Book Series Project

Question: Why am I writing these books?  

Helen Ellis:  Each generation of a distance family has their own 'package' of life stuff they deal with. Distance familying isn't easy and each generation benefits from understanding how it is for the 'other'. That knowledge creates empathy and empathy is an important ingredient of successful distance familying. My intention is to encourage all generations to read all books. I welcome your stories for inclusion in my books.

"Empathy costs nothing, but gives a lot."
​Bridget Romanes, MOBILE - Relocation Experts

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Being a Distance Grandparent

Whether you have been a distance grandparent (or distance parent) for 20 days, 20 months or 20 years you will find comfort in Helen's words as she unpacks this prolific, whilst still under-the-radar social phenomenon. Distance grandparenting can, at times, be a rather lonely experience full of mixed emotions. Reading others' experiences can be informing, uplifting and encouraging.



Story contributions: closed
Publication: March/April 2021
For more information click here

Being a Distance Son or Daughter

​Being a distance child can, at times, feeling like a tight rope of obligations. Likely your parents said, "You can do anything"... and that is exactly what you have done. You have followed your dreams, or a career or a partner and settled in another country. But sometimes life gets complicated and you are torn. Guilt about left-behind family can raise its ugly head. How do you as a distance son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or partner navigate your role? What have you learned?

Story contributions: accepting now
Publication: 2021+

Being a Distance Grandchild

​​Have you grown up away from your grandparents? Is it important to you to involve them in your life or to learn about the country where they are? For some, there will be effort put in to maintain a relationship, and for others the distance may have created too difficult a dynamic to bother. There may not have been any choice on your part to be far away — how has this affected you? What is your experience?


Story contributions: accepting now
Deadline for contributions: T.B.A.
Publication: 2021/22

All books will be of interest to all generations.
I welcome your stories, musings, vignettes or reflections.
One story or several. ​
​Just a few lines or a few paragraphs.​
Please email Helen for a chat.

South African connections? click on the flag 

What does the 'distance' of distance familying mean?

​There are no hard and fast rules on what is distance but, as a guideline, if you live in a different time zone from your family, or if a 'weekend visit' – by either party – is logistically just about impossible due to a long flight or many hours of driving, then that is certainly a 'distance' relationship.