Maria Linn
Strange and surreal memories of growing up in Myrtle Beach inspire much of Maria Linn's writing. A data analyst in higher ed by day, the scariest thing about Maria may be her deep and abiding love of spreadsheets.
Serenity and the Soul in the Wall
Ren and her sister must heal the dying spirit of their Nana's cozy beachside motel before the building collapses and is replaced by a soulless high-rise.
Ren has been looking forward to spending the summer at the cozy beachside motel her Nana owns. But in the year since Ren last saw it, the Sea Mystic Motel has been falling apart. Ren always thought the place had "character," but now it's the sort of character you wouldn't want to run into in a dark alley. And it comes as a bit of a shock when that character starts speaking to her through a crack in the wall. Worried the motel is haunted, Ren, her gothy sister, and the ghost-hunting boy across the street go digging for answers. The secret they uncover shakes them to their foundation: buildings have souls, and Ren is one of the rare humans who can communicate with them. Mister, the spirit of the motel, is heart-broken over the loss of neighborhood friends who were demolished to make way for soulless new high-rises. If Ren can't figure out how to heal Mister before he checks out for good, Nana's beloved motel will crumble to the ground. And when the Sea Mystic goes, it just might take her family with it.
Publication
US: Bushel & Peck Books
Release date: 13 April 2027
