Beyond the Shallow Bank: A woman searches for herself as she fights for equality amidst rumors of Celtic mythology

In 1899, Margaret Talbot’s life is idyllic. She is a recognized magazine illustrator and aspiring painter. Her husband, John, supports her in these male dominated careers where Margaret has fought prejudice, sabotaged opportunities and sexual assault.

When she loses a child in stillbirth and nearly dies herself, her world shatters. John withdraws all emotional and physical contact. Illustrating becomes an intolerable drudge and her paintings turn flat and repetitive, as her life seems to be.

The Talbots travel to a fishing village for an article. Margaret encounters many people. An elderly woman becomes a mentor. Another accuses her of being a witch. One young woman skips and jumps and sings nonsense songs. Margaret fears the woman suffers from a deep, childhood trauma, but some in the village say she’s a selkie, a creature from Celtic mythology who lives on the land as a human and in the sea as a seal.

Through their influences and her own self-determination, Margaret strives to discover who she is and what she truly wants.

“Beyond the Shallow Bank contains descriptive passages of the sea which are wonderfully poetic. The writing in this book has both depth and psychological complexity, as well as humor, in the interactions of its large cast of village characters. Perhaps best of all, for the lifelong reader, it is a book to sink into, put down reluctantly, and wonder about long afterwards.”

Susan Haley

Author of Petitot

and Getting Married in Buffalo Jump (The source of a TV Movie)

A portion of the profits from Beyond the Shallow Bank will be donated to women’s projects.