Following Michael

In a journey around the world to find the reason for her son’s suicide, a mother’s travels bring her the insight into his troubled mind that she desperately seeks, the blunders of a naïve traveler she would rather have avoided, and a self-awareness she never expected.

Since adolescence Dana’s creative son was a complete mystery. As Michael got older, she felt their once close relationship spreading across a great divide as she attempted to get him to focus on settling down instead of wandering the world with his camera. But without warning, his life ends in suicide and Dana feels responsible; did she ask the wrong questions? Were her expectations of him too high? Whatever the reason, she is compelled to go in search of the answers, following Michael’s travels guided by the letters and photographs he left behind. Prior to her quest, Dana had lived comfortably in her life’s routine in Syracuse, New York; but in following Michael she realizes there is a huge gap between the world and her narrow views of it. While enduring the comical fumbles of an inexperienced traveler, her journey through Canada, Europe, Asia and Central America provides her with a heart-wrenching understanding of her son’s perspective and the realization that he suffered from an undiagnosed mental disorder. Unexpectedly, along the way Dana also becomes aware of things about herself she never would have seen without the window that was the lens of Michael’s camera.

Intent upon a career in commerce, Jennifer earned a Bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York in 1996. Although her major was in Business Administration, she reserved virtually all of her elective credits for her passion - writing - by taking courses in English Literature and Creative Writing. Having lived in Upstate New York for a number of years, Jennifer eventually returned to her native Canada to pursue a successful business career which afforded her the opportunity to travel extensively both for work and for pleasure. Married with two children, Jennifer has visited some remarkable places, observing many diverse cultures and learning that the world is a truly amazing place. But these wonderful experiences have been contrasted by the tragedy of mental illness and suicide, both of which have touched her family. With a house in Ottawa, Ontario and one in Kissimmee, Florida, although Jennifer is more often in Canada she tries to spend as much time as possible at her Florida house where she has the peace and serenity to read, compose and be creative. Jennifer has been writing short stories and novellas since grade school. Following Michael is her first novel.