"R" Is For Rose Hall Great House

"Rose Hall" pastel by MM Sikes

"An odd misty haze hung over the porch, obscuring some of it from her view. The filmy fog held particles of smoke-like dust that glittered in the diminished light. Stranger yet, the sun had shifted in the sky to signal the onset of early evening twilight.

"The large porch exuded elegant splendor, as the fog around it dissipated. Lavish floral arrangements proclaimed opulence and wealth, and lighted candles in the center of each table projected wispy shadows all around..."

This is from my novel, Hearts Across Forever, when Kathryn visits Rose Hall Great House and suddenly finds herself shifting in time and viewing a scene from another lifetime in Jamaica.

When I first saw Rose Hall Great House, I was captivated by the charm of the beautiful old mansion and I was intrigued by the tale of the "white witch" who murdered her husbands and intimidated all those around her. I had to connect that story in a book. Thus Hearts Across Forever was born.

If you go to Jamaica, don't miss a side trip to Rose Hall Great House. You won't soon forget your visit. Thank you A to Z blog for bringing back my memories.

Past Lives

Last night, we watched the first show in the new series, "Past Lives" on Fox TV. Since I've been fascinated by reincarnation for as long as I can remember, I was excited to discover that network television is interested as well.

The first program featured the story of a 14-year-old boy who starts having memories of the traumatic kidnapping and drowning death of an eight-year-old girl. His memories, pieced together with the work of the two paranormal investigators who star in the show, result in the discovery of the girl's four-year-old sister who is now 18. She is reunited with her parents who had no idea she might still be alive.

My fascination with reincarnation inspired my first novel, Hearts Across Forever. I wondered what would happen if my heroine saw a painting of Rose Hall Great House (in Jamaica) and that event began to trigger a series of memories. In my book, Kathryn visits the famous old plantation house where she has a vision of people from her past life in 19th Century Jamaica dancing on the portico. She remembers a life as the star-crossed niece of Annie Palmer, known as the White Witch of Rose Hall.

I look forward to seeing more of the "Past Lives" television dramas. Hopefully, this show will spark renewed interest in my book which is still available on Amazon.