Books & Resources
Welcome to my favorite place! As a child, I was inspired by the whimsical, yet often deep, poems of Shel Silverstein. And through his words and stories, I developed a fancy for flip-flopping words upside down, dressing them, and spritzing their curves with my Victoria's Secret perfume.
This space is a living, breathing source of inspiration to help you grow, connect, and smile as much as possible. And, it is a work in progress so please bear with me while I slowly, but surely start to roll this out. But until then, I figured why not lead with a couple of my own creations, both of which were birthed after my youngest daughter entered the world.
If you would have asked five-year-old Tara if I ever saw myself blooming into an author, the answer would have been a clear and definitive, "No Way!" Because back then, my top choices were princess or mermaid. However, picking up the pen, and pecking on the keyboard, became therapeutic for me after battling an infant with colic while enduring all of the other ups and downs of motherhood. And, by the grace of God, I was fortunate enough to have my works published.
My goal is to provide you with a continuous trickle of books and other resources on this page to help you get through "this thing called life." From parenting and family health to midlife, healthy aging, and everything in between, this collection will continue to grow as we do.
-Tara
The Colic Chronicles
After surving an infant with colic, my mission in life became helping other mothers in the trenches. And not only did I want to provide some helpful ways to help fussy babies, my goal was to ensure other mothers knew they were not alone, they were not crazy, and if they wanted to eat handfuls of dark chocolate in a corner somewhere, then do it already.
With an introduction by Dr. Shoshana Bennett, author of Postpartum Depression for Dummies, this humorous and insightful guide is a great resource for any new mom juggling life.
Published by Hachette Book Group (Formerly Da Capo Press, 2008)
The Medicine Mom
As a pharmacist and mother of two, I created The Medicine Mom-a fun, yet informative health and wellness column designed to help keep our kiddos healthy and parents sane.
Launched in 2006, my column quickly became a regular feature in over two dozen regional parenting magazines including Richmond Parents, Charlotte Parents, and New York Parent. It was also featured in the Chicago Tribune and Orlando Sentinel.
Although I have since retired this column, you can still view it today on select online resources.
Book Reviews- The Colic Chronicles
"The Colic Chronicles" is honest, practical help for the mothers of a colicky baby. The book is funny, witty, honest and reassuring. From start to finish, Kompare manages to cover each issue the mother of a colicky baby may face with humor and insight. She covers: How to handle the news, getting help, feelings of inadequacy, ways to soothe your colicky baby, and many more spot-on issues. A mom dealing with colic will find instant comfort and help without having to go to a support group!"
Claudine Wolk
"My baby had colic for the first couple of months. I liked this book because it is one of a kind where a mom of a colicky baby shares her own personal experience with a sense of humor and practical advice. Unlike other books, this author actually went through the experience."
Anonymous
"This book was so cute and funny! I really liked that it had useful information, but wasn't preachy or patronizing. Kompare's ability to laugh at herself and see the humor in an admittedly dark situation made this book a pleasure to read. The "Countdown Calendar" at the back was a great idea. I would recommend this book as a perfect baby shower or new mom gift. Can't wait to read more from this author."
S. Gillette