LOWER Earley author Gemma Stone’s new book was conceived during one of the most painful times in her life.
Called The Man Who Hung the Moon, it was written as Gemma and her family faced the knowledge of her father’s terminal illness.
“I wrote the book during one of the hardest moments of my life — after being told that my father’s cancer treatment had come to an end and there was nothing more doctors could do,” she said.
“I felt completely helpless, unable to fix or protect him in any way.
“So I did the only thing I could.
“I put pen to paper.”
Gemma began writing through her inner child’s eyes, and through the eyes of her own children.
“I was trying to capture who my dad has always been to us: a hero.
“He was someone who made the impossible feel possible.
“Someone who, in a child’s mind, could hang the moon.”
Gemma’s idea slowly grew into a story: a slightly unbelievable, tender tale of a father who hangs the moon each night for his world – a metaphor, she explains, for the quiet, extraordinary love parents give their children without ever asking for credit.
“Once the book was finished, I knew I wanted it to do more,” she said.
“So I decided to donate all profits to Prostate Cancer UK.
“I may not be able to save my dad — but I can help other dads, grandads, uncles and brothers,” she said.
Gemma’s dad passed away last month, and she hopes her book may bring comfort to people who may be caring for someone, navigating terminal illness themselves, or trying to explain difficult life events to children in a gentle way.
She said: “The writing of this book has been about love, legacy, and what we do when we’re told we’re powerless — and how creativity can turn grief into something that helps others.”
For information, and to buy a copy of the book, visit: glstone.co.uk
Proceeds from sales will go to Prostate Cancer UK.
