In Chapter 5 of her memoir My 3 Husbands, Shelley Anne Crawford is 17 and swept up in a whirlwind romance when she meets the mother who treats her like a rival.
Shelley reads "Snake in the Grass," the chapter where Jason's charm comes with fancy dinners and late-night motorbike races. Then he brings her home late one night, and his mother, Miriam, appears completely naked and hugs him, barely acknowledging the girl standing behind him. Shelley's own mother says very little when she hears about it. But she is relieved her daughter is leaving soon for a year abroad.
Afterward, Shelley sits down with her editor, Dr. Kent Gustavson, to talk about what she just read. She explains the chapter's subtitle, Some people are true, others only wear the skin of it, and why learning to see that difference and choose the authentic person became one of the resilience builders in her books. Kent points out that the chapter holds more than one mother. Miriam is sweet on the surface and sinister underneath, while Shelley's own mother, not always the best character in the book, does the mothering beautifully here.
Tune in to hear Shelley read the chapter in her own voice, and Kent's take on how writing a book can turn a difficult past into something beautiful.
Content Warning:
This episode discusses suicide, self-harm, and other sensitive topics that some listeners may find distressing. Please take care while listening.
If you or someone you know is struggling:
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Pieta (Ireland): Call 1800 247 247Chapters:
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00:04 Shelley Anne Crawford reads Snake in the Grass: a dazzling whirlwind with Jason
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01:26 Meeting Miriam, the mother who looked at Shelley like a rival
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02:50 A mother's quiet worry and a year abroad
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03:30 The warning sign Shelley couldn't see at 17
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06:21 A mother character readers rarely meet in books or films
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08:39 Some people are true, others only wear the skin of it
Episode 5
