Free [Finding Emma 03.0] Megan's Hope by Steena Holmes Page A

s side of the room and then from Jack ’ s.
    Peter let out a sob as he bent down and grabbed hold of his knees as the realization hit that both men had passed away. Hannah and Alexis stood there, silently crying, while Emma leaned down and curled up against Jack. Tears ran down her face.
    So that was it. The end they ’ d all been dreading but knew needed to happen. Megan let out the breath she held and stepped back as the nurse came in and pulled the plug from both machines so that the sound of death couldn ’ t continue. She then, with a soft touch to Megan ’ s shoulder, left the room and closed the door quietly behind her, knowing as a family, they still were not ready to say goodbye.
    Megan wasn ’ t sure they would ever be ready, even though they no longer had the choice.
     
    The End
    turn the page for some behind the scenes info …
     

 
     
    Did you cry?
    Please tell me you cried (or are crying). I don ’ t want to be the only one.
     
    Writing that last month - the scene with Emma reading her story to Jack and saying goodbye … that had me in tears. I sat in a hotel room in the middle of the beautiful rockies during a snowstorm and bawled for almost four hours straight while trying to write that scene.
     
    And I ’ ll admit, re-reading it just now, I ’ m crying again. Why?
    Jack holds such a dear place in my heart and the strength of Emma, being able to say goodbye … that did it for me.
    When I first started writing Jack ’ s story back in Finding Emma, I was amazed at how easy it was for me to write about him. Sometimes I create a character and sometimes the character create themselves. Jack was like that - stubborn, heart warming … a big old grumpy teddy bear. He reminds me so much of my own father and grandfather and saying goodbye to him was like saying goodbye to a member of my family.
     
    By now, I hope you ’ ve read all the books in the Finding Emma series. I ’ m not sure if there will be more … I know a few readers have asked to know more about Mary and maybe one day her story will come to me in more depth. I would love to dive back into her world with Jack and Dottie - one day.
     
    But for now, if you ’ re looking for another story to read … have you read my new Stillwater Bay series? Like with Finding Emma and The Memory Child, I dig deep into issues mothers all face in one form or another - fears, heartache, life. I hope you ’ ll join me in this new series and if you do, thank you for trusting me to be gentle with your heart, once again.
     
    Steena
    PS. Don ’ t forget to sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know about new releases, contests and so much more! And if you ’ re not part of my Secret Society yet (where you get special gifts, sneak peaks and more) then why not join! We have a Facebook group and a special monthly newsletter just for you!
     
    (turn for a sneak peak into my Stillwater Bay series)

A Short Look into Before the Storm - book 0.5 in the Stillwater Bay series.
     
     
     
    BEFORE THE STORM
    (an excerpt)
    Julia Berry
     
    “ Gabe, time to get up, honey. ” Julia knocked softly on her son ’ s door and peeked her head in. She loved the way his tousled blond hair was half-hidden beneath his blankets. His long, lanky frame no longer fit the single bed, but she wasn ’ t sure what to do, unless she got a new bed custom-made, and even then she wasn ’ t sure he would fit.
    His bedroom wasn ’ t very large, in fact, it was barely big enough for his bed on one side of the room and a desk on the other side. His dresser was stuffed into his closet, with a small area for him to hang his clothes.
    The walls were full of zombie renderings. At one time she ’ d been worried about his obsession, but Pastor Scott had soothed her fears by telling her it was a boy thing, natural and healthy. She wasn ’ t sure how it was healthy, but what did she know? It didn ’ t help that there was a popular TV show now on the subject of zombies. Gabe would sit