Servant
by Patrick R. Field
GENRE: Paranormal Fantasy
Not
long after their move into Blackstone, married couple Mitch and Buck begin to
witness strange sightings of shadowy figures, physical manifestations and inexplicable
events taking place in the former Sheppard family estate nestled in the
Northern Poconos of Pennsylvania. Through séances, they learn from the spirit
of Jedidiah Sheppard that he has not been able to cross over into the afterlife
because the truth behind his sudden disappearance in 1965 has never been
solved. During this journey, Mitch and Buck and an eccentric psychic, Gladys
Munch aka Madame Fortunesta, encounter interference from the spirit of a Lenape
medicine man, Mesingwe Medeu, who protects Jedidiah’s spirit. Mitch and Buck
eventually realize that they must find Jedidiah’s remains and let the
authorities discover through modern detective work the evidence needed to try
and convict the murderer. But is it too late for Jedidiah’s spirit to find
eternal peace?
Excerpt One:
“The spirit led us to this area of the cellar by blinking
the lights, making them dimmer and then brighter. When we asked if he would
like to be called a spirit, the intensity of the blinking increased, brighter
and faster. We thought it was because he liked it, but then the blinking
stopped and the intensity of the light grew until the bulbs started to burst,
and as you can see, there is shattered glass on the floor,” I explain as we
walk across the broken glass, the crinkling sounds underfoot. “Sorry about the
glass. I have been a little freaked out to sweep up.”
“Where did you find the album?”
“Over here. It fell off this shelf of the bookcase, where
you can see the imprint in the dust.”
Gladys places her hand on the spot where the album once lay
and closes her eyes. Suddenly, she opens them, and a surprised, distressed
expression comes over her face, the first time I haven’t seen a hint of a smile
all morning.
“I would like to leave here now,” she states in a fearful
tone.
“Sure, is something—”
“Now, Mitch! We need to leave now!”
Links for purchasing Servant:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Servant-Patrick-R-Field/dp/1509248765/ref=sr_1_1
Barnes and
Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/servant-patrick-r-field/1143071600
Walmart:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Servant-Paperback-9781509248766/2686843043
GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveawayAUTHOR Bio and Links:
After
twenty-five years in higher education, Patrick Field traded in teaching and
textbooks to pursue his passion of writing spine-chilling fiction. Holding a
Ph.D. in Anatomical Sciences and Neuroscience, his experience informs his
writing, a unique blend of scientific knowledge with supernatural storytelling.
His
non-scientific writing career began with Prince Patrick, a memoir of his precocious
childhood that he wrote for his mother as she battled pancreatic cancer. This
process was not only healing but helpful in stirring his creativity and marked
the moment he was bitten by the writing bug.
An avid fan of
Anne Rice, Edgar Allen Poe, and Joe Hill, Patrick’s subsequent novels were
inspired by his favorite authors. His first fiction novel, The Malevolent, and
his two latest novels, The Bedfordshire Warlock (release date in early 2024)
and Servant were written throughout the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
His latest
novel Servant was inspired by the supernatural events that happened to the
author, his husband, and friends that have stayed in their home in northeastern
Pennsylvania. Taking a page from his teaching philosophy that those who teach
must never cease to learn, Patrick found himself hungry to discover all he
could about the area's diverse cultures, including the Anthracite coal mining
community and the indigenous tribe of the Lenape.
Patrick’s
writing process is a mix between walking meditation and meticulous research.
His novels form while he walks alone with his dogs, imagining plot lines and
characters. Once he’s home, he quickly types notes on his computer before
fleshing them out later. Research is a considerable part of his process- the
scientist in him abhors “alternative facts.” When he encounters an idea or a
historical thread unfamiliar to him, he researches all he can about it. While
he writes about a world where the supernatural realm is prominent, the real
world is always based on facts.
When developing
characters, he usually has an idea of the destination he wants for each
character but the journey to get there is often written by the character and
the environment. Of all the characters he’s written, Gladys Munch in Servant is
his favorite, as she’s an amalgam of delightful, humorous “mature” ladies in
his life and physically inspired by British actresses Margaret Rutherford and
Angela Lansbury.
In addition to writing, Patrick appears on the stage of his community theater and sings in the chorus of a local opera company each summer. He enjoys spending time with his husband, Matthew, and their dogs and exploring new destinations around the world, especially those that have a supernatural history. Haunted buildings and structures associated with the occult fascinate Patrick. His idea of a perfect day: drinking pints of Guinness draught with friends and family over scintillating and humorous conversation.
Website:
patrickfieldauthor.com
Instagram:
patrickfieldauthor
Facebook:
actoranatomist
7 comments:
Hello everyone this is Patrick R. Field and thank you for stopping by on the Servant book tour! Here is your question for the day: Food prepared from fall root vegetables is an integral part of the lives of the Servant characters, including the author's recipe for butternut squash soup that uses a fruit in the recipe. Can you guess which fruit that could be? Good luck!
Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a good read.
Happy Monday, Patrick! I am guessing...apples? Apples are a fall fruit and my foster mother used to make apple crisp with butternut squash which was delicious so I think that these two go together well.
The excerpt sounds really good.
Bea right again! The recipe calls for Granny Smith green apples.
Interesting book details.
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