Books published by Piscataqua Press

A collection of 32 of the best entries to the 2015 RiverRun Bookstore Short Story Contest, these stories represent the wide variety of talented writers on the Seacoast today. This is fiction that takes you in all directions, from a high school prom to the afterlife - even to an unsettling visit from the exterminator.We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed putting this collection together.

Coastal Maine in 1920 is an unusual cross section of artists, bootleggers and fishermen. Traditional landscape artists butt heads and ideologies with the new "Modern" art school (and house of ill repute) run by noted art critic Valentine Meadows. Longtime residents trade in lobstering for smuggling when it becomes clear there is a fortune to be made in booze and drugs. Local law enforcement tries to keep tabs, but doesn't want to become too involved. Into this whirlwind comes Holly, a beautiful young college student working for the summer as an artist's model at Meadows' school. More than a pretty face, Holly soon becomes indispensable to Meadows as his personal assistant, and uses both her looks and her quick wits to navigate the increasingly complicated world she finds herself in.

Amanda Turner is a young woman who has recently lost everything: her parents, her home, and her job. She packs all of her belongings into her old car and drives north from Tampa, FL for several hours until she comes upon an out-of-the-way restaurant, accentuated by a huge golden halo instead of the more well-recognized golden arches. The Heavenly Grille Café is operated by three angels who take Amanda under their wings (no pun intended): Max was once a Roman Gladiator; Bertie was a loud and boisterous housewife who died unexpectedly in 1911, leaving behind a husband and two children; and Doug was a strong, handsome soldier who died serving his country in 1953. Amanda meets another young woman, Kris DeVone, who is completely opposite to herself in character and personality. While Amanda is a happy, secure Christian with tremendous faith, Kris has done everything in her power to be the ultimate "bad" girl, and does not believe in God. Amanda befriends Kris, who is seven months pregnant and has been abandoned by her live-in boyfriend. The women become best friends and move in together so that Amanda can help take care of the baby girl, Charlotte Grace, who is born in September 2011. By the time Christmas rolls around, both of their worlds have been turned upside down with the shocking kidnapping of Charlotte Grace. The next two months provide insight into Kris' eventual relationship with God, the angels' inability to change destiny, and a look into the lives of the kidnappers, Jack and Susan Peterson, and the reason behind why they committed such a horrible crime.

Book 2 of the Southern Spectral Series. In 1979 New Orleans, detective Roy Agnew is thrown into another murder investigation. Re-entering the world of the supernatural, he realizes that he may be the only person able to stop a killer. In order to catch a paranormal murderer, Roy must rely on the one thing he struggles with the most: his faith. The Irises is the exciting sequel to The Feathers. "Taut, atmospheric, and layered with menace, The Irises is a vortex of a book, guaranteed to suck you deeper under its spell with every page. Lott weaves a lush and deadly mystery, complex and enticing, one you won't be able to put it down . . . or forget." - Tina Whittle, author of Deeper Than the Grave "Recommended for mystery and paranormal readers alike. Ms. Lott has crafted an engaging detective story with ghosts, mediums, lost love and New Orleans in the 1970s." -Michael Guillebeau, author of Josh Whoever (Library Journal Mystery Debut of the Month and Silver Falchion Finalist) and A Study in Detail. Cynthia Lott is a professional researcher and writer. She loves hiking, exploring new places, vegetarian cuisine and hearing life stories over a glass of good wine. A member of Sisters in Crime, Inc. and International Thriller Writers, Inc., she also holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from LSU and an MLS from UW-Madison.

There have been three wars in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in the last thirty years, but everyone pretends nothing weird has ever happened here. No wars, no "Materialist Magicians" doing evil, and certainly no "elves" working to stop them. Divorced and finally working again after losing his last job, Jerry August just wants to live an ordinary life. He's met a girl named Leda. She's a friend of the elves, but Jerry's willing to overlook that. Why, Jerry wonders, does his wealthy Uncle Quincy want him to visit the powerful beings who rule a world that is not Earth? When Jerry refuses the Old Gods' summons, their Myrmidon warriors kidnap Leda. Who else but Jerry can go to the other world to get her back? Who else but the elves can help him do it? Jerry learns things he would be happier not knowing. How his uncle plans to use his wealth to steal from the poor and give to the rich-- on Earth as in the Other World. How his aunt and uncle plan to use the power of the god and goddess to steal life and youth from Jerry and Leda-- by stealing their bodies. Sometimes war just finds people, especially in Portsmouth where the walls between the worlds are thin. Jerry finds himself caught up in the latest chapter of the secret history of the Earth.

