Kim Mooney

I am happy to call myself a writer! 

– KIM MOONEY

With my first published story in 1970 came a prize—a typewriter. A few short stories and a series of poems were written on that machine and then it was set aside in a drawer. My career has been an eclectic one since then, moving between teaching and hospital administration and back to teaching. No time for writing. When I retired in 2018, time and space opened in front of me.

The typewriter was replaced with my computer and I thought-let’s see what might happen! My first book Hidden Daughter-Secret Sister: A Story of Adoption was released in October 2020. My second book, IN AN INSTANT: Stories of Resilience and Courage is now complete and waiting for you!

A remarkable journey of resilience and courage through the eyes of nine wonderful storytellers.

I have always been fascinated with the concept of resilience-what is it and where does it come from? I studied what the experts said and I taught the ideas in my graduate school classes. In truth those classroom experiences were really discussions with no definitive answer. I continued to wrestle with my own thoughts and my curiosity grew. And the idea for this book was born. I realized through my musing that I knew resilient people and I wanted to write their stories-share them with the world. 

This book recounts the stories of nine ordinary people whose lives changed- IN AN INSTANT– forever. These are their stories of how resilience and courage helped them find a way forward. Each story is unique and how resilience and courage emerged is equally unique.

Experts in the field of reliance and courage talk about key factors that support a resilient nature. Having a good circle of friends, having a purpose in life, and understanding yourself are just a few. I learned that a sense of humour was also critical. Each person described at least one moment when laughter eased the sadness. And for a couple of my storytellers, belief in a higher power was essential. How and when these elements surfaced was different for each person. Being resilient reminded them that despite that tragic instant, their lives were worth living and they would find a path forward where the sun would shine again.

Available on Amazon, Indigo, Goodreads

A powerful adoption memoir about one woman’s search for her birth family, and the surprising secrets she uncovers along the way.

“I began life as a mistake, and everything else about my birth was shrouded in secrecy,” writes Kim Mooney in this brave memoir about healing the emotional wounds of adoption.

From the outside, Mooney’s childhood would have seemed almost idyllic: loving parents, lively siblings, and a comfortable home. And yet, throughout her life, she was haunted by the knowledge that she had been given up at birth, and wrestled with the accompanying feelings of shame, confusion, and fear of rejection—emotions that are all-too familiar among adoptees. 

With unflinching candour and self-awareness, Mooney recounts her journey from her life as an emotionally insecure child in 1950s Canada to a determined adult searching for her roots, and lays bare the deeply buried family secrets she uncovers along the way. 

As Mooney works to untangle the shame, confusion, and anger that can accompany adoption, she deftly weaves in the experiences of other adoptees, providing valuable insight into the psychological repercussions of adoption and how they can be addressed.

A complex and engaging book full of surprising revelations, Hidden Daughter, Secret Sister offers insights for adoptees struggling with their sense of place, and opens a window for birth parents, siblings, friends, and others into the adoptee experience.

Available on Amazon, Indigo, Goodreads

Email Kim

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