GROUNDBREAKING NEW BOOK OFFERS COMFORT AND SUPPORT TO WIVES OF WIDOWERS

Announcing a new book for wives of widowers. First of its genre.

                                                                     NEWS ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2002

Contact:            Ms. Nicole Weyant, President
                         WEYANT PRESS, INC.
Address:            27765 McKee Road
                         Toney, AL 35773
Voice Mail:     Bus: (206) 984-3174 or (206) 984-3552
                         Home: (256) 233-8554
Fax:                 (775) 640-0337
E-Mail:             nlweyant@msn.com
Web Site URL: http://weyantpress.150m.com/

Newmarket, Ontario CANADA: On July 1, 2002, wives of previously widowed men from all over the globe will breathe a collective sigh of relief as a new book targeting their unique perspectives will be released.

Written by Newmarket, Ontario resident and transplanted American Julie Donner Andersen, the book, entitled, "Past: Perfect! Present: Tense! Insights From One Womans Journey As The Wife Of A Widower" (published by Weyant Press, Inc.), is wise, insightful and candid. It is a clear, captivating, and empathetic look at the special and challenging life of what Ms. Andersen calls a "WOW" (Wife Of a Widower). Ms. Andersen writes with obvious knowledge and revealing personal experience that make the book an easy and informative read.

This new book addresses how the WOW relates to the family and friends of the late wife -- and even the late wife herself -- while granting much needed support, understanding and empowerment to help the WOW protect herself at the same time.

Ms. Andersen covers the topics of grief, anger, guilt, insecurity and more without a maudlin attempt for justification. Instead, she plows straight ahead into affirmations and resolutions that are sure to help a hurting WOW heal. With honesty, grace and clarity, Mrs. Andersen offers a welcomed companion for the often misunderstood and amazingly courageous wife of a widower.

"WOWs are sometimes faced with insensitivity by people -- often even their own husbands -- because they struggle with balancing their own needs and conflicting emotions with those of husbands who may still be walking the daily journey of grief to some degree", says Ms. Andersen. "WOWs often find it difficult to move beyond their negative feelings because they tend to bury so much unresolved emotion deep inside out of fear of being perceived as unsympathetic to their grieving spouses. A WOW who is courageous enough to emote about her feelings can often set herself up as a target for ridicule because those who have never walked in WOW shoes misunderstand her intentions".

A former Ohio state lobbyist for childrens rights, freelance writer, and married mother of three, Ms. Andersen relates, "I have communicated with hundreds of WOWs while doing research for this book, and found that they were relieved to know that they were not alone, nor were their negative feelings abnormal or selfish regardless of the labels that society is prone to attach to them and the assumptions and conclusions people tend to make about them".

"I started doing research when I became engaged to my husband. I wanted to know what to expect, and how to be his helpmate through grief while at the same time coming to terms with my own fears, anxieties, and insecurities about his past and his pain. Although there are hundreds of books about grief itself, I was disappointed to find that there is little or no information available that speaks to the hearts of second wives of widowers or addresses the roller coaster ride of emotions and life changes that accompany their unique roles!", exclaims Ms. Andersen. "I decided to write this book so other WOWs could have the information they apparently so desperately need to help them sort through their feelings before and during the first few years of marriage with the previously widowed men whom they love".

"Past: Perfect! Present: Tense!" is long on emotional validation but not on self pity. Ms. Andersen informs her readers about what to expect when marrying a widower and encourages WOWs to learn all they can about the grief process, but warns WOWs not to get trapped in a cycle of self doubt. Her chapter called "Boundaries - The Lines In The Sand" is sure to be the cornerstone of a WOWs healing process. Other chapters offer compassionate insights into the hearts and minds of widowers, their families, and their friends, explaining how a WOW can use grief information to build healthier relationships with all the people in her new life.

*Press kits and/or additional information available upon request of author or publisher*

The book can be pre-ordered through the publisher, Weyant Press, Inc., through their web site: http://weyantpress.150m.com/andersen.htm prior to the July 1, 2002 release date.

XXX

Note to Editors: For a personal interview, you may contact the author, Julie Donner Andersen, directly at:

Phone Number: (905) 895-5687
Address: 1111 Davis Dr., Suite #1, P.O. Box 317, Newmarket, ON Canada L3Y7V1
E-Mail: juliedonnerandersen@mail.com