Title: Gravity
Author: Mona Sedrak
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Book Blurb:
Gravity: A force pulling together people and hearts.
After being shunned by her Middle Eastern family, medical assistant Leila Solomon struggles to build a life for herself and her child. Landscape photographer Aiden Stone built a career seeing what others miss, and the second he meets Leila, he is drawn to her unassuming beauty and fragile strength.
Leila cannot defy the gravitational forces pulling her toward Aiden and to the family who cast her out. To build a future with Aiden, she must face the past but is she strong enough to resist being pulled back into the family fold?
Excerpt:
Aiden stopped pacing. His brain once conjured an image of the perfect family––his family. He first pictured them as he sat on the beach with Leila, asking for her forgiveness after he stood her up. He searched his memory banks, recalling the image. His breath hitched as his brain hiccupped and the picture focused with such clarity his hands shook, and the crystal tumbler slipped from his fingers, shattering on the deck and spraying scotch across the wood.
Leila stood on the beach laughing with her gorgeous midnight curls flowing down her back, holding their boy’s hand. AJ’s green eyes danced as he grinned. With his free hand he grasped his little sister’s tiny palm––her wispy blonde hair tousled by the wind. Aiden closed the circle, holding Leila’s hand in one of his and Mia’s in the other. Each member of his family was unique. They didn’t resemble each other, but that fact didn’t matter because their hearts were in sync. The ties that bind were invisible yet strong as steel.
“Aiden? Are you there? Are you okay?”
As the image receded, Aiden blinked. But before the photo completely dissipated, a strong wind battered their circle, and the smile slid off Leila’s face. Their hands were torn apart, breaking their circle and fissuring their foundation. Blinking again, Aiden focused on the shards of glass surrounding him. He gasped for air.
No matter what either of them did, or how hard they resisted, gravity drew them together. But could the awesome force of gravity be defied?
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/GRGravity
What’s your favorite part about being a romance author?
Writing romance is essentially a happy process with a happy ending for the author and the reader. In today’s stressful atmosphere, writing a novel that takes people out of their daily life and gives them a story they can lose themselves in is a gift. My stories have complex characters with complex lives, and readers do experience a variety of emotions, but the ending is always a celebration of life and love.
For me, world-building and character building is the most important piece of writing. Every author is different, but that is where I start. Once I know my characters well and their goals, I begin to create a world that is based in reality. My characters struggle with real life issues and overcome many challenges, but because I am a romantic at heart, love always conquers all, and the reader finishes the last page with a smile and maybe a few tears of joy.
Here’s my tip to add romance to your love life:
I have been married for thirty-five years this coming July, and my views on romance and love have changed over time. I was only nineteen when I met my husband and four months later we were married. That nineteen year old girl thought she knew what love and romance was, but she had stars in her eyes as she should have at such a young age.
After a lifetime of love and romance with the same man, I can honestly say that I love him more today than I did yesterday, the day before, or the day we married. For me, romance is about the everyday little things we do for one another, creating a strong connection that binds us together through thick and thin. Mr. S. makes me coffee and brings it to me in bed every morning and a mug of my favorite tea every evening. For no good reason, he buys me a bunch of glorious yellow roses every week. He empties the dishwasher, a chore I despise, and he goes grocery shopping and buys all the things on my list and a bunch of other things I told him not to like my favorite chocolate, cookies, and ice-cream.
Under the careful loving care of Mr. S I am getting fat and sassy, but most of all I am getting all the love and romance a woman ever dreamed of. So no I don’t have a magical tip to add romance today, but a series of intentional actions that become routine because you love the person you are with, and you want them to know it every single day. Don’t wait until Valentine’s Day to say you love one another. Instead, show that love in a variety of small actions daily because every day you are with the one you love is a day to celebrate.
Giveaway:
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Open internationally
Runs February 1 – 28, 2021.
Drawing will be held on March 1, 2021.
Author Biography:
Mona Sedrak lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and works as a university administrator and professor. Although she has co-published two academic books, she is now writing mainstream fiction and women's fiction. She is an avid reader and is probably Audible's best customer.
Writing and reading fiction is her escape from reality.
Mona lives with her husband of 30+ years, a geriatric maltipoo, and an Amazon Parrot named Pretzel. She binge watches too many shows to count and she loves fine brandy.
Social Media Links:
Website: https://www.monasedrak.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMSedrak
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/h1a1s0
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormonasedrak/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mona-sedrak