a Memoir, Through Any Given Door: Web Serial Sketches and vignettes strung along a timeline well before I came along, ends with the death of my mother shortly after I turned twenty. It’s a tale that transformed the holes created by chaos and heartache in our family into a sense of wholeness, and from that wholeness, a holiness occurred. It also connected me to an assemblage of Clemens, Chatfield, Chamberlin, and Hoy families and ancestors. I’ve come to know us, to see our strands are woven in the same translucent web, and knowing that if not for them, I would not be here.
What follows is what I’ve been told, what I recall, and what my family claims I’ve made up. Some stories I’ve never disclosed; some I’ve recounted so many times I can’t remember if they’re even true anymore. But do we ever recollect what actually happened? Certainly we remember our version—and what we believe is true for us, so we better be careful what we believe. And does any of it matter? Only when we make it mean something. ~ Catherine (Clemens) Sevenau
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a Memoir, Through Any Given Door: Web Serial (5 links)
Front Matter
0.i Cover, Poem, Family Line, Table of Contents
0.ii Billet-Doux, Dedications, Credits
0.iii Prologue
Through Any Given Door, Part I
Faded Snapshots (1.1 – 1.99.9)
Sonora, California (with history and backstory)
1943 – 1953
Through Any Given Door, Part II
Torn Pictures (2.01 – 2.39)
San Jose, San Francisco, Hawaii
1954 – 1957
Through Any Given Door, Part III
Home Movies (3.01 – 3.46)
La Habra, San Francisco, San Jose
1958 – 1968
Post Memoir Sketches
Post Memoir (4.01 – 4.10)
Final stories of Carl, Larry (Gordon), Carleen, Betty (Liz), Claudia, and Cathy (Catherine)
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© 2017/18. Catherine Sevenau.
All rights reserved.
Mari Baughman says
Beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing this. I have enjoyed reading your weekly offerings and am enjoying reading it in full. You have put a lot of love and humor into the writing, which makes it real, and fun for readers!
Jill Hicks says
Hi Catherine, it’s Jill, Marceline’s daughter, this was so fun to share with my mom today… she loved it! I told her we will do it again on the next one! Great job girl, take good care. XO
Catherine Sevenau says
Please give your mom a huge hug from me. She was the catalyst for me to write this book. I’m glad you’re able to share it now with her. I gave her a copy of the book years ago when I’d finished it. She had no idea what had happened to all of us, and was mad that neither of my parents reached out to family for help. Se was also more upset with my dad than my mother, which I thought interesting. Ah, the lives we lead…
Linda Albertson Jucker Thompson says
This is Wonderful. I really enjoyed reading all of the information on family members. The dates mentioned in Sonora bring back so many memories of time spent with my Aunt, Uncle (my Dad’s Jesse Irwin Albertson’s brother) and cousins, Chuck, Odin and Nancy. Looking forward to reading more.
Jon McGuire says
A web serial… always learn something. It’s especially nice to learn of real people and their lives. The messiness and all! Well done.
James Chatfield says
Catherine, you are the best. Outstanding as a writer, terrific as a poet, and just delightful as a storyteller.
Catherine Sevenau says
Thank you my friend!
Susie says
Beautiful Catherine.
Edna M. Bowcutt says
Thank you so much for sharing your family with everyone. Love, love, your stories.
Catherine Sevenau says
Thanks for reading them!
Bonnie says
I am so proud of your courage. You set the stage perfectly!!!
Catherine Sevenau says
thank you