Karen M

____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________FOR THE LOVE OF SIERRA By: Jeff and Alicia Gurney Co-Author: Karen M HaleThe Lord is close to the brokenhearted, And he saves those whose spirits have been crushed. Psalms 34:18"Some day we will hold our daughter in our arms and we will say to Sierra what we have longed for so long to say and that is the words, Welcome Home." Jeff GurneyEXERPT: Sierra smiled up at Alicia as if to say, 'Look mommy, I'm swimming!' At that moment in time, the wall of strength that Alicia had created began to crumble at the sight of her daughter's laughing eyes. Tears rolled down Alicia's face. She quickly tried to recover from the moment of weakness, wiping away the proof of her sorrow with the motion of one hand. But it was to late. Concern replaced the innocence etched on Sierra's face, 'What's wrong mommy?' Every once of Alicia's being ached as she contemplated the possibility of running far away in order to protect her little girl from the heartache that inevitabley laid ahead for all concerned.__________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ _______Sandy's Storm by Karen M HaleCategory: Self-Help/Inspirational Type: Non-Fiction Pages: 200 Copyright: 1999Dark clouds creep upon the shore. The smell of rain lingers thick amidst the salty spray of the sea. "It's coming, I can feel it," she shutters as she whispers to herself, not wanting to release the reality of the storm to come to the atmosphere.A world of darkness and sin unfolds in a tale based on a true story. Visit www.authorsden.com/karenmhale to learn more about "Sandy's Storm" and Karen M HaleThrough the unique eyes of an adult narrator, Karen M Hale is able to express the events of her childhood from a safe distance, allowing the story to be told and the gravity of neglect to be seen.Sandy's Storm allows its readers to see the reality of child neglect and mental abuse. Sandy endures pain that most only see in their nightmares; while the world around her goes on, unknowing to the events of her life.Sandy fights for her existence daily. With parents addicted to drugs, she is thrown into a life filled with murder and crime. Her feelings towards the world turn cold, hiding within the recesses of her soul and mind. She is unable to feel true emotions. The events around her fall upon a deaf ear and eyes of blank.Over the course of three years, Sandy is a homeless, drifting child. Her parents, Charles and Margaret Finland are deep within the world of drug addiction. Because of her parents never ending need for more, the Finland's become responsible for murder, robberies and an attempt to sell Sandy into prostitution.But through it all, Sandy holds on to her faith and with it, she is protected. Through the help of others, dreams and an angel by her side, Sandy is given the gift of choice. She is shown the storms to come and the path to take in order to save herself.In the end, she is given a new life filled with the dream of a new day, love and friendship. But with so many years of no emotions, the road is long to healing. Sandy learns to live, love and feel again.