New Novel from Award-Winning Writer Marks 100th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme

DUBLIN - Dec. 12, 2016 - PRLog -- A hundred years ago, the Battle of the Somme raged through France from July 1st to November 18th, 1916. In the First World War, it was the largest battle and had consequences for millions. One of those impacted soldiers is imagined in the new novel: What Edward Heard. It is the second historical novel from the author, Megan Easley-Walsh and incorporates the element of magical realism. The author is an award-winning writer and has over ten new novels set for release. Magical realism, long established in Latin American literature, has been popularized for the North American market through such recent releases as The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, 2013. Magical realism is a branch of the fantasy genre and injects a magical element into an otherwise normal world. The addition of magical realism to historical fiction is especially fitting at this time of the year, full of holiday festivity where magic mingles with the ordinary.

When asked about her idea behind the novel, Ms. Easley-Walsh said,"I've studied art history and when I see a painting I search for the meanings behind it. Reading a painting is natural. I was intrigued by the idea of a painting being able to read a person. It was interesting to trace the journey of the painting from Renaissance Venice through to WWI England and it allowed me to research and write about a variety of locations and time periods. Some of my earliest American ancestors were French Huguenot silk merchants who settled in Virginia. I was able to incorporate pieces of their story into What Edward Heard."

About the novel:

The Trenches shattered his hearing,

But the Painting will change him Forever.

In Venice in 1566, Francesco paints a portrait of the woman he loves. In 1916, Edward Jamison returns to England from the trenches of the Western Front. Believing that the most life-changing events are behind him, he soon encounters something profoundly more powerful: the portrait of the painted lady. Partly deaf from his injuries in the trenches, he begins to hear the strangest things.

But Edward Jamison is not the only person who has become a part of these mysterious happenings. From Renaissance Venice to the French Huguenots settling in England to the American Revolution in Virginia and beyond, the painted lady has touched the lives of many.

As Edward searches for clues into the painting's past, he's drawn into another mystery, involving a girl with amnesia and the lady of the manor that she works in. All is not as it seems in the quiet English countryside. If Edward is to save himself and all of them, he'll have to face his biggest fears. But, what if the painting has another plan for him?

What Edward Heard is available in hardcover (ISBN 9781366694201), paperback (ISBN 9781366694195), and ebook (ISBN 9781508048206 in over 195 countries.

About the Author:

Megan Easley-Walsh is an author of historical fiction, a researcher, and a writing consultant and editor at Extra Ink Edits. She is an award-winning writer and has taught college writing in the UNESCO literature city of Dublin, Ireland. Her degrees are in history-focused International Relations. She is American and lives in Ireland with her Irish husband. She is also the author of Flight Before Dawn.

For more information, visit www.MeganEasleyWalsh.com or email Megan@MeganEasleyWalsh.com.