Recently, I read the most original piece of fiction I've read in years. My Mother's Chamomile is the contemporary tale of a family in the funeral director/mortician line of work. It is not sensational in any way, but it is so real it just might turn your heart inside out. This is one of those books that isn't just a good book, but an important book. It challenged and blessed me. I read it in two days. Before I go any further, you need to know this book is only 99 cents right now as an ebook at Amazon until Aug. 31! You can hardly buy anything for that change anymore! Nook and other ereader owners, you can still get the ebook for less than a latte.  Here's the book blurb:

Desperate for the rains of mercy... Middle Main, Michigan, has one stop light, one bakery, one hair salon...and one funeral home. The Eliot Family has assisted the grieving people in their town for over fifty years. After all those years of comforting others, they are the ones in need of mercy. Olga, the matriarch who fixes everything, is unable to cure what ails her precious daughter. She is forced to face her worst fears. How can she possibly trust God with Gretchen's life? A third generation mortician, Evelyn is tired of the isolation that comes with the territory of her unconventional occupation. Just when it seems she's met a man who understands her, she must deal with her mother's heartbreaking news. Always able to calm others and say just the right thing, she is now overwhelmed with helplessness as she watches Gretchen slip away. They are tasting only the drought of tragedy...where is the deluge of comfort God promises?

Today I am just so thrilled to have the author, Susie Finkbeiner, with us. I was dying to ask her some questions, and she graciously answered them. She is ALSO sharing with us a recipe for homemade chamomile tea, so stay tuned for that! OK Susie, let's get to it: Your book is so unusual, and I mean that in the very best way possible. What was your goal in writing it? How do you hope it will affect readers? Susie: In all honesty, my initial goal was a bit selfish. I was struggling with personal grief at the time. One thing I've learned is that I don't process my emotions well until I write them out. I knew that writing was the only way I would be able to figure out the feelings I had. It's the way God made my brain. Eventually, in the process of writing, I realized that my motivation changed. I wanted to start a conversation about death. We don't talk about it much in Western Culture, and I think that's unfortunate. Because we're so afraid of the idea of death, it shocks us when we are confronted by it, it takes us by surprise. So, I decided that it might be good to write it from the perspective of the folks who are not scandalized by death - the funeral directors. Also, the funeral directors I had the honor of interacting with were wonderful people and I thought my readers should see the human side of their lives.  Let me in on your research process a bit, would you? The details in your story, and the rawness of the emotion, tell me you must have really done your homework. Oh, goodness me. The research for this novel was something else. I spent a lot of time reading the blog posts of Caleb Wilde (a blogging funeral director from Pennsylvania) and even had the opportunity to interview him via Skype. Caleb gave me wonderful insight and was quite candid about his life as a 6th generation funeral director. I also toured a funeral home and had a beautiful conversation with the director in a town much like the one I wrote about in My Mother's Chamomile.  On top of that, I read books and blogs about grief. I spent time viewing documentaries about end of life issues. I spent a lot of time crying as I researched. But I came out on the other end of it all unafraid to bring up the topic of death. I believe you. When we write about a certain topic, we have to really indwell it, don't we? This was a gut-wrenching book to read in some places. I can’t imagine how taxing it must have been to write it. How did you compensate for what must have been a grueling process? You know, I had a few friends who were worried about my emotional well-being during the year I spent writing My Mother's Chamomile. Now that I look back, I understand. I was very undercover about this book. A few people knew the topic and what events in my life had led me up to the writing. I sobbed a lot. I felt attacked by anxiety and troubled relationships and a nearly bankrupted self-esteem. On top of all of that, I felt this weight of how important the story could be. I didn't want to mess up. I allowed the pressure to press me down. A friend of mine insisted that I call for reinforcements. She's the kind of friend who wouldn't let me brush it off. She instructed me to gather a prayer team to support the work. Being someone who hates asking for help, it was difficult to do. However, I didn't want the friend to disappointed (I'm a people pleaser), so I assembled a prayer team that afternoon. The difficulty in writing the book and dealing with emotions didn't stop, but the Holy Spirit held me up through the process. It's amazing how praying friends who send emails of encouragement can make such a difference. Also, I took time to be around my kids. Fixating on death that much makes a soul yearn for hugs and visits to the zoo. Absolutely. This book came from a place of personal loss for you. How did your writing touch your own grief? I held my husband's grandmother as she died. I tried to calm her in her last moments. Writing My Mother's Chamomile came out of my desperate need to understand (or at least try to) her death and the deaths of so many other loved ones in my life. Also, as I was writing the book, a good friend of mine committed suicide. My grieving process for both of them was long, as it always is. I guess I mourn for an extended period. I've learned that it's okay and healthy. Grief can be confusing and exhausting. As I wrote this book, I stirred up some of the emotions of being upset, or sad. Even angry a few times. Something I didn't realize until later was that one of them had a good death. Her family had been around her, talking to her, telling her that they loved her. Someone was always holding her hand or pouring out some kind of mercy over her. The other, my friend, had a lonely death. I don't know the details of it, but I do know that he was alone. And that still bothers me quite a bit. In my writing, I wanted to write about both. The good death and the lonely one. Both wrecked me emotionally as I wrote them. But they were important to tell. I think that I wanted to write them so that the reader would feel less lonely in their own grief. Also, I wanted to encourage readers to show mercy to others who are in the midst of grief. Thank you Susie, for giving us so much of your heart in My Mother's Chamomile.  Now let's get that recipe. I sure could use a cup!

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Fairy Tea

(a.k.a Chamomile Evening Repose)

The tea that Gretchen and Olga blend and give to those grieving in their town is what is known as Evening Repose tea. It is a soothing tea that has just a touch of sweet. At my house, we call it Fairy Tea. Typically, this tea can be purchased at any tea shop, but if you're willing, this is a fairly easy recipe. All ingredients should be dried before blending. One part chamomile flower tops One part tea roses One part lavender flowers One part verbena leaves One part peppermint leaves One part spearmint leaves Pinch of stevia (or just add honey after the tea brews) Add a teaspoon full of the tea blend to a steeping ball (one teaspoon for each cup of tea). Pour boiling water over top and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on how strong you like your tea). Add honey, if you'd like. Enjoy! Remember, friends, My Mother's Chamomile is a GIFT right now at only 99 cents for Kindles! And still less than $4 at BarnesandNoble and ChristianBook. Please grab a copy, and be blessed. Connect with Susie at her Web site and Facebook page.