With the sudden onset of jacket weather, it finally hit home for me that summer 2023 truly has ended. I hope you had a fantastic summer and start to the new season. This summer, above all, stands out for a major milestone in the Squires family.
A Story-Worthy Life Milestone
This September, my son had his bar mitzvah. It was an amazing experience for so many reasons, full of incredible stories.
Asher learned his Torah portion in a short time, and performed flawlessly. Because of Covid, we went an alternate route by hiring a Hebrew tutor. Asher worked hard all summer to learn his parts and deliver them with authority. Everybody was impressed, and his family is beaming with pride.
We are so fortunate to have been offered the opportunity to host the bar mitzvah at a summer camp. (Thanks, Uncle Mitch!) It was a two-day affair, with a lakeside barbecue following the service and plenty of sports, from a full-party kickball game to basketball, tennis, and pickleball.
The whole party enjoyed meals together in the mess hall, and we stayed overnight in the boys’ camp bunks. For those of us who went to sleepaway camp as kids, it was déjà vu!
The Richard Squires Bar Mitzvah Band performed a thirty-minute set of classics.
We all have times in our lives that stand out as among the most memorable. These are the life milestones we feature in our LifeStory Memoirs, the memories that, once captured in words and images, will survive the passage of time for generations to come. Asher’s bar mitzvah extravaganza was easily among the greatest times in my family’s life. We recognize our blessings and are so proud of our boy.
Proud parents with the bar mitzvah boy, rabbi, and cantor; the Bar Mitzvah Band rocking the canteen; Uncle Brian, me, Uncle Mike on drums, our great buddy Micah on keys, and Heber, camp staff, who surprised us and killed it on alto sax
Creative Announcement
I am so excited to have been invited to participate in another story anthology published by the indie Rogue Owl Press. Whereas the previous anthology, After the Burn, was a collection of linked stories in a post-apocalyptic Vermont settlement, this new one is a collection of fictional stories that take place at sea.
Here is the description for Horrors of the Sea:
The sea roils. The siren calls. The kraken awakens. Will you join the voyage into the unknown?
In the murky depths lurk the strangest, most frightening creatures, things that thrive in the dangerous waters of the night. From wandering ghost ships to murderous mermaids to the horrifying kraken, the ocean is rife with dark legends that enthrall and fascinate us to this day.
Prepare to be taken under by an incomparable group of writers who have crafted a collection of unforgettable seafaring tales. Together, they explore deep into the mysterious aquatic realm, bringing back to the surface tales of terror, intrigue, adventure, and suspense.
Spanning numerous styles and genres, the stories in this volume will leave readers breathless and yet eager to continue onward to distant shores.
If you’re intrigued and would like to support this creative project by a group of talented writers, you can check out the book at any of these online stores:
All other bookstores:https://books2read.com/horrorsofthedeep
Rogue Owl Press store:https://www.rogueowlpress.com/store
I’d love to hear from you after you read my story.
Memoir Spotlight
Inspired by the end of summer, I am spotlighting my client Bob, who remembers summer camp in his memoir as some of his fondest memories. Bob spent every summer throughout most of his youth in the Poconos, and we had a great time together as he related those special memories to me for his book. He explains,
“When I was ten years old in 1946, I went to sleepaway camp for the first time. The big escape from New York played a huge role in my childhood, and I just loved it. Because I was an only child, camp was important for me. Only children do not know how to share. Going to camp and living in a room with ten others, I learned. It was the greatest education for an only child.
“But I found the trip from the city traumatic my first summer. First, everybody from the New York area met in Manhattan, they took us on a ferry across to Hoboken, and then put us on a steam engine train. These trains were not air conditioned. It was hot as hell, bathrooms were limited, and the ride was long. If you stuck your head out the window, suddenly you were dirty.”
Getting away from Brooklyn and seeing more of the world for the first time was clearly worth the traumatic train ride, as Bob returned for another nine summers, eventually becoming a counselor. Cheers to summer memories!
Bob with his group after a swim; Bob and friends on skit night
LifeStory Testimonial
Richard,
Thank you for your work in helping Bruce collect and recollect much of his life's work. The book is a wonderful memento for him and even more precious to our children and grandchildren. With your guidance and hard work, we now have the book that Bruce had been meaning to write.
—Robyn S.
At Bruce's LifeStory Book Reveal
LifeStory's mission is to make sure you do not lose your family's stories forever. The stories of your life or a loved one’s are legacies that belong in a cherished memoir for following generations to learn from. For more information visit LifeStoryMemoir.com. If you would like to see these results for yourself or a loved one, fill out this contact form, or reach out to me directly at Richard@LifeStoryMemoir.com or 973-903-1487.
Yours truly,
Richard Squires, MFA, MA
Author & Publisher