Spotlight: The Life Wish by Linda Kage

(The Seven, #3)
Publication date: October 3rd 2024
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

What if you fall in love with a ghost?

After four shots of cinnamon schnapps and something called heaven in a cup, Raina Bollen finally feels brave enough to meet her crush, star quarterback Foster Union.

Except her rideshare is involved in a car accident on the way there. Now she’s stuck in a coma, and her soul gets severed from her body, only to tether itself to none other than Foster himself.

Foster never wanted some random spirit to suddenly start riding shotgun in his life, but it doesn’t take long for Raina’s bubbly infectious personality to win him over. She’s just the breath of fresh air he craves because he’s been in need of some serious living himself.

Now if he could only figure out how to help her live in return.

Excerpt

“This is bad. This is bad. This is really, really bad,” she chanted to herself, freaking out as she shook her hands and glanced around my room as if she’d just found herself in a dungeon. “He couldn’t see me. Why couldn’t he see me?” Focusing on me, she demanded. “Can you still see me?”

“Yes.” I nodded. “I can see you. And hear you.”

“Well, what does that mean?” she cried.

“I...” I lifted my hands to look at this objectively. “I’m not completely sure. But I’m guessing that either you’re a figment of my imagination, and I’m hallucinating right now, or—”

When I paused at the second option, she stepped closer. “Or what?”

“Or...” I blew out a breath and couldn’t believe I was going to even suggest this before I just blurted, “Maybe you’re a ghost.”

“A ghost?” She blinked at me once, then blurted out a laugh before stopping abruptly to scowl. “No. No!” Shaking her head, she began to pace the room. “I don’t like that option. Being a ghost would mean I’m dead. And I’m not dead.”

“Are you sure?” I asked hesitantly.

Halting abruptly, she swerved around to send me a harsh scowl. “I think I would know if I was dead!”

“You’d think you’d know your own name, too,” I countered with a cringe.

She gasped, insulted, and then narrowed her eyes. “Okay. Alright. Fair point. But if I was dead, could I do this?”

Spotting my wallet and keys sitting on top of my dresser, she tried to sweep them off with a swing of her hand.

Except she missed.

“What the hell?” Blinking in confusion, she tried again, but her hand went straight through the items.

Easing forward, I pointed out a single finger and nudged the keys, making them scrape across the top of the dresser.

“Oh, dear God,” she breathed, turning to send me a horrified grimace. “Am I dead?”

“I don’t know,” I told her honestly. “But I’ve never been able to see ghosts before, and I’m positive I’ve been in the presence of a few.”

“Then I’m not dead,” she answered astutely and tried to grab my arm to prove it, only to cause a cool, misting sensation to coat my flesh when her fingers went right through me. “Ugh!”

I glanced down at the spot she’d tried to touch and then back up again. “I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re not exactly alive either.”

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Audible | Paperback

About the Author

Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.
Published since 2010. Went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children's literature from The Institute of Children's Literature. Then graduated with a Bachelors in Arts, English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.

Now she lives with hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a cataloging library assistant.

Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion, character match Hagrid. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor...or Hulk (can't decide). Justice League Team Flash. Arrow Team Stephen Amell. Stranger Things obsessed. Heard Laurel, not Yanny.

Started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club. Then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now all over the place with her romance reading tastes.

Connect:
Twitter: @lindakage - https://twitter.com/lindakage
Facebook: Linda Kage - Romance Author - https://www.facebook.com/authorlindakage
Instagram: @lindakagebks - https://www.instagram.com/lindakagebks/
Website: http://www.lindakage.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3213942.Linda_Kage
Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/APageWithLindaKage/
Email: linda@lindakage.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: Enduring Promise by Susanna Lane

Publication date: October 8th 2024
Genres: Adult, Historical

Can Love Survive the Trials of Fidelity?

After a failed romance in Texas, Bryce Enders has carved out a new life in the harsh wastes of Montana’s gold fields. But when a newspaper headline reveals the wild escapades of his younger brother, Bryce’s path takes an unexpected turn. He heads for Ogallala, Nebraska, where he’s shocked to find Cort not only married, but thriving as the owner of a sprawling cattle ranch.

