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A Trail in the Woods
A Trail in the Woods follows Epiphany Mayall, a psychic counselor in her sixties who sets off with her son and granddaughter for a summer retreat in Lenox, Massachusetts. What begins as a family getaway turns into a haunting journey filled with mystery, loss, and spiritual reckoning. The story drifts between realism and the supernatural, weaving ghosts, psychic visions, and tangled histories into a tale of grief and renewal. O’Connor paints both Florida and New England with lush, sensory detail, and her characters are written with the quiet melancholy of people trying to understand both the world around them and the worlds beyond.
I found the writing to be smooth and deeply atmospheric. The author’s voice has that old-fashioned warmth, steady and patient, but it also hides sharp edges. I loved how the conversations between Epiphany and her son capture that mix of affection and frustration that defines family life. Some scenes, especially those with the ghosts, felt almost cinematic. Others lingered on explanation, and I caught myself wanting the story to move faster. Still, the pacing fits the theme. It’s a book about healing, and healing never happens in a rush.
Emotionally, the novel caught me off guard. It isn’t scary in a horror sense, but it’s haunted in a quieter, sadder way. I felt the weight of regret, the pull of memory, and that fragile thread of hope that keeps people going after loss. O’Connor’s use of dreams, coincidences, and spirit encounters makes the reader question where grief ends and magic begins. I admired that. It made me think of how every family carries ghosts, visible or not.
A Trail in the Woods isn’t just a ghost story; it’s a meditation on love, forgiveness, and the strange ways the past reaches into the present. I’d recommend it to readers who like slow-burning mysteries with a spiritual twist, to anyone drawn to stories about mothers and sons finding common ground, and to those who don’t mind a few eerie chills mixed with heartfelt emotion.
Firehorse
Firehorse by Mallory M. O’Connor offers readers a gripping fusion of suspense, mystical intrigue, and environmental awareness. The story follows psychic medium Epiphany Mayall as she is drawn into a labyrinthine mystery involving a stolen talisman, a mystical qilin, and the enigmatic and dangerous Derrick Rarian. Set against the lush but drought-stricken backdrop of Florida, the story weaves themes of personal loss, environmental degradation, and the clash between the supernatural and the material world.
One thing I admired about the book is how it balances intricate plotting with rich character development. Epiphany is not just a psychic on a mission; she’s a multidimensional character grappling with familial tensions, love, and a deep connection to nature. Her granddaughter Maddie, whose burgeoning psychic abilities mirror her grandmother’s, brings a touching layer of generational continuity. For example, Maddie’s visions about the qilin’s importance add depth to the story and highlight the mystical elements. The scenes with her are heartfelt, especially when she offers insights that adults dismiss too quickly—a poignant reminder of the wisdom in youthful intuition.
The book’s environmental commentary is another highlight. The recurring imagery of drought, dying landscapes, and the specter of wildfires serves as both a literal backdrop and a metaphor for the emotional dryness in some characters’ lives. Passages describing the parched Florida terrain are haunting and evocative, as when Epiphany notices the receding lakes and dried mud cracks. These moments ground the story in urgent real-world issues, adding weight to the supernatural elements.
The writing occasionally delves deeply into exposition, particularly when exploring the Chinese zodiac and the qilin’s significance. While these details are fascinating and enrich the story’s mystical elements, they can sometimes slow the narrative’s pace. Similarly, the subplot involving Derrick Rarian and his international escapades, though intriguing, adds layers of complexity that might challenge the reader at times. A slightly tighter pacing in these areas could help maintain the balance between the personal stakes for Marsha and Epiphany and the larger, global intrigue surrounding Rarian’s schemes.
The conclusion ties the threads together in a satisfying way. The resolution is both action-packed and thought-provoking, leaving readers to ponder the balance of power between good and evil, nature and humanity, and the material versus the mystical. The characters’ growth, especially Epiphany’s and Maddie’s, provides an emotional payoff that feels well-earned.
I’d recommend Firehorse to readers who enjoy mysteries infused with mystical elements, fans of character-driven stories, and those with a keen interest in environmental themes. Whether you’re drawn by the psychic sleuthing or the urgent ecological questions, this book has plenty to offer.
