Selkies, werewolves, and a minotaur? Eleven-year old Abbie Flanders is surely a girl with too much imagination. Or is she? It's Maine in the Fifties, and Abbie Flanders knows she's going to have the worst summer ever-until she meets Rachel, a new friend who leads her into the surprising world of the changelings and shapeshifters who are her neighbors in Flanders Cove. But meanwhile, Abbie's baby sister Tink is a still a nuisance, her three older brothers are pests, and Mom and Dad are working double-time to keep from losing their ramshackle home, formerly a tavern called "The Fisherman's Bride." Among the changelings are "Aunt Lily," Abbie's favorite person in the whole world, and Gavin, a bear boy who cannot resist the sound of a baseball bat hitting a ball just right. But there's also Aris Flanders-a dark and cruel bull of a man-and he is determined to destroy the very family that once cherished him. Years ago, Aris caused an accident that killed his adoptive parents-Abbie's own great-grandparents-and he also tried to convince the shapeshifters to rebel against the townspeople, but Destin Brousseau, a white caribou who loves his human life as town doctor, ran Aris off and restored the changeling tribe's rituals and dignity. Now, to combat the new dangers triggered by the return of this evil old man, daydreamer Abbie must quickly grow into a young woman of action, as fearless as her seafaring great-grandmother once was. When Aris kidnaps the toddler Tink, it is up to Abbie, Rachel, and a gang of neighborhood kids to go to the rescue. While Abbie's adventure takes center stage, the tales of the Flanders Cove changelings provide THE FISHERMAN'S BRIDE with a rich background tapestry of folklore and fantasy, and give the reader an understanding of how both nature and nurture affect our personalities and the decisions we make.
About the Author: Barbara Jean Walsh grew up on in a small town on the coast of Maine, and has since lived inland much too much. She currently resides quite happily in Springfield, Massachusetts. Barbara Jean is a freelance writer and editor, and enjoys any kind of waterfront activity. She has participated in National Novel Writing Month several times, and has also written more than 200 "postcard poems," many of which are available on her Tumblr site, "Widdershinnery". She has two children, three grandchildren, and two grandcats. They all continue to amaze her. At least one is likely to be a changeling.