While their reunion is far from smooth, the brothers quickly rediscover their old affection for one another and Cort offers Bryce a job on the ranch. As he settles into his new life, though, Bryce becomes entangled in a new set of troubles-this time of the heart. His growing affection for Hannah May, a neighbor struggling to keep her ranch afloat, soon becomes impossible to ignore. But there’s a catch. She’s already married to a brute who abandoned her for the lure of gold. Torn between his sense of honor and his undeniable feelings for Hannah, Bryce faces a dilemma as old as time.

Hannah, too, is trapped between her steadfast Christian values and the harsh reality of her situation. Despite her husband’s cruelty, her sacred vows keep her tethered to a man who may well be dead. Yet, Bryce’s determination to free her only deepens the conflict, as a dark secret from his past emerges to haunt him.

Knowing their futures depend on resolving this standoff, Bryce and Cort embark on a perilous journey back to the gold fields. What they find will test their brotherhood, challenge their resolve, and ignite a conflict with Hannah’s husband neither could foresee.

Excerpt

The Civil War separated them. Time changed them. One newspaper article brings the Enders full circle… but not without the spiral of fate. 

This historical western romance, part of a series, delves into the strength of those willing to reach beyond the impossible to survive the rugged land. Where the Nebraska sky touches the grassland and where the gold camps harbor danger… the adventure and romance merges in Enduring Promise.

Cascading events drive Hannah May Van Stadt to question her steadfast convictions and loyalty to a brutal man who’d abandoned her for the gold fields, leaving her to hold onto his derelict ranch. Even at the cost of his life, Bryce Enders’ growing love for this intrepid woman, drives him to make a fateful decision. Confronting the man who stands between them turns out to be far more dangerous than he could have imagined. 

 Filled with action, heartbreak, and danger while brimming with memorable characters, the story promises to linger in the reader’s thoughts long after the book is closed. The following is an excerpt of the contradiction between the two main characters as they struggle against an untenable attraction. 

For a moment, she thought he wasn’t going to speak at all. As she was about to leave him to his work, he said, “Won’t take long to fix the fence.” Yanking on his gloves, he loosened the hammer from the tool bag slung over the packhorse. “Didn’t bring a wagon. Wasn’t sure if it might bog down in the river.” 

While she watched, he ignored her. “Thanks,” she managed to murmur. He’d taken a snappish tone, and she was at a loss for anything else to say. He sure didn’t seem happy to be here.

 “Be out of here by the afternoon. If you got something to do, you don’t have to stay here.” After that quick glance over his shoulder, he returned to the posts.  He jutted his chin toward her waiting horse. “Best get to it.” 

“I raked up the mess those cows left behind yesterday. Figured it was time to look for unbranded strays. I have a corral down by the creek where I chase them.” 

“That’s man’s work,” he said while he loosened the cinches on his saddle, still avoiding looking in her direction. When he finally turned to face her, his eyes raked her from head to boots before returning to his work. Yesterday his eyes had stayed on hers. Today, there was censure and disdain. Of all the conceit. Seething, she lifted her chin while her mind searched for a response. 

“Man’s work? I’ve got no man to do the work. How else would it get done?” 

“After you round up these cattle and chase them to that corral, just how do you plan to brand them? Besides that. Those penned cows need hay,” he called out. “Need to get them to water or they’ll bust down the corral. Why not sell out? Your husband might not ever be back, Missus Van Stadt. Or do you plan to do this forever?” 

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Susanna Lane's "Imperfect Promise" delivers a powerful story of redemption, grit, and pure luck as the two primary characters overcome the twists of fate, carving out new lives and leaving an imprint on Nebraska. The author grew up in southern New Jersey and now lives with her husband in rural Delaware. Spellbound at her first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains, she and her husband made them their destination at every opportunity. Cattle drives, hiking, and exploring ghost towns offered her a glimpse of the frontier experience. Her imagination took root as she outlined the stories of survival with every curve of the road. And if you happen upon Susanna bending over a nineteenth century wood cook stove, she's most likely fitting it into her next story. Her two sons and their families are her gems and her delight. As to her readers . . . she looks forward to hearing from you.

