Karen Martin

MA Writing, 2020

My book, Memorable Loss, is being released on 11 July 2023. I began it whilst writing in Prof Andrew Williams' non-fiction class, and developed it in the Memory Studies unit with Prof Alison Ribeiro de Menezes. Following encouragement from Alison, I was fortunate enough to be mentored by Prof Maureen Freely for a year, whilst I concentrated on crafting my book.

It focuses on friendship and its changing dynamic once a diagnosis of dementia is received. It examines the neurology and psychology of dementia and the way we can respond to friends who are living with the disease.

It's narrative non-fiction - it tells our story and shows readers how we overcame some of the difficulties thrown our way. Dementia touches the lives of many of us - those of us diagnosed and those of us living alongside a friend, spouse or loved one. I hope this book will make you laugh and make you cry. I hope it is a tool to help as many people as possible to live well with dementia.