Present in the Past

Stumbling into what seems to be the distant past, are Sarah's experiences hallucinations, dreams, or reality?

Can she find her way home again?

Does she even want to? Maggie Williams Richmond once again delves into her family history to uncover what may - or may not - have happened once upon a time in Liverpool and Anglesey. The story of Sarah resonates with the contemporary dilemmas of national independence and the loss of regional culture and identity, as well as with the timeless themes of love and loss. Praise for Sampson and Son

Compelling! I really enjoy these kinds of historical settings, and I get a real sense of time and place. I think many people would enjoy reading this book, and seeing not just the lives of the characters, but the settings and culture of 19th century England. Joseph W

a powerful story beautifully told with a strong feeling of time and place and character. Kay O.

I have been hooked this week with your book. So much imagination around the true characters - you must have enjoyed all the research. I might be partly Irish, but the language did beat me and was grateful for the translation(s) - interesting how the modern names have evolved. Judith P. Publisher's Note

Maggie Williams Richmond's Ancestor Series was prompted by her research into her family tree and the discovery of a lot of curious characters. This is the fourth novel in the series, focusing on Sarah Williams, who we first met in 'Sampson and Son'.

The starting point of Maggie's stories is her questioning of the human motives behind the facts she discovers. Her further research enables her to incorporate historical detail, including authentic manners and customs, and to write convincing dialogue. Implicit in her stories are the parallels between historical and contemporary issues

All this will delight all fans of literary historical fiction, but Maggie's hallmark writing style of poetic description and informed imagination always elevates her work - and 'Present in the Past' has an added twist!

a Steggr book

About the Author

Maggie has lived in lots of places and done lots of things, some good, some not so good - both the places and the things! After a lifetime of writing professional reports, academic documents, discussion papers, and sermons - with a few songs and poems thrown into the mix - Maggie seized the opportunities provided by retirement and lockdown to delve deeply into her family tree. There she discovered a very mixed bunch of ancestors, including a much-maligned Scottish nobleman, a transported convict, a Welsh preacher, and a Belfast industrialist. Turning her hand to the new venture of writing fiction, Maggie is developing a series of stories, loosely based on their lives.

Now settled in Angus with The William and Luna-Cat, you may currently find Maggie writing, researching, enjoying her allotment... or somewhere in the 13th century, developing story number six.