![\"Author](\"https:\/\/www.send2press.com\/wire\/images\/20-0909-author-Melanie-Donus-696x522.jpg\")
PHOTO CAPTION: Melanie Donus, author of “Leaning On Mom: Letters to Roberta, How a Mom of Three with Autism Found Strength During the Pandemic.”<\/em><\/p>\n
\u201cI suddenly found myself in sink or swim mode and had to find a creative outlet to alleviate stress. Writing letters to my mom helped me cope with our suddenly upside down world and provided a soothing sense of calm, inspiration and motivation, Donus said.\u201d Her efforts soared in the ranks during pre-sale giving her an Amazon \u201cBest Selling Author\u201d badge.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeaning On Mom: Letters to Roberta, How a Mom of Three with Autism Found Strength During the Pandemic\u201d (ISBN: 978-0578741789) provides a raw and humorous window into the world of author Melanie Donus, who could be viewed as the next Marvel superhero. In this collection of letters to her own mother, Roberta, Melanie shares what day-to-day life was like for her and her family during the first four months of the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n
Donus has \u201cthree boys who are quite different, but all who need their routine, structure, education, treatment, school, and therapists. Suddenly, Melanie had to be all those things,\u201d says Ray Cepeda, Founder and Director of ABAskills, who wrote the Foreword for Leaning on Mom.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease be extra kind to an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) mom if you see her in the community over the next few months. Getting \u2018back to normal\u2019 is not in our vocabulary,\u201d Donus says.<\/p>\n
The scenes in\u00a0\u201cLeaning on Mom\u201d\u00a0move quickly and reveal the endless questions, epic meltdowns, musical Zoom calls, behavior challenges, and heart-wrenching moments that show Donus\u2019 boys regressing before her eyes.\u00a0Her journey through the decision process and arrangements for\u00a0one of her boys to relocate to an out-of-state residential school is particularly moving.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeaning on Mom\u201d is NOT, however all \u201cdoom and gloom.\u201d Donus details her challenge unfriending \u201cDonna\u201d (code for chardonnay) and includes stories of miracles, heroes, and unexpected acts of kindness. Donus dedicates the book to herself not to reflect narcissism but as a way to shine a light on the enormous responsibilities of those who give 200 percent to their autistic children, leaving little time for themselves. She recognizes that this can result in isolation, loneliness, and a reliance on alcohol as a best friend; and shares her pandemic journey to sobriety, the second pivotal point in her life when she turned away from alcohol.<\/p>\n
These un-sugarcoated scenes from the real life of a resilient and resourceful mom as she navigates unprecedented challenges will educate readers about Autism Spectrum Disorder and inspire them to find their own inner strength. This snapshot in time is one for the history books.<\/p>\n
ABOUT MELANIE DONUS<\/strong><\/p>\n Melanie Donus is the proud mother of three school-aged children, Dimitri (17), Michael (17), and Maxx (12), who all have Autism Spectrum Disorder and three very different profiles of abilities and challenges. She lives on Long Island, New York, with her husband Andrew. Leaning on Mom is Melanie\u2019s first book and became a pre-sale Best Seller on Amazon.<\/p>\n Learn more at: https:\/\/www.melaniedonus.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n VIDEO (YouTube): https:\/\/youtu.be\/Ve5cjHzr97s<\/a><\/p>\n
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