Shaela Kay's Blog

A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner
 

February, 1946. World War Two is over, but the recovery from the most intimate of its horrors has only just begun for Annaliese Lange, a German ballerina desperate to escape her past, and Simone Deveraux, the wronged daughter of a French Resistance spy.

Now the two women are joining hundreds of other European war brides aboard the renowned RMS Queen Mary to cross the Atlantic and be reunited with their American husbands. Their new lives in the United States brightly beckon until their tightly-held secrets are laid bare in their shared stateroom. When the voyage ends at New York Harbor, only one of them will disembark...

Present day. Facing a crossroads in her own life, Brette Caslake visits the famously haunted Queen Mary at the request of an old friend. What she finds will set her on a course to solve a seventy-year-old tragedy that will draw her into the heartaches and triumphs of the courageous war brides and will ultimately lead her to reconsider what she has to sacrifice to achieve her own deepest longings. _______________  Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a huge Susan Meissner fan. She is one of the authors on my very short auto-buy list – meaning, as soon as I hear she has a new book out, I preorder it, haha. Though she has written over a dozen books, I am most familiar with her historical fiction novels and have read them all. They are all wonderful, though I believe some to be better than others.

"A Bridge Across The Ocean" was fantastic. Because I stalk her blog and Facebook, I read up on several interviews and sneak peeks leading up to this novel's release, so I was not at all surprised by the ghostly apparitions it contains. It was different, sure, but it was VERY well done and I think it worked absolutely perfectly in this story. The ghosts (Drifters, as they are called in the book) are not scary or creepy or anything. In fact, Meissner's book "A Sound Among The Trees" raised the hair on my arms far more often than this book did.

Meissner's prose is magnificent and her research impeccable. While the setup of this book took a little longer, and there were far more leading characters to follow, I never felt lost or got overwhelmed. The slower pace in the beginning allowed me to savor each character as he or she was introduced, but as soon as I hit the first plot point I was done for. I could NOT put it down (typical Meissner style). Unfortunately, I completely irritated my husband because I was so absorbed in the story I couldn't hear either him or the children calling for me, haha. I stayed up until 2am to finish it, and what a satisfying ending it was! Normally I say that Meissner's books don't have “happy endings” but they “end well.” This one was both. And the plot twists had me guessing every time. Another beautiful read that I would recommend to fans of well-researched historical fiction with a literary bent.

**NOTE: The main portion of the story takes place during WWII. We all know what horrific crimes were committed during that time, on all sides. One of the characters in this book is raped, and while I was surprised that Meissner chose to narrate the incident, it was very brief (less than half a page) and very tastefully done. Just wanted to offer a heads up for those that might be concerned about content like that.

I am happy to report that The Sailor's Kiss is now available - hurray!! If you are already signed up, check your inbox for my latest newsletter with the link to download your free copy. If you are not signed up for my newsletter yet, what are you waiting for?! Haha, just kidding. But if you'd like a free copy of my new novella, click on the "Newsletter Signup" link at the top of this page and follow the instructions. You'll be ready to download your free copy in no time!

Elizabeth Wilson wants nothing more than to marry her childhood sweetheart and begin their life together. But when Stephen enlists as a sailor and runs off to sea, her entire world comes crashing down. Heartbroken and confused, Elizabeth struggles to find her way without Stephen by her side, until one day she stumbles upon the minister's quiet, studious son at the beach. A friendship soon springs up between them, but it is not long before she realizes that Anthony is interested in being more than just friends. Will Elizabeth be able to weather the storm as she waits for Stephen's return, or will she build a new life with Anthony instead?

If you would rather not be added to my email list, you can purchase The Sailor's Kiss for $0.99 on Amazon right here.

Happy reading!

We're not even halfway through the month and already it's been crazy. How crazy, you ask? Well, for starters, I cut my hair:


Yes, I knew what I was doing and YES, I love it!! I have always wanted a pixie cut but never thought I could pull it off. Kudos to

Secondly, my writing group went on the road to visit one of our outlying members earlier this month. Normally there are seven of us but only three could go, so it was just the four of us for the evening. We had a great time and got lots accomplished.


Finally, I had surgery last week. Just a minor procedure, but it's kept me down all week and pretty well drugged up. I'm starting to come out of the fog and move around a bit more, and I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine.

In the meantime, I have taken advantage of all the downtime to finish revisions for Sailor's Kiss - yaaayy!! I'm sending the final draft off to my copy editor this week and hope to have it back by the end of the month. Now, you want to hear a secret??

I'm offering advanced copies of The Sailor's Kiss  free for newsletter subscribers!!
Be sure to sign up using the link above if you want to be one of the very first to read my new story. I'll keep you posted with information on it's release as it gets closer!

While everyone was busy enjoying their winter holidays, I was tippity-tapping on my keyboard, finishing up the novella I started several months ago.

