Author Guest Post - Angus Munro + Giveaway

I want to welcome Angus Munro, author of Full House - But Empty, today to Cafe of Dreams! I want to also thank Mr. Munro for taking the time to share with us a wonderful and touching guest post.

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A Full House – But Empty
by Angus Munro

I was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in late 1930. As a child being raised, along with my two sisters, during the Great Depression, life was very difficult. And circumstantially only being raised by our father who was only able to obtain sporadic employment. Faced with this situation, our father had to be both creative and resourceful in seeking open avenues of opportunity to balance his situation. In the earlier years we were blessed with having two ladies who were provided at no cost by the Provincial Social Assistance Program. Each lady came every other week. We were small children and we quickly both adored and loved these ladies.

The first lady was married to a man who worked at the Vancouver Province newspaper. She had raised her family and she was so devoted to us. Upon her arrival each day, we played games, sang, danced around the apartment and had a great time. Ninety-nine percent of her time was playing and/or just being with us. However, she did stop long enough to make our meals and take care of the basics. In terms of cleaning the apartment, etc., forget it – it was playtime! The apartment was in a constant state of dishevelment under her watch; however, my father couldn't have cared less. What was most rewarding to my father was in seeing three smiling faces when he returned home. It was unanimous, we, including our father, just loved that lady.

Conversely, her husband, the newspaper guy, was the antithesis of his vivacious wife. He was a short very dumpy angry little man, who had very stubby knees. He absolutely hated the sight of me. I knew it. And being a true Scorpio – get even time. I would run to him and sit on his stubby knee well aware of his reluctance to my encounter. At his first opportunity, when no one was looking, he would dump me immediately. I thought it was funny as he absolutely loathed me – I didn't care, the feeling was mutual! And I repeated my performance each time he came.

The second lady was married with one teenage son. She was wonderful but an absolute neat freak. She would clean our apartment from top to bottom during her week. She spent a great deal of time cooking and particularly baking cookies and other goodies for us. She was more regimented in terms of spending playtime with us – unlike her counterpart. During her watch, my father arrived home to an orderly apartment and complimentarily to three smiling faces.

This lady developed a special kinship with me. She would take me to her home to spend the evening. She was a Scottish lady, and with a name such as Angus, I was very special to her. However, her teenage son – absolutely hated me staying overnight as I had to bunk in with him. Again, being a true Scorpio – I vindictively loved the fact that he got stuck with me overnight.

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About Angus Munro:

Angus Munro has roots that run deep. His farming ancestors came from Scotland in 1830 and his relatives still reside on the same farmlands in Southern Ontario, Canada. His grandfather left Ontario and took his family to Saskatchewan in 1905 and became a prosperous wheat farmer. When Angus' father married, the grandfather leased other farmlands to get his son established. Angus' father lost the total proceeds of his first wheat crop in a wild poker game at the local grain elevator. The grandfather was none too happy and decided to relocate to Vancouver, B.C.

The Depression deepened and sadly Angus' grandfather passed away - leaving his entire estate to his second son. Angus' father traveled to see his brother to seek financial assistance and received nothing. He returned to Vancouver unexpectedly one evening and found his wife in bed with someone else. Thus, his father became a single parent to three children - Laura 6, Angus 3, and Marjorie and infant. The following day, Angus became very ill with appendicitis and spent seven weeks in the Vancouver General Hospital. The author vividly covers his early childhood years and living with another family - similar circumstances, a father with five children, coping with the Depression and, thereafter, addressing their dual basic family needs.

Angus' new memoir, A Full House - But Empty, is the gripping story of young Angus' life growing up in the Depression years based on the positive lessons he had learned from his father during their somewhat traumatic and hectic years together.


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About A Full House - But Empty:

Filled with anecdotes, lessons learned, and an inspirational message for everyone who believes that hard work breeds success, this moving autobiography shares the remarkable story of Angus Munro.

Munro is just three when he suffers from appendicitis and spends several weeks in a Vancouver hospital as his family struggles to survive the Great Depression. After finally arriving home, Munro asks his sister, "Where is Mummy?" and is promptly told his mother doesn't live there anymore. It is this traumatic event that changes the course of Munro's life forever. His father is suddenly a single parent while simultaneously turning into Munro's mentor and hero. He teaches Munro the motto, "Always do the right thing," while raising his children in an environment that is at the very least hectic, and more often completely chaotic.

Through a potpourri of chronological and heartfelt tales, Munro reveals how he learned to view incidents in life in terms of responsibility, recognition, personal conduct, and consideration of others. Despite dropping out of school at a young age, Munro perseveres, eventually attaining professional success.

Munro's memoir is a wonderful tribute to his father's legacy and the greatest lesson of all - whatever you do, follow through.

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Excerpt:

At the age of three, I suffered from appendicitis and spent seven weeks in the Vancouver General Hospital. Little did I know or understand at the time that my mother and father were seriously struggling with their relationship, and that the future of our family life was hanging in the balance.

Upon my arrival home from the hospital, I was immediately put into my bed, which was a large crib that had been placed in the living room. As soon as I settled in, I asked my six-year-old sister Laura, “Where is mummy?”

“She doesn’t live here anymore,” she stated flatly.

Her words shocked me. I started thrashing around and screaming hysterically, “Mummy, Mummy!” My father rushed into the room to rescue me and to pacify me.

“It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay. We’re here with you now.” I continued to cry hysterically. I felt dejected. Why did I seem to be the only one upset with this tragic news? I did not comprehend that my mother had been gone from home seven weeks. This was old news to Laura, but fresh news to me.

Fortunately, to cover my mother’s departure from our home, we were blessed with two wonderful housekeepers who tried to pick up the pieces. They had been provided at no cost to us by the Provincial Social Services. One or the other came daily during the week to take care of our needs. They were so kind and motherly that being with them helped our days to flow freely. My father said on many occasions that they spent more time playing and taking care of us individually than they did fulfilling household chores. He frankly preferred it that way. He said he would return home daily to three happy smiling faces and a somewhat disheveled apartment. Dishevelment was of no importance to him.

One day, my sister Laura and I looked in the window of a bakeshop that was located half a block from our apartment. In the center of the display window was a beautiful white cake with a maraschino cherry right in the middle on top. I was five and knew nothing about the Depression and how poor we were. When we returned home, I told my father about the beautiful cake and wondered if he would buy it for us.

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Win Prizes!

A FULL HOUSE BUT EMPTY VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR '09 will officially begin on July 6 and end on July 31. You can visit Angus' blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com in July to find out more about this great book and talented author!

As a special promotion for all our authors, Pump Up Your Book Promotion is giving away a FREE virtual book tour to a published author or a $50 Amazon gift certificate to those not published who comments on our authors' blog stops. More prizes will be announced as they become available.

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Ready for a bit of fun?! I have one copy of Full House - But Empty, by Angus Munro to giveaway to one lucky reader! I haven't had a chance to read this one yet, but am very anxious to do so. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below, along with you email address! Contest ends Aug. 1st!

Good luck, Everyone!