Synopsis
When Martha Bray's husband Bob is killed in a devastating traffic accident in Skagit County, Washington, it smashes her world like a meteor striking Earth. The circumstances of the crash-the driver who'd caused the accident had a criminal history and was evading police-only underscore the tragedy. Bob was a respected Bellingham businessman and community member, but more than anything, he was Martha's beloved life partner, adored by his two sons and grandchildren. In Tragedy to Triumph, Martha navigates debilitating grief while somehow finding humor-and a measure of happiness-in everyday life. She eventually braves online dating on a bumpy and often hilarious quest to regain true love, only to find peace in the comfort of family, friendship, and faith.
About the Authors
Martha Gallman Bray is a lifelong resident of Bellingham, Washington. After graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in Secondary Education Home Economics, and a minor in physical education, she taught Home Economics at Mount Baker High School in Deming, Washington, starting in 1985, and later taught third grade at Bellingham Christian School. She then held a variety of part-time jobs while focusing on raising two sports-loving sons. Throughout, she served the family business as wife of the director of The World Headquarters of Dairy Distributing, a role that included delivering homemade breakfast casseroles to the staff every Friday morning for more than a decade.Martha is involved with local churches, Christ the King and Northlake Community, and is a longtime student of the Bible. She is a dedicated volunteer whose charitable endeavors include hosting a group of women weekly to sew for Days For Girls, an international nonprofit that distributes sustainable products that allow girls to stay in school. Martha loves boating, pickleball, hiking, and e-biking. She divides her time between Bellingham and Arizona. Of all the jobs she's held, including that of Young Life leader, licensed assistant to realtors, receptionist at a large graphic design firm, and now granny-nanny to two of her four grandchildren, her favorite role was being Bob's wife.
Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy and her eight siblings grew up with a paintbrush in their hands and a song in their hearts, working at their family's business of renovating old houses in Ames, Iowa. Her book, Many Hands Make Light Work: A Memoir is the rollicking true story of growing up in that family in the '60s and '70s. Cheryl is a journalist whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune, which distributed her articles to newspapers and websites around the country. She freelanced for years as a book critic for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland. On assignment for publications, she's traveled to Turkey, Hawaii, and Scotland. She lived in London for seven years, writing for global magazines. She holds an MBA from City University in London and a bachelor's in journalism from Iowa State University.Today, she ghostwrites, edits, and helps publish memoirs. (See cherylstritzelmccarthy.com) Cheryl, her husband, and their three daughters have lived in Shaker Heights, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio; and Naperville, Illinois. She now resides with her husband in Bellingham, Washington, and travels frequently to visit grandchildren.
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