How Many Letters Are in Goodbye by Yvonne Cassidy (Flux, 2016)
How Many Letters Are In Goodbye? by critically acclaimed author Yvonne Cassidy is the story of Rhea Farrell, a young Irish girl who, while homeless on the streets of New York, searches for clues about the life of her deceased American mother.
Seventeen-year-old Rhea carries the scars of a childhood accident in which she lost her arm. But Rhea also carries scars that aren’t so visible – the loss of a mother she hardly remembers, the impact of her father’s drinking and her confusion and pain around accepting her sexuality.
When Rhea runs away from her American family, who had taken her in after her father’s recent death, she turns to the person she always wished she could confide in – her mother. And just like she used to do as a little girl, she starts to write her letters – to tell her the things she can’t tell anyone else, to share her fears, to ask for help.
Rhea’s journey on the streets of New York brings her deeper into her mother’s past where she uncovers buried family secrets. And as she finds out more about the woman her mother truly was, Rhea also discovers just what kind of woman she wants to be.
Yvonne Cassidy is also the author of The Other Boy (2010) and What Might Have Been Me (2012). Cassidy has been featured in literary events in Ireland and the U.S., including: West Cork Literary Festival, Dublin Book Festival, Dalkey Book Festival, Irish Arts Center Book Day, PoetryFest New York, Long Island University “Voices of the Rainbow” series and “Artists Without Walls.” In addition to documentary writing, Cassidy has also written features for The Irish Times, The Irish Daily Mail, several lifestyle magazines, as well as on her blog, which was nominated for “Most Fascinating Blog 2012 Award.”
Currently, Cassidy works part time as Director of Development at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen – the largest emergency feeding program in New York. She also oversees the Writing Workshop founded by Ian Frazier, and enjoys teaching writing to soup kitchen guests and volunteers. She has also taught creative writing in Dublin as part of the prestigious Irish Times Training program. Originally from Dublin, Cassidy now lives on the Upper West Side with her wife. For more on Cassidy, please visit: www.yvonnecassidy.com