Send in the Clowns A Love Story With a Difference

I AM A MAN WHO HAPPENS TO BE A PRIEST, NOT A PRIEST WHO HAPPENS TO BE A MAN.' INTIMACY IS ABOUT DROPPING YOUR ROLE, NOT DROPPING YOUR PANTS.' Send In The Clowns' is the true story of the romance between two fi rst cousins, raised geographically a world apart, and living greatly contrasting lives, each with their own commitments; his to the Church as a Franciscan Friar/Priest for forty years; and hers to her marriage, her husband and their children. The book describes the joys, and the pain, for both as they attempt to reconcile their respective lifestyles, the strengthening of their feelings for each other, and their attempts to establish a future for themselves. A number of insights into the operations of, and lifestyles for members of a religious order are sensitively revealed, as are similar insights into the impact of alcohol and co-dependency within dysfunctional relationships. Eva and Eric are now happily married, and have been for fi fteen years. Despite Eva's divorced status, they have had their marriage convalidated in the Catholic Church with authority from the Archbishop of the region. They live in Perth, Western Australia. The title of the book relates to the lyrics of a song by Stephen Sondheim from the musical, A Little Night Music', from the book by Hugh Wheeler. Signifi cant parallels exist between the story-line in the book/musical and with the lives of the main characters in Send In The Clowns' , in particular relating to the triangulation of their lives.