I know we all love to read about romance and happily ever after. I know I do. A great book is my first line of defense against the insanity that is sometimes our “real” lives. Hectic schedules, work, kids, more work, sick parents, bills, sick children, laundry, cleaning, and sick pets. It’s a challenge when those we love are going through hard times. But life is messy, and that mess is out there waiting for each and every one of us every day.
My dear, dear friend is going through hell right now with an unexpected and very serious illness in her family. I hugged her, I took her daughter for the weekend, and I check in every day to find out what she needs. Most days it’s nothing more than a friend to talk to and someone to bounce ideas off of, someone to stand in the arena with her and have her back while she’s making tough decisions for the person in the world she loves beyond thought or reason.
Love is getting her through it. Her love for him. His love for her. And the love and support of their kids, their friends, and their families. What they have is the happily-ever-romance…twenty-five years later. That’s the kind of love that sticks, that really, really matters. That’s the kind of love I try to write about. The kind of love that kept my dad by my mother’s side as she battled cancer. The kind of love that is a friend opening her home to another as she recovers from unexpected surgery. That kind of love is the glue that holds the world together, and I hope you all have some of it in your lives.
Please share a story or brief comment about a spouse, child, sister, or friend that helped you through a hard time, that loved you. Let’s say I LOVE YOU today to someone that matters. Let them know.
Hoping life brings hugs and love to you all!
Michele Callahan
This month, if you sign up for my NEW RELEASE ALERTS email, you’ll have a chance to win a $50 Visa Gift Card! New Releases only – no spam!
LINK: http://michelecallahan.com
Coming June 15 – ALPHAS UNLEASHED ANTHOLOGY including CHIMERA BORN – The first of the new Chimera Series from Michele Callahan!
Excerpt: CHIMERA BORN
“What are you boys up to?” Zoey Williams whispered the question to herself where she lay sprawled across a cold boulder, careful to keep her body flat to the ground. Her forest camo would keep her hidden from the air. She couldn’t afford to create a profile for one of the perimeter patrols to see from the ground.
She’d worked too long and too hard for this story. Tracked one of the soldiers for months, followed him, stalked him, and bribed several friends to get his phone and credit card records. The man she tracked was an ex-Navy S.E.A.L.
Some “ex”. The man was still in a uniform. Still carried a weapon and gear and reported to someone at Fort Carson. And most telling of all? He still disappeared for days or weeks at a time.
But, according to the government, the man didn’t even exist. If not for her informant, she never would have discovered him or his team. Her blog had brought her some strange bedfellows, and some terrifying allies.
This time, the file her anonymous friend sent to her had led her here, to this man and this mountain. She’d tracked this soldier for the last few months. Every time something crazy hit the tabloids about alien sightings, portals, other dimensions, or UFOs, this guy disappeared for a while.
He was an asshole. She knew that much. Dropped the F-bomb like it was his favorite verb, snarled at everyone he talked to, and was one of the most self-contained and brutally efficient people she’d ever followed. He was also suspicious as hell. He’d nearly caught her twice.
And in the years she’d spent as a journalist in her previous life she’d become very good at not getting caught. Very good at being a fly on the wall, unseen and unnoticed. Unfortunately, that skill had cost her everything, her identity, her family, her ‘normal’ life.
She’d survived, and this mountain estate was her prize. There was something here, something inside the house that broadcast energy like a radio station pumping out hard metal music. Nothing shy or soft about this place. It screamed to be heard.
The energy pulsed through her body in waves, painful staccato bursts like ice needles piercing her heart.
Zoey ignored the sensation and continued taking photos of the soldiers, the house and the vehicles’ license plates. Everything she could document would go up on her blog. The more she had, the more people would believe her.
She needed the world to wake up! A year ago she’d been like the rest of them. Blind. Helpless. Safe in her dream world and ignorant of the truth.
The truth. Such a small word to carry so much power.
Setting her camera aside, Zoey double-checked the anti-reflective cover on her binoculars and scanned the surrounding hills once more. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming her way. Something powerful and very, very evil.
Movement. There! To her right and a bit farther up the adjoining swell of hillside.
She focused in and her heart froze, skipped a beat, shocked back into a frantic rhythm when she saw him.
God, he was beautiful. Dark hair that fell past his shoulders, a bare chest chiseled to perfection and abs any elite athlete on the planet would kill for. But his beauty wasn’t what stunned her.
It was the blood. And the chains. And the fact that he was moving straight toward her at an inhuman pace. That and the terrifying creatures she spotted moving like dark water down from the higher terrain behind him…
CHIMERA BORN – part of the ALPHAS UNLEASHED anthology with S.E. Smith, Carolyn Jewel, Mina Khan, and Michele Callahan – Coming June 15!
Sign Up for the NEW RELEASE ALERTS today and be entered to win a $50 Visa Gift Card! Don’t miss it!
Fun excerpt!
As for the love, I had it. I know what it is and what it feels like. So many people never experience it. I like to bring that love to my writing. And I think it shows. There are those who write romances based on what they think love should be, and those who write about love because they know exactly what it is.
🙂
E. Ayers – That’s very true. I’ve been lucky as well and there’s nothing in the world that can ever take that away from you. 🙂 I’m very grateful and realize that not all people are so lucky.
It’s the love that a parent has for their child and a teacher for her students. I would do anything for my “kids” and that includes give of my money, time and even life if needed. Just this past week, we had a tornado scare and I sat in a room with my students for two hours. They were supposed to go home but it wasn’t safe so we sat and sat, talked and read… They are only kindergartners but they need to know that people love them.
Melissa,
What an amazing story. My mother was a teacher for 25 years and she, like you, loved the kids like her own. Those kids are lucky to have you. The love you give them will be with them always and make them stronger adults. Teachers rock!
Thank you for a wonder post, Michele. God bless family and friends. My hubby, the love of my life for 49 years has been diagnosed with dementia. I can’t thank them enough for holding my hand, giving me hugs when I need them most and letting me cry on their shoulder…on a lighter note…and thank God there are lighter notes in our lives…the anthology sounds like a great read! Love the cover!
Rose – Hugs to you and your hubby. It’s tough, and I know we all have those times. It’s part of life, and part of loving someone. But I truly believe, despite some tough times, we wouldn’t give up all the good times with the people we love. Hang in there! Hugs to you and your friends. I love my friends and am grateful for them every day.
Thanks for the wonderful post on love. I’m sure none of us would be able to make it through life’s trials without love. Good luck on your upcoming June release.
Thanks for stopping by, Judy. 🙂 And I agree, love holds us up when we need it most.
Hi, Michelle! I saw Rose had commented on this post on the loop and I have to say the post title intrigued me. Sometimes, Handsome and I have had tough times, yet we remained focused on our family and plowing on through, especially when he had throat cancer. The cancer event had us tighter than tight. Every day, every minute, every second was the most important moment. He checked it off his to-do list and seven years later, is perfectly fine. And back to his hectic, hurrying self. lol
Vicki – Wow. That’s a great story and exactly the kind of trial I was talkign about. Your DH is lucky to have you there to support and love him through it. Bless you both and I am so happy for you. Congratulations on seven years later! That’s awesome!