Part 9/12:
By 1889, the speculative real estate bubble in San Diego collapsed, and Shepard, facing financial strains, sold Villa Montezuma and left behind California. The couple moved to Paris, where Shepard pursued writing, publishing articles and books on spirituality, the afterlife, and personal reflections—topics that captivated audiences in Europe’s artistic circles.
Relocating to London in 1896, Shepard’s works found modest audiences interested in esotericism and music. Despite the fading spotlight, the couple remained close, part of the artistic and spiritual worlds but somewhat on the fringes of mainstream society.