Old Houses that Talk with Special Guest Marilyn Turk

Have you ever driven by a big old house and wondered what stories it would tell if it could talk?

No? You mean, that’s just me? I’ve always been fascinated by old houses, not ones built in 1950, you know, but really old homes built around the turn of the 20th century or before. I especially like the historic mansions because I imagined the family who lived there at one time was wealthy. I wondered what kind of occupation the owner had that afforded him such a big house.

So you can imagine my delight when I discovered the Millionaires’ Village on Jekyll Island, Georgia. I had gone to the island on a business trip and did not previously know about the historic section of the area until then. Talk about stories! These homes, now being restored by the state of Georgia, once belonged to some of the wealthiest people in America. I was fascinated to learn about the Millionaires Club that once owned the island.

A few years later, my husband and I took a vacation to the area, and I wanted to revisit the historic village and read more about its history. During this time, I learned that a publisher was looking for a southern gothic novel, and I decided the Millionaires Village would be the perfect setting for one. As a historical author, I look for actual events that happened in a setting and see my characters responding to the events. During the fifty years of the club’s existence, many historic events took place, but I decided that 1942, the last year of the club’s operation, would be the best time for a slightly “spooky” novel.

Of course, being a Christian author, my novels have a faith element and at least one of my characters struggles with a question related to their faith. Alexander (Lexie) Smithfield, my main character, had some unresolved issues from her family’s past that needed to be dealt with amidst growing threats to her personal safety. Lexie faced fears from without and fears from within, and had to identify which fears were real and which were not. And it just so happened that Russell Thompson, a former childhood friend and current manager of the club, was there to help her sort it out.

Well, I can’t tell you anymore without giving away the whole story. But speaking of giving away, I’ll give away a copy of the book, The Gilded Curse, to someone who leaves a comment.

By popular request and to answer people who asked what happened to Lexie and Russell after the book ended, the sequel, Shadow of the Curse, will come out in 2018.

About Marilyn:

Marilyn Turk loves to study history, especially that of lighthouses and the coast of the United States. She is the author of Rebel Light, a Civil War love story set on the coast of Florida, A Gilded Curse, a historical suspense novel set on Jekyll Island, Georgia, in 1942, and Lighthouse Devotions - 52 Inspiring Lighthouse Stories, based on her popular lighthouse blog. (@ http://pathwayheart.com) The sequel to A Gilded Curse, Shadow of the Curse, will be out in 2018.

To find out more about Marilyn’s new releases, sign up for her newsletter at marilynturk@pathwayheart.com. You can also find her on Facebook -facebook.com/marilyn.turk.9 and twitter.com/MarilynTurk.