Hello all! We are happy to be the first stop on the "Useless Bay" blog tour, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! Enjoy the following, and be sure to check out the rest of the tour!
Author: M.J. Beaufrand
Pub. Date: October 18, 2016
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 240
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads
A gritty, psychological thriller about a mythic set of sixteen-year-old quintuplets searching for a young boy.
On Whidbey Island, the Gray quintuplets are the stuff of legend. Pixie and her brothers have always been bigger and blonder than their neighbors, as if they were birthed from the island itself. Together, they serve as an unofficial search-and-rescue team for the island, saving tourists and locals alike from the forces of wind and sea. But, when a young boy goes missing, the mysteries start to pile up. While searching for him, they find his mother’s dead body instead—and realize that something sinister is in their midst. Edgar-nominated author M. J. Beaufrand has crafted another atmospheric thriller with a touch of magical realism that fans of mystery and true crime will devour.
About M.J:
Website |Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads
Here is our interview with the author behind Useless Bay!
What inspired the idea behind the book?
There were two ideas. The first was that many years ago, we had a dog trainer that helped us train our out-of-control puppy. He was later murdered, his body dumped into Puget Sound.
The second is the wild beauty of Whidbey Island itself, specifically Useless Bay (yes, such a place exists and it’s GORGEOUS). The beach is so shallow, at low tide, the sand seems to stretch on forever. You never know what treasures will wash up, especially after a storm. It could be something wonderful, it could be a rotting corpse. Either way, it’s an adventure.
Did the book turn out like you thought it would?
The beginning and end did. I gutted places in the middle. Hopefully for the better.
Do you have any regrets about the book?
No regrets, but one part was particularly difficult to write. Alas, I can’t spoil it. You’ll know it when you come to it.
As you were writing, did you fall in love with any characters over others?
Absolutely. I started out thinking it would be Pixie and Henry, but I came away with great affection for Pixie’s brothers. I’ve known teenage dudes like that, who come home with bleeding head wounds saying, “Check it out, how many points for this?” And their single mothers just sort of sigh and take them to the emergency room.
Did you make any drastic changes from the final draft?
No, in fact the process itself was like a receding tide: with each draft I deposited something, but I revealed more, deposit, reveal, etc.
I hope you find treasures in the final contents!
There were two ideas. The first was that many years ago, we had a dog trainer that helped us train our out-of-control puppy. He was later murdered, his body dumped into Puget Sound.
The second is the wild beauty of Whidbey Island itself, specifically Useless Bay (yes, such a place exists and it’s GORGEOUS). The beach is so shallow, at low tide, the sand seems to stretch on forever. You never know what treasures will wash up, especially after a storm. It could be something wonderful, it could be a rotting corpse. Either way, it’s an adventure.
Did the book turn out like you thought it would?
The beginning and end did. I gutted places in the middle. Hopefully for the better.
Do you have any regrets about the book?
No regrets, but one part was particularly difficult to write. Alas, I can’t spoil it. You’ll know it when you come to it.
As you were writing, did you fall in love with any characters over others?
Absolutely. I started out thinking it would be Pixie and Henry, but I came away with great affection for Pixie’s brothers. I’ve known teenage dudes like that, who come home with bleeding head wounds saying, “Check it out, how many points for this?” And their single mothers just sort of sigh and take them to the emergency room.
Did you make any drastic changes from the final draft?
No, in fact the process itself was like a receding tide: with each draft I deposited something, but I revealed more, deposit, reveal, etc.
I hope you find treasures in the final contents!
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Here's the schedule for the rest of the tour!
Week One:
Week Two:
Your Friends at the Autumn Bookshelf
