Kerry L Stevens Fulfills Late Mother's Dream with New Memoir, 'Forever Herself'

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/  Berthella Stevens was a prolific writer who died in 2011 without attaining her lifelong dream of publishing a book. Now, Kerry L Stevens tells his mother's story in his new book, Forever Herself: A Son's Memoir of a Remarkable Woman, releasing today.

"Mom bequeathed to me her personal papers," said Stevens. "These pages were the best gift. Through them, she swept back into my life. Each day, as I sat reading and writing, she sat beside me, talking, laughing, and crying. It's been the most amazing journey to live so closely with someone who has never been so far away. And now my mother's dream is fulfilled."

Shaped by childhood adversity in an impoverished, fatherless home during the Great Depression, Berthella Stevens grew into a strong woman who embraced life on her own terms. Unconventional and often ahead of her time with natural living, she dared to be herself in her rural community, enduring ostracism and loneliness while finding solace in her faith.

Berthella's story is expressed through the seasons of her life, but rooted in Stevens' childhood in the 1960s near the small town of Bremen, Indiana. Stevens shares an intimate portrait of his mother in a fusion of her poetry and prose with his story of their relationship. While revealing the joys of living life to the fullest, he discovers her pain and a new admiration for his maverick mom.

Kirkus Reviews praised the book as "beautiful, artistic...engaging." Philip Gulley, noted author of the Harmony series, called it "a son's stirring tribute." Sylvia Dickey Smith, award-winning author of the strong woman Sidra Smart Mystery Series, said Forever Herself "inspires...the courage to be our own person."

To learn more and purchase the book, visit https://kerrylstevens.com/.

About the Lead Author

Kerry L Stevens lives near Austin, Texas, is a board member of San Gabriel Writers League and a member of the Writers' League of Texas. He has written dozens of essays for his family magazine. Forever Herself is his first book.

Contact:

Kerry L Stevens
202826@email4pr.com
512-296-0766
Press kit: https://kerrylstevens.com/press-kit/