Welcome to your WOW (Wife Of a Widower) and GOW (Girlfriend Of a Widower) home on the web...and your #1 source of midlife humor!!

Amazon
Both of Julie's books can be purchased here! Just search author's name or book titles.

Known in writing circles as Canada's premier humor writer, Julie is widely considered "the new Erma Bombeck" (see reviews below for "Parentally Insane: Insights From The Edge Of Midlife - a ForeWord Magazine "Book of the Year 2004 Award" finalist! )!



“From the first page to the last, “Parentally Insane: Insights From The Edge Of Midlife” is a winner! Readers of Andersen’s first book, "Past: Perfect! Present: Tense! Insights from One Woman’s Journey as the Wife of a Widower" (iUniverse, Inc.), know that her keen eye for detail and refusal to let controversy stand in her way make her one of the few new writers of note who actual have something original and unique to say.
Equal parts Erma Bombeck and Gloria Steinem, Andersen has collected here an anthology of essays, musings, and anecdotes that read more like a gathering of old friends than the printed word. You’ll hear yourself in every line…that is, in between phone calls to your fellow members of the Midlife Moms Club to read entire passages - if not chapters - aloud!”
~ Rusty Fischer, contributing author/writer; Chicken Soup for the Romantic Soul (Health Communications 2003) and God Allows U-turns: A Woman’s Journey (Promise Press 2002).

************************

“You can reach into Julie Donner Andersen’s "Parentally Insane: Insights from the Edge of Midlife", pull out a sentence at random, and chances are it will be a one-liner to do a stand-up comedian proud. Andersen’s magic comes from her ability to string these pearls of wit and wisdom into cohesive paragraphs, knit the paragraphs seamlessly into chapters, and come up with a book that sparkles from beginning to end with honesty, insight, and a celebration of that mystical, magical kingdom called Midlife Motherhood.
Whether she is describing the messy bedrooms of her children or the competitive nature of spouses comparing their respective “bad days”, Andersen stands in the company of women like Erma Bombeck, Phyllis Diller, and Roseanne—women who, rather than sacrifice individuality in the search for a cookie-cutter perfect, “Martha Stewart-ish” existence, proudly turn the spotlight on the imperfections of their real lives to reveal the true beauty within.
"Parentally Insane" serves as a guide for those women who are entering mid-life motherhood; a joyful walk down memory lane for those who are exiting the other side; and both a warning and an enticement for those who are weighing the pros and cons of such a life choice. For everyone else, it is a delightful, entertaining read!”
~ Betty Davenport Tesh, author of Future Perfect (1st Books Library, Inc.)

*************************

“Life is too short to take subjects like husbands, kids, teenagers, and menopause so seriously ALL of the time. So if you're disposed to stopping and smelling the roses, let author Julie Donner Andersen along on your adventure. At midlife, past it, or think it'll never happen, "Parentally Insane: Insights From The Edge of Midlife" has something to make you laugh, cry, or stand and cheer. After all, who can't use a little more insight, or at the very least a little more laughter, to make your stay on this mudball worth the while?”
~ Bob Drews, author of the fiction novels Sandman and Derby Day (iUniverse Inc.)

*************************************

“In all my 40-something years I have never read anything that made me actually giggle out loud as often as I did while reading "Parentally Insane: Insights From The Edge of Midlife"! It is a masterpiece of daring truths and family hilarity. Once I started reading, I just couldn't stop! I read the whole thing with ridiculous tears of laughter streaming down my cheeks-or maybe they were tears of relief that my family wasn't the ONLY weird one in the world! What an absolutely delightful book! This should be a mandatory gift on Mother's Day!”
~Kristi Sayles, author of The Day I Woke Up As An Ostrich - An Odd Collection for Christians (SynergEbooks, 2001) and creator of "Instant Query Letter" software http://www.instantqueryletter.com.

*******************************************

Calling “PARENTALLY INSANE” funny is like calling the Atlantic Ocean a puddle, the Grand Canyon a hole in the ground, and Mount Everest a hill.
From her opening salvo to her last sentence, Julie Donner Andersen holds the reader hostage in a prison constructed of gut busting, laugh out loud, slice of life humor reminiscent of Mark Twain, Will Rogers and Charlie Chaplin.
Andersen gives us a rib-tickling glimpse into the life of a mother approaching middle age who is trying to deal with the frantic life surrounding not only teenagers but toddlers as well. To do that well is a monumental task, but Andersen also throws in the wider circle of family life as each of its members interacts with the others. Entries such as “I Am Queen of My Castle (And My Subjects Are Royal Pains)” and “PMS, GYNs, And All That Crotch Rot” fill the book with promises of enjoyment by the reader, and Andersen does not disappoint the reader with broken promises.
All in all, this is an enjoyable romp through family life with all the veneer stripped off. Andersen shows us the family as it really is: dysfunctional, yet loving.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book from cover to cover. It took me a little longer than I expected to finish it because of the numerous times I stopped to laugh out loud or wipe away tears of laughter before continuing.
In my opinion, "PARENTALLY INSANE: Insights From The Edge...of Midlife!" is more than worth the price. It shows great wit, insightfulness, and family love. This book would make the idea present for almost everyone.
~Barbara Ann (Bobbie) Duffy, author of “Songs of Survival: Life is a Journey” (Bad Dragon Press)

*****************************************


***************************************

Special thanks to Derek & Joy Steele, the world's best illustrators! (Visit the Steele's website at www.steelestudios.com!)