Overview

Named one of eleven blockbuster paperback releases of fall by The Seattle Times. At the age of eight, Linda Lockwood moves with her family to an isolated ranch in eastern Washington State. Within two years, she's patrolling the ranch on horseback alongside her border collie - herding sheep, killing rattlesnakes, and defending the ranch's livestock from coyotes, bears, and even trespassing hunters - and working tirelessly to realize her dream of training horses. But her most daunting challenge is one hard work can't overcome: her mother is descending into madness. And Linda's deepest fear is that she might inherit the schizophrenia that threatens to dismantle her family. At age twenty-five, Linda marries, but the joy of her first pregnancy is darkened by her mother's suicide. Then she endures a painful miscarriage and the death of her beloved grandmother, traumatic events that send her back in time to the births and deaths of animals - domesticated and wild - that she loved in childhood. Eventually, her own family grows, but her happiness is haunted by questions people have tiptoed around all her life. How did her mother become schizophrenic? What did she endure as a patient in 1960s mental hospitals? Might Linda and even her children be next to battle that catastrophic mental disorder? Driven by the courage and will she sharpened as a rancher, Linda vows to find out.

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9781647426347

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Reviews

"". . . Navigates the rich emotional spectrum of joys and hardships of farm life while confronting the tragic consequences of schizophrenia.""--Feathered Quill ""Sky Ranch is a deeply moving modern western memoir. The starkly beautiful Okanogan Highlands serve as the place where a young ranch girl comes of age, learning to navigate life's challenges, including bucking horses, deadly rattlesnakes, and the tragic mental illness of her mother. Highly recommended!""--Nicholas O'Connell, journalist, author, and founder of The Writer's Workshop Review ""A big-hearted memoir on the way a parent's mental health can shape a child's life.""--Kirkus Reviews ""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 ""As much a love letter to her family ranch as a tribute to her mother's arduous and painful journey, this stunning memoir will transfix.""--BookLife Reviews ""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 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 ""The author's childhood takes place in a world where she is in danger from rattlesnakes, bucking horses, and bears, while her young life is also shaped by her mother's chronic mental illness. Only later, when she researches her mother's history, can she come to understand her whole story, as large as that high country itself. Very well written, and a page-turner.""--Linda Joy Myers, president of the National Association of Memoir Writers and author The Forger of Marseille ""Vivid, all-encompassing, passionate and thought-provoking. . . highly recommended for any individual or group interested in considering the impact of mental illness on the family.""--Midwest Book Review ""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

"""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 ""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 ""I learned so much from Linda Lockwood as she revealed her childhood. Very well written, and a page turner."" --?Linda Joy Myers, president of the National Association of Memoir Writers and author The Forger of Marseille ""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 ""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 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 ""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 Bogot� ""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"

"""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 ""Vivid writing and the author's quest to understand her mother's troubled life take this captivating memoir to the next level--from shame to compassion for her mother's battle with schizophrenia, a testament to the enduring power of love and empathy."" --Beth Ann Mathews, author of Deep Waters: A Memoir of Loss, Alaska Adventure, and Love Rekindled ""Sky Ranch is a deeply moving modern western memoir. The starkly beautiful Okanogan Highlands serve as the place where a young ranch girl comes of age, learning to navigate life's challenges, including bucking horses, deadly rattlesnakes, and the tragic mental illness of her mother. Highly recommended!"" --Nicholas O'Connell, journalist, author, and founder of The Writer's Workshop Review ""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 ""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 ""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 ""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 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 ""The author's childhood takes place in a world where she is in danger from rattlesnakes, bucking horses, and bears, while her young life is also shaped by her mother's chronic mental illness. Only later, when she researches her mother's history, can she come to understand her whole story, as large as that high country itself. Very well written, and a page-turner."" --Linda Joy Myers, president of the National Association of Memoir Writers and author The Forger of Marseille ""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"

"""Sky Ranch is a deeply moving modern western memoir. The starkly beautiful Okanogan Highlands serve as the place where a young ranch girl comes of age, learning to navigate life's challenges, including bucking horses, deadly rattlesnakes, and the tragic mental illness of her mother. Highly recommended!"" --Nicholas O'Connell, journalist, author, and founder of The Writer's Workshop Review ""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 ""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 ""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 ""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 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 ""The author's childhood takes place in a world where she is in danger from rattlesnakes, bucking horses, and bears, while her young life is also shaped by her mother's chronic mental illness. Only later, when she researches her mother's history, can she come to understand her whole story, as large as that high country itself. Very well written, and a page-turner."" --Linda Joy Myers, president of the National Association of Memoir Writers and author The Forger of Marseille ""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 Bogot� ""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"

Author Information

Linda M. Lockwood lived and worked on an isolated wheat, sheep, and cattle ranch in rural North Central Washington from the age of eight. She holds a BA with Honors in mathematics from Central Washington University, an MA in economics from the University of Michigan, and a Certificate in Literary Nonfiction from the University of Washington. Linda enjoys reading books and writing her own, going on nature walks, traveling, and time with her daughters and grandsons. She lives happily in Seattle, Washington, with her husband.

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