Billie Best is the author of two books that came out in 2020. A memoir titled “How I Made a Huge Mess of My Life (or Couples Therapy with a Dead Man)“ and a collection of essays and short stories titled “I Could Be Wrong: 50+ Blog Posts, Short Reads, Big Laughs, Wit & Wisdom“. Published by Widowspeak Publishing and available in paperback and ebook. See my Amazon Author Page.
“Brave, boisterous, ballsy and just downright fun to read.”
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In this uplifting memoir Billie Best tells the truth about her life. Things look perfect on the outside, but she’s faking it. Inside she’s a mess. After 32 years of marriage, she’s a widow alone in her dream house keeping up appearances as she discovers the details of her husband’s affair. Yet she protects his secret, even from her friends, because she feels like a failure. It takes years for her to embrace her mistakes, let go of her past, and reinvent herself, but with gutsy determination she does it. Women challenged by the need to adapt to a new life, downsize and start over, will be inspired by this story of strength and resilience.
Best’s story about finding love both sensually and architecturally—along with disaster in both realms—is brave, boisterous, ballsy and just downright fun to read. The voice is accessible but intelligent, candid but heartfelt. Get copies for your favorite friends because if they borrow it, they’ll never give it back! —Courtney Maum, The Year of the Horses
A force of pure energy and determination, there is nothing Billie won’t tackle: the perfect marriage, the mid-life career change from successful executive to idealistic farmer, and even, when her husband falls terminally ill, orchestrator of a flawless death-plan according to his wishes. But it takes her ten years of denial and suffering to confront and then triumphantly overcome the cracks in this ideal picture, the specter of infidelity beyond the grave, her obsessive need for tidiness and order, and her attachment to ephemeral things. —Hester Velmans, Slipper
Billie Best knows her way around rock bands, corporate America, small scale farming, and the most complicated business of all: matters of the heart. With her powerful writing, sentences that can lasso, seduce, inspire, and bring tears to eyes, Ms. Best ventures where few dare with such naked honesty. —Maria Nation, The Beach House
“Hilarious! And beautifully written. She has conjured an ageless way to shine.”
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Laugh! Love! Listen! Billie Best’s relatable point of view will have you doing all three as she shares the everyday truths of life beyond 60 in this collection of essays and short stories originally published on her blog at billiebest.com. Easy reading meant to be consumed in bite-sized chunks, these three-minute riffs offer a mini vacation for your mind with bursts of gut punching humor, insightful observations, and colorful characters. Just what you need to age fearlessly. You’ll be validated, inspired, and amused. Previously published as a weekly blog, each post in the book is refreshed with an illustration by Brenda Rose.
Praise from readers —
Once again, Billie Best has captured what it’s like to be a woman, and human! Each short story has a punch of reality, humor, and raw honesty. You’ll catch yourself nodding in agreement and understanding. Her writing is so intelligent and appealing, and makes you look at your own life and admit, I Could Be Wrong! — SF
Billie with her candid, witty, keen insight and hilarious writing style entertains and comforts with pizzaz! I LOVE this book. “I Could Be Wrong” is color, texture, and all heart. — SS
Hilarious! And beautifully written. By capturing her experience and allowing us to laugh, she has conjured an ageless way to shine. — HM