Welcome to Picaroon Books! We publish historical fiction with a Gothic twist.
Our first title, The Tale of the Scry Twins by Paul Van Heest, is now available.
THE TALE OF THE SCRY TWINS
When an ominous purple fog marks a new set of twins, it reawakens a blood feud.
New Jersey, 1738. Peddler Sage Arsenault returns to the place of his youth determined to win a property auction and restore his family’s reputation. But David Scry, once his friend and now the heir to the region’s most powerful family, vows to oppose him. Sage cannot understand David’s malice, but he recognizes the echoes of the past from the infamous tale of the Scry twins. Telling of the birth of David and his sister in an earlier fog – and her death at the hands of Sage’s uncle.
Then Sage’s wife Mara bears her own twins and the tale casts its shadow over a new generation. Sage champions the girl-twin, born with severe deformities, in the face of rampant superstition. At the same time, his rivalry with David escalates into mob violence with a public whipping, a kidnapping, and a wolf-rout.
Now he will stop at nothing to unearth secrets buried in the old tale. Secrets that could explain his former friend’s hostility and the condition of Mara’s child, or could doom them all…
Epic, eerie, and hauntingly American, The Tale of the Scry Twins is a novel about the place of family in our lives.
Click below to access a special introductory offer, $2 off the cover price.
Q&A with Paul Van Heest
Q: What is The Tale of the Scry Twins?
A: The Tale of the Scry Twins is a Gothic novel set in 1730s New Jersey. In it, colonial peddler Sage Arsenault returns home to face dark superstitions, buried secrets, and a bitter rivalry. It is the first volume of a four-book series.
Q: If it’s part of a series, should I wait until all four volumes are done?
A: The Tale of the Scry Twins is the only volume of the series complete thus far, with the remaining three in various stages of development. The closing pages of The Tale of the Scry Twins hint toward the following books in the series, but the novel reads just as well as a standalone. It’s understandable that some readers may prefer to wait until they can read the series in its entirety; I am planning to publish the remaining volumes once all three are complete, which will take a few more years.
Q: Why is it currently available only in paperback?
A: Last year, my mom expressed her desire to read one of my books now. When I explained to her my plan to wait until all four volumes were finished, then release them in rapid succession, she said, “I’m 87 years old.” Message received… So I expedited publishing this first volume for her, and in the format (paperback) she most appreciates.
Q: What if I’d rather experience the book as an e-book or an audiobook?
A: Once I’ve completed the full series, I will release all four volumes as print books, e-books, and audiobooks. At that time, The Tale of the Scry Twins will also be available as an e-book and an audiobook.
Q: Why is the book only available on the PicaroonBooks.com website?
A: When the series is complete, I will make it available through as many different distribution channels as I can access. At this time, however, I’m limiting my own outreach to friends and family, through word-of-mouth.
Q: How can I keep up to date with the development of the series?
A: Soon I will provide a form on this website to join my author email list. In addition to periodic email updates on my progress, subscribers to the list will receive three brand-new short stories for free, each featuring characters from The Tale of the Scry Twins.
I appreciate your interest in The Tale of the Scry Twins – thank you!