By JESSICA SIEFF
Cassopolis Vigilant

For any family, the loss felt when a son, a grandson is lost tragically can be an experience so painful, so detrimental, it’s hard to put into words.

For Mary Rockett and her daughter, Tammy Rockett-Box, the loss of Tammy’s son became exactly the opposite.

It became an experience they had to put into words.

“We started writing because we the loss of my grandson,” Rockett said, discussing the mother-daughter team’s just published book “Tragic Love” from her home in Vandalia.
The story, about a young man who finds himself in a love affair that turns into something he hadn’t expected was “inspired by that situation.”

Rockett’s grandson died suddenly and tragically last year, when he committed suicide after grappling with a relationship his grandmother described as “abusive.”

Rockett and her daughter became increasingly concerned as authorities questioned the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

They turned their focus to the process those authorities were working through. Their notes would not go unused.

“We wanted to share this with other young people,” Rockett said. “It’s written for everyone … it could help them if they are in an unhealthy relationship.”

“Tragic Love” is the first book for the mother-daughter writing team. “We’re very excited about it,” she added.

She said the two collaborate well and have already finished their second book, a collection of three short stories entitled “Strange Happenings” and they are currently working on a novel.

All together “Tragic Love” took about a year to come to fruition, Rockett and Rockett-Box being published through Publish America, which offers the book for sale on its Web site and soon on Barnes & Noble’s Web site as well.

Rockett said there were very few challenges in getting the story down on paper and the mission remained clear.

“Young adults don’t realize there are all kinds of abuse,” she said. “And young men don’t tell it, they hide it … We used that as inspiration.”

The hope is those young men and women in unhealthy relationships might recognize the signs through reading “Tragic Love.”

Rockett still lives in Vandalia, having retired after working for the Dowagiac Post Office for 30 years and her daughter Tammy lives in Rockford Ill.