In the Time of Spirits
Beth Ford
Publication date: August 6th 2024
Genres: Adult, Historical
An epic adventure through the world of the nineteenth-century spiritualist movement.
In 1890, Addy Cohart is determined to defy convention and remain unmarried-until she meets William Fairley, a psychic medium who gives her hope as she grieves the sudden death of her parents. Addy becomes a devotee of the spiritualist movement, but as she takes on a larger role as William’s assistant, she realizes that all may not be as it seems. As the couple moves from New York to London to Paris, Addy is forced to confront the fact that William’s talents may be a ruse, and that he may even be a criminal. She must decide whom to trust and where to place her loyalties. What price is she willing to pay to protect her love and keep her faith?
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EXCERPT:
The group settled around the table and sang a hymn, just like the many other sessions Addy had attended. But this one felt profoundly different. She held herself straight, as if the solidness in her spine could translate to her resolve to make it through the evening. The group joined hands, and the powder she knew was on William’s hand burned into her conscience. But she made no mention of it, only sat grim-faced in the dark as those around her received their messages, which she hoped were still legitimate amid the spectacle. The guests seemed satisfied with them, at least. She stayed silent later as she felt William’s foot slip from his shoe to work the string and as a few droplets of water sent bright sparks flying into the air; she oohed and aahed with the rest of them as the phosphorescence also highlighted her dress and hands. She had, she knew, become part of the farce.
Back at the hotel that night, the dark secrets of the sance room still hung over Addy and William, with Addy struggling to speak beneath their weight. Finally, William spoke as he packed away his tools. You did a good job tonight. Thank you.”
The praise Addy had wanted to hear for so long fell flat against her ears. She said nothing and continued brushing her hair, enjoying feeling its cool reality slide between her fingers.
Is there something you want to say to me, or are you going to pout all night?”She set down the brush with a slight click against the glass top of the dressing table. I don’t know what to say, William. It’s too big.”
What does that mean, ‘it’s too big’”
It was Addy’s turn to sigh. Let’s just go to bed. We can talk about it in the morning.” She slid into bed, her back turned coldly toward his side. She heard him pause, considering; then he turned out the light, grabbed his coat, and went back out into the night.
Author Bio:
Beth Ford is a historical fiction author living in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She is the author of the novel In the Times of Spirits and the Cassie Woods, Reporter novella series. Her work has also appeared in a variety of literary journals.
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RUSS COLCHAMIRO is the author of the rollicking space adventure, Crossline, the zany sci-fi backpacking series Finders Keepers, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, editor of the sci-fi mystery anthology, Love, Murder & Mayhem, and contributing author for his newest project, Murder in Montague Falls, a noir novella collection, all with Crazy 8 Press. Russ has contributed to several other anthologies including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, They Keep Killing Glenn, Altered States of the Union, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Brave New Girls vols. 3&4, Camelot 13, TV Gods 2, and Footprints in the Stars. He is now finalizing the first in an ongoing SFF mystery series featuring his hard-boiled private eye Angela Hardwicke and has several other SFF, crime fiction, and children’s book projects in the works. Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife, their twin ninjas, and their crazy dog, Simon.
SAWNEY HATTON is an author, editor, and screenwriter who has long loved playing in the dark. His published works include the Dark Comedy novel Dead Size, the YA Noir novella Uglyville, and the Dark Fiction short story collection Everyone Is a Moon. He also edited the Sci-Fi Horror anthology What Has Two Heads, Ten Eyes, and Terrifying Table Manners? Other incarnations of Sawney have produced marketing videos, attended chili cook-offs, and played the banjo and sousaphone (not at the same time). As of this writing, he is still very much alive.
PATRICK THOMAS is the award-winning author of the beloved Murphy’s Lore series and the darkly hilarious Dear Cthulhu advice empire. His 40+ books include Fairy with a Gun, By Darkness Cursed, Lore & Dysorder, Dead to Rites, Startenders, As the Gears Turn, Cthulhu Explains It All, and Exile and Entrance. His is the co-author of the Mystic Investigators series, The Santa Heist, and the Jack Gardner mysteries. Patrick is the co-editor of Camelot 13 (with John French), New Blood (with Diane Raetz), and Hear Them Roar (with CJ Henderson), co-created The Wildsidhe Chronicles YA series and is the creator of the Agents of the Abyss series. He has had more than 150 short stories published in magazines and anthologies, with his work for YA and children including the Ughabooz books, the Undead Kid Diaries, the Joy Reaper books, and the Babe B. Bear Mysteries as Patrick T. Fibbs.
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