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Andrea Corrie BEM is a retired medical secretary who has always written fiction and non-fiction poetry and prose in her leisure time.
Following the loss of her nineteen-year-old son James to a drowning accident in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey in 2005, Andrea found a measure of solace in writing articles for bereavement websites, in particular The UK branch of The Compassionate Friends and the US based Drowning Support Network. The feedback she received from others in similar circumstances, who found her writing helpful, encouraged her. She realised there was the potential to create a book that would help bereaved parents and those around them, supporting families after the loss of a child.
Into the Mourning Light was published in 2014 and the book focused on the first eight years of loss. A recent review (2022) illustrates that the book is helpful to the non bereaved too, stating, "I have also learned being a non-bereaved parent you may unwittingly say silly or unwanted comments whilst conversing with a bereaved parent (I'm sure I have been guilty of this) and steer clear of mentioning their dearly loved and missed son or daughter for fear of upsetting them. They like to keep their memories alive".
Living in the Mourning Light, published in 2020, continues the story, written with a broader perspective on the grieving process. The book’s positive narration focuses on the attributes of hope, light, love, faith, resilience and joy.
Contributions from family and friends, representatives of the RNLI, the Fire and Rescue service, and bereavement organisations broaden the appeal of the book.
Expect the unexpected too; as Andrea relates how she came to recognise faith as a powerful tool for processing grief.
Living in the Mourning Light’s many suggested supportive tools are useful and inspiring. Readership can be anyone who has ever lost someone, not only those whom have lost children.
The book challenges you to think about your own responses to grief and loss and reassures you that the mourning light offers a safe, optimistic and joyful place in which to live, despite the absence of your loved ones.
Andrea was awarded a BEM (British Empire Medal) in the King's New Year's Honours List in January 2023 for her role as a water safety campaigner. She describes that she is both proud and humbled by the award and emphasises that all the work she has done, and continues to do, in the areas of water safety and grief support, are in honour of her son's memory.
Of her writing, Andrea says,
“I am proud to have produced two books that are not misery memoirs but aim to uplift, inform and inspire readers with a sense of hope for the future as well as providing a lasting legacy for my son.”
Living in the Mourning Light and Into the Mourning Light are available to purchase at www.amazon.co.uk in paperback and e-book versions. Living in the Mourning Light is also on sale as an audio book, narrated by Caroline Cook, BBC Radio Presenter and Freelance Journalist. Caroline says: "It was a privilege to narrate such a beautifully written and thoughtfully researched book. Andrea’s words bring comfort and enlightenment not only to those who have experienced bereavement, but also to those who’ve been through any kind of trauma or difficult time in their lives".
Andrea’s positive blog on grief and living as a bereaved parent can be found at https://andreacorriesblog.wordpress.com
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