Elk River Books will host the book launch celebration for Park County author Maggie Anderson’s debut memoir of “deep love and unfathomable loss,” Between Rock and a Hard Place on Thursday, May 18.
Between Rock and a Hard Place tells the story of Anderson and her partner Rockey: “Their life together in the early years is knitted together by enthusiasm for farm life, skiing, and exploring the Rocky Mountains. They love and laugh their way through pack trips into high mountain elk camps, a permanent move to Montana, starting a new farm, and building new businesses.
“A dozen years into their life together, Rockey is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Between Rock and a Hard Place is the journey of Rockey’s bold fight and ultimate loss to the disease. It is also the story of Maggie’s effort to support him as she eventually takes a bigger role in helping him fight this insidious enemy. She becomes a caretaker and medical interpreter, and he morphs into an unwilling participant in the hellish life of an advanced Parkinson’s patient.”
Gwen Florio, author of Silent Hearts, writes, “Between Rock and a Hard Place pulls no punches in describing the harrowing physical and emotional toll a debilitating disease takes on both victim and caretaker. Anderson’s take is wry, stoic, and at times, laugh-out-loud funny.”
Anderson has spent most of her professional life as a “hired pen” – crafting communications for businesses, educational institutions, medical facilities and anything in between. She wrote scripts for everything from magnetic resonance imaging to vocational education programs, to a medication for horses to prevent a tick-born disease and community education of public school bond and funding elections. She lives in Paradise Valley with two dogs, two horses and a very delinquent cat. She still finds her peace in wild places in the mountains and advocating for those places.
Elk River Books is located at 122 S. 2nd St. in downtown Livingston. The free event begins at 7 p.m., and a book signing and reception will follow.
