Turning Points:

An excerpt from: When Dreams Come True

...Every day in Florida was another day in paradise. When I wasn’t writing, I was snorkeling, enjoying time with friends, resting on the beach, and being a tourist. One of my favorite sights, if you could call it a sight, was the Florida sky. It’s bigger than any I’ve ever seen – so vast, with a sun so bright, it heats the earth from the moment it rises until a blanket of stars takes over as the day comes to a close.

Nine months passed. With the editing complete, galley proofs approved, “T’s” crossed and “I’s” dotted, Perfect was perfect. I gave a final once-over and sent it to the printer. I planned book signings and scheduled meet-the-author events. There were women’s conferences, and radio interviews. I was living out my dream. I pinched myself repeatedly to be sure it was real. My “ouch” was all the proof I needed to reassure me this was as good as it gets. Little did I know, while I was soaking up life and living the dream, storms were brewing off the coast of Paradise.

First, there was Tropical Depression Economy. It was stalled over Martin County for nearly a year producing low real estate values and high unemployment which contributed to my partner’s unsuccessful job search. The highs and lows left heavy gray thunderclouds and increased atmospheric pressure in our home.

Then the hurricanes came. There was John, my patriarch storm in New Jersey. With gale force winds for eighty-one years dad weakened almost overnight. Drowning in himself, he held on to every ounce of power he could muster in his now fragile frame. He had barely begun to build strength when Hurricane Madeline, his companion storm for sixty years, spun over him and set down in a hospital nearly ten miles away. I immediately left the tropical depression in Florida and headed straight into the eye of the storm in New Jersey. ...