FROM AWAY - Series One, Book One

Something lurks in the black waters surrounding Mossley Island. An arcane and eldritch horror. For fifty years, it's waited. Fading into myth. Allowing those who fought off its last invasion to succumb to age. Now, with the island all but unprotected, this ancient evil prepares to mount one last attack.

The first chilling installment of this serialized story finds Dawn Lesguettes accompanying her father to the island. Though he is reluctant to return to his birthplace, Dawn has always wanted to learn more about her origins and hopes to reconnect with the family her wayward father abandoned before she was born.

But Mossley Island is not welcoming to those from away, and investigating her unusual family background will soon lead Dawn to uncover chilling secrets best left buried, even as her arrival heralds the return of a darkness long thought vanquished. 

Featuring creepy nuns with mysterious motives, a sinister cabal of strangely robust senior citizens, and a militia of lighthouse keepers watching the ocean in case unspeakable terrors rise from the depths, this eerie seven-part serial will draw readers in with atmospheric tension and surprising twists, and refuse to let go as it hurtles towards a startling cliffhanger conclusion sure to leave everyone desperate for the next gripping chapter.

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

Q - How did you come to write FROM AWAY?
A - While living on an island off the east coast of Canada, I was surprised to discover many islanders had opposed the construction of an 8 mile fixed-link bridge intended to connect them to the mainland. I wondered: Why would anyone object to easier access to the rest of the world? What rationale might explain fighting to keep themselves isolated? From Away is the answer I came up with.

Q - But at its core, this is the story of a family?
A - Absolutely. The catalyst is the homecoming of an estranged son whose teenage daughter is anxious to meet her kin. As she uncovers a hidden family history, her father is forced to deal with unhappy siblings who blame him for their troubles, because he left the island rather than dedicating himself to the family business: Protecting the island against monsters from the darkest depths of the ocean.

Q - The series is subtitled: A Serial Thriller of Arcane and Eldritch Horror. Can you unpack that phrase?
A - The arcane and eldritch horror refers to something weird and sinister operating beneath the surface. Unthinkable occult mysteries crawling out of the dark places to threaten sanity itself.

As a serial thriller, FROM AWAY is a continuing story told over seven parts. It's important to know upfront that individually these books don't necessarily wrap up fully-explained with happy endings, but instead feature unfolding mysteries and climax in cliffhangers, leaving our characters in jeopardy with their fates uncertain.

Q - Why a serial?
A - Cliffhangers, man! Being left on the edge of your seat, desperate for the next chapter... I love that feeling! Serialized storytelling allows a large and complex narrative to be doled out in smaller, more easily-digestible segments. It's the best of both worlds.

And make no mistake, FROM AWAY is far more than just a novel chopped up into smaller pieces: It is truly serialized. Each episode is a complete novella - between 40,000 and 55,000 words - culminating in multiple cliffhangers and leaving readers desperate to dive into the next installment.

Q - What kind of readers should try this series?
A - Fans of weird fiction and horror suspense who worry about dark conspiracies involving secret societies and the occult. Readers looking for creepy scares and a general atmosphere of dread which may well culminate in utter madness.

Oh, and folks who like tentacles. Fishmen and tentacles.