Celebrating a Nonagenarian, by J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb

Book 1 of the award-winning Twisted Climb series

Celebrating a what? Nonagenarian? 

That's the literary term I just learned and it describes a person in their 90s. My Irish-born and -raised mother recently celebrated this remarkable event and I was most fortunate to be part of her special day. 

Me and me Mather.
She's 90 years young and still loves to make a silly face.

My mom at 27 years young and loving the silly face :)

My mom has taught me that a keen sense of humour will keep you young. She is definitely proof of that! 

I also learned, from dictionary.com, that the following terms apply for the decade of your lifespan.

Quadragenarian: 40 - 49 years of age. From the Lain word quadragenarius, meaning "consisting of 40"

Quinquagenarian: 50 - 59 years of age. In the 1500s, the word was originally used to describe a Commander of 50 soldiers. In the 1800s, the meaning changed and the word referred to a person's age. From the Latin word quinquagenarius, meaning "containing fifty" or "fifty each"

Sexagenarian or Sexegenary: 60-69 years of age. From the Latin word sexagenarius, from sexageni, meaning "sixty each," or "sixty."

Septuagenarian: 70-79 years of age. Also Septuagenary. From the Latin word septuagenarius, from septuageni, meaning "seventy each" and from septuaginta, "seventy"

Octogenarian: 80-89 years of age. 

Nonagenarian: 90-99 years of age.

Centenarian: 100-109 years of age.

Super-Centenarian: 110+ years of age. 

In my Twisted Climb series, the three main characters (Jayden, Connor and Max), are teenagers - also referenced in these terms: adolescents, juvenescence or juveniles, pubescence. The parents of the main characters are quadragenarians, and in the case of Jayden's troubled mother, a new term I just made up: biahtchagenerian. Book 3 of this award-winning series is in the works. Stay tuned... in the meantime, be safe everyone!

J.C. Kavanagh, author of
The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2)
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll and Best YA Book FINALIST at The Word Guild, Canada
AND
The Twisted Climb,
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll

voted 2021 Best Local Author, South Simcoe, Ontario
Novels for teens, young adults and adults young at heart
Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com
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