Friday, January 5, 2018

Winter Writer Series: Guest Post By Molly Stevens

     I'm so pleased to have Molly Stevens back on the blog today! She has a new book out that I know my readers will love. Boomer on the Ledge is described by Molly as "a little doll whose daily surprises reminded her how being a boomer is both harrowing and hilarious."

     A few months ago, Molly gave a full description of the book on her blog, Shallow Reflections. Today she is sharing an interview with the doll, Boomer in the Ledge, which is hysterical.

     If you're familiar with "Elf On A Shelf" (who isn't??) then you understand why we Boomers need someone like this little doll watching over our antics as we age. Check out Molly's website from the info below and be sure to grab a copy of her new book!

         It's a book! It's a doll! It's Boomer on the Ledge!


I had some apprehension when Boomer on the Ledge™ - the book and doll - came to life on 10/17/17. I worried about how the world would treat them. I wondered if they could live up to my hopes and dreams. 

What were my hopes and dreams? 

I could write a treatise, but I decided to interview Boomer on the Ledge to give you her perspective. 

Me: Do you think people like the book?
BOTL: It has me in it, so duh! Of course, they like the book. I’m hilarious. 

Me: Do you think they grasp the concept of the Boomer on the Ledge?
BOTL: My new owners are having a blast posing and photographing me. So I’d say they understand what Boomer on the Ledge is all about. 

Me: What are you all about?
BOTL: I help people view aging as something that includes fun and laughter. And I inspire creativity when people pose me in their daily lives. Here’s what I overheard Marcella say, “My doll is doing what I would love to do. Because of Molly’s imagination, mine has been restored!”

                              Marcella’s doll overindulged on Halloween 

Me: Are you surprised at how much people like you?
BOTL: Not at all. I know you had apprehension, but I was confident that once people saw how adorable I was, everyone would want me. I don’t have the same insecurities that you have.

Brenda DeRoche, the seamstress whose skills brought BOTL to life posed the doll on her sewing machine

Me: Why do you think boomers relate to you so well? 
BOTL: Hanging on a ledge is symbolic of an aging boomer – perched between danger and adventure. When you are younger, it is a shock if an illness or injury strikes someone you know. But as you age, a disaster can be around the next bend. Conversely, this age is a fabulous time of self-discovery, creativity, and adventure.

Me: How have you helped people who need encouragement? 
BOTL: Michele, who is coping with her husband’s illness, said when she feels down all she has to is look at me to feel better. Sue, a new widow, kept me by her side when she found it difficult to address her Christmas cards.  And I went to the hospital with Cynthia when she had surgery.



Me: What are your ambitions for 2018? 
BOTL: I like being handmade and numbered, but I wish there were more of me to go around. I'd love it if everyone who purchases a book could buy a doll, too. Of course, I can’t belong to anyone who doesn’t own a book, since the pictures in the book spark ideas.

Me: Where can people buy you and the book? 
BOTL: You can buy the book on Amazon. I’m available with the book at my online shop: https://www.shallowreflections.com/shop/. People who order me will need to be patient as there is a waiting list. But I am anxious to get into the hands of more people who can enjoy my antics.

                                     Boomer on the Ledge book and doll 

Me: We’ve had a good time since the book launch, haven’t we? 
BOTL: We have indeed. I’ve laughed so hard I’ve peed my pants. 
Me: You do use bladder protection, right?
BOTL: (Rolled her painted eyes)

Posed atop a package of adult incontinence aids (we don’t like to call them diapers.)



BIO:














Molly Stevens arrived late to the writing desk but is forever grateful her second act took this direction instead of karaoke or trampling competitors at the all-you-can-eat buffet. Molly believes humor is the emollient that soothes life’s rough patches and promotes these convictions in her blog: Shallow Reflections. She won third place in the 2017 National Society of Newspaper Columnists writing contest and is a contributing author for These Summer Months: Stories from the Late Orphan Project, edited by Anne Born. She is a featured contributor for Humor Outcasts and part of the Bangor Daily News blogging network. Her guest posts have appeared on: Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop, Better after 50, Sizzling Towards 60, Mostly Blogging, Menopausal Mother, and Sixty and Me. Molly grew up on a potato farm in northern Maine, where she wore a snowsuit over both her Halloween costume and her Easter dress. She lives in central Maine, and when she’s not writing, working or watching the New England Patriots win super bowls, she and her husband, Patrick, love to spend time with their son, daughter-in-law and two perfect grandsons. This is Molly's first book.


Amazon links to book and author page:


Social media and blog links: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-stevens-a223ba22/


14 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for featuring my book and doll on your site today, Marcia. BOTL was so excited about the interview, I had to get on a step stool to retrieve her from the ceiling fan! I was tempted to turn it on but I'm sure she would just laugh and say "Wheeee!"

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    1. Ha-Ha too funny! Please tell BOTL that I love her humor and thank you Molly, for being my guest writer today!

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  2. Enjoyed this post... it is great to be able to look at life through a new lens. Sometimes we get so set in our thinking that we can't find any other way to experience things. Humor is a terrific way to shake us up, relieve a little stress and open our eyes to alternatives. Nice "meeting" you here on Marcia's blog, Molly!

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    1. Thank you and so happy to meet you, too. My mission (and also the mission of Boomer on the Ledge) is to use humor to smooth life's rough edges. Aging can be rough, and we (me and BOTL) think humor is essential to get through it!

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  3. I love it! Boomer on the ledge is hilarious. Can't wait to check out the book!

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    1. Yes, please do, Rena. I LOVE the doll, too!

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    2. Thank you, Rena. BOTL can't wait to make you laugh!

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  4. Thank you for the post. Made me laugh. What a creative idea and to help so many people. Congrats!

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    1. Thank you, Sherry. If I made you laugh, then you made my day! I am so excited about all the fun and comfort BOTL can spread in the boomer world.

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  5. What a great idea. Love the doll and I can see how she would be a comfort in difficult times (plus lots of fun). Thanks for the sharing Molly Stevens here, Marcia. Congratulations Molly on the success of your very first book! I'm sure there will be more with Boomer doll. So cute!

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    1. Thank you, Lisa. I am excited about the future of Boomer on the Ledge. She has more adventures planned!

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  6. I love Molly and the Boomer on the Ledge. I own the Kindle version of the book and it looks great on that format. I do think the Boomer on the Ledge needs her own Wrecking Ball video next.

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    1. Thank you, Jennifer. I so appreciate your support. Boomer on the Ledge loved making an appearance on your blog, too! Now for the wrecking ball video.....hmmmm....That’s going to require some doing!

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  7. It's so nice that it comes with the doll! Oh, such fun. You are making aging so much more delightful with your stories.

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