Mother of Canadian Soldier reveals turbulent emotions in Stabat Mater, her first full-length one-act

Lauree Laing clearly remembers the day her son flew over to Afghanistan for his first tour of duty. “I damned and blessed him in a single breath,” says Laing, shaking her head as she smiles. “Three years and three tours later, I still do.”

It was this intense blend of emotions that led her to write her first one-act play, Stabat Mater, now available through Dragonfly Media Publishing. Involved in live theatre since high school, Laing, now a resident of Winchester, Ont., finally put pen to paper when a good friend encouraged her to write her own play, and to write what she knew.

Stabat Mater – Latin for “The Mother Remains” – was the result. It is a one-act play of three waiting women, three epic ages, and one unimaginable purgatory: awaiting the return of a child gone off to war. Laing weaves insight, humour and depth into this one-act play, masterfully telling a story of opposing forces — love and hate, peace and anger.

Stabat Mater is published by Dragonfly Media Publishing, a Canadian book publisher specializing in print-on-demand. “They’ve been supportive and encouraging during the whole process,” says Laing. “They believed in the play as much as I did.”

“This is a story that should be told,” says Tobi McIntyre, Dragonfly Media Publishing editor. “Not many of us consider the torment families of soldiers feel, the uncertainty they live with everyday. We should.” With this in mind, Dragonfly Media Publishing is donating proceeds from each sale to The Military Family Resource Centre.

“I wanted to do something. And now I am,” says Laing. Stabat Mater is now available in stores and online. Check out Stabat Mater at www.dragonfly-publishing.com to buy your copy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauree Laing was born in London, Ont., raised in Guelph, and educated in Toronto. Winchester, her home for the past several years, is the terminus of her eastward drift. She shares her life with a never-boring husband, two lovely daughters, a pair of delusional cats and a moosesized mutt with a heart of gold but a very limited neural net. Her son is a member of The Royal Canadian Regiment.

ABOUT DRAGONFLY MEDIA PUBLISHING
Dragonfly Media Publishing (www.dragonfly-publishing.com) is a book publishing company, specializing in print-on-demand. They accept manuscript submissions, but also offer services in editing, design, layout and promotion.