Excerpt Tour and Giveaway - Mom and Dad's Martinis: A Memoir by Jacelyn Cane

Welcome to my stop on the excerpt tour for Mom and Dad's Martinis by Jacelyn Cane. This tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an exclusive excerpt from the book as well as the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to visit the other stops on the tour for more exclusive excerpts. Enjoy!

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Title: Mom and Dad's Martinis: A Memoir

Author: Jacelyn Cane

Publisher: Tellwell Talent

Publication Date: June 17th 2019

Print Length: 135 pages

Genre: Memoir

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Jacelyn Cane's mom and dad liked their martinis dry: straight gin on the rocks with a dab of vermouth and a hint of water - and they liked them often. They also liked to party; they danced, socialized, and drank - they were good at all three. Sometimes this behaviour led to humorous situations - antics in the pool, at the club, the cottage or in the car, for example. Other times, however, the experiences were not so funny - family fights and times of neglect, trauma, and abuse.

 

By weaving together a series of episodes that take the reader to light and dark places, author Jacelyn Cane tells a poignant cautionary tale for anyone affected by alcoholism and/or family struggles. The author is using a pseudonym and most of the names in the book have been changed to protect people's identities. 

 

"Mom and Dad's Martinis: A Memoir" is a great read for anyone who has experienced a childhood mixed with joy as well as sorrow. It is a story of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and hope.

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT:

“I wondered if you’d like to go to the Queen’s dance with me tonight.”

Shifting on her red vinyl stool, my mother sipped her Coke float. “Why don’t you meet me here at five o’clock after the game, and I’ll give you my answer then.”

Dad strolled out over the black and white linoleum tiles thrilled he had a chance for the date he had hoped for.

“Now, there goes a tall drink of water,” said one of my mom’s pals, eyeballing my father as he left.

My dad made his way to the Queen’s football stadium to meet his friends for the game.

“Charlie, did you bring a mickey?” one of Dad’s buddies asked, as they all found some seats together in the bleachers.

“Rye.” My dad tapped his breast pocket. “You brought something too, right?” Dad addressed the four fellows sitting alongside of him.

“Yeah, I’ve got some rum,” said Dad’s friend, John Beatty.

“Me, too,” said Chuck Parker.

“I’ve got scotch,” claimed Harry Howard.

“Gin for me,” added Jim Johnson.

“Hey, U of T’s winning,” said John.

“Touchdown!” My father cheered, as he leapt in the air. He took a swig of his rye to celebrate.

“We scored again,” Dad yelled gleefully, bouncing up and down. With every jump, he took another swig from his mickey.

“We won!” My dad cheered. As he sprang to his feet, he tripped and fell onto the bleachers. His mickey broke, making Dad reek of alcohol. He managed to clean up all of the glass without a scratch, but, nevertheless, he was covered in rye.

By the end of the game, when he joined in the age-old tradition of running out on to the field to climb up on the goalposts, Dad was pretty drunk. He lost his balance and fell in the mud. Before he could get to his feet, he was stepped on by a few members of the Queen’s marching band. His letterman jacket and grey flannels were covered in mud.

And so, muddy, inebriated, and stinking of booze, my father returned to meet Mom after the game. He swaggered into the drug store, leaving muddy footprints in his wake, as he made his way across the linoleum floor. Patti Page’s version of “Tennessee Waltz” was playing on the juke box.

“Hi, Dorothy Duncan. Sorry, I’m a bit of a mess. I’m hoping you’ll go with me to the dance tonight.”

“No thanks,” she said in disgust, as she eyed him up and down.

“You’re sure? I’ll get cleaned up and everything.”

“I said, ‘No.’ Now excuse me.” Mom stood up, walked passed Dad and out of the drug store.

Dad stood there covered in mud looking like a lost puppy.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jacelyn Cane was born and raised in Toronto. She lives with her husband, and near her three children and step-daughter. She is a retired elementary school teacher who also worked in social justice education with the United Church of Canada. She has worked in theatre and as a reporter. She was educated in Toronto, earning a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Canadian History from York University. Later, she earned a B. Ed. at the University of Toronto. She is passionately involved in numerous social justice issues such as climate crisis concerns and Indigenous rights. She loves meditating, writing, reading, music, laughing, and being around nature. She is motivated by a deep sense of spirituality. Her number one love, however, is being with family and friends.

Website * Goodreads

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GIVEAWAY:

Jacelyn Cane will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. To increase your chance of winning, leave a comment at a different blog on the tour each day. Good luck!

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