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"Amanda Morgan takes normal, everyday people and puts them into extraordinary situations. Her characters make choices as we all hope we will do when faced with the unexpected - rise to the occasion and come out triumphant."
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Jill Reade is a young woman who believes in angels though, by her own admission, she has never seen one. Well, not one with wings and a halo anyway. She has, since a very young child, seen people or objects that reminded her to exercise caution or to think differently about something - helpers sent by God to help her help herself. She sets out on a short trip to analyze a potential archaeological project little realizing that it is also the beginning a life-changing journey for her.
Set against the panoramic backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, LEGENDS OF THE SANCTUARY TREE - THE LIGHTS OF HOME is a literary novel rich in local history, family legends, and homespun wisdom. With gentle humor and character insight, this heartwarming story examines several cultural dilemmas germane to our times. Can a woman who has lived successfully on her own make the changes necessary to sustain healthy relationships? Can people who are able to live independently embrace the spirit of Community? How can members of a remote village adjust to the influx of commuters and retirees - reconcile the pretensions of the newly affluent with their long-standing traditional values? The unique characters will be remembered by the way they include the reader in their interaction as they grapple with realistic challenges and grow in the process. A retired field archaeologist, the author conducted careful research into each aspect of the story, paying attention to detail and presenting thoughtful and reasoned discussions of everyday problems to which most readers can relate. The novel can well stand on its own though there is a prequel in the works. Synopsis: The life of reclusive archaeologist Jill Reade is nearly perfect and she is content. She has carved a niche for herself contracting with both governmental and private entities to conduct small-scale archaeological projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. She inherits a bed-and-breakfast, currently being run as a women's renewal center, from Alice Norman, a woman she'd met only one time-at her grandfather's memorial service. Jill, befuddled by the legacy, has no desire to be an innkeeper and steadfastly refuses to let it alter the life she has worked so hard to shape. At the urging of Alice Norman's attorney Jill reluctantly agrees to use the remote lodge as a base camp during her next project. While there, she's told the legend of the Sanctuary Tree-a giant tree with dense boughs that sweep the ground, providing protection from the elements for anyone lucky enough to stumble into its aromatic chamber. She hears, again, the story of a woman who, many generations before, had been caught by an early snowfall after leaving the nearby gold fields and, with her gold, disappears forever. Jill had already been told snippets of that story by her grandfather who was born not far from the very lodge she has just inherited. She also learns that, while she may not want the lodge, there are those who do, and they're willing to risk much to get it. Before Jill can complete her work and leave, an early snowstorm traps her in the lodge with fourteen strangers and a helpful resident from many generations past. She spends the Thanksgiving holiday playing hostess, cook, nurse, sleuth, confidante, entertainer, and, most importantly, friend. She leaves the lodge with a newly found sense of self, a new purpose, and even, perhaps, a new love. |