Butterflies at the Window

Book excerpt: The date is May 22, 2011. Elly's "very good" graduation day becomes even better when three enormous butterflies appear at her bedroom window; incredibly beautiful, almost other-worldly in their splendor. Her first thought is, "Thank You, Jesus! You know how I love butterflies." But when Elly, then her mother, then other members of the McConnell clan begin to see them in the most unlikely places, their presence begins to feel strangely ominous. And when they appear to be watching the family's every move, it's hard to avoid a growing sense of foreboding. On this perfect spring Sunday, when families across southwest Missouri are celebrating their high school graduations, could these exquisite creatures actually be harbingers of looming tragedy? Then a rare and massive EF5 tornado unexpectedly turns that bright day in May dark and deadly. As the storm of the century bears down, can the McConnell family survive? And in the midst of unspeakable terror and devastation, why are so many children of the tornado seeing butterfly people? Sandi McReynolds is a life-long resident of Southwest Missouri who found herself intrigued by the butterfly people stories that abounded after the monstrous Joplin Tornado of May, 2011; and more than inspired by the generosity and faith of her community. "Butterflies at the Window" is a novel recounting some of those stories based on true and very personal events involving family and friends.