Pages: 139
Epiphany’s Gift – Book Trailer
Psychic medium Epiphany Mayall lives and works in the spiritualist community of Watoolahatchee, Florida. When she schedules a trip to her childhood home in Ohio to visit her aging mother, Epiphany has no idea she will soon be swept into a maelstrom of natural disasters, theft, and murder.
Dr. John Bernhardt, Epiphany’s former art history professor and mentor, believes regional fracking operations are responsible for the recent earthquakes. After identifying a secretive petroleum company as the perpetrator, he wonders if the environmental disasters are somehow connected with the disappearance of a drawing from a local museum. Twenty-four hours after he writes an article about his theory, he is found dead of an apparent heart attack.
When John’s ghost appears to tell Epiphany he was murdered, she becomes determined to find his killer. Aided by a former FBI art-crimes investigator and an eccentric artist, Epiphany must use her psychic skills to locate the missing art and identify the killer. Unfortunately her efforts to bring the guilty parties to justice are thwarted. Even a state senator cannot help. As the earthquakes escalate, Epiphany must decide whether to continue her battle for justice or suspend her investigation to protect her family.
Set against a backdrop of psychic phenomena, corporate corruption, and global climate change, Epiphany’s Gift illustrates the perennial battle between good and evil.
A Lot to Explore
Mallory O’Connor Author Interview
American River: Currents continues the intriguing intertwined stories of three families. Did you want this book to be an extension of book one in the series, or did you want to explore new ideas in this book?
While Currents is a continuation of the story of three California families, I did want to explore some new directions in the book. First, I wanted to let Marian’s story expand, and to have her mature and grow as she faces the problems of trying to break into the New York art scene. So, the early days of the feminist movement emerge in this book. Also, the book spans the time period from 1963 to 1970, a period of enormous change and tumult that included the escalation of the Vietnam War, campus riots, political volatility and the rest of “the sixties” events from the growth of the civil rights movement to the murders of Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy and the Kent State massacre. There was a lot to explore in that period.
I enjoyed the deeply emotional relationships the characters had. Is there anything from your own life that you put into your story?
In many ways, the entire trilogy is shaped by my experiences during that time period. I was in graduate school during 1965-69 and getting involved in the women’s liberation movement and joining the Women’s Caucus for Art and writing about women’s art and why it was so important. I also wanted to write about Mexico where I had spent time and came to love and appreciate very much. So, I took Nick and Marian to Valle de Bravo so I could write about the adventures I had there. I also wanted to write about Stefan Molnar whose character was based on a friend of mine and to explore Kate’s problems of trying to find a balance between a romantic and a platonic relationship. And, I was also interested in exploring California politics and the problems between the land owners and the (usually) Mexican workers on whom they relied yet didn’t want to fully recognize.
You continue to impress me with the exceptional depth of your characters. Who was your favorite character to write for?
I have to confess that I love all of my characters. They’re like my children in that I created them, and I want to care for them and help them grow and flourish, but I can’t always save them from either the obstacles that they face or from themselves. I love Carl even though he can be a real jerk, but he was a fascinating character to write and I enjoyed doing the research into his musical training ad his career. I took classes in conducting and music theory. I interviewed orchestra conductors and tried to understand both Carl’s ambitions and his insecurities. I also had a wonderful time exploring Tommy’s attempt to understand his Japanese heritage by immersing himself in Japanese culture and marrying a Japanese woman. Even though this ultimately led to tragedy, it was an extremely fulfilling experience. I also loved to write about Alex and her profoundly narcissistic view of the world. And Owen’s growth from old style conservative to a more enlightened view was fun to explore.
Where will book three in the American River trilogy take readers and when will it be available?
Book three allows all of the characters to finally come to grips with who they are and what’s most important to them. They all have to grow up and face the consequences of the decisions they’ve made and the relationships they’ve forged. I hope that my readers will themselves learn something about how we can be blinded by our own world view and how we have to take off our blinders and try to learn from our mistakes and seek a wider understanding of ourselves and what we truly can accomplish.
Book three, American River: Confluence, is available on Amazon, from Archway Publishing, on Mallory’s website: mallorymoconnor.com. and in some regional bookstores.
