Kiss Me Goodnight

Stories and Poems by Women Who Were Girls When Their Mothers Died

Edited by Ann Murphy O'Fallon and Margaret Noonan Vaillancourt

Syren Book Company · February 2005

"A deeply moving book. At first, one hears only the pain. Then one hears the courage, the strength and the indomitable faith." Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People

"Kiss Me Goodnight is a living testimony to the power of a mother's love and the nature of immortality. This book will heal people!" Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author of Kitchen Table Wisdom, My Grandfather's Blessings

The 51 women whose stories, poems, and essays appear in Kiss Me Goodnight are courageous. They write vivid and haunting descriptions of the cancer, suicide, alcoholism, accidents, Nazis, and other agents of death that killed their mothers. They also capture the sweet memories of their mothers the color and smell of their clothes, the taste of the food they prepared, the light on their faces, the texture of their hair, and the memory of their kisses.

Kiss Me Goodnight takes readers out of their heads and into their hearts, where healing may begin.

"As a daughter who at a young age lost her mother to suicide, the collection of life stories in Kiss Me Goodnight has caused me to revisit feelings buried within my sould. I recommend this book to all who have lost someone they loved."  - Barb Clifton, LICSW

"...undeniably tragic, but the way the women have recovered (mostly) and the care with which they tell their stories is uplifting." - Minneapolis Star and Tribune

About the editors:Ann Murphy O'Fallon and Margaret Noonan Vaillancourt, the editors of Kiss Me Goodnight, were both children when their mothers died. Ms. O'Fallon is a licensed psychologist whose counseling work focuses on grief and loss. She also coordinates Minnesota's Refugee Health Program. Ms. Vaillancourt is a writer, community activist, triathlete, and new grandmother. Both Ms. O'Fallon and Ms. Vaillancourt live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.