Show & Tell Saturday with Kathleen Gallagher

I may have mentioned in another post how I got my inspiration for my upcoming release Echoes at Dawn, but I’ll use this opportunity to elaborate.  Old black and white photos have always fascinated me.  I found a family portrait from the early 1900’s.  I’m not sure what the occasion was, but the relatives gathered adorned in their fancy outfits.  The expressions on their faces lacked enthusiasm and were absent of smiles.  The little girls even looked somber.  I starting thinking about how different the snapshots from that era seemed, compared to the one’s today.  Everyone always looked so serious back then.  There had to be an explanation, I surmised.  I began to research articles and came up with different concepts.  I read about the technology taking longer to capture a shot, making it difficult to maintain a smile while waiting.  Another couple of theories I found were the lack of proper dental care may have kept people from showing their smile, or posing devices making it uncomfortable.  Some speculate about the stress of a difficult life keeping them from looking happy. Others say the portrait may have been the only one ever taken for people to remember them by, so they chose a stoic pose.  I’d say it’s most likely a combination of all of the factors.

 Family and photo sessions have changed dramatically over the years. Today we are told to say a catch phrase for the camera and most of us automatically brighten our expression.  We usually welcome the opportunity to show our smile.  The mystery behind the old photo made me curious. I found a vintage frame for it and displayed it in my house.

As time went on, I began to wonder more about the lives of the people in the picture. Were the little girls anxious to return home to play with their dolls? Or were they tired from doing their chores?  Could they be anticipating a party afterwards?  Were the husbands and wives arguing, or exchanging fond embraces earlier in the day?  After staring at the girls wearing the frilly dresses with matching bows, my imagination took over.  They became twins with a special bond. Do twins have a connection unlike other pairs of siblings?  What would happen if one of them left this world early?  I began to piece together what turned out to be the premise for my paranormal romantic read, Echoes at Dawn.

The strangely intertwined lives of a widowed mother, a charismatic bachelor, and an elderly woman come together in order to show that in life there are no coincidences, only destiny.

Madeline Young loves her job as a chef in a waterfront restaurant. Her love life is where she has problems.  She realizes she must stop dating the wrong men, especially ones that are too young for her, or she’ll spend the rest of her life alone.  To complicate matters further, her elderly and, often times, forgetful mother needs to move in.  Then, to make matters even worse, Madeline's rebellious teenage son spends a day in the emergency room for alcohol poisoning.  Madeline's mother wants her to find true happiness and feels compelled to enlist the help of her deceased twin sister, Mary, by using her Ouija Board.  Together, they conjure up a plan to find Madeline the perfect match.  Madeline has an early dawn visit from Aunt Mary, who directs her to volunteer in a local hospital.   Madeline finds much more than she ever expected when she enters the hospital’s center for recovery. 

Nathaniel Griffin fascinates his clients with his lectures, but often uses his busy schedule to avoid social situations.  In keeping with this philosophy, Nat prefers to keep his personal life very private.  However, when given the assignment to orient a lovely new volunteer, her seductive charms soon tug at his heartstrings.  Unfortunately, before he can commit to the relationship, Nat must confront his marred past.  Is he willing to face his demons, or take the easier path and remain isolated?   

The unexpected return of twins who left this world early, carry the key to unlock the reluctant bachelor’s past.  They are called upon to perform one final mission of love before they can rest. Will they accomplish their assignment or will it be too late?

It can be fun creating stories after looking at old photos.  Have you ever wondered about what was going on in the lives of your ancestors after looking at their old images?