by 
Feature: Sacred ChoicesTitle and Author: Sacred Choices by Karen Hulene Bartell
Print Length: 266 Pages
Publication Date: April 2014
Language: English
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Ghost
Sacred Choices Summary:
An inspirational love story centered on self-growth, Sacred Choices weaves together the lives
of three resilient women. Ceren is a newly-married and pregnant professor who
learns her husband is a bigamist who urges abortion. Judith, Ceren’s colleague
– an older, worldlier professor and pro-choice advocate – provides counsel
based on her experiences. Judith’s sister Pastora, a nun, provides the voice of
reason. Written for, by, and about women who have had or are considering
abortions, Sacred Choicesis Ceren’s
journey – from her positive pregnancy test, through her decision whether or not
to have an abortion – to an uncanny conclusion. Sacred Choiceshas an offbeat charm steeped in the supernatural. The
protagonists’ search for the answer to whether it is the Aztec goddess
Tonantzin or Our Lady of Guadalupe who has been revered for the past 500 years
is interrupted by a giggling, young girl, who appears only to Judith. Is she a
figment of Judith’s imagination, a vision – or could she be an angel, as
Pastora believes? Set near Mexico City and incorporating present-day Hispanic and
ancient Aztec beliefs, culture, and cuisine, Sacred Choicesdeeply celebrates the triumph of the spirit.
of three resilient women. Ceren is a newly-married and pregnant professor who
learns her husband is a bigamist who urges abortion. Judith, Ceren’s colleague
– an older, worldlier professor and pro-choice advocate – provides counsel
based on her experiences. Judith’s sister Pastora, a nun, provides the voice of
reason. Written for, by, and about women who have had or are considering
abortions, Sacred Choicesis Ceren’s
journey – from her positive pregnancy test, through her decision whether or not
to have an abortion – to an uncanny conclusion. Sacred Choiceshas an offbeat charm steeped in the supernatural. The
protagonists’ search for the answer to whether it is the Aztec goddess
Tonantzin or Our Lady of Guadalupe who has been revered for the past 500 years
is interrupted by a giggling, young girl, who appears only to Judith. Is she a
figment of Judith’s imagination, a vision – or could she be an angel, as
Pastora believes? Set near Mexico City and incorporating present-day Hispanic and
ancient Aztec beliefs, culture, and cuisine, Sacred Choicesdeeply celebrates the triumph of the spirit.
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Meet Karen Hulene Bartell:
Born to rolling-stone parents who moved annually, Dr. Karen
Hulene Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in books.
Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading
feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Wanderlust inherent, she enjoyed
traveling, although loathed changing schools. Novels offered an imaginative escape.
An only child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning
the joy of creating her own happy endings.
Karen Hulene Bartell resides in the Texas Hill Country with
her husband Peter and her ‘mews’—five rescued cats.
her husband Peter and her ‘mews’—five rescued cats.
Follow Karen Hulene
Bartell:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenHuleneBart
Amazon Author’s Page: http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Hulene-Bartell/e/B000APG0Q8/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/611950.Karen_Hulene_Bartell
Karen’s Goodreads Blog: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/611950.Karen_Hulene_Bartell/blog
Sacred Choices Excerpt:
Alighting in Mexico City, she understood the reason for the
festivepassengers. It was November first. Día
de los Muertos—Day of the Dead:
festivepassengers. It was November first. Día
de los Muertos—Day of the Dead:
The city was vibrant in multi-color paper cutouts. Crimson,
fuchsia,canary yellow, cerise, and chartreuse papers fluttered from every
shop,cart, and street. Even at the early hour, the Zocalo was filling with
peoplein costume, waiting for the Day of the Dead parades. More and morepeople
began arriving, their faces painted to resemble skulls.
fuchsia,canary yellow, cerise, and chartreuse papers fluttered from every
shop,cart, and street. Even at the early hour, the Zocalo was filling with
peoplein costume, waiting for the Day of the Dead parades. More and morepeople
began arriving, their faces painted to resemble skulls.
Rapt in her own world, Ceren had forgotten about the
holiday. Fearcaught her breath. What if the clinic wasn’t open or closed early?
Theurgency spurred her on, but the gathering crowds and ghoulish spectacleof
the city slowed her stride.
holiday. Fearcaught her breath. What if the clinic wasn’t open or closed early?