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![American River: Currents: Book Two of the American River Trilogy by [O'Connor, Mallory M.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51PKS6ZxDiL.jpg)
In the second book of the American River trilogy, a cavalcade of disastersboth personal and publicthreatens to overwhelm the scattered members of the McPhalan, Ashida, and Morales clans during the tumultuous 1960s.
Katestill mourning the death of her brother, Julianfinds herself torn between her love for Carl, now a celebrated conductor who is looking for career opportunities on the East Coast, and her devotion to the West and especially the family ranch at Mockingbird. Also, while attending a music festival in Venice, Italy, she meets Stefan Molnar, a renowned concert pianist, who has become her sister Alexs mentor (and lover). As Kate and Stefans unintentional relationship grows, complications multiply.
Meanwhile, Tommy Ashida, now studying in Japan, falls in love with Emiko Namura, the beautiful, sheltered daughter of a Tokyo businessman. He hopes she holds the key to understanding his Japanese heritage, but will that knowledge lead to happiness or something darker?
Determined to make her mark in the male-dominated art world, Kates mother, Marian, decides to move to New York while Kates father, Owen, becomes involved in local politics. When he is elected to the California Assembly, he finds himself in direct opposition to Jorge Morales, Carls father.
Alliances fray, relationships dissolve, divisive secrets are revealed, and promises are broken as the members of three California families struggle to salvage their shattered dreams.
Set against the natural beauty of Northern California, OConnor weaves a complex tapestry of interrelationships and betrayals that captures the mood and resonance of a decade that began in innocence and ended in despair.
Unusual “Visions”
Mallory O’Connor Author Interview
Epiphany’s Gift follows one young girl through her life as she struggles to cope with an extraordinary gift. What was the inspiration for her gift and the struggles she faced?
As a child, I had several powerful “visions” and/or paranormal experiences. Because the experiences were so exciting and so unusual, I was surprised to find that when I talked about these experiences, adults didn’t want to hear about it. They told me it was my imagination. Or worse. So, I stopped talking to anyone and kept my experiences to myself. Later, I began to read about other people who had unusual “visions.” I began to study the writings of religious mystics and found many similarities to my own encounters with “another level of existence.” In 1979, I met a psychic medium and we became friends. Although my “mystical” experiences were not the same as her “impressions,” we found we had a lot in common and have remained friends ever since.
I really enjoyed the well developed character in the book. Was there anything taken from your own life and put into the story?
Along with my childhood experiences, I included a number of “autobiographical” elements in the story. One is my work as an art historian and my fascination with artists such as William Blake and his visionary illustrations, especially the works he did of Dante’s Inferno. I also incorporated my interest in Asian art and culture in the character of Maro Guido, an art crimes investigator who is half Japanese. I wanted to explore his views about art from a non-Western perspective. And, I set Epiphany’s Gift in southern Ohio where I lived for four years while attending Ohio University. I was fascinated with Appalachian culture and wanted to immerse myself in the area and its special landscape.
This book blends several genres exceptionally well. Was this your intention or did this happen organically while writing?
When I first started writing Epiphany’s Gift, I intended to create a series of stories that combined paranormal events with art crimes. I wanted my readers to understand the problem of art theft and the significance of taking cultural treasures out of the public arena and into private collections where they are only seen by a few individuals. I believe that art has a lot to teach us about how our civilization developed and why we are who we are. So, I think that art belongs in a larger world that is open to the public.
But I also wanted to explore the issue of climate change and environmental degradation. I was encouraged by Dan Bloom, a climate activist and editor of the Cli-Fi Report, to explore various aspects of global warming and its consequences in my writing. In Epiphany’s Gift I take on the issue of fracking and its consequences. In subsequent books, I plan to focus on a number of climate-related issues including the spread of tropical diseases, effects on water resources, and catastrophic weather events.
So, my stories will be about paranormal events, art crimes and global climate change. Something for everyone!
When will this book be available and where can readers pick up a copy?
