Book Sunday #OurAuthorGang

 Today's recommendation is a YA novel by Lorraine Carey

Jonathan's Locket

Dive into a thrilling blend of history, mystery, and the supernatural in this captivating Young Adult novel. Set against the backdrop of the historic Wreck of the Ten Sails off Grand Cayman, author Carey masterfully weaves fantasy, suspense, and paranormal intrigue into a story that will keep readers hooked.

When a local teen discovers they can connect with Jonathan, a restless spirit lost in the infamous shipwreck, an extraordinary journey begins. Bound by courage and compassion, the teen must navigate a world of hidden dangers and otherworldly challenges to help Jonathan find peace and finally cross over.

This award-winning novel, which earned the Readers' Favorite Silver Award in 2014 and was a finalist in the Wind Dancer Film Contest, is a must-read for fans of historical fiction with a supernatural twist. Prepare for an unforgettable adventure where history comes alive in the most unexpected ways!

Chapter 5

The Wreck

All were on deck now, and orders were being given from all directions. It was a moonless night and the sea was as black as pitch. The sound of the waves thrashing against the ship rose above the yelling of the crew on the Convert.

It was now the wee hours of the morning, on February 8, 1794. Instead of the crew getting a good night’s rest, their distress gun was fired.
Captain Lawford came bounding out of his quarters. Dressed in only his trousers, he raced barefoot onto the top deck.

“What in land’s end is happening here? I heard the distress gunfire!” he cried.

“Aye, Captain, there be breakers ahead!” shouted Seaman Thompson from up in the crow’s nest. “The fleet is getting ahead of us now. They are all firing off their distress guns.”

Lawford grabbed the telescope from the seaman standing next to him.

“Damn, this can’t be the Grand Cayman reef! I thought we passed that an hour ago. I charted this course myself so that we would avoid that bloody coral reef!”

He shouted orders for all of the men to report on the deck. Before any of the men had time to react, a voice alerted them to a whole new danger.

“Pirates - there be Pirates!” shouted men from the Britannia, which was close on their starboard side. All of the ships began to move closer, trying to protect the Convert.

The crew aboard the Convert flashed their lanterns. All they could see were ships clustered together...too close together.

They heard the sounds of the crash before they saw it. Splintering wood and screams of terror echoed over the water. It was as if the reef had sliced right through the ships, like an axe slicing through wood.

“Take cover, men!” shouted Captain Lawford, just before the Britannia rammed into the Convert.

When the ships collided, it hit the Convert hard into the windward reef. The ship began to lean on its’ side, ready to split.

The remaining ships crashed into one another in an endless pileup. The deafening sound of screams mingled with bodies splashing into the water. Many of the seamen were now jumping into the water, clinging onto pieces of the ship that floated nearby.

“It is Poseidon coming to take us to our watery graves!” shouted one of the men in the water.

Despite the chaos, Captain Lawford still shouted out orders. They were largely ignored, since every man was out to save himself – all but one, of course. There was one seaman who had to save his dearest friend.

*****

Dear God, please let me get down to Jonathan in time.
Peter did his best to hold onto anything he could to make his way down to the hold. The ship’s hull had been hit hard and would be soon flooding with water.
Peter threw open the cargo door and raced down the steps. He was already knee-deep in murky water. The trunks were swishing around, banging into one another. “Jonathan! Jonathan, I’m coming!” Peter yelled, as he sloshed through the water. Jonathan popped the lid of his trunk open and began yelling for Peter.

“Peter, what is happening?”
“We have hit the reef on Grand Cayman, Jonathan. All of the other ships have slammed into each other. We are all going down. You’ve got to get out of that trunk - now!”

“No, no...I’m afraid!” cried Jonathan. “I can’t swim!”

“It doesn’t matter now, my son. Just hang onto me and we’ll grab a hold of whatever we can find until we are rescued.”

As Jonathan tried to sit up, the chain of his locket got caught in the latch of the lid. He desperately tried to untangle it, but it had formed a small knot that refused to come undone.

