A tribute to being determined

 Usually my Monday posts are writing related, but today I wanted to take a minute to share with you some of the events of last week. 

On Monday afternoon I was called away from work by my dad by news that my Grandma Esther, who had fallen the week before and fractured her pelvis, had coded when her heart stopped, but had been resuscitated. She had a do not resuscitate order in place, but because the paperwork hadn't been converted to the newer digital charts, she was revived, but had not regained consciousness. It was touch and go over the next twenty-four hours while she regained consciousness briefly but her body continued to decline. On Tuesday afternoon, she passed away and joined my Grandpa Ivan in the eternities.

I loved my grandma dearly, and being with her the last few hours of her life is something I will never forget. Even though it was incredibly difficult to watch her suffer and be in pain when I couldn't do anything to help her, I felt comforted knowing she was surrounded by family and that those who couldn't be there were praying for her.


In the last three years, we've had four funerals between my family and my husband's. It's difficult to say goodbye to family members that have given so much love in their lives, but my grandma's passing was especially difficult for me.

My grandparents moved in next door to us when I was seven years old. From that point on, they were a constant fixture in my life. They were the loves of each other's lives. Everyone who saw them together knew that. The couldn't have made it through seventy years of marriage if they weren't. They were such an example of what a marriage should be.

My grandpa told us stories of his days in the military, operating a VFW outpost in Colorado, becoming the mayor of the little town of Oat Creek, and helping to get the bridge repaired after a huge flood nearly destroyed the town. My grandma would sit quietly and let him tell the stories, but she lived through every single one of those events with him, and it wasn't always easily.



While my grandpa was overseas, she worked and raised her children largely on her own. She showed

her amazing strength through years of trials, never complaining and always lending a hand to those in need even when they had very little themselves. Accepting help was difficult for both my grandparents, but giving it was second nature. They affected everyone they met for the better.

As I was growing up, she was my role model. Even at thirty years old, she's still the person I want to be when I grow up. I've never known a stronger, more resilient, more giving, loving or more determined person. There was nothing she couldn't do, no difficulty she couldn't overcome...all without complaint. At ninety years old and after years of battling leukemia, she was still living in her own home, taking care of the neighborhood dogs that would wait on her porch for treats and love every day. She refused to move in with my dad and let him care for her the last few years because she didn't want to be a burden to him. She wasn't stubborn--she didn't like that word much--but she was determined. She wanted to live her life on her own terms, and she did.

Esther Mae Shrum was an amazing woman. I wish everyone could have known her. Her influence in my life helped guide me as a child, and will continue to guide for the rest of my life. She was one of those people that you didn't forget after meeting them, and I hope I can one day be like her.

The Story Behind the Story...

Catching up on a few things...

It's been a while since I've blogged... sorry about that! 

The craziness of the last month is finally beginning to die down and I wanted to share the brand new, fabulous cover art for my upcoming contemporary romance, SHARK OUT OF WATER, the second book in the Date Shark series. 

Shark Out of Water is available for pre-order now, and it will release 10/21/14. You can find it on Amazon here. 

Shameless self-promo over, back to the title. 

I wanted to share with you all part of the inspiration behind this story. In book two, readers will follow Guy and Charlotte, rather than Leila and Eli from the first book, though you still get to see what's going on in their lives. 

Readers and bloggers will often ask authors if they based their characters on any real people. Charlotte is not based on a real person, but part of her story came from one really incredible woman. Friends and readers who've been following me for a while know that I've always had a turbulent relationship with my mom. Because of that, when I needed a female role model as a child, it was my grandma that I looked to. 

My grandma, Esther May Shrum, is one of the most amazing people I have ever had the privilege to know. She is currently ninety years old, has been through so much in her life time, from wars and police corruption to illness and loss of loved ones. She has been battling leukemia for the nearly a decade, been through chemo four times and radiation twice, and nearly died recently after side effects of a new cancer drug were almost too much for her to bear. 

Through everything she has been through, she's always faced it with courage and strength. Until a recent fall, she was still out weeding her flower beds and walking to church every Sunday on her own. We thought we were going to lose her recently, but against all odds she pulled through and is doing much better. She faces her trials with grace and refuses to give up. 

My grandma has taught me so much over the years. She was a guide to me as a child when I really didn't have one and she has always been an example to me of what I should want to be when I grow up. I have so much respect for her and I'm so glad my kids have had the chance to spend time with her over the last few years. 

As I wrote this book, I thought of my grandma often, not just because of the trials she's been through, but because I wanted to share a little piece of her strength and courage with my readers through Charlotte and Guy's story. This book is very close to my heart because of that and I truly hope my readers not only enjoy the story, but feel a connection with the characters and maybe draw a little strength from them if they're facing something difficult. 

Who has been the biggest role model in your life?