IN THE COUNTRY DARK at 5

The original book cover concept. March 2017.

In November of 2016, I sat down to write HEXGRID, the first book in what would become the ECHO SUITE SAGA series. The next two books in the series had already been written. All that was left was to give the series a beginning.

That book was never written.

Instead, something came from that session that I did not expect – the first chapter of what would become IN THE COUNTRY DARK.

It was a first for me. No planning, no direction, no ending. I have always needed all three to finish a story. Granted, my books beforehand were mostly the creations of a panster, but there were guideposts to follow, with everything in between being riffed. This was spontaneous.

The rest of this story I had already written about in the Chapters blog series. It can be found HERE.

The book was eventually published on August 26, 2020. Now, at five years, what amazes me is this novel's enduring legacy. There were so many people who reached out to me in the early days to say that this book helped them to grieve friends and loved ones who were lost too young. There were people who reached out to me, and still do, to say it helped them cope with the bullying they endured when they were young.

I wrote those plotlines as a way to deal with my own grief from losing friends too young. In fact, as of this writing, nearly every close friend I had before the age of 16 is now gone. My hometown is a cursed place in terms of longevity, but perhaps that message is a novel for another time.

IN THE COUNTRY DARK is, by far, my best-selling book (though I wouldn't be disappointed if that changed soon). At shows, it still outsells my other books, combined. I even sold out of them at the Grafton Monster Festival.

To those who supported this story, you have my sincere thanks. I may not have continued in my writing career without your help.

Title Origin

The placeholder cover used as the book was being written.

Besides UP THE HOLLER, which was never used, the first draft of the story was written under the title A REAL COUNTRY DARK. The title originated from a line in A Clockwork Orange, as Alex and his droogs were driving into a rural area to commit crimes. "And soon it was trees and dark, my brothers, with real country dark."

The title went through a few more adjustments. Upon its completion, it was submitted for consideration to West Virginia University Press under the title WITH COUNTRY DARK before finally settling into its true name.

You can buy in IN THE COUNTRY DARK in print on AMAZON

On e-book on KINDLE, APPLE BOOKS, KOBO, OR NOOK

Or get the audiobook on AUDIBEL, as read by the fabulous Daniel Abraham Stevens

You can also check out Cressen Books, LLC for more