Nancy Range Anderson – Author

  I’ ve been reading about the allegations involving a former Cornell student and members of a fraternity. The events she describes took place in 2024. I’m hearing about them now because she filed a lawsuit this month, and the district attorney has reopened the criminal investigation. According to her lawsuit, she was drugged and sexually assaulted by multiple men over several hours. A message in a fraternity group chat allegedly invited others to come upstairs, referring to her in language so degrading I cannot bring myself to repeat it. She was 20 years old. I keep thinking about how many people might have had a chance to help her. Did anyone who saw that message ask whether she was safe? Did anyone check on her, tell the others to stop, or call for help? I am also troubled by what I’ve read about the consequences. Her attorney says two of the accused students were expelled and others received lesser sanctions, including suspensions, workshops, and essays. Cornell says expulsions...

  I’m developing a new interactive presentation, Preserving Family Memories , which I’ll be presenting to the Bonita Springs Historical Society in January. As I started thinking about the program, I realized that preserving family memories is about so much more than saving old photographs, letters and keepsakes. It’s about preserving the stories behind them . When I was 19, my first love broke my heart. I called my mother from college and cried my heart out. A few days later, a letter arrived from home. It was from my father. That alone made it special because my dad usually left the letter writing to my mother. But this time, he sat down with a pencil and wrote to his heartbroken daughter. He told me that everyone experiences heartbreak—he had, my mother had—and that life truly does go on. He reminded me that the world was my oyster, with so many places to explore and things to see. And he wrote a line I've never forgotten: “The harder the hammering, the stronger the steel.” More ...

  Today I visited the Long Branch Senior Center to share Caitlin’s Star. I'd hoped the story would invite people to reflect and share memories and the group gave me so much more.   They were warm and welcoming, and so willing to talk. There were tears, smiles, laughter, and hugs.   During our activity, many of the women wrote about what they imagined their loved ones might be doing among the stars. What amazed me was how often their answers involved music. Someone was singing. Others were directing or conducting, playing the drums, or singing opera. Each answer was personal, yet music seemed to connect so many of their memories.   One woman wandered into the room without signing up. Afterward, she told me she was so glad she had come because she was grieving and the program gave her a sense of peace. Then she said something I'll carry with me: “There was a reason I was there today.” Others shared similar feelings.   After the program ended, we stayed seated toge...

  Do you have a tradition that you’ve kept alive in your family? I’ve been thinking about the candles we placed in the windows of my family home and how that tradition inspired The Light in Grandmom’s Window . But today, my daughter Caitlin reminded me of another family tradition that I adore. When Caitlin and Christian were little, I rocked them and sang to them before bedtime. Some were lullabies I made up. Others were songs I loved. One song I sang to Caitlin night after night was Jimmy Buffett’s “ When the Coast Is Clear .” I still have the rocker. When I look at it, I can picture those special evenings with each of my children in my arms. Today I came across a video of Jimmy singing that song at a concert in Alabama in 2013. I sent the clip to Caitlin, remembering the nights I sang it to her. She wrote back that she had sung it to her daughter when she was a baby, and now they sing it together. I knew Caitlin had carried on the tradition, but her message brought those evenings...

  Today, I noticed a glaring error in the calendars I prepare and send to friends each year. Yom Kippur is incorrectly listed as September 22 in the 2027 calendar. Several days ago, I realized that Rosh Hashanah was missing from the 2027 calendar template used by the printing company. That was troubling enough. I spoke with one of my Jewish friends and asked whether she would mind if I added the holiday to her calendar myself. Today, as I prepared to send her calendar, I discovered another problem: Yom Kippur was included—but on the wrong date. It was listed as September 22. Now, I’m Catholic, but I know that Yom Kippur follows Rosh Hashanah. I checked the dates and confirmed that in 2027, Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown on October 1, and Yom Kippur begins at sundown on October 10. I wrote to the printer’s corporate office to report these serious errors. I don’t know how they happened, and I am not suggesting they were intentional. Still, at a time when antisemitism is a serious an...

  I’m delighted to introduce my new book, The Light in Grandmom’s Window. The story grew from a question that continues to touch my heart: How many older adults go through their days without receiving a visitor? In this short video , I share how Christian and Grandmom’s story encourages children, families, schools, and communities to bring friendship and light into the lives of older adults. I hope you’ll take a moment to watch—and perhaps think about someone whose day you could brighten.

  Have you ever stopped in your tracks because a song, a scent, or even the weather reminded you of something from your past? This wasn't yesterday! Yesterday, I was walking my dog on the beach. It was cool and damp, and the ocean was angry. Almost immediately, I was nine years old again, living in our house by the beach. Outside, the wind howled and the waves crashed, but inside, I felt cozy, warm, and safe while the storm blew around us. And what about a scent? The smell of warm chestnuts roasting on the streets of New York City in winter takes me back even further—to when I was a tiny girl living in Germany. Snow was falling during the Christmas markets, and the wonderful smell of chestnuts roasting at the vendors’ stalls filled the cold air. And songs—so many songs. Music can take us back to a particular place, but it can also return us to the person we were and the emotions we carried at that time. A few familiar notes can awaken feelings we may not have visited in years. Our ...

