Return to a Meadow

Petra Kalinowski, psychotherapist, declared herself unsuited for daily parenting decades ago. Now she finds herself with a baby to raise; or not to raise. Return to a Meadow has dramatic elements: rape, murder, multiple personality disorder, and a prolonged suicide sequence. All are presented, not sensationally, but as complex human realities. This is a literate novel that does not ignore the human need for a compelling story. Poetry, philosophy, and mystical writings are woven in, adding substance and depth and, crucially, moving the narrative along.

"Compassionate, compelling in its theme which 'spans the contradictions' between suffering and joy, between isolation and community, between judgment and compassion, between gritty realities and transcendent moments. It is beautifully nuanced in relational dynamics, dialogue, description." -- Margaret Blanchard, poet, novelist, artist, educator; author: This Land: a Novel Memoir and Water Spies

"Such a relief from so many novels that just plod along, leading the reader like a sleepy pony on a halter. The great part for me is that I could hang on and it was fun. The writing, for me, is very yummy. It is smart and crisp and tender." -- Gail Roudebush, reader

"I was thrilled to discover I was totally involved in the story and it would be a book I would like even if my sister hadn't been the author. Mom really likes it, too. She said she hates to put it down. She'd read more at a stretch if she could, but her eyes get tired and she's forced to stop. I think your book is a hit " -- Karen Weldon, the author's sister

Shirley Glubka is the author of All the Difference: poems of unconventional motherhood (Blade of Grass Press, 2012) and Green Surprise of Passion: Writings of a Trauma Therapist (a collection of poetry and creative prose, Blade of Grass Press, 1998). Her poetry and prose have appeared in such journals as Conditions, Feminist Studies, h.o.m.e. Words, Narramissic Notebook, Puckerbrush Review, Seems, Sinister Wisdom, Sun Dog: the Southeast Review, and The 2River View; and in these anthologies: Lesbians at Mid-life: the Creative Transition; Mothers Who Leave: the myth of women without their children; and Women in Culture: a Women’s Studies Anthology. Shirley is a retired psychotherapist. She lives in Prospect, Maine with her partner, Virginia Holmes.