Tell us about a little bit about yourself

I was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where I currently live with my husband,

daughter and three step-daughters. I have a boxer named Destiny and a ragdoll cat named

Colby. I earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading

and literacy. I work full time as a special education teacher and enjoy making a difference in the

lives of my students.

My passion is writing, I’ve been creating stories and poetry since I was a young child. I spend my

free time reading just about anything I can get my hands on.  I’m a romantic at heart and love

to create stories with unforgettable characters. I like to travel and have visited several

Caribbean Islands, Mexico, and Costa Rica. I’m currently working on her sixth novel.


What inspired you to write “The Calm After The Storm”?

I chose this setting during the actual aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. My family and

I were without power for close to two weeks and I started to see utility workers

from down south on the roads helping to restore power. A story started to take

shape in my mind.

How did you come up with the title?

My main characters, Emma and Jake both had stormy pasts, issues that kept them

from moving forward with relationships. When they met each other, they were

battling the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. What came after the storm? My hope

was to have both characters set aside their stormy pasts.

Was “The Calm After the Storm” based on any realistic events? If so, how?

Yes, it was based on the setting of Hurricane Sandy and the aftermath of the

storm. The characters in my story, however, are purely fictional.

How long does it take you to write a book?

It depends. This one took me about a year from start to finish, some other ones

have taken longer and some have taken much shorter periods of time. It varies

depending upon the length of story and the amount of time I can dedicate to my

writing.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

The hardest part of writing this story had to be creating the characters of Ginny

and Hank. (Jake’s ex-wife and her new boyfriend) These characters were flawed

and suffered emotionally. I like to create likeable characters, these were the

villains and it was harder to connect with them. That being said, in the end, many

people shared their feelings about these characters, so I guess I succeeded with

my goal.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Again, I find it much easier to create likeable characters, so it’s the villains that I

tend to struggle with.

What are your favorite things about Jake and Emma as individuals and as a 

couple?

Some favorite things about this couple is the fact that they have such a

connection and that they are both willing to put their own needs to the side. I

love the fact that have strong family values.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I learned that sometimes good can come from a tough situation. I learned that

people can come together to help each other and form new friendships during

times of hardship.

Is there a message in your book that you want readers to take with them when 

the read “The Calm After The Storm”?

I believe that true love can conquer the darkest storm, a message I tried to

convey in my story.

The Calm After the Storm
By Mya O’Malley

Blurb:
The storm of the century raged through the northeast, causing destruction and despair, millions were left without power and hope. Weeks later, countless people were still devastated by the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, Emma Riley among them.

Determined she didn’t need the help of a man, Emma was convinced that she could brave the aftermath of the storm on her own. That is, until Jake came into her life.

After having suffered heartbreak and embarrassment, Jake Mack, a utility foreman, volunteered to travel north from small town, Georgia to assist with the aftermath of the storm. Jake was decidedly done with women. But he didn’t count on meeting Emma or falling in love so quickly. Can he trust this woman or will his past get in the way and ruin the relationship with the one woman he truly loves?

Jake and his crew had now been in the suburbs of New York for a few days. His first thought upon entering this area was his surprise at the devastation. Sure, he had heard about the destruction on the news and had seen footage of the aftermath of Sandy, but it still hadn’t prepared him for the actual sight of Sandy’s rage. Telephone poles were down, trees were snapped in two, and houses were completed destroyed by the storm. Seeing all the destruction only strengthened Jake’s resolve that it had been the right thing to come. He felt proud to be able to help out and be a part of the solution to the horrible aftermath of this disaster.

As the day was wrapping up. Jake and Chris met up with some of their crew in the next town to finish one more area before calling it quits. The chill in the air was something that Jake had prepared for, but was not accustomed to. Clutching the new flannel he had purchased right before his trip, he put it on over his thermal shirt. Thankful for his thermos filled with hot coffee, Jake grabbed it but quickly tossed it aside.

“Come on, Chris! I asked you to stop drinking my coffee. Now there’s none left,” he said as he shook his head, irritated at his friend.

Chris looked up at his boss sheepishly. “Sorry, man. I didn’t sleep well last night. I needed some caffeine.”

“Well, that makes two of us.”

They rode until they approached the utility pole that needed attention. Jake and Chris were among the first to arrive and got busy setting up for the job. Within minutes, the rest of the assigned crew trickled in. The workers were now familiar with the details and routine of this job, so for the most part they worked in silence, focused on getting this last job done so that they could grab some dinner and hit the sheets. It was cold and dark, the night chill settling in upon them. Jake supervised and helped his crew perform their individual duties as quickly as possible. As they were just about wrapping things up, Jake headed over to Steve, one of the older guys directing traffic. He looked frail and tired.

“Hey, Steve. I got this. Why don’t you call it a night, huh? We’ll meet you at the hotel for some dinner.”

“Nah, Jake, we’re almost done here. I’m good,” Steve said as he looked up at Jake with glaring dark circles under his eyes.

“Steve, go. I’m serious. Get in a hot shower and we’ll meet up for dinner. Boss’ orders. Now go and take Andy with you,” Jake gestured toward another man on the crew who looked like he was ready for bed.

Shrugging his shoulders, Steve made his way to one of the smaller utility trucks, calling for his co-worker to join him. Jake took over the responsibility of directing traffic, slowing people down and stopping cars when necessary. Yawning, he waved a small SUV along, noticing that the approaching driver was slowing down, much more than necessary. Jake squinted his eyes to get a better look. The car came to a stop when Jake stepped up to it and its window rolled down. Looking back at Jake was a woman who appeared pretty, even in the diminished light. Wait, scratch that—she was stunning, with long, wavy hair and piercing eyes. His heart faltered just a bit.

“Hi. I wanted to thank you guys for all of the hard work that you’ve been doing. We really appreciate you guys coming up here. I think I speak for everyone,” she said as she smiled widely. Her smile hitched his breath ever so slightly. Jake smiled back. This was certainly a change. Since he had been in this area, some people waved, some people smiled, others remained with their eyes straight ahead, but nobody had yet offered any thanks verbally. So different from the Southern hospitality way of life where he grew up, Jake mused.

Here it was different, the pace of life was much faster. People always seemed to be in a rush, and they minded their own business for the most part. Sure, being so close to the big city must be nice and the landscape was quite beautiful at times, but he didn’t think this lifestyle was something he could ever get used to. It seemed too stressful, too impersonal. He would be glad to be back home when his job was finished.

The woman leaned over and offered Jake a box of donuts, disposable coffee cups, and a box of hot coffee. Jake was impressed.

“Thank you, that was very thoughtful!” Jake gushed, thrilled at the idea of hot coffee. He thought he felt warmth spread across his cheeks despite the chill in the air.

The woman stared back and smiled at Jake for a minute and then set her eyes on the road ahead. She waved as she pulled away.

“Wait!” Jake called out. “Wait, what was your name?” But the words were lost. The mysterious woman with the coffee and donuts was long gone.

“Guys!” he called out as his crew worked on cleaning up for the night. “Guys! Our guardian angel just appeared, and she brought coffee!”

The coffee and donuts were gladly received, but the idea that someone would go out of their way to show a random act of kindness truly touched Jake. He felt the warm liquid slide down his throat and knew that he would always remember the woman’s thoughtfulness. Who was he kidding? That woman’s beautiful face was what he would most remember. He just wished that he had gotten her name.

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Erotic film adaptation Fifty Shades of Grey sizzled at North American box offices this weekend, taking an estimated $81.7m (£53m).
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