Independent Press Award
2024 winner
The Mummy's Gift
Carolyn Radmanovich
Her wings took the wind, lifting her toward the cerulean sky and the fluffy white clouds.
She was airborne and free—joy filled her being.
San Francisco, California, and Ecuador 1849. Set in the California Gold Rush era, two sisters with mystical powers become separated and must find each other by time traveling from the 21st century. Arsonists, a grizzly bear, and a missing sister besiege Angelica and her husband. A mummy's curse befalls Heather and her lover, who land in the threatening jungles of Ecuador. After conferring with a shaman, they journey to return a sacred belt to the mummy at the top of a volcano in order to stop the lover’s curse. Each sister encounters romance, danger, and mystical insights through either shape-shifting or visions. Both women must tackle a common enemy driven by a thirst for vengeance.