Book Ends

Jo Kasten’s middle child has always been difficult. Fiery, defiant, startlingly handsome and hyper intelligent, Eddy’s childhood years were full of turmoil and conflict. But when he reaches manhood, things change--for the worse. Eddy’s struggle with schizophrenia begins in a men’s bathroom at a local junior college and carries him to the deepest recesses of the human mind. In the midst of his descent, Jo is diagnosed with breast cancer. Count All This is a story of love, madness, death, family loyalty and the primal bond between mothers and sons. Set in the frightening landscape of mental illness and physical disease, Count All This is a story of survival.

The paragraph above is the blurb on my virtual book jacket. For the past 32 weeks, I've been privileged to serialize this novel here. One deeply satisfying aspect of the project has been pairing each chapter with a photograph from the ouvre of my friend, the immensely talented Brendon Stuart. But now that all 32 of the book's chapters are posted, that part of the project is finished.

What happens next? Please feel free to continue visiting this site to finish reading the novel (if you haven't already), to look at the gorgeous photographs, or to re-read confusing or compelling chapters. (Pop Quiz: Which Greek Myth is Paralleled Here?) Feel free, also, to leave a comment. I didn't encourage them at first, because I didn't want to affect the way the story unfolded. But I'm happy to respond to any now. If you liked the book, please share the link with others. Or if you prefer the feel of a real book in your hands, you can purchase a paperback copy at this link: Support The Arts Here!

As for me, I'm currently pondering my next novel. Once I get it plotted out, I may try writing it here. I'll also keep you informed about any further developments with this one, which is currently under contract for publication in the U.K. If that project comes to fruition, you'll hear about it here first. I'm also considering posting my first novel--the story of two sisters who travel from California to New Orleans after the death of their mother--on this site. And I want to round up some of my favorite columns and add them to the column link. So although the serialization of Count All This has finished, there are still many irons on the fire. My plan at the moment is to sit back for awhile and watch them glowing before I decide which one to pick up.

Thanks for reading.

Yours,
P.C. Fergusson