Excerpt from my 3rd book... The Cabin...

...The house was not meant to be seen anymore. It had been ignored and neglected for so long, that it had grown accustomed to this state of perpetual being. It did not feel the need to be cared for. It had taken on a life of its own, an independent life that didn’t want to be bothered. The fact that nearly everyone living on the lake had forgotten its existence, was exactly what the house had intended. Because to forget the house had become the same thing as forgetting all that had happened there.

... Just as he left, the window blew open with such ferocity, that it stole Sarah’s breath away. A frigid gust of wind blew the photos out of the box one by one, and within mere seconds it stopped. Sarah looked around the room and stopped short. Each and every picture was lying face up, perfectly still and perfectly angled for her to see. An icy chill penetrated her body, as she realized that death was literally staring her in the face.

 

Thoughts of Mom

   I didn't write this yesterday for Mother's Day. I didn't post my thoughts on FB. I didn't want to. I honestly didn't know what to say.
   I miss my mom.
   Those four words seem so trivial compared to my actual feelings. But I do... I miss her... terribly.
In the moments after her passing three and a half years ago, I remember thinking, "Who am I without my mother?" I meant it. I didn't know. Every single thing I'd ever been through in my life, my mother had been there, both good and bad. Even when we lived in different hemispheres, she was there, and when she left, I was terrified I would fall a part. She was the bravest woman I'd ever known, and I was desperate for her courage to plant itself firmly inside me so I could hold myself together.
   One of my sisters posted a picture of her on FB yesterday, and I found myself staring at it for long periods of time throughout the day. She was so beautiful. It's been said before, and it will be said again, but I can't believe she's gone. It doesn't make any sense. I can still hear her. I can still smell her. I can still feel her hugs and how she fit perfectly right underneath my chin. Her laugh still makes me smile, and her adorable accent is still fresh in my mind. Her heart and its ability to love remain unparalleled. How is she not here?
  My son was only a year and a half when she passed, but he remembers her, and not just from pictures or stories, her memory lives in him. He remembers her laugh, her songs, and how much she loved him. Oh, did she love him. He used to rub her bald head and giggle uncontrollably, and he had the innate ability to make her smile, even at the very end when she found it too difficult to breathe. That was a relationship that death couldn't touch. It is ingrained in him, and I am so thankful for that.
   I was pregnant with my daughter when she died, and it kills me that she'll never know her, but the crazy thing is, I see so much of my mother in my baby girl. When she was born, just 4 months after my mom left to be with God, I thought the resemblance might have just been my longing to see her again, but no. She's there. My daughter has her spirit, her spunk, her forehead... truly... it's the exact same, and when I hold her, I can't help but feel closer to my mother, too.
   Now, after all these years, I know who I am, and I am no longer afraid. I know I am never without my mom. She is my foundation and my rock. She is in my smile, in my tears, in my temper, and in my hope. When I dance, I know she dances in Heaven, and I love her. For who she was, for who she will always be.
  Happy Mother's Day, Mama.
  I miss you!
  
  

Everything You Want to Know About Me... OK, Not Everything, But A Lot!

Yes, this is a "selfie." I'm usually the person taking pictures of everyone else, so this is all I have.    I'm not proud :)

Name: Trisha Hasbrouck

Status: Married with two kids.
       -Both my husband and I are educators... yes, on purpose.
       -My son and daughter are 5 and 3, and they are incredible! My son is a self-proclaimed "beast" and is extremely proud of his abs, while my daughter is a full on "threenager" who will definitely prove my mother right about the fact that I will have a child just like me. Ooopps!

Profession: Both my husband and I are teachers, and I teach high school English and Journalism. We made the insane decision to sell everything we owned and moved from Austin, TX to Fes, Morocco! Yes, the Morocco in Northern Africa! We teach at an American school and have been living quite the adventure since we arrived nearly a year ago.

Fun Facts: I'm the 6th of 7 children, and though my physical appearance may not support this fact, I am equal parts Mexican American and Caucasian. I graduated from UT Austin and studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina while in school. I worked in radio for over 2 years, including a brief stint as an on-air color commentator for a Spanish sports station. I was terrible and managed to get myself kicked off the UT football field during one of the games. I've been viciously attacked by a pigeon in front of hundreds of people... no one came to my aid. I'm still a bit bitter about that.

Contact: Feel free to leave comments on my blog (I'd prefer positive ones if at all possible :) or email me at trishahasbrouck@gmail.com.

Brief Synopsis of UNSEEN.

     After losing her parents at the age of 18, Emily Travis works tirelessly to get her life back on track as a high school teacher. Relying heavily on her independent nature and surrounded by the emotional walls she has constructed over the years, Emily is caught completely off-guard by her ability to love and be loved by Jacob Alexander, a passionate and artistic man.
    Three months before their wedding date, tragedy happens once again, when Emily is struck down by an unseen driver in a vicious hit and run, leaving her fighting for her life. Though Jacob is eager to stand by the woman he loves, Emily pushes him away, knowing that the woman she used to be is no longer.
    Over a year later and confined to a wheelchair, Emily is forced to start her life over yet again.
However, when two women enter their lives, both Emily and Jacob are re-awakened to their forgotten ambitions, desires, and undying love, only to discover that the mysteries behind these women might be filled with even more heartache and loss.

Short Excerpts from THY NEIGHBOR

“There was movement: threatening, deliberate, terrifying. I no longer felt my own body, but I knew I was running. My breathing was sporadic and rushed, but the sound was muffled as if coming from another room. The beating of my heart, however, was deafening and painful, but it was proof that I was still alive.”

“… Rage that had been sleeping for so long began to flow through my veins. The numbness I had perfected after all of these years was slowly beginning to recede and in its place, I could feel the rise of anger, hurt, and intense pain. My head became dizzy and my thoughts were scrambling, as if multiple radio stations were competing for the same frequency. I closed my eyes and fell against a tree in the grassy area between university buildings. I could hear voices and see flashes of images and shadows, but I could not distinguish a single one. In fact, the only thing I could decipher was the severity of my fear. I was breathing heavily, and for a moment I honestly thought I was having a heart attack. I slid down the tree and slumped to the ground with my knees tucked tightly to my chest. The beating of my pulse was excruciating, and I found myself fighting to regain some sort of control over the situation.”