On Dulcimer Strings

On Dulcimer Strings by Angela Lebakken Some say your past will come back to haunt you. But what if that past took place more than 150 years ago? What if it's a past you don't remember and can't be sure even happened? When Molly Carpenter accompanies her preacher husband to Appalachia, she encounters just such a past. Unable to reconcile her mixed emotions toward this man she'd chosen to trust, she seeks solace at an abandoned cabin in the woods where bizarre events shatter her concept of time and space. Hearing eerie dulcimer music, she witnesses the abuse of a child, Sophia. When Sophia's mother passes through her like breath through her body, she realizes the scene is not in her known reality. Often, with heart pounding and mind racing, she is drawn into the forest and transported to Sophia's life in the 1850s. Whether locked in a dark shed, or crossing a rickety bridge, Sophia's experiences trigger Molly's claustrophobia and fear of heights. Sophia's struggles with a traveling preacher offer Molly insights about her relationship with her own preacher-her husband. Who is this victimized little girl? Who is the old codger offering her a dulcimer? And why are they appearing to Molly? Could they be ghosts from the past? Could she, herself, be someone who'd lived long ago? Dulcimer music haunts her waking and sleeping as she struggles to maintain her marriage to Jake, who has become increasingly controlling and deceitful. In desperation and drawing from an inner courage, Molly journeys into the unknown. Apparitions, unexplained music, a mysterious cat, and curses from a faraway land play havoc with Molly's life and those who have befriended her. Richard, her tenderhearted counselor, feisty Ellen the waitress, and innocent Beth, experience life changes as they offer help and companionship. Support and encouragement come from the handsome bookseller, Royce, as they fall in love and struggle with romantic entanglement. Still, Molly often finds herself alone in the wilderness, wide-eyed in the dark. Compelled to heal Sophia's pain and hence her own, and guided by a Cherokee shaman, Molly's journey takes her full circle as she learns the importance of confronting one's past in the present to bring peace in the future. Product reviews: "The narrative voice is engaging from the first paragraph, and there's some really beautiful descriptive prose early on that reveals to the reader that he is in the hands of a fine writer . . . The dialogue is excellent, has the ring of real speech. The author skillfully evokes dialects . . ."-Judge, Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book Awards. "I am just sevetny-five pages into On Dulcimer Strings and it is simply lovely. You got me into the story and I'm re-reading sentences because of their power. And uniqueness. What a voice! I'm surprised at every turn."-Gail Morellen, author, No Broken Bones.