RAISING THE DEAD
By Jayne Lisbeth
Publication Date: August 15, 2023
Ghost Fiction/Mystery/Supernatural/Women/Friendship/Love
Jayne Lisbeth’s second novel, Raising the Dead, is a coming of age book which delves into the importance of friendship between women and men, strangers and spirits.
Raising the Dead, bookmarked in the year 1979, is the exploration of a young bride’s struggle towards maturity and overcoming the depths of grief. Ms. Lisbeth’s beautiful, poetic prose weaves history, love, friendship, reading, culinary arts, crafts and the beauty of nature into the development of Emeline, the protagonist of this remarkable work.
Synopsis:
Emeline, a new bride, has been transported from her beloved home in the California Delta by her husband with their move to his mother’s home city, Charles Town, in Virginia. Marooned in grief after the deaths of her beloved parents. a mysterious elderly woman, Felicity, befriends her. Through Felicity Emeline learns to love reading, cooking. She also becomes confident enough to reach out to others and form new friendships. Felicity teaches Emeline the craft of chair caning, which becomes a lucrative enterprise which further assists Emeline in her search for independence and maturity. When Emeline is most dependent on Felicity her friend mysteriously disappears. With the assistance of her new-found friends Emeline searches and discovers for her lost friend. Through the love of friendship, her husband and her friends assist Emeline in her search for Felicity, Emeline’s mentor and “other mother,” Emeline discovers a frightening spiritual reality which uplifts her in unimaginable ways. Through friendship she learns the value of love and the enduring spirit of those who have touched her life, even if they are no longer among the living.
Raising the Dead is a mystery to be unearthed by the reader in these poetic pages. Loveable and quirky characters, both living and dead, entrance and entertain. Reviewers of Raising the Dead “can’t put this book down” until they discover how and where Emeline finds her dear friend. Emeline’s friendships, the development of her relationship with her husband and her search for Felicity help this young bride to move into her future. Emeline is a beloved heroine worthy of the most sophisticated and avid readers.
Raising the Dead is available at Amazon.
One hundred and fifty-five years after Mildred Hanson’s death, Randy Upswatch carried his bride, Emeline Jannison Upswatch, across the threshold of Cabin #25. Randy gently set Emeline down on the heart pine kitchen floor. The windows let in bright splashes of the morning light through the wavy old glass. The antique black wood stove squatted in a corner, next to a small
fireplace with an open hearth. The original porcelain sink had been retained but over the years the plumbing had been modernized. Across the room an old gas stove nestled adjacent to a vintage Frigidaire. A scarred wood plank shelf was built into the wall between the stove and
refrigerator, with drawers installed beneath. Knotty pine cabinets provided plenty of room for Em’s collection of antique bowls and pitchers. Next to the fireplace, a pantry with floor to ceiling shelves completed the kitchen, empty storage begging to be filled.
Emeline’s heart lifted, then sank, when she remembered the days she and her Mama, Cleo, had filled their own pantry shelves. Mother and daughter would process their Sacramento Delta crops into jeweled jars of vegetables, relishes, jams, pickles and chutneys. Her eyes teared up, which she quickly hid from Randy. She scolded herself. Damn, girl, it’s been two years since Mama’s passing……isn’t it time for you to move on? she thought to herself.
“Sure wish I’d paid more attention to Mama’s cooking,” she said aloud.
“What?” Randy asked.
“Oh! I didn’t realize I said that out loud. Just thinking that Mama always needed my help with
jamming and canning, but never taught me to cook. She really wanted her kitchen all to herself.”
But Randy didn’t hear this response as he was busily exploring the rest of the cabin. “Holy Shit,
Em, lookit this!” he exclaimed. Emeline followed Randy down a central hallway leading to other
rooms. At one end of the central hall was the largest bedroom. Windows sparkled as lacy light
fell through the trees surrounding the cabin. The smaller bedroom, at the opposite end of the
hallway seemed forlorn. A large tree shadowed the room, darkening the interior. In the center of
the hallway and next to the kitchen was a small bathroom boasting an enormous clawfoot tub. A
window over the tub with a deep sill would be perfect for African Violets and geraniums, Em
thought.
In the center of the long hallway was their living room. It was just big enough to hold their old
couch, her mama’s ancient Lincoln rocker, and two end tables. An old black stove, sitting on a
raised platform of bricks was nestled in a corner of the room.
Jayne Lisbeth was born in NYC and continued her life’s journey from Long Island, to New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, California and Tampa, all places featured prominently in her writing. Her first book, a memoir, Writing In Wet Cement has been published internationally by London based publisher, Austin Macauley. Jayne’s second book, Raising the Dead, a work of historical fiction, mystery, friendship and the supernatural, was published in 2023, also by Austin Macauley. Ms. Lisbeth publishes monthly “Food for Thought” blogs on her website, Jaynelisbeth.com. Her “Food for Thought” blogs are based on her reflections of life, friendship, love, and topical subjects of interest. Ms. Lisbeth’s non-fiction, poetry, and short stories have been published from Vermont to California to Tampa, Florida where she has received awards at the local level. She has been published locally in Pages of Our Life, volumes I and II which is currently part of the USF, Tampa, Geriartic Studies Programs. Ms. Lisbeth’s short stories have been published in the LEC Phoenix Anthologies, 2015-2023. Jayne’s interests include writing, reading, exploring, traveling, calligraphy, gravestone rubbing, entertaining and cooking. Jayne’s author’s website is Jaynelisbeth.com. Ms. Lisbeth and her artist husband, Tim Gibbons, are the owners and founders of Funky As A Monkey Art Studio, providing art in public places and launching new and emerging artists in exhibiting their art.
Author Links
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