Guest Post from Sara Fitzgerald

Today, we have author Sarah Fitzgerald stopping by the blog. She's been kind enough to agree to share with us an excerpt from her newest book, Saving Savanna!

Saving Savanna

By Sara Fitzgerald

Devan can’t help but blame God for his wife’s death, so the last thing he wants to do this holiday season is celebrate.  But when his daughter, Savanna, makes a special Christmas wish, their little family will never be the same.  Filled with faith and tenderness, this heartwarming story is sure to remind you of the real power behind the magic of Christmas.

The wind whistled down the avenues

that cold December night as Devan Smith

trudged across the murky, slush-filled street

with his little girl, Savanna, by his side. The street’s curbs

were covered with dirty piles of snow from yesterday’s

storm. The blackened snow reminded him of how dark

his soul felt without Vivian.

“Look, Daddy,” Savanna said, tugging on his sleeve.

“Look at all those shining lights. Mommy would love to

see them. Do you think she can?”

Devan glanced down at her tiny face dominated by

big, innocent eyes that were the same shade of blue as

her mother’s. He paused for a moment, deciding what to

tell her. She looked at him with such divine trust, a trust

unlike any he had ever experienced, except the trust his

wife had in him. He had failed Vivian.

“Daddy? Can Mommy see the lights?”

He bit his lower lip and stooped by her. He fought

back the lump forming in his throat. He wished that she

would stop talking about Mommy. Each time, no matter

how much he thought he was prepared for the subject, the

pain threatened to destroy his soul.

He inhaled deeply and then slowly exhaled. Fog circled

around Savanna’s head; for a split second she looked

like an angel as the cold from his breath danced around

her brown curls.

She was waiting for him to tell her everything was

going to be all right, that Mommy was in heaven looking

down at them, but how could he? He no longer believed

in heaven and hell. No loving God would have allowed

what had happened to Vivian to take place. Devan

couldn’t let Savanna become disillusioned.

Savanna placed her arms around his neck. “Grandpa

says she’s in heaven watching out for us.”

He swallowed and then changed the subject. “We’d

better go shopping, or else we won’t be done before

Christmas. We only have three days left until Santa comes

down our chimney. What do you want him to bring

you?”

“There’s only one thing I want from him,” she whispered,

leaning toward him.

He forced a smile. “And what’s that?”

“I want Mommy back.”

Tears blurred his vision. He wanted her mommy back

too, more than anything in the world, but not even Santa

Claus could do that. Vivian was dead, buried in a cold

cemetery with only the snowfall as her blanket against the

storms of winter.

“A story of shattered faith touchingly restored by a little child and a reminder that, through the Atonement, love surpasses even the grave.  Sara Fitzgerald’s Saving Savanna will bring tender tears to your eyes.”  Joyce DiPastena, author of Dangerous Favor

Sara Fitzgerald was named the 2006 Writer

of the Year for the League of Utah Writers. She

lives with her husband and daughter in Salt Lake

City. She loves the Christmas season.