The Crocodiles Will Arrive Later

 

 

A memoir of hope and resilliance.

 

As a five-year-old in midcentury suburban Los Angeles, Kathy McCoy's greatest fear was that she would grow up to be a San Fernando Valley housewife. 

Her second greatest fear was nuclear annihilation. In a childhood filled with horror, humor, cruelty and love, she also feared that her father would act on his threats to kill her, her brother Mike and sister Tai.

 

The family was haunted by what her father Jim called his “invisible crocodiles”: the depressions and delusions that pursued him as they had his mother before him, leading to alcoholism, drug abuse and a descent into madness. But Jim’s battle with his crocodiles wasn’t relentless. There were times of love and laughter. And there was hope.

 

This hope came from a loving aunt, an award winning poet, who sometimes wrote poems to soothe the pain, from two courageous nun teachers who confronted the darkness, grandparents who stepped in at two critical junctures and from an unlikely pair of celebrities – Cyril Ritchard and Davy Jones – who at different times and in a variety of ways inspired and encouraged Kathy to escape the horror and follow her dreams.

 

The Crocodiles Will Arrive Later is not a saga of toxic parenting, but a compassionate exploration of the truths behind the crocodiles and the importance of laughing between the pain as a survival tool. It is also a story of letting go with love on the path to emotional freedom.

 

(BookBaby)

 

Reviews

 

Booklife (by Publishers Weekly):

McCoy (We Don’t Talk Anymore) draws on her experience as a journalist and psychotherapist in this arresting memoir. She frankly faces her suburban childhood with an abusive father and the systemic ways in which generations of women in her life have been thwarted from achievement, and her story is powered by her determination to realize her full potential . . . Painful yet witty . . . McCoy adeptly plucks readers’ heartstrings . . . and, like that of any seasoned magazine pro, her sharp, polished prose abounds with candid reflections . . . her recollections, both humorous and shocking, will reverberate for readers of all backgrounds.

​

Romuald Dzemo, Readers Favorites, 5 Star Review:

“The Crocodiles Will Arrive Later is an engrossing memoir…told in a voice that is strong and lively, punctuated with humor. I was gripped from the very first page…The memoir captures her journey towards self-discovery and her understanding of family…insightful…emotionally rich.. It is wonderful story, a very healthy look at family dysfunction and an inspiring tale about the true meaning of human connection. It is as entertaining as it is poignant.”

​

Ruffina Osurio, Readers Favorites, 5 Star Review:

“The Crocodiles Will Arrive Later is a memoir filled with beauty and humor. Kathy McCoy is a great entertainer and while this is a memoir, it feels like well-crafted fiction.”

                                                           

Lesley Jones, Readers Favorites, 5 Star Review:

"An engaging read from the first chapter…a terrific example of seemingly ordinary people achieving extraordinary goals in life against all odds. It was a great insight into what goes on behind closed doors..."

                                                            

Vincent Dublado, Readers Favorites, 5 Star Review:

"Kathy McCoy’s memoir proves that she has a creative genius for putting family issues into potent non-fiction with grit and pathos. This is a memoir that recognizes family imperfections and what role this plays in our lives and how we gain significant strength over it."

                                                        

Folusa Falaye, Readers Favorites, 5 Star Review: 

"This poignant memoir…is a story about laughter, pain, love and finding the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel…it pulled me in…I had fits of laughter, moments of tears, moments when my mouth was wide open with astonishment (and my friend had to ask if I was okay). I was deeply moved by Kathy McCoy’s story. She has added more beauty to the world with her book."

                                                        

​