How it began
I wasn’t dressed properly for the biting cold that met me on the breakwater wall. Close to the shore, it was bearable. As I walked the almost mile out into the water along the stone wall and no railing to keep me from falling into the water, the biting wind whipped at my hair and brought tears to my eyes.
All the while, I was stepping over ice-crusted pools of water that formed in the uneven stone and hopping from one stone to the next with gaps that were big enough to lose my foot down one. Seaweed crept up from underneath to add another hazard as I continued toward the lighthouse at the end of this adventure.
While walking, I pictured the seaweed no longer benevolent, just passively making the walk harder, and instead actively reaching out to me grabbing my ankles to make me trip, possibly so violently that it caused me to hit my head and then fall, bleeding into the bitter cold water that splashed on either side.
I thought to myself, this could be the makings of a good short story. A few characters came to life in my head as I navigated the narrow path around the lighthouse, worrying all the while that one strong gust of wind would knock me into the waters below.
And now
Through the power of the internet and my messy magic journaling practice, my short story evolved from the horror it began into a very different kind of story, and much longer.
The characters that appeared to me on the breakwater wall are all included in this new version, as well as some additional characters. And they wanted, no demanded, more space to tell their stories, and I obliged. What began as a short horror story has evolved into a paranormal romance novel.
Since I began writing it, I called it Lighthouse, for what I believe are obvious reasons, since it is set at a lighthouse. But as the story unfolded, it became more and more clear that that wasn’t the title it deserved or wanted.
I would love to tell you that the official title magically appeared to me in a moment of creative meditation or something similar, but it was a process. I played with words and phrases until the order of them came into focus, kind of like playing with a lens on a camera until the subject is sharp.
I am so excited to announce the official title of my paranormal romance that will be released in early 2023 is…
Shadow of the Light