ISBN 978-1-60264-421-2, $14.95, 229 pages.
"Dear Cousins" follows the loves of the four sons that we met in "Dear Mom" as this extended family now includes nine grandchildren who frequently turn up at Grandma and Grandpa Owl’s during vacation. When a child is born so is a grandparent, and these additional children enhanced the Willetts’ elder years as they slipped into the pace of retirement.Family bonding becomes evident. Survival stories include heart surgery a six months, grandchildren flying unescorted minor to visit grandparents, struggling through more cancer, near fatal brown recluse spider bites, and participation in hated early-morning exercise for the cause of osteoporosis research. Accepting retirement soon fulfilled dreams of traveling throughout the United States in the Scamper Camper, backpacking in England, living with a family behind the former Iron Curtain, exploring Edinburgh’s Music Festival, dancing with Scottish Country dancers the world over, and designing an energy efficient home.
A round robin letter flies continuously with each recipient removing her old letter and adding a new. These seven cousins have shared joys and tears in letters that circulated for 50 plus years. Though living thousands of miles apart their stories were often the same…as are yours.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jean Willett, Wisconsin author born in Delavan, Wisconsin, received a degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She met her husband, Dann, while on campus and located permanently in Madison. She chose careers that involved children, working first in Pediatrics with Rheumatic Fever children facing long-term hospitalization, stopping briefly to have four sons. When the boys reached school age she trained and worked for the Madison Board of Education as naturalist consultant in the Madison School Forest.Her love of children was matched by a love for writing, leading to a position as columnist for five years or the Dane County Kids publication. Sending submissions to the Extension Homemakers (now known as Wisconsin Association for Home & Community Education) her short stories won first place at county level and went on to state level earning the Cultural Arts State Medallion for the best in show for two consequent years. She has published in the Wisconsin Academy Review.
In 2005 she published her first book entitled "Dear Mom", subtitled "Why Raising Four Boys was Neither Boring nor Monotonous".
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