The Maw of the Mountain: A Novel

Date

2016-01-07

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

MFA in Creative Writing, The University of Tampa

Abstract

Hidden in a Pennsylvania mountain range, the secluded community known as the Schullen is accustomed to a way of life experienced nowhere else. It’s not uncommon for neighbors to claim they’ve witnessed forest creatures at night or a loved one’s spirit traipsing about the yard in the form of an albino rabbit. After all, when one has a stone god peering down from the highest peak and holidays include contact with hallucinogenic flowers, oddities are sure to take place. Yet at its core, the tight-knit town holds its doctrines, neighborly love and some harmless gossip, above all else. For Lowell Jameson, his destiny lies in the forests he holds dear and his bloodline promises him the seat of spiritual leader of the community. His dream is certain to be fulfilled and he eagerly waits for his turn to wear the uniform of the town’s premier holy man. Yet someday comes suddenly when his father abruptly abandons everything he’s stood for, he leaves a wake of confusion and dishonor for the Jameson family to deal with. One revealed secret digs up another and soon, a conspiracy and dark experiment is revealed at the core of the Schullen. Lowell’s journey for truth and to reclaim his home forces him to encounter not only the fantastical side of life, but also true desperation in a hollow world. Before he can find his way back, he’s forced to struggle with the concepts of faith, family, and when to question the seemingly infallible.

Description

Keywords

Novel, Pennsylvania, Faith, Family

Citation

DOI

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