Tidbit: There are five lengths of fiction stories.**
Flash fiction is generally < 1000 words. A short story is between 1000 and 5000 words.A novelette is between 5k and 20k words.A novella is between 20k and 40k words.A novel is > 40k words.

I wanted to write a shorter side story about one of my characters but I didn't need a whole novel to do so - hence the novella length. It is actually on the long side for a novella, as it is *just* shy of 40k words. I plan to publish it ONLY as an ebook for now, but I am open to publishing it as a short paperback in the future.

So, are you ready to see the cover and hear more about the story?

The Sailor's Kiss

Elizabeth Wilson wants nothing more than to marry her childhood sweetheart and begin their life together. But when Stephen enlists as a sailor and runs off to sea, her entire world comes crashing down. Heartbroken and confused, she struggles to find her way without Stephen by her side, until one day she stumbles upon the minister's quiet, studious son at the beach. A friendship soon springs up between them, but it is not long before she realizes that Anthony is interested in being more than just friends. Will Elizabeth be able to weather the storm as she waits for Stephen's return, or will she build a new life with Anthony instead?

The Sailor's Kiss is currently in revisions, but I hope to have it finished and ready for publication in March or April. Stay tuned for updates!


**Story length is arbitrary - the lengths suggested are only approximate guidelines

Hey friends! Today is my {birthday} and I'm giving YOU a gift!
I'm giving away 3 signed copies of each of my books over on Goodreads - hooray!! .goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: inline-block; color: #181818; background-color: #F6F6EE; border: 1px solid #9D8A78; border-radius: 3px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; outline: none; font-size: 13px; padding: 8px 12px; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { color: #181818; background-color: #F7F2ED; border: 1px solid #AFAFAF; text-decoration: none; }
Goodreads Book Giveaway A Heart Made of Indigo by Shaela Kay Giveaway ends February 14, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter Giveaway .goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: inline-block; color: #181818; background-color: #F6F6EE; border: 1px solid #9D8A78; border-radius: 3px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; outline: none; font-size: 13px; padding: 8px 12px; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { color: #181818; background-color: #F7F2ED; border: 1px solid #AFAFAF; text-decoration: none; }
Goodreads Book Giveaway Scoundrel In Disguise by Shaela Kay Giveaway ends February 14, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter Giveaway
The giveaways will end on Valentine's Day and the books will be shipped to the winners shortly after. You can enter each giveaway one time - see Goodreads for the official rules.

So, what are you waiting for - go enter!!

(source)
There is a lot of stigma surrounding mental illness. While there is still a great deal that is not understood about it, we know a lot more than we used to, and people are talking about it far more often. This is a good thing. The more we learn and discuss and understand, the more we can help those affected by mental illness - both those who struggle with mental disorders and the loved ones who support them.

I think part of the mystery and confusion about mental illness is that so often people think it's purely a mental issue. This is not the case. Almost every single mental illness comes with physical manifestations. While the root of the problem may be in the brain, the symptoms are often very physical in nature. Additionally, the same mental illness may manifest differently in different people. This is part of the reason why diagnosing psychological disorders is so complicated, and why they are often misdiagnosed or the person suffering is told that "it's all in your head."

Here's my story.

I have struggled with some major health problems for a number of years. My symptoms were all over the place - sore, achy joints, a pounding, racing heart, trouble breathing, uncontrollable trembling, low blood pressure, dizzy spells, chest pain, hives, tingling and numbness in my hands and face... the list goes on. Some days were so bad I

In recent months, my symptoms have become even worse. My family and I have been under a great deal of stress and I'm sure they were exacerbated by that. In any case, the severity of my symptoms once again led me to seek more medical advice and counsel. Heart disease runs in my family (both my parents, all my siblings, and all my grandparents have it or died from it), and even though I've had numerous tests, I've been terrified that it's been something to do with my heart and we won't find out until it's too late.

I finally met with a great practitioner who looked over my whole medical history, asked some very pointed questions, had me take some mental health surveys, conducted a few further blood tests, and came to me with a surprising diagnosis: "You have anxiety. More specifically, a severe form known as panic disorder." 

I have several friends and a few family members who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder - the most common form of anxiety. I have a few friends who also have social anxiety. I know what those two disorders look like and feel like for them, and I never really associated my symptoms and my "stresses" with anxiety because it's not like that for me. Some things are similar, yes. But panic disorder is also very different. I was at the point where I was having panic attacks almost daily, sometimes several times a day, ranging in severity. But I didn't know they were panic attacks. All I knew was that suddenly my chest would constrict, my lips and fingers would go tingly and numb, and I couldn't get enough oxygen no matter how slowly or calmly I tried to breathe. A few times my symptoms became so severe that I thought I would die. I know, that sounds SO melodramatic, but a severe panic attack truly is a complete mental breakdown. They were the most terrifying things I have ever endured, and that my husband has ever witnessed.

