She is Me: A Novel by Cathleen Schine
Mother is always right – or is she?  Chances are she hasn’t always made the right choices, has sometimes been distracted by her own problems, and even may have done something that needs your forgiveness.  But most of us still need our mothers – faults or no faults - no matter how old we get.  She Is Me is a heartwarming story we can all appreciate about mothers and daughters, their love and devotion to each other, and their struggle to discover what is right for them as individuals, not just as mothers.   

First there is Elizabeth , a moody 29 year old academic living in New York City with her boyfriend and three year old son.  She is lured to L.A. when a high-powered movie producer spots her published paper on Madame Bovary and hires her to write a script.  Once there, she struggles to reconcile her intellectual, academic self with her desire to succumb to the glitter and promise of Hollywood .  She also struggles to sort out her feelings toward marriage and adultery as her boyfriend presses her for commitment while other temptations linger in the background.   

Next is Greta who has been the consummate wife, mother and daughter for years.  She has always given freely and has never been one to complain.  Greta had been devoted to the care of her ill mother until she discovers that she herself has cancer.   Not able to physically keep up, she allows Elizabeth to help.  As Greta fights for her life, she quite unexpectedly finds herself falling in love with an unlikely person who could completely turn her life upside down and alienate her family.

Finally, there is Lotte, who is a pistol.  With a big ego and superiority complex, she does not handle her illness well - although she doesn’t mind the extra attention.  Despite her constant complaints and demands, she is well loved and cared for by her daughter, Greta, and granddaughter, Elizabeth.  She’s not ready to die, and she’s going to hold on as long as she possibly can – at least until she gets to wear all her new clothes.

Will Elizabeth screw it up with her sweetheart of a boyfriend?  Will Greta have the courage to give up her old life for a new love?  Will Lotte be able to finish all of her catalog shopping?  One thing we will let you know – they are there for each other for better or worse.  And a girl really can’t have a better girlfriend than her own mom who loves her unconditionally.

About the author:  Cathleen Schine is the acclaimed author of five novels – Alice in Bed, To the Birdhouse, The Evolution of Jane, and the international bestsellers Rameau’s Niece and The Love Letter, both of which were made into feature films.  She lives in New York City .

  She is Me: A Novel