Attempting to make sense of her life, and change her sad disposition to a happy one, the author of In the Backyard: Relearning the Art of Aging, Dying and Making Love seeks out the help of her in-house therapist/husband, Dr. George Nemeth. The accredited psychologist's answers to the big questions provide a compassionate and humorous backdrop on to how to seize the day and not give up hope when faced with the nasty realities of poor health and unrealized aspirations.

Montrealer Mary Melfi has published over a dozen books of critically acclaimed poetry, prose and plays. Her first novel, Infertility Rites, was translated into French and Italian as was her memoir, Italy Revisited. Melfi received the Giornata Internazionale Della Donna Award in 2010.