The Black Velvet Coat A Novel [Paperback]

Twenty-eight-year-old struggling San Francisco artist Anne McFarland is determined to get a one-woman show, even though no one, including herself, believes she can do it. But when she buys a coat at a thrift shop with a key in its pocket, strange, even magical, occurrences begin to unfold, and she is inspired to create her best work ever.Fifty years earlier, its 1963, and the coats original owner, young heiress Sylvia Van Dam, is headed toward a disastrous marriage with a scoundrel. In a split-second reaction she does the unimaginable, which propels her on a trip of self-discovery to nature-filled Northern Arizona. When Anne and Sylvias lives intersect, they are both forced to face their fearsand, in the process, realize their true potential.In Jill G. Halls lovely debut novel, a vintage coat and the brass key discovered in its pocket provide the foundation for the alternating stories of two women from different eras. As we read, we follow Anne and Sylvia as they navigate love and loss, heartbreak, and triumph.The Black Velvet Coatis an absolute delight.
—Midge Raymond, author ofForgetting English

Jill G. Hall creates a novel with two unforgettable characters whose lives, though generations apart, are inexplicably intertwined, which gives you the qualities you want in a great storymystery, suspense, and romance.
—Judy Reeves, author ofWild Women, Wild Voices

The Black Velvet Coatis a story about fate and friendship and love. These characters will break your heart in all the best ways.
—T. Greenwood, author ofTwo Rivers, Bodies of Water, andThe Forever Bridge

Jill G. Halls book is a real page-turner! Artists everywhere will especially enjoy reading about the artistic process and the inspiration behind creating new work.
—Jane LaFazio, mixed media artist and feature writer forCloth, Paper, Scissors and Quilting Artsmagazines

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