  I am delighted to share that The Light in Grandmom’s Window has officially been released! This story was inspired by my family’s tradition of placing candles in the windows as symbols of welcome, remembrance, and love. It follows nine-year-old Christian as he discovers how one small idea can bring friendship and light to the residents of his grandmom’s assisted living community. At its heart, the book is about noticing people who may feel forgotten and recognizing how much a simple act of kindness can mean. It also includes interactive pages that invite children, families, classrooms, and community groups to reflect, create, and find their own ways to share a light. Bringing this story from an idea to a finished book has been a labor of love. I am especially grateful to my family, whose memories, encouragement, and enthusiasm helped bring it to life. One candle can brighten a window. One friendship can brighten two lives. The Light in Grandmom’s Window is now available on Amazon:...

  I’m Nancy Range Anderson, author of Caitlin’s Star and The Light in Grandmom’s Window . My books bring children, families, and generations together through stories of love, remembrance, kindness, and connection. Here you’ll find the stories behind my books, meaningful activities for families and groups, personal reflections, and information about upcoming events. Stories have a way of helping us understand life’s most difficult moments. Caitlin’s Star was written to help children talk about loss, remember the people they love, and find comfort in the idea that love continues even after someone is gone. A simple light can remind us that no one should feel forgotten. The Light in Grandmom’s Window was written to encourage children to reach across generations, welcome others, and discover how one thoughtful act can brighten two lives. On this site, I share the stories behind my books, along with personal reflections about healing, family, resilience, and the small moments that re...

  Nancy Range Anderson Have you ever gotten choked up because you realized there was something you could no longer do—and might never be able to do again? That happened to me the other day when I discovered that I could no longer do Malasana, the deep yoga squat. I have been able to sit in that position since I was a little girl, and I could remain there comfortably for quite some time. Now? Nope. It simply isn’t part of my practice anymore—at least not in the way it once was. It may sound silly to become emotional over one yoga pose, especially after everything my body has carried me through. My right knee was replaced less than eight months ago, and I have worked hard for every bit of strength and movement I have regained. I know how fortunate I am. But Malasana connected me to the little girl I once was and to the woman who could still drop into that familiar position without giving it a thought. Losing it felt like another reminder that some things change as we grow older—and t...

I am delighted to share a first look at my new children’s book, The Light in Grandmom’s Window. The story explores family traditions, adapting to change, and the friendships that can grow between generations. It also includes interactive activities that encourage children, families, schools, and community groups to connect with older adults. The manuscript and cover are complete, and I have ordered the first printed proof. I hope to have the book available on Amazon by Christmas. One candle can brighten a window. One friendship can brighten two lives.

  September 11, 2001 was one of those days that you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing. September 11, 2001 My mother had been in Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, New Jersey, since the day before, when she underwent surgery for colon cancer. The news was grim. It was already going to be a hard day. My mother shared her hospital room with a woman who had undergone a double mastectomy. The woman didn’t have health insurance and told us that she was not permitted to have reconstructive surgery. She hadn’t even been given the small basin of toiletries—lotion, toothpaste, a toothbrush, and a comb—that patients ordinarily received. My mother gave the woman her own basin and comforted her as she spoke. Even while facing her own frightening diagnosis, my mother was thinking about someone else. That was who she was. That morning was gorgeous. The sky was crystal blue and cloudless, there was no humidity, and it was a perfect beach day. I was at my mother’s...

  On Sunday I had a playdate with a sweet little girl who is almost three. She is the granddaughter of a friend and has been asking to come over for quite some time. Sometimes, when I don’t get to love on my own grandchildren because they live too far away or have other plans, I get to be a stand-in grandmom to another sweet child. We played with the dollhouse, pushed the baby stroller, and rode on a rocking horse. Her nine-month-old sister came over too and happily wriggled her way across the floor. Life gives us little blessings every day—and so many reasons to smile!

  Labor Day is a time to reflect on the workers who struggled and fought for fair wages and reasonable hours—back when dangerous working conditions meant that people were sometimes injured or even killed on the job. It is also the unofficial end of summer. Around here, that means less noise, less traffic, fewer people on the beach, and the ability to get into a restaurant again without a long wait. Life at the beach begins to quiet down. Labor Day also brings back memories of celebrating with my family—the laughter, the pool, the honey ham, and my mother’s potato salad. It meant getting the school uniforms ready and making trips to Target for school supplies. And don’t forget the box of tissues for the classroom! Then it was early to bed in preparation for the first day of school. Labor Day carries so many meanings: honoring the people whose struggles improved working life for generations, saying goodbye to another summer, and remembering the family traditions that remain with us l...