Dancing on the Brink of the World

An illuminating look at an adventurous life in colonial Alta California, Dancing on the Brink of the World is the imagined account of real-life British sailor Captain William A. Richardson after he is marooned in the San Francisco Bay.

In 1822, only a dilapidated Mexican Presidio and an aging Spanish mission offer shelter on the windswept sand dunes near San Francisco Bay. In this bleak place, a disgruntled British seaman, William Richardson, comes ashore to request provisions for his whaling ship from soldiers guarding the bay. After dancing with a charming señorita at the fort and ignoring his duty, William fights with his surly ship captain and is marooned in Alta California. Left ashore to launch a new life, he must remake himself to fit into Alta California society, build a secure future on sea and land, and finally choose sides when war threatens his family and way of life.

A mix of facts and imagination, the story is inspired by the life of Captain William A. Richardson and his family who lived in Alta California. This speculative historical novel intertwines their love story with that of three diverse societies—Native American, Mexican, and American—one that led to bloody clashes and war, sparked by greed for land.

Marianne T. Rafter is captivated by historical fiction. When she lived in California, she worked on history and literature programs for a publishing company. Intrigued by California’s pre-statehood era, she discovered the land she lived on had been part of a huge Mexican rancho in the 1800s, and before that the homeland of Miwoks, the original inhabitants. She wove her research about the era of Spanish missions, sailing ships, and ranchos into her debut novel. Rafter currently resides in Freeland, Washington.