Description
“Author Linda M. Lockwood holds nothing back in crafting this profound and emotional read. . . . Overall, Sky Ranch: Reared in the High Country is a deeply inspirational work that fans of well-penned, immersive memoirs will no doubt enjoy from cover to cover.”
—Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review
“Linda M. Lockwood’s setting in Sky Ranch is not a dude ranch—it is the setting for a family secret, one that haunted the author’s childhood. Just as she rode her horse through the hills rounding up the family’s sheep, as an adult she discovered and brought together the elements of a gripping story about her mother’s mysterious illness.”
—Christine Hemp, author of Wild Ride Home
“A poignant tribute to the joys and hardships of a caring but troubled ranching family that must navigate the rocky terrain of mental illness. Lockwood’s prose is rich. Sky Ranch is an intimate portrayal of a young woman’s vulnerability and tenacity as she comes to terms with an arduous physical and emotional upbringing. A deeply engaging and thought-provoking read.
—Teresa H. Janssen, author of The Ways of Water: A Novel
“With a backdrop of vividly portrayed ranch life, Sky Ranch gives the reader visceral insight into what it is like for a child and a family when a parent is mentally ill and cannot or will not get the care they need—a problem as relevant today as it was decades ago. This book is an absorbing and insightful read, a must for any family touched by mental illness.”
—Patricia Grayhall, author of Making the Rounds
“Against the backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, Lockwood locks down a tale of survival of the fittest—one woman vs. one family. Forced to escape, forced to return, the writer’s only recourse is writing. Well written, well plotted, and well told—Sky Ranch records the author’s lifelong quest for purchase—a place to stand, a need to compromise, a chance to heal.”
—Robert J. Ray, author of Play or Die: Senior Tennis and the Art of Spin
“The ranch’s isolation provides a metaphor for the lonely journey loved ones of the mentally ill must traverse to find their way to truth and acceptance. A profound read for those who care for and about the mentally ill.”
—Linda Moore, author of Attribution and Five Days in Bogotá
“Linda M. Lockwood’s memoir, Sky Ranch, reads like a wonderful novel—one filled with excitement, drama, and mystery. Her evocative tale sweeps you into the rugged Okanogan Highlands of Washington state where Linda comes of age on a sheep and cattle ranch. Her adversaries aren’t just cougars, bears, and rattlesnakes—but her mentally ill mother as well. Linda’s struggle to trail blaze through a hardscrabble existence—largely on her own—makes for compelling reading.”
—H. W. “Buzz” Bernard, author of the When Heroes Flew series
“Linda Lockwood’s memoir is a personable, heart-warming tale of life on a ranch—and a woman’s vividly told search for her disappearing mother who vacillated between psychotic paranoia and extreme depression. A richly rewarding read.”
—Scott T. Driscoll, author of Better You Go Home
