Whether you experienced foster care or adoption or neither,
this story will encourage you to keep believing that good will find you.
Faded Red Beads: From an Orphanage to a Disrupted Adoption.
A Story of Courage, Resiliency and Faith.
by Monica Hargrave
Genre: Nonfiction Inspirational Biography
As I began to head upstairs to my bedroom, my adopted father abruptly asked, “Where have you been?” I responded with, “What do you mean? I called you at 3:15 p.m. and told you I had a game this evening.” He said, “No, you did not. I did not talk to you today!”
I stood there, frozen, thinking, you’re crazy as hell. Mr. O’Neal proceeded to tell me what my future was going to be, and I didn’t agree with anything he said. “You will not participate in sports; you will come directly home from school, cook dinner, clean the house, etc.” As he yelled, I began plotting my next move. When I tuned in, he said, “You will have no outside interaction with anyone.” I recall thinking, This is my last day in this hellhole. It didn’t matter where I ended up, I knew anything had to be better than this. I wasn’t living at all. His home felt like prison, and I was ready to be free. This wasn’t about me trying to sneak around and see boys. It was about a robbed childhood. I didn’t have many answers, but I knew living with Mr. O’Neal was suffocating. He wasn’t equipped to be an adoptive parent. The system failed. Providing a roof wasn’t enough.
This story is written to inspire individuals. To move when you don’t have all the answers about what lies ahead, but you know if you stay where you are, you will die. To trust your gut and to not copy anyone’s life, you are an original. It just so happens this story is about a little girl’s journey from an orphanage to a failed adoption to charting her path forward. Whether you experienced foster care or adoption or neither, this story will encourage you to keep believing that good will find you.
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When Monica was born, the doctors said, “If she makes it overnight, she will survive.” Monica spent approximately nine years in foster care and then ran away from her adoptive family. She strives to empower women to actively address whatever is holding them back from leading fulfilled lives. You get one life. Live it. Monica completed her undergraduate studies at Niagara University and has a masters degree in health administration from Central Michigan University and a masters in human resources development from Villanova University. She completed Emory University’s executive coaching program and coaches women who are unfulfilled in their careers. Monica loves trying vegan recipes, animals, exercising, and reading James Patterson novels. She has three furry friends.
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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
June 26
Kickoff at Silver Dagger Book Tours
June 27
June 30
Book Bites….with a side of coffee
July 1
July 2
☼ A Place In The Spotlight ☼ with M.C.V. EGAN
July 3
July 4
July 7
July 8
Nina Soden #TheRedheadedAuthor
July 9
July 10
Book Reviews by the Reluctant Retiree
July 11
July 13
July 14
July 15
July 16
Sarcastically Yours, Jen – REVIEW
July 17
July 18
Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin’
July 21
July 22
July 23
July 24
July 25
Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW
July 26
Sounds like a really read.
This looks like an amazing book.. a must read for me..
I love this concept!
Sounds like one that will keep me interested and reading for sure.
Wow, what a story. I hope to get a chance to read it :)
Interesting, hopefully uplifting. This topic is a bit painful, a few of my ex boyfriends aged out of the foster care system.
I would love to read this story.
Looking forward to this inspirational read. Great cover
This sounds like a great nonfiction inspirational biography book. I like the cover.
Sounds like a wonderful book.
Thanks for the great excerpt. The book sounds like a fascinating read. My favourite genre.
Looks like a good read
sounds like a great read
Are there any real-life people or experiences that inspired the characters?
Looks exciting Do you write in a daily journal?
This sounds like a good book.
Looks a good read
It looks like a good read.
Great cover!
I need some inspiration in my life right now and this biography sounds like the perfect new read for me!
Love the cover
Hope the book does well!
This sounds like an interesting nonfiction book!
I look forward to reading this.
Wow, what a story. I hope to get a chance to read it :)
Sounds like a great story
What advice do you have for other writers?
I enjoyed reading this well done excerpt!
Highly interested in reading this.
Thank you for sharing.
Sounds really great.
Sounds like a plot requiring concentration to follow
I like the book details.
interesting
This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.
Sounds like a good read!!
Sounds uplifting!
It’s amazing what some people overcome in their lives. Sounds like a great story.
Just from the blurb, it is obvious that something failed in the preliminary workup to this adoption. No man with that attitude to a child (teenager or not) should be a father. Although I do wonder about the presence or absence of a mother.
This is very interesting. Thank you for the giveaway!