May Special Feature: Remembering Mom by Margay Leah Justice

As part of our special May feature dedicated to mothers, I have asked some of my writing and blogging friends to share memories of their mothers with our readers. This one is from Margay Leah Justice. Margay is the mother of two wonderful daughters and the author of the book, Nora’s Soul. She can be reached at: http://margayleahjustice.com.

For me, one of my fondest memories of my mother was going to see Paper Moon at the local theater, just the two of us. This was quite a feat in those days as I came from a good-sized family and it was difficult to get alone time with Mom. Somehow, she managed it and the two of us went to the movie together. But it wasn’t just a movie, it was an adventure. Along the way, we stopped off in a perfume shop called Rickles and the shop lady dipped a blue feather in perfume for me. I remember treasuring that feather, sticking it in the back of a book to preserve the smell for as long as I could. I would frequently take it out, breathe in the pretty aroma, and remember how special I felt walking down to the theater with my mother. Just the two of us. I don’t remember much about the movie itself other than the fact that it starred Ryan and Tatum O’Neil and they portrayed a father and daughter con artist team in the depression era. What I remember the most was how special I felt sitting beside my mother in the darkened Movie Theater and having her all to myself for those precious two hours. It didn’t matter that we didn’t talk for most of that time; it was important just to be together. Now, all these years later with two daughters of my own, I hope that I leave good impressions like that upon them.

Special NaBloPoMo Feature - Giving Up by Margay Leah Justice

Here is another author's answer to, "The hardest thing for me to give up is..."

The hardest thing for me to give up is worrying about my family. You've heard the expression "worried sick" - well, I literally do that and I always have. I just want everyone in my family to be healthy and happy and when they're not, I worry to the point of taking on their pain at times. So the hardest thing for me is to let go of the worry and trust that everything is going to work out for them.

Margay Leah Justice is a first-time author of the book, Nora's Soul, and the mother of two daughters, one of whom has issues with bipolar disorder and Asperger's Syndrome. When not writing and advocating for her special needs child, she deals with the challenges of balancing her career and motherhood with her own struggle against the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. She lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters and their two frisky felines. You can follow her on Twitter, friend her on Myspace or Facebook, or check out her web home at http://margayleahjustice.com, where she loves to greet visitors. Come on in and stay awhile.



Check out our February special feature of Nora's Soul here.

Margay Leah Justice's Nora's Soul

It's the day before Valentine's Day--which means all those guys will be out shopping tonight. Why do they procrastinate anyway?

This featured romance novel is by Margay Leah Justice. It sounds fascinating! Two people in peril, fate, and a couple of angels interwoven together. How could you pass this one up? Here's more about Nora's Soul

When angels of light and dark collide on earth…

Once he held a favored position in the heavens. But one moment of weakness casts Dante out and now he is cursed to walk the earth, collecting the souls of vulnerable women to buy his way into hell.

All hell breaks loose…

But standing in his way is Peter, an angel of light. Peter is everything Dante is not. Pure, above reproach. And determined to prevent Dante from achieving his goals. Peter will stop at nothing to protect the souls in his charge, even if it means achieving the impossible – leading Dante back onto the right path.

And no one is safe from the fall-out.

Nora Kendall believed in angels. Once. But then she lost her brother to cancer despite all of her prayers – and she lost her faith in all things angelic. Now, she is a lost soul who wanders through life like a sleepwalker, playing it safe and leaving the risk-taking to others.

Kyle Cameron is one of those risks. Burned by a bad marriage, his only concern now is providing a stable life for his children, who are left motherless by the unexpected death of his wife. This means working overtime to grow his architectural firm into a viable business – and leaving the care of his children to the care of someone he trusts. Despite his past connection with Nora, Kyle isn’t certain that she’s the right person for the job. He also doesn’t want to reconnect with her and repeat history.

But fate – and the machinations of two angels – has other ideas.

Nora’s Soul, by Margay Leah Justice, available now at Amazon.com

Margay talks about the romance factor in Nora's Soul:

Although Nora’s Soul deals with the issues of loss and faith, at its core, it is a story of love. Rediscovered love, to be precise. Nora Kendall and Kyle Cameron share more than their bond with his sister, Joelle. When Nora was still a teenager, they shared one night of bliss before he went off to college and all but forgot her and she began the transformation into the frigid woman she is at the start of the book. Despite their connection to his sister, they rarely see each other in the interim. But when circumstances require that they spend a good deal of time together, they are hard put to deny the attraction they feel for one another.

So the story becomes an intricate dance between the two, reminiscent of the tango. They get close, sparks fly. Tempers flare and they pull back. Each one challenges the other’s current stance on life and love until they ultimately come together. The romance in Nora’s Soul is embedded in this dance and the discovery that, although a previous partner has burned them, they are still capable of loving other people, namely each other.

You can find Margay online at http://margayleahjustice.com