Thought not really in denial at my doctor's declaration, I was surprised and a little hesitant about embracing her diagnosis. I had had so many providers tell me, "Well, you don't have all the symptoms, but it looks like it's probably such-and-such disease, so I'm going to give you some medication to see if it helps and we'll go from there." But I have been in such physical and mental anguish for so long that I was willing to accept her counsel, fill my prescriptions, and do some research.

I was completely blown away by what I found.

I've been reading everything I can on panic disorder and anxiety, and for the first time ever it's all making sense. Every other suggestion and explanation a doctor has given me as to what could be wrong was only somewhat likely at best, since I had some symptoms but not others, and tests results never showed classic markers. But I can checklist every single symptom for panic disorder, and it's been very validating and extremely liberating. I'm relieved to finally know what is wrong. I'm grateful to know there is treatment and help available. And I feel empowered by the knowledge I am gaining about my disease: what it is, what causes it, how it manifests not only in myself but in others, and what steps I can take to improve my quality of life.

A few years ago, one of my very favorite public speakers (Jeffrey R. Holland) addressed the issue of mental illness to a worldwide audience. He said, "However bewildering [mental illness] may be, these afflictions are some of the realities of mortal life, and there should be no more shame in acknowledging them than in acknowledging a battle with high blood pressure or the sudden appearance of a malignant tumor." While I was not diagnosed at the time, his words were powerful and spoke straight to my heart. I have several friends and family members who struggle with various mental illnesses: depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder, to name a few. I have always been an advocate for mental health awareness, and now that I have joined their ranks, I feel the desire to #endthestigma even more.

Within a few weeks of my diagnosis, the medications kicked in and began lifting the anxiety and panic I have felt for so long. I still can't believe the difference it has made. It's as if I've been wearing a heavy, leaded vest and it has suddenly been lifted off my shoulders. For the first time in months, I can breathe. I'm not eating compulsively or freaking out when something doesn't go as planned. I've noticed a pronounced shift in my attitudes, reactions, and behaviors and it is wonderful. I'm not a new person; it's as if the old me - the real me - has finally been let out of a straightjacket and allowed to walk and think and live and move and be.

Looking back through my life, I've been able to see and recognize how different situations have either exacerbated or relieved much of my symptoms, but it is increasingly clear that I have suffered from this from a relatively young age. Without even being aware of it, I enlisted various coping mechanisms over the years to deal with it, such as the eating disorders I struggled with for over a decade, compulsive spending habits, and other addictive behaviors I developed as time passed. My eating disorders began when I was 14, and my first really severe panic attack came at 19, when I was in college. Since then, though there have been some times of relative ease, my symptoms never fully disappeared, and always resurfaced at some point in the future.

I don't know if I will ever be fully "cured." I hope that I will be. I know that through the atonement of Christ, I can feel peace and be relieved of much of my suffering. But I am also aware that this may be something I struggle with for the rest of my life. For now, I'm just taking it one day at a time.

And what a beautiful day it is.

Kisses In the Rainby Krista Lynne Jensen

Georgie Tate is a survivor. She's survived an abusive relationship. She's survived the car accident that took the life of her controlling fiance. Now she just needs to survive the

Jace Lowe has loved and lost, and he's determined that it will never happen again. Hardened by heartbreak, he stays focused on his work as sous chef at one of the island's top seafood restaurants. When beautiful Georgie takes her place on the restaurant staff, Jace is resolved to keep her at arm's length, and his downright rudeness her first week goes a long way in achieving that goal. Georgie, on the other hand, doesn't want anything to do with Jace anyway and prickles against his abrasive behavior. As the combative pair come together on a joint project for the restaurant, they find their distaste for one another dwindling. The connection is undeniable--and it terrifies them both. Can two people jaded by the past be softened by the promise of once-in-a-lifetime love, or is this just another recipe for disaster?

First, let me just say that I don't usually read contemporary romance. You'll understand why in a moment, haha. But from the moment I picked up this book, I was completely enthralled. Right off the bat the reader is thrown into an emotionally turbulent scene, and I immediately felt for Jace and wanted to know what happens to him. His character is developed pretty quickly, which made me even more invested. When Georgiana (Georgie) comes into the picture, we get to know her more slowly, bit by bit, which was a nice contrast. By the time I hit chapter 4, I gave myself up and devoted every spare minute to reading it - I could not put it down! When I finally crawled into bed that night (not quite finished with the book), I was haunted with thoughts of Georgie and Jace and if they would ever be able to find peace and healing and love. Seriously, I tossed and turned and had weird, disconnected dreams about them all night, lol. THAT is why I don't read contemporary romance - with fantasy and historical romance, I can set it aside because my brain knows it's not "real." But contemporary romance is just so possible, you know? And my brain can't disconnect. I get too emotionally vested and then it keeps me up all night, haha.

