women's fiction women's fiction novel

Return to Lerici – Sequel to The Invisibles

by Rachel Dacus

I’m about a quarter of the way through drafting my next women’s fiction novel, RETURN TO LERICI. It’s a sequel to THE INVISIBLES, which is the story of a fractured sisterhood, a family guardian spirit, and the path to redemption. This new story involves the same characters, plus a lost family member who’s determined to be found, though not everyone wants to bring him in.

My current writing process is messy and unruly. I’m outlining, then free writing, then revising my outline to accommodate my unruly characters, who are determined to be themselves and do things I hadn’t planned. I’m trying to keep a structure in place, but these imaginary people keep jumping out of my frame and surprising me.

One of my favorite surprises is when the characters’ voices start speaking in my head. And before you say, what are you on, let me explain. When I was in fourth grade and we studied the Westward Expansion in America, my indulgent teacher allowed me to write a play on the subject and had the class read it out, using character voices. He even read a part. The experience impressed me deeply. I believed in those people I had made up, many of whom were like my family members, but still I believed them to be as real as fiction or drama gets. So I acquired the habit of hearing my characters as if they’re onstage.

Cover idea

I had an idea for a cover, so I mocked something up. What do you think? There are no wrong answers. For some reason, I’m enamored of images of women in hats. Of course, a red hat is the best! I have an orange one, and plan to buy a red one soon. The last red hat I owned I left behind in India (long story).

The shutter doors are open to a vista in the hills of Lerici, Italy, a coastal region known as Liguria. It’s a land of ease and relaxed luxury, just down the coast from the fabled Italian Riviera.

 

A teaser of the story …

A new main character is “Baby Boy”, the lost half-sibling whose adoption papers were discovered at the end of the last book. This sends the Greenes on another journey and also a family conflict. Who is he and where is he now? Nathan Greene’s lover had a baby who was anonymously adopted. Saffron and her mother Betsy want to discover what happened to him after his birth mother gave him up, but it’s hard to trace such adoptions. I had to figure out how it might be done, and then why his half-sisters Elinor and Saffron want or don’t want to locate him and let him into the family. Secrets are to be uncovered! The spirit of 19th century poet Shelley is still on the job of watching over the Greene family. There’s a petty crime spree and a story of redemption. I’m loving all the drama families area can create with each other! Juicy stuff.

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