Blending history, spirituality, and the paranormal, Amy Safford's Goode Vibrations of the Wresting Place introduces readers to Pennie Goode, a woman whose life is forever changed after a near-death experience awakens extraordinary abilities. In this interview, Amy discusses the real-life inspiration behind the novel, the overlooked history that shaped the story, and the themes of truth, healing, and self-discovery that lie at its heart.
But first, let's check out Amy's book:
Publication Date: 20th July 2024
Publisher: Saco River Books
Page Length: 307 pages
Genre: Women's Psychological Fiction
The transformation of Penelope Brigid Goode begins after a near-death experience on her 30th birthday while skiing on a mountain in Maine. She wakes up in recovery and the world around her is more vibrant, vivid, and intense. Strange visions begin to creep up on her like a dream—the spirits of her recently deceased dog and the mother she hardly knew. Ghost owls cast shadows of premonition.
When the number three occurs and reoccurs, Pennie fears for her sanity, especially while she and her uncle survey a graveyard near the former Home for the Feeble-Minded. Here she senses her first vibrations—spirits of the Malaga Island settlement reinterred on these very grounds after a forced exile over a century ago by the State of Maine, a chapter of racism and eugenics in Maine’s history.
Despite warning signs and against her best instincts, she rushes headlong into a relationship with the developer who is excavating near the graves. She begins to realize the signs all around her, listen to her intuition, and awaken to her visions. Through a slow unearthing, Pennie uncovers the past and recognizes the power of her dreams, the haunting history of Malaga Island, and her fight for justice and the truth.
Goode Vibrations of the Wresting Place begins with a life-changing near-death experience. What first inspired Pennie Goode's journey, and how did the story develop from that initial idea?
On my 40th birthday, I had a similar near-death experience while skiing in the western mountains of Maine. That pivotal moment in my own life made me realize how fleeting life is, and that we should face our fears and seize any opportunity to change the world by sharing our vision of justice and truth.
The novel blends contemporary fiction, spirituality, history, and the paranormal. Were these elements part of your vision from the outset, or did they come together as the story evolved?
I started out writing a personal transformation story and other elements came together as the story evolved. When the main character, Penelope Goode, begins to understand her heightened sense of intuition, she is faced with her own spirituality. Her dreams become a window into the past, and slowly, she begins to understand how her paranormal ability comes with a responsibility to uncover the truth.
Maine's Malaga Island history plays a significant role in the novel. What led you to incorporate this painful and often overlooked chapter of Maine's past into Pennie's story?
When I read about Malaga Island back in 2010, I was astonished that I had heard so little about the forced exile of this mixed-race settlement in 1911-12. My maternal family has lived on the midcoast for at least seven generations, and coincidentally, I found out I have a relative who aided the forced exile. Perhaps that’s why it struck such a chord with me, and the more I read about it, the more I knew my main character must be faced with this same kind of greed and corruption for it to resonate with readers.
Pennie's awakening brings visions, signs, and an increased sensitivity to the world around her. How did you approach portraying these experiences in a way that feels both believable and emotionally authentic?
It seemed the most authentic way for Pennie to awaken to her own subconscious was through her dreams. By writing from that place, without overthinking it, I found it easier to tap into universal ideas that resonate with most of us, to let the truth of history unfold. I recently read an interview with the musician Jack White, who describes his best creative work coming from this subconscious place.
The recurring appearance of the number three serves as an important motif throughout the novel. Without revealing too much, what does this symbolism represent within the story?
The number three is a universally spiritual, and in Pennie’s case, represents birth, death, and rebirth. Themes of reincarnation, and her ability to see into the past, are central to her story.
As Pennie uncovers both personal and historical truths, she is forced to confront difficult realities. How important is the theme of truth-seeking in Goode Vibrations of the Wresting Place?
Truth-seeking is central to the novel and the Goode Vibrations series. America, as a country, has rewritten history from a very colonial patriarchal viewpoint. Only by truthfully facing the injustices of forced eviction and racism can we evolve as a free and fair society for all.
Your background includes teaching English composition, writing nonfiction, and serving as an executive director of a professional organisation. How did these varied experiences influence your approach to writing fiction?
My experiences have helped me understand the business side of writing, allowing me to transform my novel series from dream to reality.
The novel explores intuition, dreams, and the possibility that there is more to the world than we can readily see. Have these themes always fascinated you as a writer?
The idea of syncing with the vibrations of the universe has always been intriguing to me. I believe that we can reach a higher spiritual place, as humans, by becoming more in tune with the natural world.
Winning multiple literary awards is an impressive achievement. What has the reception to Goode Vibrations of the Wresting Place meant to you personally and professionally?
The experience has been affirming. After so many years writing fiction, it is satisfying to know my writing is resonating with others. If my novel encourages just one person to think differently about, or question, the “history” they have been taught, I have made a difference.
For readers discovering your work for the first time, what do you hope they take away from Pennie's journey of self-discovery, healing, and awakening?
Today, themes of inclusion and belonging have never been more important. Only by looking back at our history, challenging stereotypes, and understanding how these forces affect us today can we awaken to a more peaceful, accepting, and just world.
A sincere thank you to Amy Safford for sharing the inspiration and research behind Goode Vibrations of the Wresting Place. We wish her continued success with the Goode Vibrations series and look forward to following Pennie's remarkable journey as it continues to uncover the hidden stories of Maine's past.
Pick up your copy of Goode Vibrations of the Wresting Place HERE.
Amy Safford
Amy Safford, MFA, is an award-winning Maine author. Her debut novel, Goode Vibrations of the Wresting Place, won three international literary awards: the 2025 Eric Hoffer Spiritual Fiction and First Horizon Book Awards, and the Independent Publishers IPPY Silver Medal for Visionary/New Age Fiction. She taught English composition at the University of New England and was a contributing writer to Coastal Fish of Southern Maine and New Hampshire published by Wells Reserve & Laudholm Trust. Her alma maters are Boston University’s College of Communication and USM's Stonecoast MFA. She is the former executive director of the Maine Psychological Association and lives in Southern Maine.
