A Message for All Generations, Lest We Forget

Photo taken in SoCal on my granddaughter's high school graduation 2009)

Update on my life: We sold our Fort Mill house last week so I've had to speed up the packing process. But while I'm taking my afternoon coffee break today, I had to share something special that happened to me at our monthly Literary Luncheon two weeks ago.

I was feeling a bit guilty for not doing more marketing for Lady and the Sea. Then God smiled at me.

Before the critiquing began, a fellow-writer announced, "I gave Lady and the Sea to my two grown daughters for Christmas, and my 13-year-old granddaughter called me the other day and said, 'Grama, I read Lady and the Sea and I loved it. I have never heard of the Holocaust!'" My mouth dropped as fellow-writer continued, "Then my daughter got on the phone and told me, 'Mom, Lady and the Sea has opened the door for my daughter and me to talk about premarital sex, teen pregnancy, and other hot topics of interest." (yes, my debut novel touches on many hot topics of the day.)

My soul and spirit was touched by this testimony. So attention all you mothers out there, think about giving your daughter a copy of Lady and the Sea. And don't worry if she doesn't pick it up right away; I believe she will read Lady in God's perfect time. There are many layers to the story for women of all ages. My prayer is that every reader will find that certain story within the story to find faith for their future.

I will share another testimony in my next blog, but now I must put my coffee cup down and pick up another empty box. Until next time, oceans of blessings!

You can order Lady and the Sea on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, e-books, and

www.sharonleaf.com

Video is actual footage taken on MS Restoration in 1994.

Announcing "Lady and the Sea"

~You cannot discover new oceans until you are willing to lose sight of the shore~

Hello friends everywhere,

I am happy to announce that my debut novel, Lady and the Sea, is now available this October 18th, my husband's birthday. Happy Birthday Rob!

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Lady and the Sea is a novel based on a true story that takes place in the mid-nineties. After two failed marriages, forty-eight-year-old Rosie Atkisson struggles through the painful process of rebuilding her life with husband, Jesse, in Southern California. But the settled rhythm of her newfound comfort is interrupted by a tug in her heart when she encounters a haunting photo of another aging lady, the World War II vessel, MS Restoration. A special mission to transport Russian Jews from Sochi, Russia, to Haifa, Israel, means an adventure of a lifetime; does Rosie dare pass up this dangerous assignment that will take her thousands of miles from her family and comfortable life? In spite of her fear of water and the unknown condition of the ship, Rosie thinks this might be the opportunity she's been waiting for to serve God.

After surviving fourteen months on board the old ship, from a hurricane to a heart attack, from miracles to menopause, and now being held at gunpoint in the Haifa Harbor, Rosie wonders if she will ever return to her own safe harbor.

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Writing Lady and the Sea has been a long, wonderful journey, and now I am honored to share the story of the MS Restoration and the lady who loved her. Their back story, up until the day they meet, will inspire and encourage readers that fifteen-minutes-of-fame may be all we need to change another person's destiny for the better. Perhaps it's time for you to leave your safe harbor and jump into a new ocean.

You may read Chapter One, and purchase Lady and the Sea on the websites:

www.sharonleaf.com then click on "The Book"

www.Amazon.com

www.BarnesandNoble.com

www.WestBowPress.com

Available on e-books.

Thank you for sharing in my excitement and I hope to hear from you soon. Follow me on Facebook, and NO, I do not twitter. *smile*

Oceans of blessings, Sharon