“Mrs. Rochester’s Ghost”

Thorn Bluffs estate. California’s central coast. Fog. Rip tides. Secrets. Venture capitalist. Governess. Chef. Brother. Daughter. Caretakers. Characters living in fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of their benefactor. Fear of the monster.

Schizophrenia.

Schrödinger’s cat…until you “open the box” Beatrice McAdams is both dead and alive. Is she a ghost? An apparition, haunting the estate? Or did she survive the dangerous surf? Whose story should you believe? Where is the evidence for either scenario? 

Greed. Belonging. Protection. Love.

“The Nakano Thirftshop”

 

“These are not antiques. They’re second-hand goods.” (5)

Quirky. “You know what I mean?” These are the people you work with day in and day out. The people you share a meal with. Share your thoughts. And yet, how well do you really know them? Those are the relationships we sometimes take for granted. Those are the relationships that are sometimes lost…

Rectangular #2. Paperweight. Bus. Letter opener. Big dog. Celluloid. Sewing machine. Dress. Bowl. Apples. Gin. Punch ball.

Lives collected like objects in a thrift store. Not antiques. Simply second-hand goods. Waiting to be loved. To be valued.

“The Language of Hoofbeats”

I want to say that this novel is about filters. I want to say that it reminded me of my Grandmother, as she got older, and rarely filtered her thoughts before they became words. I also want to say that that same Grandmother was also bitter at times. Angry. Hurt. Judgmental. Loving.

I want to say that we are all trying to find where we fit. Seeking out what is familiar to us. Resistant to change. Making order out of chaos. I want to say that this novel filled me with hope. 

So, I guess, in my own way, I did say all of that. Oh, and the horse was cool too!

“The Guncle”

 

Twelve Guncle Rules (more or less). GUP. Self-absorbed actor. Niblings. Loss. Grief. Love. Healing. And, a lot of sarcasm.

The pink Christmas tree. Marlene. JED. Rosa. Pool floats. Stars (the kind in the sky). An earthquake. Death. Rehab.

This novel had a perspective that was new to me. Not the “retired” actor part. Not the part about the uncle entertaining his niece and nephew. But, the part where GUP deals with his losses and that of his niblings. How do the three of them help to heal each other? How much time can one spend in a swimming pool in Palm Springs? Heartfelt. I was hoping for the happily-ever-after ending…let’s just say, Rowley left the novel on the upswing. Loved every moment of the adventure.