Take an intimate look into one couple’s fifty-plus-year marriage in author Marian Beaman’s My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir. Using a quilt motif, the author stitches together stories that make up the fabric of their daily lives: the clash of cultures, crisis in a travel trailer, surviving a robbery, and enduring financial hardship.
Discover how the author and her husband learn the art of the argument with explosions both literal and metaphorical. Observe how they find common ground through their shared faith and commitment.
This volume contains excerpts from autograph books and diaries of the early 1900s, treasured family recipes, original artwork, and restored photographs—the legacy of multiple generations as two American families merge, one from the East, the other from the West. The author connects the dots of her life backwards, using detailed reverse engineering of events to discover meaning in her life as a wife.
Readers of Marian’s first memoir, Mennonite Daughter: The Story of a Plain Girl can especially relate to her insider narrative, a closeup of one couple’s companionable union.
My new book focuses more on what happened when I, at age twenty-six, married the man whose first portrait of me was a spoof: a goofy cartoon elephant with a blue bow around its tail.
Ta Da!
An early draft . . .
Completed first draft of My Checkered Life: A Marriage Memoir: A single-spaced WORD document September 7, 2022
Good morning, Marian! Wonderful cover! Congratulations on the forthcoming new book. So much work, I know. I love the delightful photo of you, also. 💙
It’s good to get a positive comment, first thing! Thanks, Merril. 😀
You’re welcome, Marian!
Great cover! Congratulations!
Thank you, Jill. 😀
Wonderful cover, Marian!!!! Love the lllustration too! What a great follow-up to your first book!
Thank you! As you know, I had planned to make Book #2 a blog collection, but then my developmental editor suggested this focus. It appears to resonate with you and others. 😀
Love the cover; looking forward to Book #2!
Thanks for your supporting vote, Jack! 😀
I LOVE the cover and the concept, Marian. You have found a wonderful theme. Can’t wait to hold your new book in my hands.
As you know, the theme of Book #2 has evolved. Thanks for your enthusiastic vote for the new concept, Shirley. 😀
Can’t wait for the ‘reveal’ of your checkered past!
Yes, the “Rev” and I have had some wild times, with secrets you can only imagine. 😀
I agree the theme is one many of us can identify with and enjoy! The book’s cover should pop out for readers which is excellent. Wondering if the bow is actually tied only around the tail, and not the neck…. sorry to be picky.
Melodie, I want an editor who’s picky. I have seen this drawing many times and either my mind or my eyes have deceived me. Thanks for the mention. I’ll change the wording, no problem! 😀
Congratulations! It looks great. I look forward to reading it.
Thank you, Arlene! 😀
Oh, Marian, I can hardly wait!
I take that as a YES! Thanks, Laurie. 😀
Hi,
Your Preface sounds intriguing, and I look forward to reading your new book.
Wishing you all the best.
Shalom aleichem
You are so supportive, Pat. I appreciate the nod here. 😀
Wait to go, Marian! One step closer. I’ll definitely be a customer.
Thanks for the approval, Pete. I see glimpses of you and your wife on Facebook, so I hope there’ll be stories you can relate to. 😀
* Way to go! (Sigh—auto correct.)
Happens to me all the time. No worries, Pete!
What a fun cover, Marian. Your intro is intriguing too. Congrats on the reveal!
Thank you, Diana. I happy you like it. 😀
Terrific news, Marian and I love the cover! Congratulations 🙂
Thanks, Barbara. Much appreciated! 😀
Congratulations, Marian,,,great images and cover 🙂
Thanks so much, Carol! 😀
It looks GREAT!!
Thanks, Joan. I appreciate your checking in even though you and Bill are moving this month. 😀
Oh, how exciting, Marian! Love the cover and look forward to reading the book.
Thanks, Linda, for commenting here as you are getting settled in a new home . . . a new province, I believe! 😀
Hi, Marian! I can hardly wait for you to release this book! I love the cover, and the blurb has me wanting more! Blessings!
I appreciate your blessings on this project. You also might pray for strength for me to go from the editing stage to completion. You know how it goes, Patty! 😀
Great cover! The blurb has me hooked. I look forward to reading the book.
Husband Cliff designed the cover with some suggestions from me. Mother and Grandmother contributed the quilt pattern. Thanks, Liz. 😀
You’re welcome, Marian. (I thought I saw Cliff’s talented hand in the cover. 😉 )
I’ll pass on the praise. Thanks for noticing!
You’re welcome!
I love the cover and look forward to purchasing a copy. Congratulations!
Thank you, Lynn. I know you enjoyed the first memoir. I’m pleased you are anticipating the next one. 😀
I’ll buy a copy! It sounds like a great book. Now, we are patiently [or, not!] waiting to hear when we can get it!
