Pause... and Effect: A Sand-Trodden Journey Through Menopause and Beyond - Softcover

Lange, M. E.

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798988700128

Publisher: ALTech Publishing, 2026

Synopsis

When perimenopause shatters her sense of normal, one woman discovers that losing her footing may be the beginning of finding her true self.

For years, she’s held everything together — family, work, expectations, the quiet weight of being “fine.” But when unpredictable symptoms, emotional upheaval, and a deep midlife restlessness begin to surface, she can no longer outrun the truth: something inside her is changing, and she doesn’t understand it.

Seeking help leads her somewhere unexpected. Through honest conversations, new support, and the courage to stop pretending, she begins to unravel the mystery of perimenopause and menopause — not as an ending, but as an awakening. And on a quiet stretch of beach, she finally has space to breathe, reflect, and listen to the version of herself she’s spent years silencing.

As she reconnects with her body, her desires, and her long‑buried potential, she steps into a midlife transformation she never saw coming. What begins as confusion becomes clarity. What felt like loss becomes rediscovery. And what once seemed like the end becomes the start of a life she chooses for herself.

Pause… and Effect is an uplifting, character‑driven women’s fiction novel about healing, reinvention, and the powerful moment when a woman finally says: This is who I am now. Perfect for women over 40, readers navigating perimenopause or menopause, and anyone craving an emotional beach read about second chances, self‑rediscovery, and the beauty of becoming who you were always meant to be.

About this title

About the Author

Michelle Erika (M. E.) Lange is a semi-retired high-tech consultant and writer. Having written nonfiction technical documents for the past 35 years, Michelle has turned to more interesting pursuits—writing fiction. Since 2023, she's written three novels and two screenplays (with more in the works), diving into subjects of personal interest and concern.
 
Michelle is married, has two daughters and two stepdaughters, and loves to travel--including taking cruises. Michelle splits her time between Oregon and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The inspiration of travel and the USVI tends to find its way into her works. She writes and revises much of her work on cruise ships or at a desk in her condo on the hill overlooking Sapphire Marina, with an incredible view of Smith Bay, St. Thomas.

From the Back Cover

In this coming-of-old-age story, when 52-year-old Lyndsey Barnes abruptly snaps and quits her job, she finds herself unwittingly stepping aboard a menopause-fueled roller coaster that she clings to for dear life as it plummets to the depths of despair and through life's twists and turns.
It's not until she trades the rainy Pacific Northwest for the sun-kissed shores of the U.S. Virgin Islands that she discovers what she's been missing—a progressive and informed doctor, a network of supportive friends and mentors, and the memory of long-lost dreams. With these keys, she's able to unlock repressed trauma that has held her back, and with a newfound belief in herself, she redefines her "Third Act," using youthful aspirations to propel her to the pinnacle of life.

Edition details

• Publisher: ALTech Publishing
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798988700128
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 300