Peter was still holding onto the trunk when a huge gush of water came and swept him away. He had been pulled down through the hold. Jonathan couldn’t see exactly where he was, but there was a small crack that he could see out of.

“Peter! Peter, where are you?”

Jonathan prayed that Peter had been able to swim to safety. His trunk had begun to slam into all of the other trunks; he could feel water dripping onto his face. Jonathan pulled and pulled at the knot in the chain, but nothing worked. The more he pulled at the chain, the tighter it pulled around his throat.

Jonathan’s body trembled, as he closed his eyes one last time.

I know I will be with you, mother. Please look after me.

*****

As water overtook Jonathan’s small body, his trunk was pulled through a gaping hole in the ship. His trunk landed at the bottom of the sea, nestled underneath a large crevasse deep under the reef.

A large sea turtle who happened to be in the area circled the chest. It seemed to take on an iridescent green glow that lit up the waters with its shimmering light.

Chapter 6

Grand Cayman 2012

“Mrs. Wallace, this is Mrs. Banks, deputy principal at Island High School. Your son, Brandon, did not show up at school today.”

Mrs. Wallace paused a moment before answering. She knew exactly where her son was. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Banks, I believe I know where he is. I will call his father right now.”

“Brandon has already missed nine unexcused days this year,” scolded Mrs. Banks. “With his grades, he cannot afford to be missing so much school. Please bring him in tomorrow, along with your husband so that we can discuss the matter.”

“Yes, ma’am,” answered Mrs. Wallace, in a solemn voice.

Mrs. Wallace was already at work at Island Gems Jewelry and was not prepared to start her day in such a way.

As soon as Mrs. Wallace hung up the phone, she dialed her husband’s work number. She dreaded telling him the news.

“Franklin, Brandon skipped school again.”

“Damn that boy!” Mr. Wallace shouted in reply. “I can’t leave the port right now.” Mr. Wallace had gotten a promotion to supervisor at the port a few years ago and spent most of his time at work or on call when he was at home. This is about the time Brandon began to have some behavior issues.

“You know where he is, Franklin.”

I will talk to him tonight,” confirmed Mr. Wallace.

“We need to do more than just talk,” she said.

“He’s a seventeen-year-old boy. He needs to get his act together. Trust me, Jenna, when I am done with him, he will know that I mean business!” said Mr. Wallace, angrily.

*****

“Hey, Jason, did you see that spotted eel?” Brandon asked, excitedly, as they emerged from the sea.

“He must have been at least six feet long!” Jason answered.

They sat at the edge of the shore and removed their snorkeling gear. The early morning sun shone down and illuminated the crystal blue water. Brandon shook his head of dark wet curls, like a dog shaking out his wet fur. Jason on the other hand, was busy pulling back his sandy blonde hair into a printed scarf.

“I can’t wait to get these pictures up on the computer and check them out,” Brandon said. “Want to come up to the house?”

“I’d better not. I should get home and clean up before my folks find out I skipped school with you.”

“Suit yourself,” Brandon said as he walked away. He shook his head, knowing that Jason wouldn’t get into trouble if he got caught. He wished his parents were as lenient as Jason’s.

*****

Brandon walked along the shore toward home. He gazed out at the turquoise waters, feeling the breeze on his face. As he kicked his toes through the white powdery sand and watched the palms swaying back and forth, he thought of his childhood. Brandon and his dad would go fishing and diving almost every weekend. That changed a few years ago when his dad had gotten the promotion. Brandon yearned for those days and hoped his dad would come around again. When he thought of those days, he knew that the sea was his heaven.

As he reached home he sat on the back deck of the large cottage and tried to take it all in. He was grateful to live right on the beach where he could have the sea right there under his nose.

All of a sudden, Pirate, the family’s five-year-old Labrador Retriever came bounding out and began licking the salt water off his face.

Brandon knew he had to get out of his gear fast and clean up before his parents got home or he’d have hell to pay.

