Call Me Auntie

A truly original story of life in and after care. A unique account of trans-racial fostering which focuses on identity, family history and loss. Call Me Auntie adds to the literature of post-Windrush 1950s Britain and tells of ‘Heartbreak House’ care homes. The author’s account of being abandoned by her mother as a young child and her life in homes and institutions will captivate any reader. The mystery of her search for her mother and constant rejections will leave the reader wondering what demons drove her to be so elusive. “Call Me Auntie” was the best her mother could offer but this was just the start of a bizarre sequence of events. After discovering she had a brother and looking for her long lost family in Barbados the author finally came to understand she “may be a princess after all”. Call Me Auntie is a story of survival, resilience and changing attitudes to racism and ethnicity as the author forged a successful career beginning as a Woolworth’s shop girl before joining the police, then moving into social work. Reviews ‘Anne’s story is a compelling account, not just of her search for her birth mother but of her extraordinary journey from being a child in care, then qualifying as a social worker and finally becoming a magistrate?…?I read it at a sitting and could not put it down. Her account of life in a children’s home in the 1960s and 1970s deserves to find a place on every social work training course’— Retired Judge Robert Zara. ‘This is an excellent read for anyone who has compassion. The author had a really tough childhood brought up by the care system. She raises really important questions. A must-read for anyone who wants to make a difference for children and their lives. Make it compulsory for all social work students’— John Bolton, Visiting Professor, Institute of Public Care, Oxford Brookes University, and a former Director of Social Services. Extract ‘Our new house-parents were Harold and Dora … He was a big guy who always looked angry. She was a little mousy figure but with a steel will underneath … Overnight, the household regime changed. As controlled as our lives might have been in the [previous houseparents’] time, the changes were shocking. Chores had to be performed to much higher standards, and there were new ones … There were new rules, routines, and responsibilities. But this was not all. With the new chores and new rules, our fear set in.'

A truly original story of life in and after care. The author’s own account of being left behind by her mother as a one year old and her life in foster homes and institutions. When eventually traced, ‘Call Me Auntie’ was the best her mother could offer, but this was just the start of a bizarre sequence of events. Call Me Auntie is a telling account of abandonment, ‘Heartbreak House’ care homes, family history and survival. It is also one of resilience and personal achievement as the author discovered she also had a brother left behind in the same way, forged a professional career, searched for her long lost relatives in Barbados and eventually came to understand that she ‘may be a princess after all’. Call Me Auntie is a story of survival, resilience and changing attitudes to racism and ethnicity as the author forged a successful career beginning as a Woolworth’s shop girl before joining the police, then moving into social work. Reviews ‘Anne’s story is a compelling account, not just of her search for her birth mother but of her extraordinary journey from being a child in care, then qualifying as a social worker and finally becoming a magistrate… I read it at a sitting and could not put it down. Her account of life in a children’s home in the 1960s and 1970s deserves to find a place on every social work training course’— Retired Judge Robert Zara. ‘This is an excellent read for anyone who has compassion. The author had a really tough childhood brought up by the care system. She raises really important questions. A must-read for anyone who wants to make a difference for children and their lives. Make it compulsory for all social work students’— John Bolton, Visiting Professor, Institute of Public Care, Oxford Brookes University, and a former Director of Social Services. Extract ‘Our new house-parents were Harold and Dora… He was a big guy who always looked angry. She was a little mousy figure but with a steel will underneath… Overnight, the household regime changed. As controlled as our lives might have been in the [previous houseparents’] time, the changes were shocking. Chores had to be performed to much higher standards, and there were new ones… There were new rules, routines, and responsibilities. But this was not all. With the new chores and new rules, our fear set in.’ Author Anne Harrison was brought up in care. She was a shop assistant before she joined the Warwickshire Police. From there she became a residential social worker and social care manager for local authorities in the West Midlands and Warwickshire. She lives with her husband in Coventry. Follow Anne on Instagram: @anne.e.harrison.

A book for nephews, young and old, dedicated to all the AUNTIES! - Auntie is single, has no children, has no ex-husband. At most she is involved in what Facebook would call "A complicated relationship". She usually has a dog or two cats. -

Uses humor to illustrate common mistakes that people make with English grammar and usage.

When faced with the death of a loved one, a battle can rise within your faith. Will it allow you to sink in your sadness, losing all hope and faith in God? Or will it strengthen your connection with God, forming a sturdier foundation built on trust? When faced with a great loss, one must decide which way their faith will fall.This book is the story of how a grieving Auntie decided to allow her faith to strengthen her for the purpose of building a lasting legacy for her niece. In this book you will discover how to trust God through death, find your strength to live through the loss, find the courage to continue living, and find the perseverance to create a legacy that will last forever."For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!" Romans 8:18 AMP

"Teacher Jiang, I want to learn to play the flute. Can you teach me?" "Alright, come to my room tonight." "Teacher Jiang, the Unparalleled Heavenly Emperor wanted to acknowledge you as his teacher. He has knelt for three days and three nights already!" Do you want to bother me with such a small matter? "Let's place him among the students with the lowest cultivation." Ah? "He is a Heavenly Emperor!" Oh, I forgot. Then put him among the students who have yet to start cultivating! " In the Immortal Pet Continent, cultivators were respected. I, Jiang Feng, am one of the most respected amongst all. My name is the Ancestor and I command all the heavens, who would dare disobey me! Close]

If you want to open your heart, this story will help you do that. Auntie Mom is an intensely honest account of lifes bittersweet lessons and one womans courage in facing the unknown. Laura Maher is a beautiful storyteller with a remarkable gift. She has captured the essence of the love and loss that all humans experience. This memoir reads like a good novel. Marci Shimoff, New York Times best-selling author of Love for No Reason When her twenty-nine year old sister suffered a stroke, L.A. businesswoman Laura Maher returned home to Boston. During the year her sister spent in recovery, Laura moved her eight-year-old nephew and six-year-old niece to California. Because her fianc did not want to raise someone elses kids, their relationship ended, and as a result, she did not have a home for her or the kids to live in. While on a road-trip they met a wealthy couple who invited them to live on their estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Auntie Mom is an inspiring true story of a single womans year-long adventure into motherhood. Laura weaves a rich tapestry of candid tales that speak to the heart of the age-old struggle every woman faces in her role as parent, in her search for self-identity. Its a story of family, and faith, and the forgiveness that occurs when embracing the messy, complex situations we all find ourselves in when we step into the role of parent. Photographs by Rick Swinger Author photo by Doug Greene Cover Art by ShimmeringWolf.com