Book details

  • Genre:fiction
  • Sub-genre:General
  • Language:English
  • Pages:216
  • eBook ISBN:9798317839130

Chasing Home

By Marianne Holmes

Overview


Dustin Upshaw is trying to take hold of his life but it isn't easy. Being held accountable means being responsible for himself and for someone else. When he finds himself suddenly unfettered by these responsibilities, Dustin plans a road trip in search of the "right" place, the "right" situation, for him. Along the way, he finds shared wisdom and friendship, as well as some challenges. The total of his experiences leads him back to where he started from, with the dawning of recognition that the "right" place was inside him all along.
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Description


Dustin Upshaw is leading an aimless, uninspired existence. His frequent brushes with the law finally lead him to an impossible choice and the result is that he becomes guardian to a dementia patient living in a nursing home. Realizing that it's time for him to begin getting his life in order, Dustin gets a job and takes seriously his guardianship of Claude. But his strides to become a productive member of society come to a sudden halt when Claude dies and, within days, Dustin loses his job. With nothing holding him in place, Dustin sets off on a cross-country trip to find a new town to call home. Before he leaves, though, Claude's ashes are delivered to him in an urn that becomes his traveling companion. Together, they head south to start their adventure. Over the next several months, they spend time in cities and towns across the country, meeting residents of those places, as well as other travelers. On their first stop in Georgia, Dustin meets Willow, a waitress with higher aspirations, and they form a friendship. He calls on her for guidance and support periodically along the way before deciding to return to Georgia and stay with her. But will Willow be interested in Dustin's plan? Dustin finally begins to realize that his future is dependent on his, and not on someone else's, decisions. After exploring his own motivations and abilities, he forms a fresh plan and, newly confident, takes his first steps into his future. Chasing Home is the story of one man's journey to find his passion, as he discovers along the way surprising parallels between his life and that of the man with whom he thought he had nothing in common.
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About The Author


Marianne began writing when she retired to Florida from New England. Growing up with six siblings, she learned any number of survival techniques, including the use of creative fiction. With a husband in Florida and lots of family remaining in New England, she travels frequently between the two. Marianne began her career in social services but eventually became a self-employed financial planner, retiring in 2018. These pursuits contributed to the melting pot of her experience and find their way into her writing whether she wants them to or not. She's mostly okay with that.
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