When Lions Roar

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Two women from different lands, each struggling to survive; a child’s mysterious disappearance will alter both their lives forever…

 

Maggie has become unrecognizable to herself, succumbing to the predictability of being a mother and wife. Every day she reminds her daughter to brush her teeth, has the same conversation with her husband about what’s for dinner. Maggie struggles to cope with the disenchantment of the monotonous tedium that has become her life. Despite her boredom, when her husband David is called on assignment to South Africa, Maggie resents having to rearrange her life just because David has decided they all need to traipse halfway across the globe.

 

While on safari, Maggie awakens one morning to a mother’s worst nightmare; their daughter Hannah has gone missing. Just when things can’t get any worse, Maggie is confronted with the harsh truth of her emotionally abusive marriage and what she has allowed her life to become.

 

When Lions Roar is set against the backdrop of the exotic and intriguing landscape of South Africa, when the country is reeling from the aftershocks of apartheid. Will Maggie find the strength and courage to abandon the fragile ties of her marriage and confront her self-destruction in time to save the life of her daughter?

read an excerpt...

I moved from the hall into the kitchen. Without a moment’s hesitation, I reached for the cabinet door, the one that is closest to the refrigerator, the one that contained my relief. I reached for the bottle. It slid off the shelf with a satisfying sound, but I quickly realized it only had a sip or two left. Damn it, not nearly enough. I padded out to the garage where we keep all our spares. Just the way David likes it: spare toilet paper, spare baggies, backups of all our canned goods, and for me, of course, a generous backup supply of alcohol. I grabbed my favorite vodka and headed back inside. On the way in, I noticed a candy wrapper on the floor of the garage—a Dum Dum wrapper, to be exact—Mystery Flavor, if I was not mistaken.

I’ll pick that up later, I thought to myself. My hands were a bit full. And right then, I had more important things to tend to.

Back in the kitchen, I pulled myself a nice long pour, then to the fridge for some juice. Damn it, again. I was out of cranberry juice. It would have to be Diet 7-Up today. I topped off my glass with a splash of the soda, and I headed back to the front of the house. I passed the mirror yet again. For the third time that day, I looked into the mirror, but this time I raised my glass, and looking into my own deep blue eyes, I mocked, “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

I regarded myself as I took a deep, long drink.

about Karen Gruber...

Karen Gruber is an international #1 best-selling contributing author, inspirational speaker, and a Leadership Development Coach for women and moms. She specializes in inspiring moms to realize their potential as mothers, women, and leaders. Karen has had extensive specialized training in parenting, feminine spirituality, and leadership.  Over the past 15 years she has provided innovative leadership coaching for moms and has dramatically transformed her own life. 

Sharing her life with her husband Jim and daughter Jaymie, presenting her message to other women, and traveling the world bring her the greatest joy.

She is the founder of The Inspired Mama, a company located in gorgeous Denver, Colorado that focuses on the inspiration, leadership, and wellbeing of women and moms.

When Lions Roar is Karen’s debut fictional work. She is freakish about Christmas lights and loves to play Baccarat. 

Website:         https://theinspiredmama.com/

Facebook:      https://www.facebook.com/karen.kraussgruber

Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/inspiredmama/

Book Pre-sale:      https://theinspiredmama.com/product/when-lions-roar-pre-sale-copy/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/When-Lions-Karen-Leigh-Gruber/dp/1734976004

more personal "stuff" about Karen Gruber...

What would we find under your bed?

Dust. We recently got a new bed and it has rails that drop all the way to the floor so I can no longer store things under my bed. So, right now the only thing you'd find is dust.

 What was the scariest moment of your life?

This happened rather recently. About a year ago, we were new into our home and my husband and daughter had gone to California on a trip and I was home alone. I was listening to some music, and I thought I heard somebody banging on our front door. Banging like they were going to break it down and it scared the heck out of me. The lock on our back door at that moment was broken, I had no way to lock the back door and I was convinced that somebody was coming in. I called the police to explain what was going on. They came and searched the house and search the backyard. As it turned out, what I heard was gunshots. Somebody had been in the street and shooting off a gun into the air. They found some gun casings and, and that was the end of that, but I was terrified.

 Do you listen to music while writing? If so what?

I do. The man who ran the writing retreat where When Lions Roar was born, has a specific writing track that he created.  It is music and some other ambient sounds. When I am doing what I consider heavy writing, I listen to that. Other times I listen to either crystal bowl music, singing, any soothing uplifting music.

 What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?

I would be out of my mind if at some point in the next twelve months When Lions Roar got selected for Reese's book club, I love her. I think she is so talented, so intelligent, so fun. I'm sure I just projected a lot onto her, but I think she is an extraordinary woman. I love that her book club is meant to elevate women’s stories, as that’s what I strive to do in my work. It's outstanding and I would go bananas if When Lions Roar got picked for her book club.

 How long did it take you to write this book?

While at a writing retreat, I finished a third of the word count and most of the pivotal scenes for When Lions Roar over a space of four days. When I returned from that retreat it took me seven months to complete the manuscript. At that point, there were still revisions, and some reworks, but I was close. It ended up taking me ten months in total before When Lions Roar was ready to go to print.

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