Something about the old house called to Sarah. Walking through its halls felt like stepping into the remnants of a dream, the details familiar yet difficult to recall.

She came to this place to meet its owner, Mr. Gracey, a prospective client eager to sell his family’s historic estate. But upon entering the grounds of Gracey Manor and meeting its eccentric host, Sarah quickly realizes that this evening will be far from mundane.

When a sudden storm and a flooded road forces Sarah to stay the night, Edward Gracey offers her his hospitality. But there’s an intensity to this man, albeit alluring, that puts Sarah on edge. As the evening unfolds, the mansion begins to reveal the secrets of its past. Forbidden courtship, death and tragic devotion surround the story of a woman who still haunts these halls, a woman who, for reasons she can’t explain, Sarah fears she knows all too well.

History and Inspiration

A Dance with the Dead began as as fanfiction for the 2003 Disney film, The Haunted Mansion. Having grown up watching the movie, Piper was drawn to the romantic sub-plot between Edward Gracey and Sara Evers and felt an opportunity had been missed in not exploring their story further. So, in 2012, she started writing her own take on this haunting tale.

After 8 years of writing and rewriting, with many gaps in between, the first draft was completed in November, 2020. This new story put a gothic twist on Sara(h)’s role in the narrative. Instead of a case of mistaken identity, Sarah discovers that she is in fact Elizabeth Henshaw, reincarnated and lured back to the Gracey estate by the destiny that awaits her on its cursed grounds.

Two more years were spent in the editing process. During this time Piper researched the history of the Haunted Mansion ride, from its creation and concept by Walt Disney himself to the ride’s global evolution as it took on new stories and settings at both Disneyland Paris and Shanghai.

Additional historical research was also conducted to help fill in the gaps created by the film’s vague timeline. Due to the unique culture and society of New Orleans in the The Early Antebellum Era, 1812-1830, it seemed a fitting setting for Elizabeth and Edward’s backstory.

“Despite the restrictions imposed during the territorial period, the granting of statehood in 1812 coincided with the beginning of the ‘golden age’ of free people of color in Louisiana. Though many left for Europe, the Caribbean, or Latin America, others stayed behind, lured by Louisiana’s booming economy.
[…]
Many became involved in important New Orleans social and cultural institutions such as opera, theaters, balls, benevolent groups, and the church. Louisiana’s free black population rose from just under 11,000 in 1820 to about 25,000 in 1840.”

–LSU Libraries Special Collections

With editing assistance from Maya Parker and Kailee Gudahl, A Dance with the Dead reached its final stage in November, 2022 and was brought to life through publishing with bookbaby.com.

What’s next?

Having spent 10 years on this project, Piper is excited to share her story! The novel is currently available for free on Inkitt.com with 50 initial hardcover copies printed for family, friends and fellow Haunted Mansion fans.

Whether you have a physical copy or are reading it digitally, Piper hopes you enjoy this story of love, loss and dedication.

Reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated! And if you really like the book, recommending it to a friend or even lending them your copy is a great way to share this story and help its audience grow.

Thank you in advance for your time, interest and support for this project!