Title: Six Months
Author: Mona Sedrak
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Book Blurb:
For twenty years, Mikala Jacobson had it all: loyal friends, a precious little girl, and a man who adores her. Then double tragedy strikes and her perfect world shatters.
Good friends, Rena and Jake are instantly by her side, protecting her from her hus- band David’s sordid secret life and his final drunken confession.
With their help, Mikala finds strength to rebuild and redefine her life. As her spirit and heart heal, she not only finds closure, but the beauty of a new love built upon an old friendship.
Excerpt:
The trail came to an abrupt end into a roped-off area covered in pine needles. The trees were tall and thick, obscuring the intensity of the sun, and the clearing was cool. Shafts of sunlight came through the branches giving the illusion of walking into a cathedral. The cool and peaceful atmosphere tempted the butterflies to come out for a dance. And they did. The monarchs were everywhere––hanging from pines, clumping on branches, and filling the air with their unique whirring sound––music to the ears, a balm to the soul.
“Oh my God, Jake. Is this place real?” Mikala whispered.
“I’ve never seen anything like it, and I’ve been to some pretty amazing places. But this...” Jake shook his head. He held her in his arms––her back to his front. They stood in the middle of the clearing surrounded by thousands of miraculous monarchs, swaying to the music they made.
Mikala closed her eyes and laid her head back against Jake. As butterflies landed on her face, tickling her nose and chin, she smiled. “This is heaven.” She sighed. “This is where our butterfly is.” Tears slid down her cheeks, and the moisture attracted the butterflies.
“Yeah, baby. I think you’re right,” Jake whispered in her ear.
Except for the sounds of nature, silence reigned. With Mikala in his embrace, Jake swayed. In this miraculous place, he was finally at peace, and he was certain Mikala was, as well. Jake swallowed passed the lump in his throat. He nodded. Jesus, this woman brought him to his knees. She thought she’d survived because of him. But the truth was, she’d saved him, changed and transformed him.
Grabbing his hand, she squeezed it. “Think about how a butterfly develops, Jake. It starts as an egg, grows into a larva, and then a caterpillar. In a span of a month, a tiny egg becomes a glorious butterfly. The transition is massive. The butterfly looks nothing like the egg it started as. It changed, grew, and survived. Then the butterfly unfurls into something spectacular.”
Jake brought her hand to his lips. “Just like you, baby,” he said in a husky voice. “You’re spectacular. You survived, changed, and grew. You brought me along with you. You’re a monarch, my love. God, how I love you. I’m humbled by your resilience, strength, and beauty.”
Mikala slid her hands up Jake’s chest and wound them around his neck as his arms wrapped around her. “Can this beautiful life be real? Is this really my life, now?” Her eyes were wide. “I never thought I could be this happy and this hopeful ever again. People said time heals, but I thought they were crazy. I didn’t think I would ever find peace and true joy again.”
“Look around, Micky.” Jake scanned the vicinity. “This is as real and as miraculous as life gets. Every day we wake up is a gift. How we choose to handle the minutes, hours, days, months, and years we are given is up to us. Every day I’m grateful I have you in my life. I love you, sweetheart.”
“Every second counts, Jake. Let’s never forget that. Every second, every heartbeat, and with every breath, I will love you, my Superman.”
Buy Links:
Audible: http://bit.ly/6monthsaudible
Amazon: http://bit.ly/6monthsaudio
What’s your favorite activity to shake off the winter doldrums?
I must confess I love winter, but sometimes it can drag on a bit. So, if I can, I visit friends and family in warm places. Even short trips help. I do a day of pampering– –massage, pedicure, manicure. I also plan a summer vacation and explore all kinds of great places – virtually. Now for another confession - I spring clean! I know this sounds weird, but for some reason, spring cleaning closets and cabinets help me see spring and summer are around the corner and who wants to work inside when the weather is beautiful. Finally, there are a lot of great books set on the beach, and I take advantage of all my favorite authors and sink into a good book, transporting myself to another place and time––with a margarita in hand, of course!
Why is your featured book a cure for the winter blues?
Six Months is a story that immediately captures the reader from the first paragraph. If you have to be inside because of the weather, why not curl up with a book you can lose yourself in? While the story has a sad start, it is one that many can relate to and leads to a heart-warming ending. Once readers begin reading Mikala’s story, they will turn page after page, rooting for her and Jake. Never mind the snow, sleet, or cold and forget about your own troubles for a while. Here is what I suggest––grab a box of chocolate, a glass of delicious wine, put on a pair of comfy PJs, and grab a copy of Six Months or download the audio version and sit back and relax. Winter will soon be over.
Giveaway:
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Open internationally.
Runs March 1 – 31
Drawing will be held on April 1.
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
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