Guest Promo (CXVII) #Eggcerpt Exchange Traci Sanders

When Darkness Breaks

by Traci  Sanders

Blurb

Local news anchor, Amber Woods, seemed to have it all – a thriving career, two beautiful children, and a doting husband named Drake. Life was perfect…until her world was turned upside down in one fateful night.

While the incident caused Amber to renew her priorities; Drake was unable to deal with what happened, and sank into a deep depression laced with infidelity and alcohol.

Hoping a change of scenery would salvage her quickly deteriorating marriage, Amber agreed to move to New York; but it didn't take long for her to discover that the past is not always left in the past.

Can Amber save her marriage without losing herself along the way? What will she do when darkness breaks her will to keep trying?

“A real and authentic romance” M. Abbott (UK)

“Heavy Subject Matter, Hope Filled Message” T. Dearen

“A short and engaging read” H. Kent

Author Bio

Author and mother of three, Traci Sanders has been composing poetry,

songs, and children's stories since the young age of ten. In 2003, she opened her home to young children in her community offering "beyond the basics" teachings. In 2008, she was recognized by the Child Care Resource and Referral Agency as Family Childcare Provider of the Year and was featured in two local newspapers.

In 2010, she furthered her education by earning her Child Development Associates degree and was a recipient of the FIRST (First Incentive for Raising Standards among Teachers) Award presented by the Child Care Commissioner of her state. She continues to shape the young minds of the future through her home-based childcare program. Her daily interactions with these children provide constant inspiration for her writing and she plans to continue on this path until her story has reached "The End."

Traci has two goals in writing books--to help people and to evoke strong emotions in readers.

To date, she has published six books. Her most recent is a paranormal romance titled, 'Unsevered'. It was released on August 31, 2015.

She is an avid reader and writer, and finds inspiration all around her.

EXCERPT:

Drake’s feet tore a cautious but swift path to the double doors, and stopped when he reached the waiting room. His hands trembled as he filled out the papers. Then, he alternated between sitting and standing, unable to settle, as he anticipated the doctor’s arrival. After what seemed like an eternity, Drake spied a white coat out of the corner of his eye. 

“Mr. Woods?” A deep, soothing voice summoned him. 

Drake turned to see a male physician, possibly in his late fifties, who sported a head full of dark black hair, and appeared to be in excellent physical shape. He shook the doctor’s hand as he confirmed his name. 

“I am Dr. Davis. I am the surgeon on your wife’s case. We need to talk about your wife’s current condition.” His words were spoken in a matter-of-fact tone, almost with arrogance. 

Drake sat down. The words “We need to talk,” echoed in his mind. He had heard those words from Amber many times, especially lately, and good news never followed. 

“Is she alive?” He could barely summon his voice to ask the question. 

“She is, but remains in critical condition. Amber suffered severe trauma to the head and is currently in a coma. Amazingly, she came through with only a few broken bones, and those can be mended. Our major concern right now is her brain. We were able to stop the hemorrhaging, but there is still quite a bit of swelling left behind. We are monitoring that now and giving her …” 

Drake’s head felt as though it had swelled. His ears rang. He wanted to hear every word the doctor said, but his heart pounded louder than the doctor’s voice, and his tears masked his sight. He pictured his sweet love lying on a hospital bed, hooked up to a plethora of machines and IV drips, as she clung to her last breath of life. He worried about the children too, but felt a powerful obligatory presence with the love of his life in that moment. After all, she was the reason he even became a father. Where have these loving thoughts about her been hiding for so long? 

When Drake’s mind and ears returned to the conversation, the doctor said, “I need to get back to check on Amber now. I will send the Chaplain in to speak with you. Is there anyone else you’d like us to call? Do you have any other questions for me?” 

Drake only had one: “What now?” 

“Now, we wait.”

When Darkness Breaks:

"Five stars have never made me feel like this. Where are my Kleenex?" Allaina Daniels 

A gripping story of love found, lost, and rediscovered in a magical way.

