It is a pleasure today to bring you all an excerpt from The Lighthouse by New Zealand writer Christopher Parker. Published Oct 26th with Beacon Press Limited, The Lighthouse is described as ‘enchanting, mysterious, and deeply romantic….a sweeping coming-of-age novel filled with loss, love, hope.’
‘After spending nearly 10 years writing, editing, and dreaming, Christopher Parker is making his authorial debut with a page-turning book flowing with love, suspense, mystery, and whimsy. Originating from a short story he created as a child, the result of Parker’s decade long mission to produce the book has come to fruition.
From The Press Release
Motivated by the birth of his daughter and to fulfil his lifelong dream of drafting a full-length novel, Parker was inspired to write a story like no other, focusing his time on the craft of storytelling and the importance of his characters.
Leaving no stone unturned, his devotion to his craft is reflected in his writing, his attention to detail, and the emotional development of his two main characters in a book that fellow New Zealand author Tina Shaw has deemed, “Bloody amazing.”’
[ About the Book ]
Something strange is happening in Seabrook. The town’s lighthouse–dormant for over thirty years and famously haunted–has inexplicably started shining, and its mysterious glow is sparking feverish gossip throughout the spooked community.
Amy Tucker is only visiting for the night and has no plans to get caught up in the hysteria, but that changes when she meets Ryan, the loyal, hard-working son of a ranch owner who lives on the outskirts of town.
Their chance encounter turns into an unforgettable weekend, and against the backdrop of the lighthouse-obsessed town, the two of them forge a deep connection, opening their hearts, baring their souls, and revealing secrets long kept hidden.
But as they grow closer, and as the lighthouse glows ever brighter, a startling discovery about Ryan leaves Amy questioning everything she thought she knew. To uncover the truth about her new friend, Amy will need to enter Seabrook’s ominous tower, where waiting inside she will not only find the reason why fate has brought them together… but a shocking secret that will change the course of their lives forever.
[ Excerpt ]
After sprinting the length of the beach and climbing over the outcrop’s slippery rocks, Amy was once again face-to-face with the lighthouse. She looked around, just to make sure she was alone, then pressed her face against the wire mesh fence and stared at the tower’s giant door. Who was waiting inside that building? Who could Chloe possibly have meant when she said, someone she could trust? Amy was all alone. With her dad now gone, vanished without a trace, there wasn’t a soul in this town she dared trust.
Her heart beating impossibly fast, she glanced skyward to the top of the lighthouse. Its lamp room was still aglow. The same column of light that had caused everyone to flee in terror was still blazing across the sky. Common sense told her that she shouldn’t be there, and yet at the same time, for some strange, unknowable reason, this powerful beam seemed to be calling to her, beckoning her to come inside.
Come on, she told herself. You can do this.
Amy stumbled along the fence line and found the spot where Frank Junior had cut through the wire. She stepped through to the other side and cautiously approached the door. With a small push, she nudged it open.
The first thing she noticed was a flickering light coming from an old-fashioned lantern, sitting on the lowest step of the staircase. She bent down to pick up the lantern, but the moment she had it in her hands a monstrous gust of wind blew through and slammed the door shut. She spun around and lunged at the door, but it was too late—the lock, which had been obliterated by the nub of Frank’s sledgehammer, had somehow materialized back into place. She twisted the latch and tried to jimmy it open, but it was no use—it wouldn’t budge. She had been sealed inside the building.
Amy nervously turned around and tried not to panic. The room was much darker now. She couldn’t hear a whisper of what was going on outside. For all she knew the storm might have stopped, it was that quiet.
Clutching the lantern in her clammy hands, which were shaking along with every other part of her body, Amy glanced at the staircase, the last place left for her to go. She put her foot on the first step and slowly began the ascent. Less than a minute later, she found herself standing in the tower’s glass-walled lamp room. In the middle of the room was a giant lens. It was a few feet wide, at least six feet tall, and was covered in arc-like patterns of glass radiating out from its center. Inside the lens was a powerful lamp, pulsing brightly and rotating with a mechanical purr. Amy stepped to the right and tried to peek around the lens. She sensed she wasn’t alone. There was someone else up there with her. She could feel it … another presence.
Purchase Link ~ The Lighthouse
[ Bio ]
Christopher Parker was born in Takapuna, a seaside suburb in Auckland, New Zealand, where he currently lives with his daughter. Having loved writing stories growing up, it was a walk along Takapuna beach and a chance glimpse at a distant lighthouse that made him want to revisit his childhood passion and try his hand at producing a novel. Nearly 10 years on from that fateful stroll, he is proud to finally share his story.
You can find him on his website at https://www.christopherparker.com.
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