The Ghost Painter

Book excerpt: Eccentric, world-famous Santa Fe artist Adelaide Moran, recently arrived in heaven, is obsessed with not having finished painting the masterpiece that she feels will be so different from all others that it will forever ensure her legacy in the history of art. Invading the dreams of her earthly assistant, Ramon Herrera, she elicits his help—and that of aTaos shaman and a psychic—to steal the soul of talented young New York painter Angelina Bonelli. Whisked to New Mexico and held prisoner as she is guided by Moran’s ghostly hand painting on the masterpiece, Angelina struggles against dark, seemingly immovable forces to find her way back to the reclamation of her soul as an artist and woman. Her best friend, jazz singer Gabriella Burke, and a handsome Santa Fe photographer, Troy Lundberg, join forces in a race against time to rescue Angelina. Bonelli counts Moran as one of her favorite artists, but aches to honor her own artistic expression. Meanwhile, even in death, the spirit of Moran will stop at nothing to become as famous as Georgia O’Keeffe. Two painters, but only one set of hands … and an art world that may be forever changed.