Lorraine Carey

https://authorlorrainecarey.blogspot.com/

Lorraine Carey is a reading specialist and an Award-Winning Author. She was living in California until fate whisked her off to Grand Cayman. She currently lives in Florida. Her love for paranormal stories began at a young age, and is no stranger to the paranormal, having encountered unexplainable events that are woven into her stories.

 

Book Sunday

Legends of the mountains 

During my many hikes into the Superstition Mountains, I’ve always felt there was some otherworldly presence there as well as my husband had.

It wasn’t until I worked on the Sacaton Reservation for a year that I was fortunate to hear many of the legends that came out of the area from a few of the parents.

There is a reason they are called the Superstition Mountains, with all of the stories that have emerged from this mystical mountain range in Apache Junction, Arizona. Tales include a secret underground government lab, shapeshifters, alien crafts that come out of the ridge, Geronimo appearing and then disappearing into the mountain, and, of course, the famous Jacob Waltz Gold Mine.

Many explorers were said to have mysteriously vanished when they had intentions of finding the gold. 

I bring many of these legends to life in the novel.

Mysteries of the Red Coyote Inn

This award-winning Young Adult Supernatural Tale can be enjoyed by all ages!

ON AMAZON

The Red Coyote Inn may look like a charming desert getaway, but its history tells a different story: ghostly encounters, strange accidents, and whispers of supernatural creatures. Nestled along Arizona’s Apache Trail near the mysterious Superstition Mountains—home to the legendary Lost Dutchman Mine—the inn sits atop an energy vortex said to fuel its eerie activity. The guests are almost as unusual as the inn itself, but none are prepared for what lies beneath its enigmatic facade.

For 15-year-old Dean Banks, inheriting the Red Coyote Inn with his family isn’t just strange—it’s life-changing. Dean discovers he’s the heir to an ancient Apache gift of supernatural power, chosen to guard the mine’s secrets from those who seek its riches. But this gift feels more like a curse as Dean wrestles with newfound abilities, from superhuman strength to mystical defenses, all while grappling with the fear of hurting someone he loves.

Dean talks with Robert, the old miner~ (an excerpt)

As Dean rode into the desert, he noticed his senses were in high gear. He could see, hear, and feel everything with extreme acuteness. He could smell the dirt and feel the air around him. He was able to pick up the energies of the desert creatures and communicate with them. He felt as though he was one with the land. As he pulled up to the entrance to the cave, he could see Robert’s old dirt bike parked outside. Robert was sitting on a large rock with his old miner’s cap on.

“Sorry I’m so late,” Dean said. “We had some trouble at the inn again.”
“It is what it is,” Robert said. “Your grandpa and I had many talks like this.”
Dean sat speechless for a moment, then stood up and faced Robert with amazement.

“You knew Grandpa!” he wailed. “I just had the feeling there was something there.”

“Yes, Dean, we were good friends for many years.”


“Then you must know about all the trouble he had at the Red Coyote,” Dean said.

“I know more about you and your grandpa than probably anyone else.”

Dean was all ears as Robert began to reveal some amazing details.

“See that talisman pendant around your neck? That goes way back to the beginning of one of the local Apache tribes,” he said. “It was given to your grandpa when he was born. It’s a protection amulet said to be infused with great powers, and that thunderbird is a very powerful figure.”

Dean held the pendant in his hand as his mind raced back to the many times it had saved him from danger.

Dean turned to Robert and pleaded for some answers. “Robert, please, I need your help. I think you have some answers for me.”

“Okay, boy, here we go,” Robert said. “Your grandpa was hoping he would make it until your sixteenth birthday, but it was his time to go. He wanted to be the one to tell you the truth.”

Dean’s blood ran cold – quite a change from his usual hot surges. His face went pale, and his stomach churned. “Please, Robert, I can’t take it,” he said, standing and raising his hands in the air. “Let me know what on earth is happening to me!”

“Exactly, my boy,” the old miner said, ‘on earth’ is quite a good choice of words for your current situation. It’s the ancient secrets that lie right below us... they are the cause of everything you’ve been going through. I feel very privileged to give you some of the answers you’ve been waiting for – however, I can’t tell you everything right now. I’ve got some fresh iced tea in these canteens. Let’s have a tea party, so to speak,” he chuckled. “Usually, this occasion would call for some hard liquor, but I swore off the stuff years ago.”