Winner of the 2022 Western Writers of America Spur Award for Best Historical Romance Novel and is now the Will Rogers Silver Medallion Award Winner 2022 for Historical Romance. 

Connect:

https://susannalane.com/

https://www.facebook.com/susannalane.author

https://www.instagram.com/susannalanebooks/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21398969.Susanna_Lane

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: Rabbit Moon by Jan D. Payne

Publication date: September 17th 2024
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

They say you can’t go back home, but Marin Sinclair, end-of-life doula, doesn’t expect her life to be in danger when she answers a mysterious plea for help from a long-ago friend and returns to Dinetah, the Navajo Nation. Her past there holds memories she is reluctant to confront, but what about her life then would make someone want to kill her?

Navajo Nation Police Sergeant Justin Blue Eyes shares a connection with Marin from the past, and he has a few questions of his own when Marin disappears―such as why the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has agents investigating the abandoned uranium mines on the reservation and how Marin is connected.

Marin needs to survive to find any answers, and to do so she is forced to run, going off the grid on her own in the Lukachukai mountains with unknown killers close behind.

Excerpt

The Bilagaana woman's eyes were wide and staring, and even if she wasn't a ghost-witch Haastiin Sani thought maybe she was crazy. Only someone crazy would have been out here alone in the dark and the rain. Crazy people must be treated with care, and the same for ghost-witches. It didn't help to make them angry.

He looked at the woman, considering. 

She was trembling now, as if cold, but witches and crazy people both were known to be clever. The sooner he saw her off the better, and he jerked his chin toward the direction of his camp and motioned the woman to follow. He would show her every hospitality and then gently nudge her on her way.

She looked somewhat better when he gave her a cup of hot coffee and offered the frybread his daughter had left for him, inviting her with a nod to take it, and tears came into her eyes as her lips and chin began to tremble. 

Very much like a normal person, but it could be a ruse to cause him to relax his vigilance so she could blow corpse dust over him. He busied himself with the fire and wished fervently to be rid of this evil.

Marin knew she made this man very uncomfortable, and she thought she even knew why, considering where and how he had found her, but she didn't know how to relieve his fears without making things worse.

"Thank you," Marin murmured to the old man. "Ahéhee'," she repeated. 

She studied the man on the other side of the fire. His face was seamed and wrinkled, his frame was tall and spare beneath the loose shirt of red cotton tied with a woven sash. His gray hair was worn long, and there was a turquoise bead woven into a strand of hair near one temple. 

A hogan was built higher up the slope, a blanket hanging across the eastern door, and an empty sheep pen was tucked into a rocky cliff a short way from it. A handsome bay horse wearing a rope halter stood nearby, sheltering under overhanging boards propped between a few corral poles and the cliff. 

She looked around for the sheep she knew must be somewhere close by, and the dogs, but they weren't in sight. She didn’t see any sort of vehicle either, or any other person besides the old man, watching her surreptitiously.

The old man cleared his throat suddenly, and she flinched, startled, but instead of speaking, the old man rose to his feet and walked toward the corral. 

She stood as well, thinking he meant for her to follow, but he gave no sign, and she paused. 

Passing Marin without word or look, he ducked under the hogan’s blanket door, emerging a moment later with an ancient-looking saddle, a bridle, and a thick saddle blanket woven in red and black yarns.

Silently, he began to saddle the horse, smoothing the blanket across the horse's back and throwing the saddle over, pulling the cinch tight. He put the bridle on last, settling the bit into the horse's mouth before reaching to adjust the braided ear straps. Without looking at her, he walked back, thrust the reins towards Marin, and spoke for the first time.

"You go now," he said, and pursed his lips, pushing his chin toward the east.

Marin opened her mouth to object to taking his horse and slowly closed it again. The old man was giving her a way to get down the mountain, and she had no wish to bring trouble to him if Tolliver managed to follow her here. 

She took the reins.

