Mary Sullivan Esseff Publishes THE BUTTERFLY & THE SNAIL

In "The Butterfly & The Snail" (published by Balboa Press), author Mary Sullivan Esseff's new novel, readers join Rebecca Butler and Khalil Khoury as they struggle to resolve the dilemma their chance meeting in the summer of 1964 in Salzburg, Austria, causes in their lives. Coincidentally, another celebrated romance, "The Sound of Music," is being filmed there at the same time.

An inspirational love story, the book encompasses a year of Rebecca's life at college and Khalil's life as a Jesuit seminarian. The tale begins on the first evening of a six-week German Language Study Group session. Rebecca, a reserved college senior, hears an captivating voice. This voice, as she soon finds out, belongs to Khalil Khoury, a soon-to-be-ordained Jesuit priest.

This chance meeting begins a magical tale that will have readers witnessing several heart-filled encounters that transform the characters' lives forever. From their time sharing experiences on Gaisberg Mountain's green hillside to harrowing close calls climbing the treacherous Untersberg Mountain, "The Butterfly & The Snail" brings a mystical feeling to each page. In the end, readers will want to know how they can love like Rebecca and Khalil. Their inspirational love story evokes universally shared recollections of childhood grief and pain; life decisions; the courage and sacrifices love demands; and the healing, transformational power of love.

An excerpt from the book:

"Watching butterflies dance from flower to flower, Khalil remembered the snail and butterfly Rebecca had discovered on Gaisberg. The obvious finally dawned on him-his whole life, he had asked God for signs, yet when God sent them, Khalil failed to recognize them. Everything happens for a purpose. Why did I go to Salzburg? Why did Rebecca fall down Untersberg? Why did I catch her?...Not until he went to Salzburg and met Rebecca, did God reveal what true, deep, real love meant. God must have sent me to Salzburg so I could meet Rebecca. He had spent the year as a snail-slow to discern God's message. Rebecca was like the butterfly that instantly discovered God's secret."

"The Butterfly & The Snail"
By Mary Sullivan Esseff
Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 304 pages | ISBN 9781452570280
Softcover | 6 x 9in | 304 pages | ISBN 9781452570266
E-Book | 304 pages | ISBN 9781452570273
Available through the author (Mary(at)ESF-ProTrainer(dot)com), at Balboa Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Mary Sullivan Esseff is a writer and publisher of professional training materials. She holds a degree in English from Chestnut Hill College and a Ph.D. in educational technology from The Catholic University of America. She and her husband, Peter, have three children and three grandchildren. More information can be found at the authors Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MarySullivanEsseffTransformationalAuthor.

Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, Inc. - a leading provider in publishing products that specialize in self-help and the mind, body, and spirit genres. Through an alliance with indie book publishing leader Author Solutions, Inc., authors benefit from the leadership of Hay House Publishing and the speed-to-market advantages of the self-publishing model. For more information, visit balboapress.com.

To post a comment, you must register and login.