Deception Past

Deception Past is published by iUniverse. It is a unique novel of reincarnation and past life identity theft told through Tarot Cards, as those involved learn to resolve betrayal with forgiveness. The events in the book are based on my own life experiences, but the characters are fictional.

I grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, during the civil rights movement, the Viet Nam era, and the early manned spaceflight program. I won’t name the actual schools I went to because I hope they’ve put all the bad stuff behind them.

Each chapter of the book corresponds to the symbolism of each of the Major Tarot Cards, which are used for telling the story rather than “telling fortunes”. The poetry at the beginning of each chapter is about the corresponding card.

The story is narrated by Brenda, one of the characters. She tells the story of Sand, the woman who is her maternal role model. Brenda works her way through the meanings of her cards in order to forgive her parents for their mistakes, which have given her an alternative perspective of society, religion, and politics.

Sand was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1953. She remembers having lived before during World War II, when she worked for the French Resistance. As a child, her family moves to Huntsville, Alabama, home of Dr. Von Braun’s rocket science team. Sand has to deal with the conflict between her memories and her Catholic upbringing as well as premonitions in her dreams that she doesn’t understand.

In high school she makes friends with a girl from Pensacola, Florida, who tells her she’s not alone in experiencing the paranormal/metaphysical.  She discovers another friend has dreams of having lived as Emily Dickinson. Meanwhile Sand is confronted with gender inequality, suicides, ethnic predjudice, and race riots.

When Sand’s aunt dies in a fire, the police investigation leaves unanswered questions. The family discovers a blackmail package that disappears only to reappear under suspicious circumstances.

Sand eventually learns the identity of her past life only when it is stolen by a former friend. For both Sand and Brenda, this is a story of betrayal and forgiveness.

Please visit my website at www.reincarnation.com. I look forward to comments, criticism, and feedback from readers.