About Grave Expectations
“Death may be the greatest of all human blessings.”
It was on the drive home from a deadly funeral that we began to toy with the idea of writing this book. Once we got home, and drank enough champagne, we made the commitment to write it.
Life is such a rich, complicated, joyous, mysterious wild ride. Everyone has stories to tell and lessons to pass on, and what better way to do that than when you're alive? It was your life; your funeral is the one time you can do and say absolutely whatever you want.
As of this writing, there is no alternative to dying. (You can be cryogenically frozen, but we wouldn't call that life.) Since there's no getting out of it, why not go ahead and plan your fantasy going "away" party? Is it just us or have you been seeing too many, "She's not dead... she's just away" bereavement cards? Of course you can't really be too upset since according to the card she's coming back.
We were destined to write a book about planning one's own funeral. Between us, we have personally experienced three weddings, two divorces (all Carmen) and five suicides of close family members. We've nursed four relatives and friends through deaths due to cancer. We've survived cancer (Sue) and meningitis (Carmen) and if all that is not enough, we are both orphans. In spite of these experiences, or because of them, we do not fear death at all . . . we appreciate life that much more.
You can find out more about the book: read what others have said, take a peek at the table of contents, read an excerpt from the chapter entitled "Freeze, Boil, Liquefy and Preserve, and Other 'Recipes' For the Remains". And of course, the book is now available from online and in-person retailers.
