Award-winning Author, Inspired by Volunteer Work with Abused Children, Pens Ghostly Young Adult Novel Featuring Resilient Characters Overcoming Their Difficult Pasts

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LOCUST GROVE, Virginia, U.S.A. - Award-winning local author Jane Haltmaier always loved writing, but it wasn't until after retiring from a thirty-year career as an economist at the Federal Reserve Board that she finally had the time to pursue it fully. Inspired by her volunteer work at a local residential village for abused children-where she led book clubs for teenage girls-Jane was moved to write a young adult novel of her own.

The Secret of Spirit Lake follows young Amy, a teen who is heartbroken when she must leave the only home she's ever known to move with her family into a grand Victorian house on a quiet North Carolina lake. As she grapples with her feelings of isolation, Amy discovers the tower bedroom, where whispers of the past linger.

Eighty-five years earlier, orphaned nanny Penny is determined to protect the children in her care from hidden dangers within the same house. As their worlds intertwine through a restless spirit haunting the tower, Amy must delve into a mystery surrounding the spirit's past to uncover a long-buried truth about Penny's fate.

The Secret of Spirit Lake is a haunting tale of courage, friendship, and bonds that transcend time. Drawing from living on a lake in Locust Grove, Virginia, author Jane Haltmaier's love of swimming, and memories of growing up in an old New England house, Jane weaves atmospheric settings with resilient, relatable characters. She believes the heart of a good story lies in protagonists who face challenges and rise to meet them, like the teenage girls she mentored in her book clubs.

Jane holds a Ph.D. in economics and has been married to her husband, John, for over forty years. She is the mother of three grown daughters and grandmother to one grandson. When she's not writing, she enjoys making mosaics, playing the piano, swimming, volunteering, and spending time with her family, where she lives in Virginia.

Having received several awards and early praise within the publishing industry, The Secret of Spirit Lake is Haltmaier's debut YA novel and is available now wherever books are sold.

For more information about the author or book or to request a review copy, contact Jane Haltmaier at Jane.Haltmaier@gmail.com or visit www.janehaltmaier.com [http://www.janehaltmaier.com/].

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