Press Reviews

• William Ayot, poet and author of Re-enchanting the Forest: Meaningful Ritual in a Secular Age

  A beautifully crafted tale of one man's grief - and a testament to the healing power of art. By inter-weaving the threads of his raw experience with strands of story, poetry, prose and photographs, Geoff Mead transforms his cruel and untimely loss into a tapestry of artful work and shining moments. There's a deep learning here and a visibly growing soul. Essential reading for those on the lonely road of bereavement.

• Juliet Grayson, UKCP registered psychotherapist and author of Landscapes of the Heart: The Working World of a Sex and Relationship Therapist

  A compelling read, reminding us of the importance of facing into grief, of finding creative ways to consciously mourn, thus finding solace for ourselves as well as honouring our loved one. I will be sharing this book widely as a handbook for conscious mourning that reminds us of the sweetness of life.

• Judith Hemming, Psychotherapist

  A heartbreakingly moving and yet wonderfully hopeful chronicle of a unique and mysterious journey - from the shattering illness and death of his wife Chris to a beautiful reborn wholeness. Geoff unfolds the map of his grief over several years, from the first illness to the beginning of a new life and love. He offers no advice but this tale would be inspiring for anyone who has known loss of this depth.This is a story worthy of a great love, deeply borne.

• Diana Crossley, Clinical Psychologist

  A poignant and beautifully written account of life , love and grief. A personal story that will no doubt resonate with others who have lived through the death of someone they love.

• Jaki Harris, Grief and Loss Specialist

  It is a privilege to bear witness to one man's deeply personal journey through the rocky terrain of grief, loss and bereavement, told with the raw pain and profound honesty of one who has been through the whirlwind and stepped out the other side. This will be a precious gift for others searching for comfort and solace whilst experiencing the anguish of losing a loved one.

• Claire Williamson, Programme Leader, MSc in Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes, Metanoia Institute.

  Gone in the Morning is a testament to the power of writing to affirm, inquire and express doubt during difficult passages of life. Unswerving in its account, the reader is led alongside Geoff (and his charismatic cockerpoo, Ted) as he travels through 'active mourning'. His journey and his writing habits are an act to follow for the bereaved in this modest account of a recovery 'through' (not over) loss.

• David Drake, author of Narrative Coaching: Bringing Our New Stories to Life

  Like a master poet, Geoff moves in and out of story and reality in this marvelous book. He invites us to walk alongside him as he shares his experience of loss, love and the birth of a new narrative.

• Dr Julia Wallond, General Practioner

  I am moved and inspired by Geoff's beautifully written and closely observed account of bereavement after his vivacious and extraordinarily creative wife Chris Seeley was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died 18 months later. It is a tribute to the therapeutic power of writing and above all a story of love, tenderness and hope. As someone recently bereaved myself, I found Gone in the Morning has invited me more fully into life, love and creativity

• Sue Hollingsworth, Centre for Biographical Storytelling

  As someone who has experienced the death of a spouse through illness, I recognise the archetypal journey through the landscape of bereavement that Geoff explores; as a storyteller working primarily with coaching people in the telling of their true life stories, I know that creating a coherent narrative from seemingly inexplicable life events brings understanding, acceptance and ultimately, peace. When that story is told well, those benefits spread. This is such a story.

• Barbara Turner-Vesselago, author of Writing Without a Parachute: The Art of Freefall, and Freefall Into Fiction: Finding Form

  Written with immediacy and resonance, poignancy and humour, Gone in the Morning strikes a fine balance between life and loss. Geoff Mead's warmly human writing voice makes it a trusty companion in this most solitary of human experiences. I am grateful that this book has been written.

• Jill Lamede

  Facts & Fiction

  A remarkable book - beautifully written by an accomplished writer/storyteller - it tells, through blog extracts, poetry and pictures, of the writer's emotional journey during the final months of illness and then, the two years after his wife's death...Each extract is a complete little story in itself - and brief enough that I could not resist the urge to read 'just one more' before turning out the light. It was a compulsive read...Most of us experience love and loss, and yet we find it hard to talk of such things. Now I feel that I have a greater understanding of my own journey of grief, and a better way of thinking and talking about it.