A tale for the ages . . .
A heartwarming, important story! — M. Smith
I found myself smiling and then tearful as I kept reading. — Dr. KK
A deeply immersive and engaging narrative that captivates throughout. — Shannon
Highlights the life of an older generation who have so much history and resilience that we all can learn from! — Adele
“A must read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The characters are lovable and engaging. This book gives an amazing insight on how individuals adjust to aging, losing independence, and becoming dependent on others. It gives you a better understanding of what it is like to live in an assisted living facility. Amazing book 📕”
— Ray D.
“Everyone who cares for the elderly including family members should read this book. Beautifully written.” — Margaret E. Rizzio
Available through Ingram Spark: Hardcover 978-1-960865-01-4 | Paperback 978-1-960865-14-4
Where the Light Is Brighter …
… is the touching, bittersweet story of life in a long-term care facility, told mostly through the sharp eyes of 98-year-old Edith, who has an opinion on everything—and everyone—and a lifetime of memories that are slowly slipping away. After one too many kitchen fires she enters River’s Edge reluctantly, just before New Year’s, at the insistence of her son, William, but she plans to be back home in time to put chubby Cupid on her mantel, then swap him out in March for her madly grinning leprechaun. As we accompany Edith through her first year of living in this “never place,” the place on the hill where no one wants to be, we meet a cast of characters of advancing age. But despite her dread of the darkness within—a fear we all share about our elderly futures—brightness breaks through at every turn. The story is structured around holidays and the decorations with which the River’s Edge residents mark time, and as Edith settles in, surrenders to a self-appointed “welcoming committee,” and reluctantly makes friends, she begins to feel more and more at home. Written by a woman who works in the field, Where the Light Is Brighter shatters stereotypes and preconceived notions about the proverbial “old folks home” as we meet the forever young-at-heart folks who challenge our beliefs by greeting their final years with grace, enlarging our hearts as they enliven River’s Edge.
I wrote Where the Light Is Brighter to bring a broader audience into thoughtful dialogue about life in a nursing home. The issues that residents and their families face during this typically feared final stage are rarely explored until that stage is upon us. In my experience, places like River’s Edge are filled with people celebrating life, not anticipating death, and particularly now, in the wake of the pandemic, I wanted to find a way for the outside world to connect with this perennially invisible yet vibrant and vital community. With a work of fiction, I have engendered voices that present perspective (which I’ve witnessed first-hand) from those living behind the doors, along with their loved ones, and the staff who attend to them. It is my hope that this book will change the way we think about not only places like River’s Edge, but also that time when, for all of us eventually, the final horizon grows near. — C. C. Griffin
“Where the Light Is Brighter by C. C. Griffin and Thomas G. Fiffer is a thoughtful and beautifully written book with wonderful messages about caring for one another and celebrating every holiday. It reminds us to have compassion for and to value and respect people of every age. This story shows how hard it is for someone to leave their own house and move into a place shared by so many, the pain they may feel, and what it’s like to be old and forget everything they love. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in their various stages of aging as they were gradually introduced, showing that even though old age wears our bodies down, the spirit is what keeps us young. This story of resilience, loss, community, connection, confusion, and youthful spirit is a must-read.”
C. C. Griffin has had the honor of providing medical services as a nurse practitioner to the long-term care community for over a decade. It is only in hindsight that her path to becoming an author grew clear. As a college student, she completed a concentration in gerontology while earning her BA in psychology at The College of the Holy Cross. She went on to pursue both a bachelor’s and master’s in nursing, practicing in hospitals and outpatient settings before returning to nursing homes. Over 20 years later, inspired by her work with this remarkable and resilient community, as well as the experiences of her two grandmothers, she is excited to share her debut novel, Where the Light Is Brighter.
Thomas G. Fiffer is a professional writer, editor, speaker, storyteller, publisher, and coach gifted at helping writers get their stories onto the page. He first met C. C. when she enrolled in a writing workshop he was teaching, and he was instantly captivated by her tales of the residents of River’s Edge. The two worked together intensively for several years to bring Where the Light Is Brighter to life, giving voice to the characters C. C. created and the stories they insisted she tell.