Southern Gothic gets a modern twist: Upcoming novel explores the changing future of a historic town

WASHINGTON - March 19, 2015 - PRLog -- Ellen Smith's debut novel, Reluctant Cassandra, takes a bittersweet walk through a Virginia town struggling to survive the recession. At the heart of the story, Arden McCrae strives to reconcile her Cassandra-like visions of the future with her treasured memories of the past. Arden's parents are forced to sell their family farm to afford care for her father, who is in the late stages of Alzheimer's disease. However, the sale of the farm to a housing developer threatens the historic status of the town, which depends on commerce from its quaint Main Street and annual Festival of Living History Days.

Set in the fictional town of Eagle Valley, the novel accurately portrays the reality of many young people, attempting to find their own way in the world during an economic recession. Sprinkled throughout the novel, local ghost stories and glimpses of Virginia history are held in stark contrast to Arden's own failing business and the daily realities of her father's health.

Reluctant Cassandra offers a poignant look at the struggles of the McCrae family and the town of Eagle Valley, both desperate to preserve what they hold most dear. As Arden reluctantly leaves the past behind, she will find strength she never knew she had… and, perhaps, a new beginning.

The novel will be released in June of 2015. Connect with the author on her website: ellensmithwrites.com