One thing I'd like to note is that the main characters in this book are Mormon. That surprised me. I know that the author is LDS, and the publisher is an LDS publisher, but I know they also publish non-Christian works, so it just caught me off guard. I was expecting a clean, contemporary romance, but not necessarily an LDS contemporary romance. When this was discovered, I was worried that the story might be a bit preachy, or that the character's religious beliefs would be explained throughout the book, but I was pleasantly surprised that being LDS was simply a way of identifying them, and it didn't get very deep into doctrine. Basically just some simple scenes at church (waiting for the meeting to start, walking into Sunday School, etc.) and a brief statement of belief in an afterlife. It definitely didn't turn me off as is sometimes the case with other Christian books.

I have to say that I really loved this story. Having grown up near Seattle, the setting was near and dear to my heart and I loved how tangible the island became - Krista's descriptions really make it come to life. I loved how both Jace and Georgie came to the table with emotional baggage and pain, and they found help and healing in one another. I liked the romantic tension that other characters provided, without it being over-the-top or unbelievable. I laughed out loud in several parts, and yes, I even cried - that makes it an instant winner! I LOVED the restaurant setting, and reading about all the stuff that goes on in the kitchen behind the scenes. I felt like the characters were well developed, and the sub-plots and conflicts were great support. There was one *tiny* error in timing that immediately caught my attention, but as it was only once and relatively minor, I can let it slide. The voice is great and I love how the point of view shifted between Georgie and Jace. I like to know what ALL the characters are thinking and feeling, which is why I write my stories that way, and I was ecstatic to be able to get into Jace's head as well as Georgie's. Overall this was a wonderful book and beautifully written, and one that I'm happy to place on my favorites shelf.

Now that Halloween is behind us, it's time to turn our attention to Christmas and the gift-giving season, yay! With that in mind, you will find that both of my books (in all formats) are on sale, from now through New Years, on both Amazon and BN.com. Paperback copies are $10.99/$12.99, and ebooks are only $2.99/$4.99.


Additionally, I'm offering signed copies for the same low price, plus FREE shipping, when you order here on my website. Just click the "Signed Copies" tab above and checkout securely through PayPal.

Thanks for reading - happy shopping!!

Hey friends!! I am one of the sponsors for the monthly free books over at New LDS Fiction. You can win my latest book, Scoundrel In Disguise, and 5 other titles this month, just for entering! It's super easy, and who doesn't love free books?! Check it out here: http://www.newldsfiction.com/win-these-books-october-2016/

Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzelby Megan Morrison

In all of Tyme, from the Redlands to the Grey, no one is as lucky as Rapunzel. She lives in a magic tower that obeys her every wish; she reads wonderful books starring herself as the heroine; her hair is the longest, most glorious thing in the world. And she knows

Then a thief named Jack climbs into her room to steal one of her enchanted roses. He's the first person Rapunzel's ever met who isn't completely charmed by her (well, the first person she's met at all, really), and he is infuriating-- especially when he hints that Witch isn't telling her the whole truth. Driven by anger at Jack and her own nameless fears, Rapunzel descends to the ground for the first time, and finds a world filled with more peril than Witch promised ... and more beauty, wonder, and adventure than she could have dreamed. (via Goodreads)

I adore fairy tales, and love reworked stories. This is far more than another retelling of the classic fairy tale, however. I absolutely {loved} this book!! I initially bought it at a middle-school book fair for my 10-year-old daughter, for whom I have a difficult time finding books. It looked and sounded intriguing, so I brought it home and decided to pre-read it to make sure it was appropriate for her.

Starting out, it was kind of boring. It sounded A LOT like the Disney movie "Tangled." But then other characters started to appear, and I started to get snippets of other random fairy tales mixed in in a completely unique way. And pretty soon the story evolved away from the Disney version and I was hooked. I loved not liking Rapunzel at first. I loved not liking the hero at first. I REALLY loved coming to love them as they changed and grew throughout the story as characters. I even loved loving-hating-loving the villian.

Except for the first little bit, I had no idea what was coming next. Most of the predictions I made were false, and even if what I thought was going to happen DID happen, it came about in such a new and unusual way. It was beautiful. While I did not laugh out loud or actually cry (usually required for me to give a book 5 stars), it was a very compelling, beautifully told story. I recommend it for mature children ages 12+ and adults who are children at heart. :)

**NOTE TO PARENTS: The reason I say "mature children" is because there are some references and explanations about how and where babies come from, consumption of alcohol, and violence and gore - including various forms of murder. I would recommend that parents read it first (you'll love it!) before handing it to your child if you have concerns. Teenagers would be fine, in my opinion.