MUSE MONDAY
Today's guest post is by C. Becker. She's tackled a heavy subject. It's a tug on your heart subject. Read on!
Adoption is one of the main topics found in Finding Euphoria, the first
story in the suspense Euphoria trilogy.
Hailey Langley endured the hardest decision any woman would want to
face. At seventeen years old, she became pregnant after she was kidnapped and
sexually assaulted. She put her child up for adoption. Her strong will allows
her to pull through the adversities. Keeping the sadness and guilt bottled up
inside, she creates a new life, but never forgets.
PBS.org lists there are around 135,000 children
adopted in the U.S. each year. Of these adoptions, 15 percent (over 20,000) are
from American woman voluntarily putting their babies up for adoption. The
individual reason for one’s decision varies, but what is important is the
emotional heartache the woman feels afterwards. I’m thankful for those mothers
who can find comfort in support groups, friends, and family members. No one
should grieve alone over the choice of adoption.
I’ve known several women who have adopted children as babies and
witnessed the love for the child. I’ve personally met even fewer mothers who
have put their babies up for adoption.
Maybe it’s because the pain is too great to talk about, or they fear
others will judge them. I can only imagine the sadness and grief one carries. Each
birth mother wants their child to live a happy life, surrounded by love and
support of the new adoptive family.
My novel incorporates the birth mother’s sadness and guilt through
Hailey. The pain hidden deep in her heart from putting her child up for
adoption surfaces when the adoptive father seeks her out and begs her to help
save her first-born son after the now teenage child falls into a coma from
using a new street drug. Finding
Euphoria is much more than finding the drug Euphoria—it’s a woman’s road to forgiveness
and finding peace and joy in her life again.
Book blurb:
Hailey Langley refuses to be a victim and has moved on from
her traumatic past. But her marriage problems worsen when a deadly illicit drug
threatens to draw her into the life she left behind.
Mark Langley has allowed his job to interfere with his
marriage, but he never suspected the secrets in Hailey's past might hold the
key to solving both of his current investigations.
Together, they must unravel the mystery of the drug called
Euphoria and find a way to save not only their marriage, but countless lives,
before it's too late.
Buy links:
PG Excerpt:
He turned the bottle around in his
hand and set it on the end table. “Don’t put me in this position. You know what
would happen. Grace is his mother. She’s the one who needs to stay with him.”
Regret tugged at her heart. “I
wouldn’t take any time away from her.”
Parker groaned. “Just you being
there would make her feel uncomfortable.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
“But I’ve stayed away for seventeen
years,” she whispered.
“That was the adoption
arrangement.”
She bit her lip. “I can’t stay away
any longer.”
“You agreed to those terms in the
contract. You terminated all parental rights.” Parker stood and paced to the
kitchen.
“But it’s not fair!” She put down
her water and began wringing her hands.
Straightening his arms, he leaned
against the bar. “Hailey, please don’t start. I know how you feel…”
“You couldn’t possibly know how I
feel. I need to see him.” She fought to control the bitterness in her voice.
“No.”
She rose, knocking over the water
bottle. “He’s my son!”
“Not anymore, he isn’t.”
The rebuke stung. “He’ll always be
my son!”
“When you gave him up, you promised
to keep your distance.”
“I have.”
“Forever.”
The reminder lanced her heart.
“You’re being unfair. He’s dying.”
He slammed his fist on the bar.
“Don’t say that. He can’t die.” Parker pushed himself up and stomped near the
window, raising his hands to rest on top of his head as he faced the curtain.
A muscle twitched in her hand. Her
knees buckled. She sat on the edge of the couch, wringing her hands. “I was
young. I couldn’t give Justin the life he deserved. I’m not asking to take him
back. I only want to see him.”
Rubbing his jaw, he walked back to
the couch and sat. The hard lines on his face softened. “The adoption papers
were clear. No contact.” He placed his hands on top of hers and stilled them.
“If the decision was mine, I would allow it, but Grace would lose it if she
found out you’re Justin’s biological mother.”
Her hands squeezed into tight
fists. The urge was unbearable. “I wouldn’t tell her.”
Parker ran a hand through his hair.
“Argh! Don’t you understand? She’d take one look at your face and know the
truth. Don’t forget, you’re the one who wanted us to protect him.”
She stood. “Well, you did a hell of
a fine job, didn’t you? You divorced Grace and deserted him. Parenting takes
sacrifice, Parker. You were too busy changing careers, and now he’s messed up
with drugs. How did that protect him?”
Standing, he reached for her.
“No. You stay away from me.” She
extended her hands and backed up a step. “Justin’s dying! Dying, Parker! And I
don’t know him…You won’t let me see my own son.”
He wrapped his arms around her.
She pushed him, pummeling her fists
against his chest with all her strength.
He silently took his beating.
Website address:
Social media profile links (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,
etc):
A short author bio:
A native of western Pennsylvania, C. Becker earned a B.S.
degree in Medical Technology and MT (ASCP) certification. She has worked in
clinical settings analyzing body fluids and testing drugs of abuse. As an
author, C. Becker has published multiple stories in various genres.
Thank you for having me today, Brenda!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure. Great subject.
DeleteCongrats! And I love the sound of this book. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, Jean.
DeleteThank you, Jean! It was fun incorporating the subjects into a compelling story.
Delete