Spencer-Wendel, S: Until I Say Good-bye

Susan Spencer-Wendel was an award-winning journalist at the Palm Beach Post for almost twenty years before being diagnosed with ALS at the age of 44. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she held a master's degree in journalism from the University of Florida, was honoured for her work by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Florida Press Club, and received a lifetime achievement award for her court reporting from the Florida Bar. Until I Say Good-Bye, her memoir of living with an incurable disease, was a New York Times bestseller and has been translated in over 20 languages. She lived in West Palm Beach, Florida, with her husband and three children. facebook.com/UntilISayGoodbye Bret Witter has collaborated on five New York Times bestsellers. he lives in Decatur, Georgia. www.bretwitter.com

Less a memoir about dying than a template for life. The spirit of the book - her spirit - is uplifting. -- Sabine Durrant, The Guardian Her heart-ripping book chronicles what she did immediately after her diagnosis: she decided to embrace life while death chased her down...endearing and all too human -- The New York Times Susan Spencer-Wendel had to face the question, 'What would you do if you had a year to live?' This profound, tender, and often funny account of her experiences will remind readers of what really matters most: love. -- Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author of THE HAPPINES PROJECT and HAPPIER AT HOME You might worry that a memoir about living with a terminal disease could be too upsetting. Instead, in Susan Spencer Wendel's hands it is both life-enhancing and inspiring. In Until I Say Good-Bye she chronicles her last year of adventures as she wrings every ounce of joy out of her remaining months. -- Good Housekeeping Inspiring. -- The Guardian All you can do... is to turn the pages, slack-jawed, in awe at her insistence on having powerful, individual experiences... -- Huffington Post It's a touching and brutally honest account of one mother's inspiring attempt to get the most out of the time she has left. -- USA Today This is not a book drowning in tears. It remains optimistic for the future, even if the author will not be there to see it. There is laughter and, as promised, joy throughout. -- The Daily Express Journalist Spencer-Wendel discovered she was ill when her left hand suddenly became withered. As she struggles to come to terms with knowing something is wrong - not wanting to find out, then not fully believing the doctor's ALS diagnosis - she writes with courage and strength. ...Spencer-Wendel's life will sadly be cut short, but in writing her story, she shows her family and friends how to go on, choosing happiness and love over fear. -- Publishers Weekly A poignant, wise love story. -- Kirkus Reviews an emotional roller-coaster