The Lucid Nymph

It's been two decades since Hazel last laid eyes on Teddy. She has managed to keep her secrets tucked away, hidden in the crevices of her mind. But she often wonders what happened to him and what her life would have been had he never left her.

In the summer of 1986, thirteen-year-old Hazel yearns to escape her dysfunctional family life, plagued by a self-absorbed, nosy mother, a passive father, and a moody older sister who loathes her. Everything changes when Hazel meets her sister's older boyfriend, Teddy. The stakes are high as a forbidden romance ensues. They squirrel away in a secret apartment, drinking, smoking, and daydreaming of escaping to a glamorous life in Europe.

By summers end, Hazel is devastated when Teddy abandons her to travel the world without her, leaving her heartbroken and shattered. Despite the pain, Hazel redefines herself, discovering a hidden talent and finding new love, eventually marrying, and starting a family.

But years later, a chance encounter with Teddy during a visit back home thrusts Teddy back into her orbit, and Hazel is forced to confront the trauma and the repercussions she had buried for so long.

As Teddy attempts to manipulate Hazel into reliving their history and pursuing a life they once dreamed of, she becomes increasingly aware of the hold he once had over her as a vulnerable girl. As a result, Hazel's peaceful existence slowly begins to unravel, and inexplicable events start to unfold around her: a cryptic note draws her to a mysterious yet oddly familiar place where she suddenly finds herself holding a gun over her own mother.

The Lucid Nymph is a powerful exploration of love, loss, and the scars that trauma leaves behind. It is told through the eyes of a young woman who must navigate the adversities of adulthood and acceptance, while still grappling with the ghosts of her past.

"Richelle grew up on a chicken farm in Northern Michigan. The hens were grumpy, pecking at her fingers as she gathered eggs from their warm nests, but the environment lent itself to hours of crafting stories in her imagination. In her adult years, she transitioned from rural life to embracing the hustle and bustle of the vibrant cities of Chicago, New York City, and San Francisco. It was during these adventures she cultivated characters and a world setting to fill the pages of a novel. Richelle graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in science and has worked in the dental industry for seventeen years. When she's not working or writing, she enjoys reading, photography, kayaking, biking, traveling, and cooking. She hopes her novel will spark conversations about identity, relationships, and the power of acceptance. Richelle is a debut novelist living in California's Bay Area with her husband and their cat, Eleanor.