“Tell me, why is everyone waiting for my birthday?” Dean asked.

“That’s the time when the gift is to be acknowledged,” he said. “That will be a ‘rite of passage’ – the Apache blood is on your mom’s side. Your Grandpa Powell’s great-great-grandma was Yolanda Peralta, and you, my boy, were born to be the ‘Chosen One’, or the ‘Gate Keeper’ of the gold here in this mountain.”

“So, my mom does know about all this history?” Dean asked.

“Yes, she does,” said Robert in a solemn voice. “Your sister doesn’t know any of it, though. Your mom thought she was too young to understand.”

“And my father?”.

“Well, that’s another story,” Robert said. “You’ll need to confront your mother on that one.”

“Is that why I had the vision of the ‘red coyote’?”

“Now you know that story, don’t you, Dean? Remember the last time we talked, I told you how Yolanda and Juha would start a bloodline of offspring who would produce a special boy in the future?”

“Juha was a great warrior back in the 1800s,” he said. “He had the powers to shape-shift, heal, and speak with the gods. He and Yolanda belonged to the Chiricahua tribe, which was very powerful at that time.”

Dean sat there, mesmerized by Robert’s words.

“When the Elders spoke to Juha and Yolanda, they were told one of their descendants would be the one many were waiting for, but it might take many moons for this to come to pass. This is no ordinary gold mine, Dean. I told you already that it was discovered in 1140 AD by the Salado Indians and was blessed by a high priest from the tribe.

“The vein is supposed to run from Weaver’s Needle out through the mountains and under the ground for miles,” he continued. “Gold seekers as far back as the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and his men came through here searching for the Seven Cities of Gold.”

“I remember studying about that in my history class,” Dean added.

“Legend says some of his men were found beheaded,” Robert said. “Only a hundred of his men survived the trip. He then went back to Mexico on what is now known as the Santa Fe Trail.”

“Beheaded!” Dean cried; his eyes as big as saucers.

“So, you can see, there’s something here that is way beyond our control,” Robert confessed. “Do your research on this area, and you’ll find that many have gone in search of the gold, but few have returned to tell their stories.”

“Does it have something to do with that vortex?” Dean asked.


“Well, let’s say that has quite a lot to do with it,” Robert replied.

“So, it’s like the Bermuda Triangle?” Dean asked. He thought this would possibly explain all the electrical trouble at the inn. Now, this is making some sense.


“You’ll learn so much more as you gain more understanding of your powers.”


“Some very weird things have been happening to me already,” Dean said. “It kind of all began when we left Apple Valley, and I thought I saw the face of an Indian warrior in my window.”

“That was probably a vision of Juha, Dean. He has always been with you.”

“I also have dreams about a hawk flying at night, and I wake up feeling as if I were the hawk,” Dean said, with alarm in his voice. “I’ve seen the ‘red coyote’, and I was mysteriously led to the real Lost Dutchman Mine!”

“You’ll see things more clearly in time,” Robert said.


“Why does someone have to be the ‘Guardian’ of the mine?” Dean asked.


“Okay, let me tell you what I know. Many eons ago, when the Salado Tribe was here, they discovered the gold vein and became aware of the spiritual powers it possessed. They knew the mine was the power source of life and, thus -sacred ground. That is why the ‘Great Spirit’ entrusted them to protect that power source from ever being disturbed. That’s why it was blessed by one of their priests,” he explained. “You have many powers, Dean, ones you are just becoming aware of, just as Juha did. Your powers will be revealed to you as time goes on.”

Lorraine Carey

https://authorlorrainecarey.blogspot.com/

Lorraine Carey is not only a paranormal enthusiast but has had many unexplained events in her lifetime and has used these as a focal point in her fiction novels.  As a veteran teacher, Lorraine began to write for Young Adults hoping to inspire young readers. Now residing in Florida, since retirement has given her more time to write when the spirits are willing.