Early draft of Waterguard – later to become Yemaya

…it’s been a while but we made it to the second post!

Over the last week, I’ve started to get serious about the site and posted a bit of content – some short stories I’ve had published and / or shortlisted over the last couple of years. I’ll add some more, in due course.

I’ve also dug out and been looking over my first novel, again. I started it way back in 2014 and completed the first full draft in mid-2015. Since then, it’s been tucked at the back of the drawer. I figured I’d get back to it when I’d built some improved skills and a bit of distance.

Yemaya (originally Waterguard) is an historical horror novel, set in and around Margate / Thanet in 1864.

Victorian Margate was a vibrant resort for the well-to-do (who came down on the newly installed railway line) and for the tens of thousands of day-trippers from London who travelled on the less salubrious steamships that landed at the Jetty.

It’s a rich setting for a tale about a sinister cult that has lodged itself in the heart of Thanet society and which only our protagonist, Mark Ward (an officer in the Waterguard), seems concerned about. The murders of several young itinerants appear to be a low priority for the police – until a full scale investigation is sparked by the abduction of the Home Secretary’s nephew , which brings in Musgrove, a detective from Scotland yard…

It is very much a work in progress. I’m pretty pleased with the first two chapters. The rest of the novel is draft number seven and still not properly polished. I’m going to be working on this over the next few months and hopefully getting it to a place where I’m happy to start submitting.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the four short / flash pieces I’ve put up over the last week. If you have any constructive criticism / feedback, please feel free to drop me a note via the Contacts page!

Happy reading,
Lee

P.S.
Thanks to Ciarán for all his help setting up the site!