SIGHT UNSEEN: EMMA'S HOUSE
All my adult life I've been a songwriter. Then 5 years ago I began writing a novel. The initial inspiration came from listening to my grandmother talk about her life. She was born in 1895, and her family had Irish/Scots roots with which I identified. When my husband and I visited Ireland in 2019 we gained an appreciation for people's strong sense of place, home, history, and their recognition of and deep respect for the spirit world. These attributes are woven throughout my novel.
In my early thinking and story outlines the main theme had to do with the differences in women's daily lives between the late Victorian era and the early 21st century. However, as it evolved I realized the story had more to do with what lies beneath: the love, or tension, that lies beneath the outward appearance of a relationship; that which lies hidden in the writing of history; as well as what might be found under a floorboard in the bedroom of a 125 year old house.
Freelance writer Emma MacLaine opts for change, accepts a new job and impulsively decides to rescue a neglected late Victorian house. When the restoration activates long-dormant energies from 1911, Emma works with her new friends and otherworldly entities to clear the house of psychic remnants from the past. The friends find restoration involves more than just woodwork; it requires working with history and the power of truth to uncover authenticity and rectify harm that has endured for 100 years.
https://sandybashaw.bandcamp.com/album/sight-unseen