For half a century Paul Bullock and his family have been committed to raising awareness about the Native people of New England. Paul, known as Whirling Thunder, grew up in Bristol, Rhode Island and is of part Wampanoag ancestry. He came into the powwow scene as a boy in the 1940s, performing from the time he was 11 years old. By the late 1960s, when he and his six children had become the Paul Bullock family dancers, teaching dances and songs to others, they had made a decision that they would emphasize Eastern dance steps and etiquette at New England powwows. Paul had that wonderful capacity to understand and utilize the etiquette of the dance, and to show others how to use it. His innate courtesy and that of Native cultural traditions merged into one. He was a dedicated, purposeful individual whose influence during the long, dry period of the mid-twentieth century, before federal recognition of Eastern tribes, helped reinforce the sense of self of Native New Englanders.

New Hampshire is a small state, but it has seven distinct and engaging regions. Colorful Journey includes an illustration and some history about every town from each region by artist Sue Anne Bottomley. From the smallest settlement to the major cities of Concord, Nashua, Manchester, and Portsmouth, follow along on one artist's endeavor to draw New Hampshire.Sue Anne Bottomley is a New Hampshire native. Raised in NH and Massachusetts, and an art major at the University of New Hampshire, she left the area after her college graduation to live in Washington state, Maryland, and England. After many years away from home, she returned to live in New London, NH.With her goal of exploring every corner of the state within two years, she drew all 234 towns on location-with colored pencil, ink and watercolor.

Though it comes to us in the form of a book, this first collection of poems by Padraig Mahou is perhaps best embraced as stone steps on a high mountain. Like a juggling monk climbing each one, Mahou's excitement and handle with language creates a collection of dancing pieces filled with sight, recovery, love, and ecstasy. Look out from these poems and see the black steel of a bicycle flying through the air at night, a beheaded rooster in Maine, a half frozen lake with it's confident fisherman, and an Amtrak train traveling through a California sunset. And with each thing seen, each landscape entered and left, we encounter the multitude of lives we can have in just one lifetime. That is enough to feel infinite with any set of steps we may climb. The great Japanese master, Basho, said that the thing inside him that wrote his poems was "a windswept spirit." He would have recognized the same in Patrick Mahoney's work (albeit with a slight Irish accent). His poetry moves me, with its sense of someone standing perfectly poised at the edge of a great seaside cliff, looking out over vast distances of sea and land, watching with calm clarity the movement of seasons and people, loved ones and strangers alike. --David Rivard

One day the blue lights just appeared. In the sky, in our homes, all around. Nobody knew where they had come from, or what their purpose was. Kate, an energetic young reporter, is planning an in-depth investigation into the strange lights when suddenly the world is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of interstellar visitors. They have come to help humans see the error of their violent ways, and to usher humanity into a new golden age. Jini Mount is an artist, teacher, and award winning sculptor, now pursuing a long-neglected love of writing. She was born in New York state, and holds a BFA from Ithaca College. After a career as a professional ice skater, Jini moved to the south, started a family, and has had a long and successful artistic career. She currently lives in Sarasota, Florida.

To be honest I was planning on taking some time off in between Punish Me With Heaven and Forecasting The End due to the fact that while PMWH was exciting to do, it was also very draining so at the beginning I told myself I would take a year off (maybe longer) to recuperate and give myself a chance to unwind. That idea lasted about three days (due to the fact that my mind has a way of wandering). I got the idea of a man who was so in love with a person he never met and one idea led to another and in a split second 'In That City' was created and Forecasting The End had begun. Punish Me was no doubt about a lot of the hardships I've treaded in my life, so I knew that I wanted to take a much different direction in this. I wanted to take the attention off of myself and focus it on the events that unfold in our everyday lives and the reality of the state the world is in today.

One day the blue lights just appeared. In the sky, in our homes, all around. Nobody knew where they had come from, or what their purpose was. Kate, an energetic young reporter, is planning an in-depth investigation into the strange lights when suddenly the world is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of interstellar visitors. They have come to help humans see the error of their violent ways, and to usher humanity into a new golden age.Jini Mount is an artist, teacher, and award winning sculptor, now pursuing a long-neglected love of writing. She was born in New York state, and received a BFA Ithaca College. After a career as a professional ice skater, Jini moved to the south, started a family, and has had a long and succesful artistic career. She currently live in Sarasota, Florida.

Unredeemed: Hateful and Others explores the taboo topic of mental illness from various points of view in a variety of ways. From Tracy, the self-destructive twentysomething with bipolar disorder to Suzanne, the prejudiced pharmacist bent on doling out her own kind of justice on psychiatric patients, the characters in this collection come alive and express new ways of viewing what it means to be "healthy."E. C. Hanlon was born in the Boston area. She received an undergraduate degree in Creative Writing from Notre Dame College, and a graduate degree in the same discipline from Salem State University. Her publication credits include stories and short memoir in publications such as The First Line, The Leopard Seal, Soundings East and The Boston Chronicle. However, the greatest achievement of Ms. Hanlon's life has been raising her twin boys. She currently lives and works in Salem, MA with fellow writer Nathanial W. Cook.

Mike and I make our way through the carpet section of the bazaar. In some places the buildings are three or four stories high and one or two levels below ground. All carpets. Gorgeous...any size and shape, silk, cotton, mixed...traditional, nomadic, contemporary designs. Custom made to order. Anything you want. I saw one of JFK for sale. Give them a photo and they will turn it into a carpet. Handmade.At age 29, Barry Fitzpatrick arrived in Tehran to teach English and coach sports in an international school. He instantly fell in love with the richness of the history and art, the kindness of the people, and the kabobs. Soon, however, ominous signs hung from buildings and black-clothed soldiers patroled the streets. Undetered, Fitzpatrick stayed for four years, married a Persian woman, had a daughter, and continued to absorb the culture until he was at last expelled from the country, two years after the Revolution.Barry Fitzpatrick, B.S., M. Ed., is a career educator with elementary, secondary and collegiate levels experience within both the public and private sectors. He has taught in Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. "Fitz" is presently serving as an Education Consultant and resides in his home state of Maine.

A moving novel of a con¿icted everyman in 1950s America. The story describes the personal and professional con¿ icts of quirky members of a large second and third generation Irish clan of primarily educators. Caring relatives are supportive in dif¿cult times while contributing to the small plot twists of daily life. Written by a talented writer with a rich ear for dialogue who magically relates the experiences and perspectives of a variety of family members, speaking in their voices. Based in part on the author's experiences growing up in Somerville, Massachusetts, this is a ¿ctional work of great range and strength in which readers may ¿nd echoes of their own lives and family relationships.Robert Crotty (1937-2011) was a student of human nature as he saw it who wrote largely (though not exclusively) from a New England perspective. He received a M.F.A. in English from the Iowa Writers' Workshop during the Raymond Carver years. He also attended the graduate journalism program at the University of Missouri at Columbia. At one point he was a reporter and editor of a Maine newspaper. There were other positions: professor, dean of a college and director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine among them. As a Mainer at heart he wrote mostly from Kennebunkport where he and his family lived and later from Portsmouth, New Hampshire where he worked for a time and acted in stage plays. This novel was written in Ireland where Bob brought his family to spend a year in Greystones on the southern coast. The Irish influence is evident. This work is fiction but tinged with the realities of life in the world of greater Boston where Bob grew up.

Youth is not a prerequisite for adventure. At ages 65 and 75, Martha and Sandy pull up deep New England roots, sell their house, acquire a couple of new knees, toss their doubts and fears out the window, and make a plan. They will spend part of each year in their beloved Maine and part in an exotic place. Starting with New Zealand. Why not South Africa? Why not South America? Why not Antarctica? Slow Travel shows how this intrepid couple finds the wherewithal-financially, physically, spiritually-to live with a capital L and I and V and E at a time in their lives when, let's face it, a lot of people choose to stick close to home. Or if they travel, travel to the usual places. Nothing about Sandy and Martha's series of adventures is usual. They break every stereotype. In the beginning, the question plagued them: Can we afford to go? In the end, it's clear they couldn't afford not to. "Slow Travel" is a fascinating read, and an inspiring one.

Oatmeal is a girl, Big Blue is a bicycle, and Frog is, well, Frog is a very special Frog.When Oatmeal's father takes the training wheels off her bike, she is overjoyed. Maybe a bit too overjoyed, because she forgets some of his very important warnings.Luckily, a new friend is there to lend a hand, or a flipper, or whatever it is frogs have.Adventure, ice cream, and friendship abound in this hopping good story.The author will donate all proceeds from this book to organizations that fight childhood diabetes. Thank you for your support.

A daughter remembers both her father and her grandfather, two doctors who served their rural community for almost a century. In the days when there were no hospital facilities here or when it wasimpossible and unadvisable to move a patient, sincere trust was placedin the capable hands of Dr. Charles Young as he successfully performedthe operation in the home. His calmness and self-control were mostnoticeable and helped to ease the mind of many a worried patient.With all his high attainments, Dr. Young remained the time-honored"country doctor". He administered to the tribulations and the bodilyills of his patients, was beloved and honored by the community inwhich he lived.

After returning victorious from war, Colonel Cornelius Mitterhal isolates himself from the society he liberated. Disheartened by guilt and sorrow, he slips into delusion and spends his days talking to the chimney on the rooftop of his manor house that overlooks a vast lake. But a new danger creeps up on the peaceful communities of Three Havens, as a deceitful chancellor plots to break the alliance Mitterhal forged with native tribes during the war. Leaving his rooftop post, the canny colonel marshals unlikely troops for this new battle: Enyalda, the girl who spied on him for years from the branches of a beech tree, and her three brothers; the port city's revered pastor; former soldiers who are only a little less war torn than he; a wily orphan boy; and a brutish smuggler. Through the grace of his mysterious heritage, Mitterhal has to retain his grip on these spinning threads and weave a tapestry that will restore honor to the land he loves.