Embedded Files
by Patricia Averbach
by Patricia Averbach
It’s 1973 and Amy, an American ex-pat, is living as an illegal immigrant in Toronto where she’s fled to escape the scandal surrounding her twin sister’s death. Joanie’s been gone two years, but Amy still hears her cries for help. Is she hallucinating? Experiencing a waking dream? Or is Joanie seeking rescue from somewhere beyond time?
Amy meets and falls hard for Arcus, a student working to restore democracy in Greece. Amy can't reveal her secret and doesn't know that Arcus has secrets of his own, including the origins of an ancient relic he uses as a paperweight.
In 1993 Toronto, Jacob Kanter, a retired archaeologist, is mourning his dear wife and grappling with his son’s plans to move him to a nursing home. Despite double vision, tremors, and cognitive impairment, he remembers his love of sailing and boards a mysterious ferry boat embarking on its maiden voyage. He expects a short harbor cruise, but the Aqua Meridian is larger than it looks, and time is slippery on the water.
Amy's and Jacob's worlds merge when Jacob hears a drowning woman calling for help, and they discover they have unexpected gifts for each other.
Finalist
fiction category of the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards competition.
Finalist
Somerset Book Awards for Literary & Contemporary Fiction
"In this thought-provoking and psychologically thrilling tale of magical realism, Averbach shows beauty in struggle and resilience in adversity." — Reader Views (https://readerviewsarchives.wordpress.com/2024/06/20/dreams-of-drowning-averbach/)
"Ms. Averbach did an incredible job of writing a dual perspective novel. This is an incredibly difficult thing to pull off in my experience, so kudos to the author for not only accomplishing it but for making the transitions between the two timelines so seamless and beautiful." — Long and Short Review
"Libraries and readers seeking evocative novels steeped in mystery, magical realism, and healing processes will embrace the vivid imagery and sense of revelation and discovery that make Dreams of Drowning a surreal, compelling read." — Donovan's Literary Services
Details
Details
Bink Books
216 pp. ● 6x9
$18.95 (pb) ● $9.99 (eb)
ISBN 978-1-960373-17-5 (pb)
FICTION / Magical Realism
FICTION / Literary
Publication date: February 2024
"Interview with Patricia Averbach, author of Dreams of Drowning" — Mru Nata
https://www.tiktok.com/@kellyschuknecht/video/7326184659816271150
"This book is a masterpiece of literary fiction blended with magical realism, set against the backdrop of 1973 Toronto. It’s a story that weaves together themes of love, loss, and the mysteries that transcend time." — Kelly Schuknecht
"This novel is full of heart and mystery. An emotional journey across time you don't want to miss. Patricia Averbach knows how to weave a tale!" — Akil Kumarasamy, author of Meet Us by the Roaring Sea, a New York Times Editors Choice
"Loved it! I thought that I knew what this book was about and just as I had settled into that idea, it presented me with something completely different which was warm and mysterious and lovely. This was good reading which flowed throughout. Convincing dialogue and a well-thought out plot make this a book to enjoy." — Rachel Deeming, Reviewer, Reedsy.com
"A beautiful story of the mysteries of life that haunt us, connect us, and give us hope. Patricia Averbach's Dreams of Drowning is tender, compelling, and wise." — Tara Ison, author of At the Hour Between Dog and Wolf, a New York Times Editor’s Pick
"Averbach balances suspense and action adeptly, providing a refreshing journey through history with her compelling storytelling. The book is a standout choice for readers who appreciate a blend of mystery and emotionally resonant fiction." — Literary Titan
Patricia Averbach began her writing career at sixteen as literary assistant to Anzia Yeszierska, the Jewish-American author of the immigrant experience. A native Clevelander, she’s a former director of The Chautauqua Writers Center. Her third novel, Dreams of Drowning (Bedazzled Ink, 2024), was a finalist for the Tucson Festival of Books and Chanticleer’s Somerset Award for Literary Fiction. Previous novels include Painting Bridges (Bottom Dog Press, 2013) and Resurrecting Rain (Golden Antelope Press, 2020) which was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her poetry chapbook, Missing Persons, (Ward Wood Publishing, 2013) won the London based Lumen/Camden prize and was cited by Times of London Literary Supplement (November 2014) as one of the best small collections of the year. Her work appears in the anthology 101 Jewish Poems for the Third Millenium. She lives with her husband in Beachwood, Ohio when she’s not visiting her daughters in Toronto, Maui and Peru.
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