Seasons of Summerland

Introduction

Over the last few years, I’ve gone down many rabbit holes with the stories I’ve written. Sometimes, a side character catches my interest and leads me to another series without any conscious direction from me.

Other times, a completely random idea wakes me up at night.

This collection is composed of several of those stories. Although they aren’t all magical or mysterious, they share a common fascination with the unexplainable, the unprovable, and the slightly off-kilter.

I wanted to gather them in a place where I could present them like the seasons of the year. We entered a world in 2020 no one expected. I have found myself more contemplative about the nature of my life, and what I want for the future, like many others out there. It has been a turbulent time, to put it kindly.

This collection is a reflection of that.

I start with January, the darkest and coldest of the months in Canada, and work my way through the year back to winter again. Just like the seasons themselves, the nature of the book changes with each story that unfolds.

Some of the pieces are light and full of the wonder of Christmas as a child; others are dark and gritty with the finality of death. But just like the year itself, this too will pass and give way to something new.

And in every ending, there is also a new beginning.

From my heart to yours,

I hope you enjoy the time you spend in Summerland.

H. M. Gooden

Wendigo

Winter