Local artists are found all around our cities and towns, but the only trick is finding them. Valparaiso resident Neal Litherland, a fiction writer, was introduced to me by a mutual friend. After I read Summer People by Litherland, I knew his talent needed to be appreciated by and showcased to our ValpoLife community.
Imagine a small town where, for at least one season, you could escape and meet someone who challenges your mind and also melts your heart. In Summer People, the art of romance, family secrets and suspense intertwine to form a story about fleeting summer love and the importance of inner strength.
The main character, Bethany, is given a chance to work at her aunt’s restaurant over summer break. However, she did not plan on meeting a young man whose riddles hold unbreakable and sometimes incomprehensible mysteries. He only reveals to her that his name is Danny, he loves to write, and he is also part of the Summer People.
From disappearances to reappearances, Danny continuously peaks Bethany’s curiosity, even when he leaves her a single stone with a perfect circle hollowed out to peer through. Bethany’s aunt shares her own dark tragedy after finding out about her niece’s infatuation toward a summer boy. Her warning, however, does not prepare Bethany or the readers for such a startling and suspenseful conclusion.
“When I sat down to write Summer People, I wanted to write a story that was believable, that dealt with real characters that you could believe,” Litherland said. “My favorite part of the story was the big reveal right towards the end. I needed to figure out something shocking, and I feel that the metaphors I crafted and the picture I painted worked exceedingly well.”
While reading this book you will find that Litherland spent a great amount of time making sure that every description was well thought out as well as breathtaking. Character relationships stayed constant, but grew fluidly along with the story.
“I love telling stories, and the reactions they can cause in my audience,” he said. “The harder the emotional connection, the more satisfying the story is to complete. Making someone else see what I see in my mind is a thrill.”
Neal Litherland has succeeded in crafting a supernatural romance story for readers of any age with his book Summer People. Another story dedicated to the sci-fi, noir and romance genres is called Heart of the Myrmidon found in an anthology called End of Days. He is also the creator of a dark, steampunk romance novella consisting of three short stories called The Unusual Transformation of Abraham Carver, which will be available on Jan. 17. All of Litherland’s work can be found on the Barnes & Noble and Amazon markets.
For more information about Neal Litherland, please visit his Facebook page by clicking here or his blog by following this link!