Fiction Disabilities & Special Needs
Little Joe
- Publisher
- Renaissance Press
- Initial publish date
- Nov 2023
- Category
- Disabilities & Special Needs, Coming of Age, Literary
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781990086472
- Publish Date
- Nov 2023
- List Price
- $22.99
Add it to your shelf
Where to buy it
Description
At the age of seven, Joe was a part of a cruise ship disaster that resulted in the death of his parents and the separation from him and his three older siblings. After fourteen years of a different life, Joe opens his mail to see an invitation to his sister's wedding. Before he knows it, Joe begins to struggle finding a balance between his old and new life. With constant night terrors and the inability to move on from the loss of his parents, Joe's troubles start to consume him. Joe must find a way to incorporate his old life into his new life, and accept the things he cannot control. We have all grown up with tales of survival, but the question Little Joe answers is: "What happens after the island?"
About the author
Stephanie Kast is originally from a tiny town of Dorchester, Ontario but moved to North Bay, Ontario to continue and grow her work in the arts. As a theatre artist her love of storytelling and characters has been a part of her since she was old enough to sit up and spin tales. She works as an actor in a professional touring company called The Proscenium Club, writes and directs her own work, and works as a textile artist on the side. This is her first published novel and hopes you enjoy reading it, as she enjoyed writing it.
Excerpt: Little Joe (by (author) Stephanie Kast)
Joe stood motionless in front of 390 Blueberry Trail. It was exactly how he remembered it. Small. Friendly. Inviting. He smiled. The smell of fresh-cut grass would tickle his nose when a breeze blew. The sun was warm; he touched his arm, trying to hold onto the warmth. The magnificent oak tree held tiny birds that fluttered around the branches and flirted with each other. Squirrels ran across the lawn, creating the perfect storybook moment.
He hoped the inside of the house was as pleasant as the exterior. He went to take a step, but his foot wouldn't move. Confused, he tried again. This time using all his strength, he tried to lift his foot, but it stayed. Trying to stay calm, he brought his hands under his knee to lift it from the ground, but again nothing. He looked at the house; it was fine. It was happy.
A poignant smell drifted in to replace the smell of grass. Joe covered his nose--it smelled like burning tarmac. Under his feet, the road was melting.
He tried to step again. His legs wouldn't budge. The asphalt began liquefying and pulling him down.
A jolt tossed him to the ground. Landing on his hands and his knees, he tried to get up, but his body had stopped working. He tried to lift his hands, but they were being sucked into the liquefied ground.
Another jolt.
This time, he was flipped over on his back. He turned his head to see 390 Blueberry Trail shudder. "Please, not the house," he whispered.
Again a jolt.
The ground had hardened. The house was fine; he was fine; everything was fine. He stood up.
He went to rush towards the door, but the oak tree gave a tremor from the base of the trunk to the tips of the branches and gradually melted into the ground.
"No!" he screeched.