Writer and mother of four, Samantha Parent Walravens, teamed up with River Road Books on Friday night for a reading from her new book TORN: True Stories of Kids, Careers & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood at Nauvoo Grill in Fair Haven.

The book is a compilation of essays from over 40 writers on the highs and lows of motherhood -- from the balancing act between work and home to picking Cheerios up off the floor -- compiled by the Rumson native who is a fomer editor of PC World magazine.

Proceeds from the sale of TORN were donted to the Cristine Meredith Miele Foundation for breast cancer research, in honor of Walravens' childhood friend who lost her battle to breast cancer last year.

Essays in TORN run the gamut from "The Good Enough Mother" to Jessica Scott's account of leaving her children to serve a military tour of duty in Iraq in "Coming Home." Walravens, who lives is California, provided a little levity on Friday by reading the essay "Mother's Day is not for Wimps" by Cathleen Blood in which the author comes to terms with not living up to the Hallmark version of being a mom.