RAIN MUSIC
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PATRICK SWENSON
There’s magic in the forest and it sings . . .
Truman Starkey heard it once, there in the ancient rain forest. A song that could raise the dead, a song that could bend time to its will. A song that might finally solve the puzzle of what Truman has lost—his ability to compose music. But every magic needs fuel, and this magic, this song, demands a soul, a heart, or the most dangerous drug ever invented: Moss.
Kat Gregory is a bar singer who hopes there’s no such thing as destiny, because if she can’t change hers, someone’s going to die. She knows. It's happened before. Kat must risk her mind and soul on Moss, and on a man she’s never met.
Joel Hines knows he can thwart his destiny if he can just bring his mother back from the dead. To do it, he needs more of the Moss that has warped him into a mage of terrifying power. That means hunting down Kat. He’ll torture and kill anyone who gets in his way.
What Truman doesn’t know is that the mysterious song in the rain found him for a reason. His true destiny is to compose the music that will defeat the mage.
If only Kat can find him.
If only Hines doesn’t find them first.
If only Truman trusts in destiny . . .
- November 2021 (HC): 978-1-933846-14-9 (TP): 978-1-933846-13-2
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- Cover Art by Nikki Rossignol Original watercolor painted with actual "magic" rainwater from the Olympic Rainforest!
There’s magic in the forest and it sings . . .
Truman Starkey heard it once, there in the ancient rain forest. A song that could raise the dead, a song that could bend time to its will. A song that might finally solve the puzzle of what Truman has lost—his ability to compose music. But every magic needs fuel, and this magic, this song, demands a soul, a heart, or the most dangerous drug ever invented: Moss.
Kat Gregory is a bar singer who hopes there’s no such thing as destiny, because if she can’t change hers, someone’s going to die. She knows. It's happened before. Kat must risk her mind and soul on Moss, and on a man she’s never met.
Joel Hines knows he can thwart his destiny if he can just bring his mother back from the dead. To do it, he needs more of the Moss that has warped him into a mage of terrifying power. That means hunting down Kat. He’ll torture and kill anyone who gets in his way.
What Truman doesn’t know is that the mysterious song in the rain found him for a reason. His true destiny is to compose the music that will defeat the mage.
If only Kat can find him.
If only Hines doesn’t find them first.
If only Truman trusts in destiny . . .
Publication Info
* * * * *
"Swenson unites the magic of music and the power of emotion in this unique, slow-building fantasy thriller. Composer Truman Starkey is starting over after a messy divorce by visiting his friend’s resort in a beautiful Washington State rain forest to focus solely on writing the new symphony that has been eluding him. Within minutes of his arrival, he hears a voice in the rain that becomes his muse—and calls him to a magical destiny. An evil mage with ties to the forest has become hooked on a synthetic magical drug called moss, and he’ll do anything to get more. As Truman develops a connection with bar singer Kat Gregory, the pair discover that her singing, his symphony, and their attraction hold the key to stopping the mage and saving lives. . . . the many tangled threads of the plot come together in a satisfying conclusion. It’s a rewarding tale."
— Publishers Weekly
"The protagonist of this contemporary fantasy is a composer who has suddenly lost his muse. He and a few other well drawn characters are all affected in one way or another by a mystical forest, and also by a dangerous new drug that appears linked to the magic of that place. One of the others has arcane knowledge and wants to restore his dead mother to life. When the protagonist regains his creative faculties and creates a new symphony, it becomes the focal point for a struggle on both physical and metaphysical grounds. This is a nicely sophisticated and mostly understated story, and I really like well written contemporary fantasy a lot more than dragons and barbarian hordes and such, so this was a very pleasant companion for a couple of nights."
— Critical Mass
"Patrick Swenson directs it all in Rain Music : a sense of place (you won't have to go to the Quinault Rain Forest after reading this, but you'll want to), the joy of creating music, and compelling love magic. At the same time, he blends in edge-of-your-seat tension like discordant harmony. You'll both love where you are and be afraid to look around the corner. From its opening notes to its crashing finale, Rain Music will sweep you in."
— James Van Pelt, author of Summer of the Apocalypse and The Best of James Van Pelt
"A musical, mystical tale spun in the shadows of the Olympic Rainforest. This book is perfect for readers who love ghost stories, myths, and mysteries."
— Louisa Morgan, author of The Secret History of Witches
"Swenson artfully blends music and mystery into a haunting tale set in the rainforests of Washington State. I loved this book."
— Brenda Cooper, award-winning author of Wilders, Keepers, and The Silver Ship and the Sea
"I loved the story, the characters, and the overall structure. Swenson gives a good sense of setting and great details. The musical pieces are the strongest parts, weaving the whole thing together. Strong, emotional content."
— J.A. Pitts, author of Black Blade Blues
- Limited hardcover edition: The 1st 100 copies will be signed & numbered, and are only available through this website. Send a note through the contact form if you would like an inscription
- Copies after the first 100 hardcovers will be signed but not numbered
- Trade paperback copies will also be signed. Send a note through the contact form when ordering if you would like an inscription
* * * * *
"Swenson unites the magic of music and the power of emotion in this unique, slow-building fantasy thriller. Composer Truman Starkey is starting over after a messy divorce by visiting his friend’s resort in a beautiful Washington State rain forest to focus solely on writing the new symphony that has been eluding him. Within minutes of his arrival, he hears a voice in the rain that becomes his muse—and calls him to a magical destiny. An evil mage with ties to the forest has become hooked on a synthetic magical drug called moss, and he’ll do anything to get more. As Truman develops a connection with bar singer Kat Gregory, the pair discover that her singing, his symphony, and their attraction hold the key to stopping the mage and saving lives. . . . the many tangled threads of the plot come together in a satisfying conclusion. It’s a rewarding tale."
— Publishers Weekly
"The protagonist of this contemporary fantasy is a composer who has suddenly lost his muse. He and a few other well drawn characters are all affected in one way or another by a mystical forest, and also by a dangerous new drug that appears linked to the magic of that place. One of the others has arcane knowledge and wants to restore his dead mother to life. When the protagonist regains his creative faculties and creates a new symphony, it becomes the focal point for a struggle on both physical and metaphysical grounds. This is a nicely sophisticated and mostly understated story, and I really like well written contemporary fantasy a lot more than dragons and barbarian hordes and such, so this was a very pleasant companion for a couple of nights."
— Critical Mass
"Patrick Swenson directs it all in Rain Music : a sense of place (you won't have to go to the Quinault Rain Forest after reading this, but you'll want to), the joy of creating music, and compelling love magic. At the same time, he blends in edge-of-your-seat tension like discordant harmony. You'll both love where you are and be afraid to look around the corner. From its opening notes to its crashing finale, Rain Music will sweep you in."
— James Van Pelt, author of Summer of the Apocalypse and The Best of James Van Pelt
"A musical, mystical tale spun in the shadows of the Olympic Rainforest. This book is perfect for readers who love ghost stories, myths, and mysteries."
— Louisa Morgan, author of The Secret History of Witches
"Swenson artfully blends music and mystery into a haunting tale set in the rainforests of Washington State. I loved this book."
— Brenda Cooper, award-winning author of Wilders, Keepers, and The Silver Ship and the Sea
"I loved the story, the characters, and the overall structure. Swenson gives a good sense of setting and great details. The musical pieces are the strongest parts, weaving the whole thing together. Strong, emotional content."
— J.A. Pitts, author of Black Blade Blues
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR