From SRP author Mark Posey:
Lately, I’ve been splitting my writing time between two very different projects.
The first is Fall From Grace, the second Thomas Billings thriller. I’m happy to report that it’s going well. Thomas has found himself in far more trouble than any reasonable person would volunteer for, which is generally a good sign in a thriller. The story is taking shape nicely and I’m looking forward to sharing more about it as it develops.
In between chapters, though, I’ve been working on something completely different. It’s called The Summer Garden, and beginning this week I’ll be serializing it on Substack.
After the death of his wife, newly retired Bill “Scotty” Scotsford sells the family home and moves into a condo across the street from a community garden. What begins as an attempt to fill the empty hours slowly becomes something more as Scotty finds himself drawn into the lives of the gardeners around him—Nora, the no-nonsense coordinator; Dave and Connie, who never met a conversation they couldn’t extend by twenty minutes; Evelyn, guardian of the world’s most intimidating bean plants; and Maya, a young artist who refuses to let him disappear quietly into retirement.
Warm, funny, and deeply human, The Summer Garden is a story about grief, friendship, second chances, and the unexpected ways people continue to grow long after they think the most important seasons of their lives are behind them.
It’s a gentler story than my thrillers, but one that has quickly found a place in my heart. If you’ve enjoyed stories like Shrinking or simply enjoy character-driven tales about ordinary people navigating life’s twists and turns, I think you’ll enjoy spending some time in The Summer Garden.
New episodes will appear regularly on my Substack, and I’d love to have you join us there. You can subscribe here.
I hope to see you in the garden.
— Mark