Haastiin Sanii grunted and stepped away toward the fire, and Marin tied her jacket to the saddle, surprised when he returned and pushed the remainder of the frybread into her hands. 

"Over there," he said, pointing again with his chin, "is a good way down.”

She waited for any more words the man might offer, for he seemed to be listening and thinking carefully, but he said nothing. He slapped the horse on the rump and stepped away.

"You go now," he repeated.

Marin mounted, then turned in the saddle. "I'll leave the horse at a trading post below," she said.

Haastiin Sanii shrugged, relieved, as he watched her ride away. She was someone in a lot of trouble or someone bringing a lot of trouble, but he had done the best he could. 

He looked down at his sash and fingered the gun he had found beside the spring, then looked down the trail at the woman on his grandson's horse. He wondered if she knew a flashflood was coming and if she knew enough to stay out of the canyon.

He shrugged again, figured a ghost-witch would know and a crazy person wouldn't care.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Drawing from her years in the Southwest and the Navajo Nation, Jan Payne writes on themes of courage, regret, hope, and restoration in a world of created kinships. Through her characters’ lives and shared dangers—Marin Sinclair, end-of-life doula; Sergeant Justin Blue Eyes of the Navajo Nation Police; Cullen MacPherson, agent for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Garret Washburn, teenaged ward of Marin’s, and Lewis George, Raven spirit-guide-cum-trickster—she takes readers on a journey through the complex interactions of cultural backgrounds and personal histories, highlighting the way kinships forged in crisis have the power to reshape our lives.

Jan Payne lived on the Dineh (Navajo) reservation in Sanostee, on the New Mexico side of the Lukachukai mountain range, where she spent summers climbing mesas, taking camping trips on horseback, exploring ghost towns in the mountains of Colorado, or working with her dad breaking and training horses in Sanostee. Her two most memorable summer jobs were at a Durango, Colorado dude ranch working with pack mule trains and a brief stint as a camp cook at a uranium mining site.

Connect:

https://jandpayne.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JanDPayneAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/jandpayne.author/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5691421.Jan_D_Payne

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: A Hush at Midnight by Marlene M. Bell

Publication date: October 1st 2024
Genres: Adult, Mystery

Former Celebrity Chef Laura Harris used to be famous for her show-stopping pastries and mouth-watering desserts. Now, she’s attracting a different kind of attention.

Laura’s been accused of murder.

But how could this petite pastry chef brutally smother small-town matriarch Hattie Stenburg to death? And what could be her motive? Hattie was beloved in her little Texas community – a wise humanitarian who Laura considered a confidant and mentor.

Perhaps it has something to do with a last-minute change to Hattie’s will – bestowing the Stenburg fortune and its history-steeped estate to Laura, instead of Hattie’s surviving relatives. Or maybe it has something to do with the sinister secrets Laura uncovers as she desperately tries to clear her name – secrets that could rock the foundations of this close-knit community.

Only one thing seems clear: The real murderer remains one step ahead of both Laura and local law enforcement, leaving a trail of taunts warning Laura to leave Texas or face deadly consequences. She’s in the way – and that means it could already be too late.

An amateur sleuth sets out to solve a small-town murder in A Hush at Midnight, a mystery by Marlene M Bell, author of the “couldn’t put it down” Annalisse Series.

Excerpt

“Sorry, there’s no dessert tonight. My beautiful cake landed in a heap on the floor.” Laura had grudgingly held off that announcement for as long as possible. “I had to entice the dog away from it. She wanted to lick the tile clean in the worst way.” She chuckled at her dad.

Connie stopped chewing and laid her fork down. She gawked at the remaining slice of beef on her plate, lifting it gingerly with her knife as if scanning the main course for debris. “Please tell me the meat didn’t hit the floor as well.” Connie soured her lips.

“I beg your pardon? If it had, I wouldn’t have served it.” Laura’s face burned from Connie’s crass remark.

Her dad swiped his mouth with the napkin and set it gently beside his plate. “Laura’s skilled at meal preparation. Highly trained, in fact. An excellent dinner, honey. Thank you.” He pushed his chair out, scraping the legs along the floor, and smacked his belly. “Won’t hurt the old man to miss a dessert once in a while.” He grinned at Laura to break off some of the icicles hanging from Connie’s side of the table.

