Fantastic Friday (on a Sunday): Music and Time Travel

I’m excited to announce the official release of my latest novel, The Man with the Crystal Ankh.

It’s about a high school student who discovers a hidden talent while playing the violin: by letting her mind relax with her music, she opens herself to be contacted by the troubled spirit of a late, beloved custodian in need of assistance. In the paranormal adventure, she learns that the residents of Hollow Oak have ties that run back generations—some more sinister than others.

It’s the first in a trilogy, inspired by the important role music had in my life during high school. When I first picked up the violin in third grade, I felt an immediate sense of magic. From the smell of the rosin to the shiny varnish on the wooden instrument, everything about it made me feel connected to all those who had played the instrument before. When I dragged the bow across the string and produced my first raspy notes—and then watched as my violin instructor created beauty from that same instrument, I knew I had much to learn. But that was the magic of it.

When I learned to play classical music in middle and high school, I experienced awe. I’ve always been fascinated by time travel and the possibilities imagined by HG Wells and Back to the Future and Doctor Who. As I played a Vivaldi piece, I realized I was playing a piece from the 1700s. It was written by someone long since dead, and yet nearly three hundred years later, a group of people Vivaldi never met—probably never could have imagined—were coordinating efforts to reproduce a melody the composer heard in his head.

I realized then that art—music, writing, and visual art—was truly a gift to man. We are given a finite time on earth, but through our talents, we are able to create that which lasts beyond generations.

That idea gave rise to a premise in The Man with the Crystal Ankh. What if someone wasn’t satisfied with leaving behind a legacy or children, or music, or art, or deeds? What if someone wanted to extend his actual life beyond what was natural?

And so that’s what I pitted Sarah Durante up against in The Man with the Crystal Ankh. Using her talent of music, she has a chance to peek into the most sinister intentions of a human soul, and see if her good intentions and hope is enough to prevent his evil deeds.

Kindle edition available: just $3.99

Paperback version now available: Amazon.com