond in the midst of the Keller family chaos.

As this domestic turmoil plays out, a potentially more complicated drama arises: It is now up to Levon to take care of Chloe while his parents emotionally disconnect from him and grieve. Weinstein’s poignant, wise, and in-the-trenches view of Levon’s focused care-giving for his sister shines a powerful light on what daily life is like for families with children who are stricken with GSD and raises much-needed awareness for this little-known illness.  THE MOURNING AFTER unfolds with sharp insight and eloquently captures the flawed humanity of these unforgettable characters.  Readers will applaud the Keller’s breakthroughs and root for them on every page as the family grapples to find peace in the aftermath of tragedy and struggles to embrace the endless possibilities that life brings with each new day.

Rochelle Weinstein’s Inspiration For THE MOURNING AFTER

THE MOURNING AFTER is a work of fiction, but GSD is not.  Countless families today are faced with situations much like the Kellers -- whether they grapple with the complexities GSD or another chronic disease.  Rochelle Weinstein’s inspiration for THE MOURNING AFTER comes from the gene therapy research of her brother-in-law, Dr. David Weinstein, and the world’s leading expert on GSD. Children with GSD are missing an enzyme that enables the body to release stored sugar from the liver.  Without proper treatment, massive liver enlargement occurs, and the inability to release sugar during periods of fasting causes hypoglycemia, seizures, and even death. Since 1998, Dr. Weinstein has dedicated his research to treating children with GSD, with the hope of a cure always on the horizon.  Dr. Weinstein moved from Harvard Medical School to the University of Florida’s Shands Hospital to concentrate on animal trials. The treatment has allowed the dogs to thrive.  The goal is to translate this success to humans in the near future.

Weinstein and her family will accompany Dr. Weinstein in Warsaw, Poland in August 2013 when Dr. Weinstein will be awarded the Order of the Smile Humanitarian Award for his efforts to help children with this disease.  Prior winners of this award include Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, and Oprah Winfrey.  50% of proceeds from the THE MOURNING AFTER will be donated toward research on GSD through the Dr. Weinstein Dream Fund created at the University of Florida.  Please visit www.glycogenstoragedisease.com for more information.


Early Praise for THE MOURNING AFTER

“Rochelle Weinstein hooked me with her first novel, and new book, THE MOURNING AFTER, has made me a fan for life.  She has that rare ability to hook you from chapter one, keep you turning the pages, and then continue to think about the characters long after you have put the book down.  It takes an exceptionally talented writer to weave a real but little-known disease like GSD into a novel, and yet use it in a way that only advances the story and enhances her characters.  THE MOURNING AFTER is a book you will want to pass on to your friends.”
--James Grippando, best-selling author of nineteen novels, including the critically acclaimed "Jack Swyteck" series

“This is really two stories intertwined:  One about tragedy, the other about hope.”
--Meredith Gussin, mother of James, ten-month-old baby boy afflicted with GSD1a

“The novel touched on so many emotions and perfectly captured living with GSD.”
--Diane Robinson, grandmother to boy afflicted with GSD1a

Praise for WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND

“Compelling...the story's twists and turns generate real tension, and Weinstein renders Jessica's feelings with enough complexity that her ultimate decision carries emotional weight...[Weinstein] tells a good love story."
--Kirkus Review

“Each word of What We Leave Behind invokes raw emotion as we are brought deeper into the soul of a woman that can be any of us. This moving story will echo strongly with any woman has had to face love and loss, life and death, and everything in between.”
--Long Island Woman


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rochelle B. Weinstein is an author, speaker, blogger, and former entertainment industry executive. Her highly acclaimed debut novel WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND is for any woman who has loved and lost and wondered what could have been.  Weinstein lives in North Miami Beach, Florida with her husband and twin boys.  She is currently writing her third novel based in the mountains of North Carolina. Visit her website at www.rochelleweinstein.com or follow her on social media.

THE MOURNING AFTER is available at Amazon (paperback and Kindle), Barnes & Noble (paperback and Nook), Smashwords (Kobo, Sony Reader, iBooks), Blue Door Books (Cedarhurst, NY).