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

To be or not to be ... her Publicist

I was sittin' on the front porch this afternoon, sipping my sweet tea, when my niece arrived in a tizzy. Relax, Shaa-ren, and sit a spell I told her, but she wouldn't hear of it.

"Aunt Eunice, my book is going to be released in two weeks and I'm up a creek without a paddle. Would you be my publicist? Please?"

"Darlin', haven't you planned for your future?" I asked, but when her face turned chalk white, I knew the answer. "By all means, don't panic. We'll think of something. Now, let me see, I'm going to have to rearrange my schedule. I'm already Betty White's publicist, and Regis Philbin is begging me to promote his book that's coming out in November."

"And have you heard the latest?" Shaa-ren asked. "Steve Job's biography is coming out October 24th!"

"My, you chose an awful time for your book release!" was all I could say.

"Oh, Auntie, what shall I do?"

When I asked if she had done any advertising and she shook her head, I looked her straight in the eyes. "Well then, let's get down to business: do you have any friends?"

She hesitated. "A few."

I grabbed a pen and paper. "Then we'll create a contract and make everyone you know sign on the dotted line, swearing that they'll purchase at least twenty copies ... one for them, one for their mother, their daughter, their friends, their enemies ... anyone who can read. Got that?" Before she could answer, I continued, "Do you have neighbors?" Shaa-ren smiled. "Oh, yes! I talked to one just last week."

As she poured herself a glass of sweet tea, I shook my head and took the glass. "Remember, no more sweet tea. As soon as you hit the TV screen, fifteen extra pounds will appear!" But when she frowned, I handed her the glass. "Oh, never mind. We'll just keep you off TV and put you on the radio. Without botox, you're a goner in this media frenzy; they'll eat you up alive."

After an hour of brainstorming, I took hold of Shaa-ren's hands and proclaimed, "Darlin', you are going to be one big success! You will have your fifteen minutes of fame! Just keep the faith, keep your head held high, and stay away from all TV interviews!"

...to be continued ...

To Style, or NOT to Style

This is not going to work. I should never have asked Aunt Eunice to be my stylist ... why had I been so desperate? I knew it was a mistake the minute she barged into my house today to deliver my book-launch outfit. "Wait 'til ya see this, darlin'!" she bragged as she opened a tattered suit bag. My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open as she held it out ever so proudly.

"Auntie, where did you get that?" I gasped.

"I made it of course, from leftovers of Betty White and Lady Ga-Ga's wardrobe."

"Leftovers ... you can say that again," I muttered.

"Here, try it on," Aunt Eunice said. "It took several hours to design this and then put it together."

There it was...a red hot velvet jogging suit, covered with purple, green, and yellow ostrich feathers, sprinkled all over with multi-colored rhinestones.

"How many hours did you say this took?" I asked as I rubbed the worn velvet between my fingers, then sneezed as a feather broke loose of the material and blew across my nose. "Ugh, Auntie, I've been thinking about going with a simple black dress, black leggings, and black boots."

Aunt Eunice looked shocked. "Do you realize that I was originally designing this for Nancy Reagan? Anyone in their right mind would die for this ensemble."

"You are right, Auntie," I answered softly. "So please, please, give it to Nancy. Her heart would break if she saw me wearing something especially designed for her."

Eunice smiled. "You are a real sport, Shaa-ren." She kissed me on the cheek, then out the door she flew ... to where, I don't know. Her schedule is way too hectic for me, but I'm sure she'll be volunteering to help me in some other sweet way before my book release.

Hmm, now that I think about it ... I need a publicist!

Movin' On towards the next Adventure

Rob brought me to attention when he blurted out his latest poem while we were driving on the interstate this morning:

"Whether we move or we stay, let God have his way." (written by Rob Leaf)

I chuckled at the simplicity of these words, but I have to say that this is how we live our lives. Last year our neighbors didn't know whether they should move so they put their house up for sale and it sold in 4 days. After talking, thinking, and praying about it for some time, Rob and I decided to put our home on the market.

We love our home of five years, but I learned many years ago not to get attached to a house. Anywhere we live is home sweet home, whether it be at sea on a WWII ship, a train in Siberia, a cottage in Surf City, CA, or a brick home in South Carolina. So if our beautiful home doesn't sell, that is fine and dandy with us. If and when it does sell, then we're ready for the next chapter in the adventures of the falling Leafs' (we never know where we're going to land).

As we get older, our needs are changing; we can do fine with half the space that this house provides. We are looking forward to exploring new places, meeting new friends, and sharing my book, Lady and the Sea, along the way. But most important, we want to be in God's will. Only he knows where these two Leafs will fall.

Now to answer your questions of where we're going: We've learned to never say never. Having said that, we have no plans to move back to Cali (Frank). Nor are we planning another boat trip (Lennart). We are looking towards heading south to Lake Murray/Columbia area (you guessed right my friend, Jacquie Lee). It is a buyer's market; not so much a seller's market. Non the less, we have a set price in mind that we shall stick with.

A few random thoughts: The moves that seemed the most scary always ended up the best moves we ever made! I dare you to try it sometime. Oceans of blessings!

There will always be the unknown.

There will always be the unprovable.

But faith confronts those frontiers with a thrilling leap.

Then life becomes vibrant with adventure!

(picture of our back yard)

Aunts, Stylists, and Famous People

When will I learn to say no to my niece, Sharon? I keep telling her that I have my own life but she doesn't seem to get it. She used to tell me, "Auntie, you can't have a life--you're too old." But now that she's turned sixty-five, she retired that phrase.

A few days ago Sharon ran into my house with a look of panic written all over her face. I was in the middle of putting together a fall wardrobe for Betty White when she bellowed, "I need your help."

"What can I do for you, darlin'?" I asked through a mouth full of straight pens.

"My book Lady and the Sea comes out next month, so I'm in desperate need of a Stylist."

I sat her down and looked her straight in the eyes. "I've been tellin' you that for the last twenty years!"

She frowned and said, "I admit that you're right."

"Don't frown!" I yelled. "That's the worst thing you can do for a face of that age!"

Sharon suddenly smiled. "Sorry, Auntie! I promise to smile forever if you will be my Stylist."

I thought a moment. "Well, I'm almost finished with Betty's pant suit line, and I just walked out on my contract with Lady Ga-Ga."

"What? Why did you do that?" Sharon asked, still smiling.

I shrugged and answered, "She just isn't as edgy as she used to be. Now, Betty White, that's a whole different kind of woman!"

I could see that Sharon was getting restless for my reply, so I obliged. "Okay, I'll take you on, but first you have to make a promise." Sharon nodded, so I continued. "Do not...I repeat, DO NOT make any TV appearances! Your complexion is ruined, the bags under your eyes will show, the wrinkles around your mouth will----"

Sharon raised her arm. "Stop! I get the message."

"Okay, here's the plan: just stay on the radio and you'll be safe. The public wants to see aging beauty queens like Tina Turner, Cher, and Florence Henderson...get the picture?" Through slightly-yellowing teeth, she whispered Yes.

I gave explicit instructions to go home and get at least ten hours of sleep a night, extend her exercise time to four hours a day, slab a combination of Vaseline, Ponds Cold Cream, and Noxema on that face of hers, and lay off the sweet tea.

Sharon hugged me and left my house with a big smile on her face. At that moment I knew we would work well together. Lady and the Stylist ... sounds like a good book title to me!

I'll keep you posted ... bye for now!

P.S. Reminder to self: Tell Sharon to make a dentist appointment to get teeth whitened.