Homesick: A Memoir

The vibrant and beloved star of Once and Again and Sisters offers a story about her journey home to recapture the magic of youth in the deep South for her children and to make peace with the death of her mother.

“This is the story of a girl who grew up in a gentle town in the Deep South, cradled by family and friends, worshiping Bear Bryant on Saturday night and Jesus Christ on Sunday morning…”

At a time when much of America is yearning to recapture the spirit and feelings of a more innocent era, comes this extraordinary memoir from one of our most beloved actresses: a story of reconnecting with the most important things in life.

Millions of TV and film viewers know Sela Ward as the Emmy-winning star of the series Sisters and Once & Again. But before she became a successful actress, Sela was first and foremost a small-town girl, the daughter of a family that lived for generations in a Mississippi homestead they called “Homeward.” It was there, within a tightly knit community of neighbors and kin, that Sela learned ways that would remain with her through life-humble virtues, like generosity, selflessness, and respect, that are “forged in the hearth of a loving home.” Now she has woven together nostalgic reminiscences, stories from throughout her life and career, and lessons on drawing strength and wisdom from a simpler place and time, to give us Homesick: a very special book on the challenge of raising a family, maintaining perspective, and carving away time for happiness amid the challenges of modern life.

Sela Ward is the recipient of two Emmy awards for her work on Once & Again and Sisters, and a Cable Ace Award for her role as Jessica Savitch in Almost Golden. She recently founded Hope Village for Children, a permanent home for abused and neglected children, in Meridian, Mississippi. Sela lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and their two children, and returns frequently with her family to her Mississippi hometown.