Book Links (Amazon)

When Darkness Breaks:
Amazon.com

Things to Know about Traci Sanders

1.Who is Traci Sanders?

First and foremost, I am a mom of three great kids: boy 18; boy 16; and girl 10. Being a mom is the best job I’ve ever had. I’m also married to my high-school sweetheart. We’ve been together for about twenty-four years. My family is my inspiration for most of my books … with just a bit of embellishment here and there.

2.What genre do you write?

My first published book was a potty-training guide for parents. Then I published my first children’s book and two more parenting books. Six months into publishing, I released my first adult fiction piece, and I was hooked on the romance genre. So, even though I will continue to write and publish children’s books (because I have eight more already written), I mostly write adult romance. It’s my favorite!

3.What do you like most about writing?

Writing has always been there for me. Also, there is no prerequisite to satisfy. Writing shows no prejudice. You don’t have to have a college degree, or be the smartest or most popular kid in school; you simply have to possess a passion for words. For me, growing up in a family of six girls and one boy, writing was many things – an escape from chaos and noise, a friend who understood what I was feeling, and an outlet to pour my emotions into. It has helped me get through some tough times.

4.Who has been your biggest influence in your life?

I doubt she even realizes it, but my mother has always been a huge inspiration for my writing. As a young girl, I watched her play the piano and write songs for church. I once found her journal and read some of her songs, which inspired me to write my own. I also wrote poetry and short stories from the time I was in third grade. Writing was my gift, and I realized this at an early age.  As I got older, I wrote and sang songs in church. People told me I had an “anointing” from God—a power to heal with my words and my voice. That was a pretty powerful thing to hear at my age, so I took it seriously. And, while my books are not Christian-based, my upbringing does play a part in my writing.

5.Who are your favorite Indie authors?

Gosh, having read more than forty books last year, I’ve experienced a plethora of great ones. But, to name a few: Beth Hale, Bethany Turner, Stephen Geez, Beem Weeks, Elizabeth Horton-Newton, Emma Scott, Anita Kovacevik, and Michelle Abbott. And recently, I’ve added Kim Cox and Allaina Daniels to this list because they write such quirky, intriguing characters that are fun to read about!

6.What is your ultimate reward as an author?

My ultimate reward as a writer is when someone says to me, “your book helped me” or “your words touched my heart.”  That is when I feel the most successful and fulfilled. Don’t get me wrong, I very much enjoy seeing my sales go up; but my biggest payoff is when I get that feeling I had as a little girl—hearing those same words from people in my church or teachers at my school. In a way, it was validation for me. It made me feel as if could change someone’s life through my words, whether it is true or not

7.Name a classic author who has influenced your writing.

I am not usually a dark-natured person; however, in middle school and high school, I was drawn to Edgar Allan Poe. The desperate tone in his writing and rhythmic flow of his words fascinated me. I don’t enjoy horror stories or films, but I remember listening to The Tell- Tale Heart on a tape recorder in class (wow, I’m telling my age now) and being drawn in to the story. It was powerful, and I wanted to have the same effect on readers with my writing.

8.What is your biggest fear?

Of course I could say it would involve losing a loved one, but that’s a given. So, if I’m being totally honest otherwise, I’d have to say losing my mind is my greatest fear.

If I ever lost a limb or an organ, I would find a way to survive and manage from day to day. But if I lost my mind—my ability to think and create—I would soon wither away inside. Therefore, I plan to use my words to entertain, inform, and heal others for as long as I am able.

9.What is your biggest pet peeve about books?

I can overlook a few grammatical errors if the story is compelling enough; but a major pet peeve of mine is when authors repeatedly misuse simple words such as then, than, your, and you’re. It just drives me crazy. If you ever see that in one of my books, trust me, I DID NOT purposefully put it there! 

Author Links:
www.awordwithtraci.com

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