As if on cue, Connie also set her napkin aside. “You’re the only man I know who can eat sweets every day and not gain a pound. Your father is amazing, isn’t he? I don’t know how he does it.”

“It must be Duska’s fried pies. They’re like an elixir that keeps him young.” Laura’s crooked smile at their private joke earned a nod from her dad.

Her statement had the opposite reaction on Connie, who’d swallowed down the wrong pipe and grabbed her water glass to quiet the coughing fit ravaging her throat.

“Are you okay?” he asked as she drained her glass.

Laura poured more lemon water into her guest’s glass, doing her level best to hide the amusement about to burst forth. Karma can be a nasty thing to those insulting the cook.

Connie crinkled her nose as if she’d smelled a skunk on her plate. “Hardly what I’d call an elixir, unless you like clogged arteries, heart failure, and an early trip to the grave.”

Laura sat in stunned disbelief, but only for a second. “Handcrafted pastry and desserts turn a humdrum meal into a masterpiece. They’re not a death sentence, Miss Holloway.”

Her dad turned away and stared at the wall. His thoughts were his own, but Laura had a good idea where his mind had gone: to his late wife, and their most recent loss with Hattie.

Connie’s insensitive comments, while they were still grieving, had fallen out of her mouth too easily. A touchy-feely palm over her father’s hand bothered Laura to no end. Did she not hear about Hattie? It was possible her dad hadn’t mentioned her death.

“Have you missed the fliers about the Novak Bakery?” Connie asked Laura. “They’re everywhere.”

“I’ve been out of town and too preoccupied to read propaganda. I wouldn’t put too much stock in random gossip, Connie. People post reckless garbage these days.” The fliers in question had to be those Duska had seen and removed.

“Propaganda, you say? Hardly what I’d call it.” Tiny wrinkles plagued Connie’s upper lip. “Everyone I know is afraid to go in that Amazon woman’s shop. How tall is she, anyway?”

Her sneering was uncomfortable for Laura to look at, so she studied her plate instead. “Duska’s pies and kolaches are excellent and Coldspell’s lucky to have her. Who thinks she’s too tall?” Laura sat up straighter in her chair with her head held high.

“Her food is sending people to the emergency room. Food poisoning, I hear. And you shouldn’t eat there either, Zane, if you care about your health.”

Laura’s composure began to slip the longer they all sat together, and she had to listen to small-minded notions from someone who hadn’t even been inside the bakery, to her knowledge. Drawing an uneasy breath, Laura willed her mouth to stay shut—which was a huge ask around an insensitive woman who took pleasure in hurling insults at others. Laura could forgive a harsh word from most strangers, but she’d reached her limit with her dad’s opinionated ladyfriend.

“Yikes,” Laura whispered in her dad’s direction as their eyes made contact.

Connie stood up and bussed her utensils and glass to the sink, clattering the silverware.

Her dad outwardly cringed, closing one eye against the noise. “Can we help you with the dishes, honey?” he asked, embarrassment tinging his somber face. A signal that dinner had come to an end and he planned to leave—taking the mouthpiece with him.

“I’ve got it, Dad. Enjoy the rest of your… uh… evening.”

“Thanks again for asking us over, Laura. It’s nice to finally see the beautiful woman you’ve become.” Connie wiped her fingertips along the white dishtowel hanging from the oven door handle, streaking it with sherry gravy. She leaned toward Laura’s ear and whispered, “You might want to get out the china next time, dear.”

An underhanded insult.

Laura balled a hand into a fist and clamped her teeth together.

“I’ll wait for you in the car, Zanie.” Connie touched her dad’s shoulder familiarly and sped outdoors.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Mystery at a killing pace

Marlene M. Bell has never met a sheep she didn’t like. As a personal touch, her fans often find these wooly creatures visiting her international romantic suspense, thriller, and cozy mystery books as characters or subject matter. 