I’ve just sent the manuscript off to the publisher, so I expect the book will be available in May or June 2019. It will be available on Amazon, through Archway Publishing, and on my website: www.mallorymoconnor.com. Hopefully, it will later be available at libraries and bookstores. Connect with me through my website and I’d be happy to answer questions.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
For thirty years, Epiphany Mayall has worked as a psychic medium in the small Spiritualist community of Cassadaga, Florida. But when she returns to her childhood home in Mt. Eden, Ohio, to visit her aging mother, she finds that the rural community is reeling from a series of alarming events. The pristine world of her childhood is being destroyed. Wells and creeks are polluted, and earthquakes have become a frequent danger.
Epiphany’s former professor and mentor, art historian Dr. John Bernhardt, believes that the problems are the result of fracking operations that are being carried out by an energy corporation in the region, and that someone from the company is also connected with the disappearance of an illustration of Dante’s Inferno from the university museum. Bernhardt writes an article for the local newspaper about his theory, but the next day he is found dead. When John’s ghost appears to Epiphany and tells her that he was poisoned, she becomes determined to find the answers to several questions: who is responsible for the environmental disaster, who stole the illustration of Dante’s Inferno from the university museum, and who murdered Professor Bernhardt?
Aided by art crimes investigator, Maro Gaido, and by Blake King, an eccentric local artist, Epiphany tries to put together the pieces of a disturbing puzzle, but finds her efforts thwarted at every turn. Even a State Senator cannot help. As the earthquakes escalate, Epiphany begins to wonder if even her psychic gifts are enough to find the answers before it’s too late to save her loved ones from disaster.
www.mallorymoconnor.com
Epiphany’s Gift
Epiphany’s Gift
Epiphany has a gift she doesn’t necessarily want, tries to hide, and can’t return. When you think about it, is that even a gift? When a young Epiphany reveals her gift to her parents, her father isn’t so supportive and urges her to keep it hidden. What could be beneficial to everyone around her and, ultimately, save lives winds up being a thorn in her side for most of her young life. As an adult with a son and granddaughter of her own, Epiphany becomes much less reluctant and refuses to hide the truth any longer. She knows now what she didn’t know as a child, the visions she experiences are much more than a gift.
Epiphany’s Gift, by Mallory O’Connor, takes readers on a journey of the mind as Epiphany learns to rein in her exceptional gift of visions. Epiphany is a well-drawn character with many facets to her life. She is a doting grandmother and loving mother who, like all mothers, questions her own decisions and how they impact her family. She is likable and gives readers someone to root for from the first vivid descriptions of her visions.
O’Connor masters the art of the eerie character with the Old Man. It isn’t often that a book gives me chills, but I have to admit that the initial encounter between Epiphany and the Old Man provides one of those moments. O’Connor simultaneously succeeds in giving readers an aha moment while showing the main character to be a strong one from a very early age. In addition, the incorporation of the Old Man into Epiphany’s adult dilemma is nothing short of brilliant.
Epiphany’s visions and feelings come and go in the most unique way. Reading about her premonitions is equivalent to watching them on-screen. Without giving away too much, I can say that O’Connor makes each of Epiphany’s “encounters” amazingly clear to readers. As the book plays out as a mystery, Epiphany uses these encounters to lead her to a resolution–truly unique and engaging.
One of my favorite aspects of O’Connor’s work is the writing style itself. O’Connor’s writing is clean, concise, and descriptive without being overly flowery. Her character descriptions are wonderfully memorable. Susan, Epiphany’s mother, is one of the standouts for me. She is a spry and lively woman in her 90s–I can see her in my mind’s eye now.
Readers who enjoy mysteries but appreciate a blend of nonfiction will find O’Connor’s work appealing. O’Connor proves herself to be powerful as a writer of suspense. There exists a certain amount of the old detective novels within Epiphany’s Gift, and I can see any fan of that genre becoming enamored with Epiphany and her amazing gift.
Coming Soon
Their Unique Destinies
Mallory O’Connor Author Interview
American River: Confluence follows three families as they find a way to come together to celebrate life, art, and diversity. What direction did you take in this book that was different from the first two books?
I’ve always thought of a trilogy as being similar to the Sonata form in music—a musical structure consisting of three sections: the exposition (in which the main ideas are introduced), the development (in which those ideas are examined and explored) and the recapitulation (or resolution in which the main themes culminate in a conclusion). In this musical form, there might also be an introduction (or prologue) and a coda (or epilogue).