Ginger, your enthusiasm is heartening. It probably won’t be ready until early 2023. I’m hoping for Valentine’s Day, but lots needs to happen before then, including copyediting, layout and printing. Thank so much! 😀
Congratulations, Marian! That first portrait of you from Cliff is hilarious, cute, and romantic at the same time. The cover seems fitting for the stories, humor, and extras inside the book. Well done, you!
You’ve been a wonderful supporter of my book and blog. This book will expand on stories you’ve read before with lots of new material. When the time comes, I may knock on your door for some final edits, Liesbet. 😀
Love your cover, Marian and am looking forward to reread your next memoir!
I have appreciated your support over the years. Our stories are different, but we look to the same Source for our guidance. Thank you, Elfrieda! 😀
Oops, I meant “read, but it will probably be fun to “reread it too!!
No problem!
I like the cover. Congratulations on your new book Marian.
The cover invites readers to enjoy a happy romance story!
Congratulations!
KAS, thank you for the vote of confidence here. Much appreciated! 😀
ANN, thank you so much for your approval. So appreciated. 😀
Wonderful news!! I’m very happy for you. It sounds like there are many interesting stories inside your beautiful cover Marian.
Thank you, Melanie. Because you are a newcomer to my blog, most of the stories you’ll read will be new to you. I’m glad you like the cover. 😀
Hi Marian, this is a lovely cover and a good choice of title. Well done on getting this far. You have written WORD in capitals. What programme did you use for your previous book?
I also used MicroSoft Word for the first memoir, and then the layout was done in InDesign. I’m pretty sure you are familiar with both. Also, I think perhaps you have used PowerPoint for your book trailers.
Robbie, I admire all your publications, a family affair as well. 😀
Hi Marian, I do the same and, yes, I am getting more and more familiar with InDesign and now that Amazon accepts ePub docs, I am planning on publishing an interactive book for kids including video links. Aren’t we lucky to live in this time of technology and innovation?
Yes, I agree, as long as I have someone by my side to blaze the trail!
How sweet it is and how lovely to write a book with the man you’ve loved for so many years. Congratulations on a loving and productive marriage which isn’t easy in this world. I can’t wait to dig into this book..
You are right, it hasn’t been easy, Elaine. Just today I discussed a chapter that seems a little too raw to reveal, but it’s part of my story, so it stays. I remember feeling such emotions about certain portions of Mennonite Daughter. The Inner Critic always want to censor, as you may know.
Thank you! 😀
Love the cover!! Can’t wait for the book.
Thanks for the thumbs up here, Barbara. You can surely score an autographed copy. 😀
Congrats. Can’t wait to get ir. Praying you have great success.
Thank you, Gloria. I appreciate your prayers — both for wisdom and for strength. 😀
The cover is great, the title is intriguing, and you look happy in your photo. You got a trifecta of goodness going on here.
And I’ll need a trifecta (love that word!) of E’s to move ahead: Energy to Edit and Enthusiasm to get to the finish line. Thanks for the good wishes, Ally! 😀
Like the cover. Agree with Carolyn; can’t wait to read about your “checkered past”.
Though there are some vivid tales, my new book is more “checkered” like a quilt, not lurid as in “floozie.” Ha!
I’m glad you’re in my cheering section, Bonnie. 😀
Huge congrats to you Marian. I love the cover, and of course love memoirs. I look forward to reading the switch over from Mennonite life to marriage. 🙂 x
Actually, Debby, I had no plans to go this direction, but my developmental editor thought the marriage focus would be a better concept than just a collection of blog posts as I’d originally planned. I hope she’s right. Other commenters seem to agree with you. Thanks for the vote of confidence here. 😀
Congratulations on finishing the first draft of your sequel. I Love the cover! Good luck with editing and publication. 🍾🥂👍
You have covered this project with all the good wishes I could hope for. You are kind to care, Maria Fatima. Thanks so much! 😀
Gosh Marian this book looks the business , really looking forward to reading it . I love the cover it says a lot , I imagine , about the content . Well done you ! 👍 and loads of luck with it .
Don’t you thinks that writing about your life has helped you make sense of it . Like its almost a relief to get it out of your head and on to paper .
Cherryx
Yes, indeed-y, writing about my life has helped me make sense of it. So have my readers with their insights and an editor or two, who told me to venture down this lane. Sometimes I have second thoughts about revealing the ups and downs (especially the downs) of our married life, but I’m going ahead with it, with folks like you in my cheering section. Bless you, Cherry! xox
I so love the cover of this book! (Sorry I’m late but I missed this post while I was travelling)