Marlene’s multi-award-winning Annalisse series boasts numerous Best Mystery honors for all installments including the newest IP Best Regional Australia/New Zealand, and Global Gold Award for the fourth cozy mystery from down under. 

Her children's picture book, Mia and Nattie: One Great Team! written for the younger crowd, is based on true events from the Bell’s Texas sheep ranch. The simple text and illustrations are a touching tribute of belonging and unconditional love between a little girl and her lamb. Mia and Nattie is suitable reading for ages 3 - 7 years and beyond, a Mom's Choice Gold Award winner, and Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize Short List winner. 

Connect:

https://www.marlenembell.com/

https://www.instagram.com/marlenemysteries/

https://www.facebook.com/marlenembell

https://x.com/ewephoric

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17642396.Marlene_M_Bell

Spotlight: The Accidental Sisterhood by Julie Edelman

Jules Malone has sworn off love after two failed relationships: one with an abusive fiancé she calls her white knight-mare, and the other with a nice-but-boring ex with whom she co-parents their son, Max. But then one fateful Christmas Eve, Jules meets Sean, a twinkly-eyed charmer with a captivating smile and an unexpected invitation. Despite Jules’s efforts to stay guarded, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him.

As their relationship deepens, so does Sean’s unpredictable behavior. He misses Jules’s calls, changes plans abruptly, and hangs up quickly when she enters the room. One night after returning home from a charity meeting, she finds Sean missing and blood everywhere. Panicked, she’s about to call 911 when she hears a phone ringing on her patio. It is Sean’s. By the time she gets to it, the caller has hung up. Multiple texts follow—as does Jules’s journey of shocking discoveries. The first? That she is one of four women sharing full lives with Sean.

But it is the devastating secret these women uncover together that leads to a resolution none of them could ever have imagined… and to the power of sisterhood.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback

About the Author

Julie Edelman is the bestselling author of the how-to book, The Accidental Housewife: How to Overcome Housekeeping Hysteria One Task at a Time. She is a well-known lifestyle expert and has appeared on The Today Show, The View, Rachael Ray, Fox & Friends, The Doctors, ABC Audio Networks and iHeart Radio. She lives in Florida, close to her son, who is her heart and testament to a blessed life lived fully.

Julie speaks publicly with heart, humor, and in high heels about the value of sisterhood and not letting life’s detours define nor stop us from achieving our dreams. The Accidental Sisterhood is her debut novel, and a testimony to embracing a life detour with hope and determination following her triumph over breast cancer.

Spotlight: Oldest Mom On The Playground by Judy Haveson

Essays & Collections, Parenting Humor, Women's Non-fiction

Date Published: 09-24-2024

Judy Haveson always believed she would one day “have it all.” Then she turned forty and wondered if she had waited too long. After countless failed first dates and fewer second ones, she finally found love, got married, and became a mother at forty-three.

Oldest Mom on the Playground is a collection of relatable, heartwarming, and humorous essays. Written in her signature conversational style and with a touch of sarcasm, Judy takes readers on her journey of getting pregnant after forty (and delivering the baby during a full moon), raising a child in New York City (including the time she lost him in a grocery store and found him standing on Broadway), leaving the career she spent decades building to volunteer as a preschool class rep, to becoming a card-carrying member of the sandwich generation.

Judy offers no parenting advice, only personal reflection. And she takes nothing in her life for granted. Her message to other midlife mamas is this: trust your gut, let your life experience guide you, and pray no one ever mistakes you for the grandmother.

Excerpt

Hollywood paints childbirth as a glamorous event. The minute the baby comes out of the mother, it is placed on her chest for the first time, allowing the bonding to commence. Then, the baby is quickly whisked away to be cleaned up. The mother returns to her room, where a glam squad awaits to make her Instagram-worthy and ready to pose for a full spread in People magazine.

At least this is how I assumed it worked for new mothers like J.Lo. Soon after giving birth to twins, she appeared on the cover of People, posing like she hadn’t broken a sweat throughout the whole birthing process and instantly began sleeping through the night. Why did she look so beautiful when I looked like a monster? And I only had one kid, not two.