Theurgency spurred her on, but the gathering crowds and ghoulish spectacleof
the city slowed her stride.
At every corner, she saw sugar skulls and pan de muerto, bread of thedead, for
sale. Rows of painted ceramic skulls lined the stalls around theZocalo. Macabre
skeleton dolls, carvings, caps, shoes, earrings, necklaces,and assorted kitsch
vied for her attention.
sale. Rows of painted ceramic skulls lined the stalls around theZocalo. Macabre
skeleton dolls, carvings, caps, shoes, earrings, necklaces,and assorted kitsch
vied for her attention.
For those not artistically inclined themselves, Calavera-Catrinaand Catrine face painters had set up shop in front of the cathedral.
Cerenpaused, momentarily joining the onlookers. The artists created
blackhollows around their subjects’ eyes, painting black over the lids,
eyesockets, and areas beneath the eyes. Whitewashing the rest of their
facesclown white, the artists added a black triangle at the tips of their
noses,and drew black ‘stitches’ over their lips. Some finished with black
blusherunder the cheekbones for a hauntingly hollow effect.
Cerenpaused, momentarily joining the onlookers. The artists created
blackhollows around their subjects’ eyes, painting black over the lids,
eyesockets, and areas beneath the eyes. Whitewashing the rest of their
facesclown white, the artists added a black triangle at the tips of their
noses,and drew black ‘stitches’ over their lips. Some finished with black
blusherunder the cheekbones for a hauntingly hollow effect.
Everywhere, I see the
face of death.
face of death.
A few faces sported colorful flower shapes around their eyes
withhearts and curlicues on their foreheads and cheeks. But it was the half-decoratedfaces
that caught her eye, grins that began on natural featuresand crossed the face
to become painted skull smiles.
withhearts and curlicues on their foreheads and cheeks. But it was the half-decoratedfaces
that caught her eye, grins that began on natural featuresand crossed the face
to become painted skull smiles.
Ceren stared at the half-skull makeup, the faces caught
between lifeand death. She sniffed, twisting her mouth into a grimace. I can relate.
between lifeand death. She sniffed, twisting her mouth into a grimace. I can relate.
Smelling the fresh-baked pan de muerto, she realized she
hadleft before sunrise without eating. She bought a loaf and hungrily toreoff a
bite, but as it touched her lips, she shivered. Still shaking, beadsof
perspiration broke out on her forehead. What
am I doing, partakingin some kind of unholy communion with the dead? As she
struggled toswallow the bread, she suddenly felt nauseous.
hadleft before sunrise without eating. She bought a loaf and hungrily toreoff a
bite, but as it touched her lips, she shivered. Still shaking, beadsof
perspiration broke out on her forehead. What
am I doing, partakingin some kind of unholy communion with the dead? As she
struggled toswallow the bread, she suddenly felt nauseous.
“Are you all right, miss?” asked the shopkeeper.
Ceren smiled wanly. “Just a little dizzy.”
The shopkeeper nodded knowingly. “I also get emotional on Día delos Inocentes.”
“Day to celebrate the lives of the innocents?” Ceren asked,
unfamiliarwith the phrase.
unfamiliarwith the phrase.
“Sí, los niños who
died.”
died.”
“The children who died,” Ceren repeated softly. Now I understand.Her body sagged, and
she leaned against a lamppost for support.
she leaned against a lamppost for support.
The entire country’s
remembering the lives of their deceasedchildren, and today, of all days . . . .
remembering the lives of their deceasedchildren, and today, of all days . . . .
A wave of nausea quickly grounded her in the present. She
took adeep breath to bolster her determination, referred to her map, and
startedoff toward the nearest hospital. Surges of people wearing Catrina andCatrine faces passed her on the sidewalk, watching her with their
blank,black eyes. As absurd as it seemed, she had the unreasonable feeling
thatthe grinning skull faces knew her intentions and were jeering at her.
took adeep breath to bolster her determination, referred to her map, and
startedoff toward the nearest hospital. Surges of people wearing Catrina andCatrine faces passed her on the sidewalk, watching her with their
blank,black eyes. As absurd as it seemed, she had the unreasonable feeling
thatthe grinning skull faces knew her intentions and were jeering at her.
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