In the winter of 1971, graduate student Willa immerses herself in a sensory deprivation tank for a routine psychological experiment. The hallucinations and delusions she experiences in the tank are considered normal side effects, but the sudden ability to speak fluent French is not!

Each time she enters the tank, she becomes more convinced the hallucinations are actually someone else's memories. Her boyfriend dismisses her delusions and resulting anxiety and depression as proof that she is having a psychotic break. But what if her new abilities mean something more?

Set in Wisconsin during the social turmoil and budding psychological science of the early 1970s, and inspired by actual events, Willa's pursuit of the source of her visions and fluency in French (a condition called xenoglossia) unearths an unlikely archaeological discovery and a shocking truth that changes her life forever.

Jim Bastian and his wife Carol have been married 42 years and have two grown daughters. Jim received a Bachelor’s Degree from Michigan State University with a tri-major of education, psychology and history. Upon graduation, he taught high school history and psychology, but realized he preferred to work in business, earned an MBA and went on to have a thirty-five year career in management.

Jim’s deep interest in history, psychology and love of the Wisconsin Northwoods remained intact throughout his career. Writing became increasingly more appealing and upon retirement transitioned to writing as his avocation with the publication of “Wisconsin Logging Camp 1921” in 2016, followed by ‘Willa’s Pursuit’ published in April 2023.

While both books are novels, each story takes place in Wisconsin, has been scrupulously researched and based on real events, people and experiences, with the integrity of rich historical content meticulously preserved.

Livestream: James Bastian