Because music is one of the main components of my writing, I had in mind the Sonata form as I developed the American River story.
Book One, American River: Tributaries, introduces the story of the three immigrant families and involves the reader in their struggles to overcome prejudice and to follow their dreams and ambitions. But it ends with a tragedy that further separates the characters from each other.
Book Two, American River: Currents, further explores the issue of discrimination and the struggle to overcome both external prejudice and internal delusions. Swept away by their passions, the characters find themselves flailing and unable to navigate the deep waters that threaten to destroy their dreams.
I knew that Book Three, American River: Confuence, would be about a resolution of some of the issues that my characters face, but they would also discover that in order to realize their unique destinies they would have to find a way to work together toward a common goal.
You are able to bring to light many perspectives on social issues without inserting your own opinion on the reader. What was the balance for you in discussing these topics?
A recent review posted by Literary Titan states: “O’Connor’s work involves a host of social issues—sexuality, politics, race relations—all disguised in what [first] seems to be a book about artists pursuing their passions.” Each of my characters has a particular role to play that reveals the social issues that affect them. They don’t all have the same views which allows them to interact with each other and voice their opinions. I wanted to help the reader understand that there are always at least two sides to an argument, so my characters represent different points of view as they attempt to navigate the rocky shoals of confrontation with each other. A discerning reader will likely be able to figure out where my sympathies lie, but I wanted an opposition to play off of. The characters end up debating the issues and the readers can decide who gives the most persuasive argument.
There are many characters and plots that run through the trilogy of books. Were you able to accomplish everything you set out to?
I doubt that most writers are able to accomplish everything that they’d like to include in a story. I had to make some pretty painful cuts during the many revisions, but I wanted to be sure that the story moved along and that the flow was not needlessly interrupted. In the end, I think I was able to address many of the problems that I hoped to cover—racism, sexual identity, mental health, political conflicts, women’s liberation, cultural differences—and to give the reader a lot to think about.
Do you plan on continuing the story of these families in another series or are you moving on to a new story in your next book?
I actually have an outline for three more books in the American River series subtitled Whitewater, Reflections, and Water Music. I thought it would be exciting to follow the thread of the character’s lives through another decade and see what they encountered. Maybe someday I’ll get to that.
But meanwhile, I’ve started another series of what I’m calling “psychic cli-fi.” I’ve been in touch with Dan Bloom, a climate activist and blogger who actually coined the term “cli-fi” for a new genre of “climate-fiction.”
For the past thirty years, I’ve researched psychic phenomena and I have a number of contacts in that area of interest. I’m also very disturbed about the rapid rate of climate disruption as warming temperatures upset the balance of nature. And I’m also concerned about what global warming will mean for our cultural treasures—works of art and architecture and their preservation in the face of social and meteorological upheavals.
So, with that in mind I’m working on a series of psychic novels that will address the issues of fracking, water resources, the spread of infectious diseases, climate-induced migration and other similar problems. My main character is a psychic medium who in the first book is called upon to work with a very skeptical PI who is an ex-FBI art crimes investigator. Again, the deep line that separates the world view of the two main characters will allow me to explore each of their views on a variety of topics that I believe are important—the nature of time, the impact of climate disruption, and the significance of our cultural heritage.
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![American River: Confluence: Book Three of the American River Trilogy by [O'Connor, Mallory M.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51JNl-0ybxL.jpg)
Book three of the American River Trilogy begins with the three families—the McPhalans, the Morales, and the Ashidas—in turmoil. Following Owen McPhalan’s death, his daughter Kate has inherited Mockingbird Valley Ranch only to discover that the once profitable family business is no longer sustainable. Desperate to find a way to save Mockingbird, she struggles to formulate a plan. But she hasn’t counted on the wrath of Dan Papadakis, Owen’s former campaign manager, who is working behind the scenes to undermine her efforts.
American River: Confluence is the culmination of a compelling historical drama about the lives, loves, triumphs and sacrifices of the descendants of three immigrant families who settled along California’s American River, and who are called upon to put aside a decade full of grievances and betrayals to try to save the history and legacy of their ancestral home.
LITERARY TITAN 