By Jennifer Sembler
Written by Rockville Centre native Maureen H. Cronin, the novel details the friendship of Rosemary and Christine, two women whose resilience in the face of adversity fosters their bond. It explores the true nature of love and understanding between two people. "It's the best book about friendship that I've ever read," said Stephanie Gilbert, Cronin's PR representative. "It's not just a sad, depressive read. There are some hilarious moments at times, which cut the heartache a little bit."
The novel, which took Cronin only a year to write, hits close to home for her. Though it is billed as fiction, the characters draw from Cronin's own experiences of her best friend's battle with cancer. The friend succumbed to breast cancer in September 1999. "I knew she only had a year to live," said Cronin. "And I started the novel as a journal entry in August 1998."
The novel chronicles the milestones of Rosemary's illness and her unwavering bond with Christine. "It's more a book about friendship than anything else," said Cronin. "What I took away from the experience is that I now know I'm capable of that kind of friendship and love, and someone is capable of that with me. She showed me that I was and that I could be [a good friend]."
After finishing the novel, shortly after her friend's death, Cronin went through three years of editing and searching for a publisher. After a chance encounter with the CFO of St. Martin's Press, Cronin was recommended to Author House, a self-publisher. She struck a deal with Author House, which agreed to pick up the novel as a print-on-demand book. "Go Faster Go: Memoir of a Friend" is now available at www.authorhouse.com as well as at any other book Web site. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Sloan Kettering Breast Cancer Unit and to St. Jude's Childhood Cancer Hospital.
Cronin, who still lives in Rockville Centre, is the senior copy manager for a market research firm in Port Washington. She is also working on a new novel.
She will hold a book signing on March 18 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 17 Butler St. in Westbury. For more information, call Stephanie Gilbert at (516) 414-8465.