Then there’s the royal family. I never understood why Lady Di and, later, Princess Catherine were practically shoved outside the hospital hours after delivering their children to meet with their loyal subjects. And they looked so beautiful.

I could barely walk after my son arrived, much less stand upright in regular shoes. These ladies are like superheroes, holding their new-borns while wearing heels and tiaras, waving to a gawking crowd eager to catch a glimpse of royalty. 

None of this happened for me.

My reward for more than twenty hours of labor and an unplanned C-section was swollen ankles and bags under my eyes that looked like I packed them for an extended vacation. I learned that the swelling I experienced, known as edema, happens to some women after a C-section. Swelling can occur in the face, ankles, hands, and feet.

“Look at my ankles! I’m the Elephant Man,” I cried to Adam. “The only shoes I can wear are my Uggs, which are too tight.”

I called my doctor to see if he could help me.

“I’m swollen all over! Please tell me there’s a water pill I can take to eliminate swelling,” I cried to my doctor.

“You just need to get plenty of rest and stay off your feet,” he instructed.

The doctor had forgotten about the baby he had delivered a few days before and that staying off my feet and getting rest wasn’t on my new mom’s agenda. I couldn’t help but think my forty-something body had failed me and might have bounced back quicker had I been younger. I couldn’t remember any of my friends suffering in this same way, so I assumed my advanced age was the culprit. Of course, I had no scientific research to confirm this assumption. I only had my gut, which was also swollen.

.   .   .

Maternity leave is a coveted time for new mothers to heal from childbirth, bond with their new babies, catch up on TV shows and movies, and get much-needed rest. Depending on the company you work for, time off for maternity leave can vary.

According to babycenter.com, the average time off for working women in the United States is ten weeks. Since the Family & Medical Leave Act was enacted, most women take off at least three months, some an entire year. This leave can be either paid or unpaid, or a com-bination of both. 

The maternity leave policy for my company, which was small and family-owned, gave me two weeks plus any sick/personal/vacation days I hadn’t used during the year. The official start of my leave began during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Because I hadn’t used all my time off before Jack’s birth, I stretched my leave to six weeks, returning to work in mid-January. 

Once I brought Jack home, our new nanny, Christina, came to the apartment daily to get us into a routine and allow me time to sleep and heal. At least that became the goal. She’d arrive at 8:30 a.m. to feed, change, and play with Jack. We’d spend the mornings putting Jack in all the clothes he’d received from family and friends, turning him into a baby model. He looked cuter and cuter in each outfit. I also photographed and videotaped his every move.

“He’s ready to be the next face of Baby Gap!” I told Christina. “Maybe I can retire.”

Christina also organized and cleaned Jack’s room and did his laundry. After she put him down for his afternoon nap, she went home.

“I may get very used to you,” I jokingly told Christina. 

So this is how J.Lo did it, times two.

While most of my maternity leave was spent bonding with Jack and planning his future supermodeling career, my mind never strayed far from client work. Toward the end of my six-week sabbatical, I spent more and more time on the phone and answering work emails.

“Judy, you need to rest and regain your strength, not be on email. You’ll be back at work soon enough,” Christina told me.

She was right, but I needed to pay attention to my clients and the office. The last thing I wanted was to return to a mound of work. The six weeks flew by, and looking back, I realized I should have listened to Christina. For the first time, I wondered what my life would look like if I were only a mom.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Judy Haveson is the award-winning author of Laugh Cry Rewind—A Memoir. She is known for her sarcastic humor and enjoys sharing stories about her life experiences and observations. Her fascination with storytelling comes from her decades-long career in public relations. Judy once had a boss tell her that there are two types of people: those who know and those who want to know. That boss fired her, but his words became a valuable lesson to always aim to be the one who knows. Judy lives in Hampton Bays, NY, with her husband, Adam, son, Jack, and adorable Yorkie, Toby.

Connect:

Website: https://judyhaveson.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/judyhavesonauthor

Twitter: https://x.com/judyhaveson

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22629705.Judy_Haveson

Instagram: https://instagram.com/judyhaveson