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Rachel Pappas

"Hopping Roller Coasters" tells the story of author Rachel Pappas who was an in-your face mother, but loved her daughter more than life. "Mom doesnt play around when the neighborhood bullys taunting got way out of hand. She stood up to hard-nosed teachers who didnt get that you dont punish a child whos flailing; Marina needed help. And she sat in the front row, clapping till her palms hurt when her half-Greek, half-Jewish daughter took the podium at her predominantly African American schoolglowing in her cap, gown, and greased cornrows."

No one was going to hurt Marina. No one. Except Rachel herself, diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a condition her daughter would struggle with too. This is the story of a mother and daughters journey, a two-decade-long roller coaster ride. Actually youre hopping from one roller coaster to the next through this openly told story of unexpected turns and pure love. A story thats both intense and quite funny at times as Rachel takes you on the journey of Marina's psychiatric hospitalizations, cutting and overdosing, while Rachel deals with her own demons and the diagnosis of cancer.

This openly, honestly told story finally comes full circle leaving us with lessons on redefining success, mortality, loving, forgiving and being forgiven.