Honey, I'm Home for Good!
by Shirley Tracy

When Mary Ann's husband came home one afternoon and announced he was moving his office into their house, Mary Ann was so stunned that she dropped the platter of meatloaf she was putting in the oven. Like the broken platter and splattered meatloaf, her life would never be the same.

Published by Focus on the Family/ Tyndale House, Honey, I'm Home for Good! by Mary Ann Cook offers practical tips and encouragement for anyone whose spouse comes home full-time. Whether facing retirement or working from home, couples will benefit from Mary Ann's insight. In the style of Erma Bombeck, she humorously guides the reader through the ABC's of coping--"Accepting Your Situation," "Bettering Your Situation," and "Cherishing Your Situation."

Mary Ann relates that in the early stages of her husbands "eternal presence," she complained to anyone who would listen. Learning that she was not the only one frustrated at having a spouse underfoot all the time, she began to research the topic, talking with pastors and counselors. Soon she led seminars and classes to help others. Honey, I'm Home for Good! Is her first book.

Throughout the 146 pages, Mary Ann draws from personal experience, interviews and published references. She gives anecdotes of real people many who attended her seminars. she discusses the advantages as well as the problems of too much "togetherness" and encourages couples to compromise, build on one another's strengths, and give each other space. In one chapter she suggests making a conscious effort to work on the relationship by dating one another again, and she even gives a list of things to do and places to go.

Mary Ann was born and raised in southern California. From early childhood, she loved to read and showed a serious interest in writing. She is a former feature's reporter for the San Diego Union-Tribune, and has been published in such magazines as Lifewise, Ladies Home Journal, and Today's Christian Woman.

This book has an easy, relaxed style. Even those who are not facing the imminent prospect of a "spouse in the house" will find Honey, I'm Home for Good! funny, informative, and inspiring.

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