West Portsmouth native, Jeffery Evans, has come a long way since his days of playing on Stoney Run. Now, proudly decorated with two Masters degrees, a retirement from the military, and a career in writing, he has recently released the his novel “Modern Gothic” through Page Publishing.
The novel, according to Page Publishing, is a thrilling and captivating anthology that discusses the possible origins of various monsters and other beasts that have plagued mankind since the beginning of time. Readers will discover well known creatures brought to life in new ways through Evans’s imagination and expertly paced writing style.
Evans’s chilling collection begins with a mysterious incident on Noah’s ark, as multiple animals go missing. Worried he may have brought evil on board his ship, Noah fears that the beastly offspring of fallen angels and humans might be the culprits behind such gruesome attacks, but, as life begins to spread on new land, so too do the evils of the old forgotten world, thus setting the stage for what is to come.
As is with the horror genre, Evans said that the grittiness of the topic may be for more mature readers.
“Modern Gothic is for anyone who enjoys suspense or horror stories,” Evans said. “It isn’t real graphic in nature, but, if it were a movie, it would probably be R-rated. It’s a bit gritty.”
Evans said that the story may cross centuries, but the topics are timeless.
“It’s five separate stories intertwined. It deals with “what if” and incorporates a lot of history into it. Although these are fictional stories, the overall theme has to do with everyday things that we can all relate to, such as overcoming the struggles of everyday life,” Evans said. “For example, the main character in the final story is a college graduate and an Army veteran but still finds herself struggling to pay the bills, therefore she has to think outside the box to make ends meet.”
Modern Gothic will find its varied protagonists pitted against terrifying and well-known foes of folklore as each thrilling entry in this anthology unfolds. From werewolves to vampires, and everything in between, readers will find possible answers to how these creatures came to be and what to do if one finds themselves face to face with the embodiment of evil.
“I really enjoyed writing the book; it feels great to finally see it brought to fruition. My message is that if I can do this, my peers can too. I want to inspire people to realize their potential,” Evans explained. “I grew up in Scioto County, Ohio out in the sticks, up on the “Holler,” Stoney Run to be exact. Back in the old days we used to build a fire outside and tell Ghost Stores. Some we made up, others were stories that been passed around and handed down from generation to generation. Scioto County has a rich abundance of spine-tingling tales. I simply tapped into that format and made a book from the type of material that I had grown up listening to. However, my work is completely original.”
Readers who wish to experience this mesmerizing work can purchase Modern Gothic at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.
Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2022 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved
