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Darkness Lurks Beneath the Surface
Feast of Valentine follows a former ballerina turned bartender seeking a fresh start, who returns home to Pottersville, where the town’s supernatural pull engulfs her in romance she never wanted. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of places that seem to have a will of their own—towns that pull people in and refuse to let them go. Pottersville became that kind of place for Angie, the protagonist. I wanted to explore the tension between free will and fate, especially when it comes to love and desire. The inspiration also came from themes of isolation and how the past never truly lets us go. Angie returns home seeking a fresh start, but she quickly realizes that Pottersville has other plans for her.
The setting is also inspired by small-town mysteries where darkness lurks beneath the surface. The supernatural elements reflect the unseen forces that manipulate us, whether societal expectations, personal demons, or something else.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think makes for great fiction?
I’m drawn to the complexities of desire, fear, and the struggle for control. One of the most fascinating aspects of the human condition is how we often want things that aren’t good for us—or resist things that are. That push and pull between choice and compulsion creates tension that makes for great storytelling.
Another theme I find compelling is identity—how we define ourselves versus how the world defines us. In Feast of Valentine, Angie struggles with who she is and what is being forced upon her, mirroring a real-world experience that many people can relate to.
What intrigues you about the horror and paranormal genres that led you to write this book?
Horror and the paranormal intrigue me because they allow us to explore fear in its purest form—whether it’s the fear of the unknown, the loss of control, or even love. In Feast of Valentine, the supernatural serves as a metaphor for the unseen forces that shape our lives, often beyond our control.
Paranormal elements give me the freedom to delve into deeper themes through a heightened, almost dreamlike lens. Love, for example, can be both intoxicating and terrifying at the same time. Writing horror also allows me to challenge expectations—because not all love stories are romantic, not every homecoming is a fresh start, and sometimes, the real monster isn’t lurking in the shadows—it’s the one smiling right in front of you.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?
Yes, Feast of Valentine is the first book in the series. I’m currently working on another project, but the next book will also take place in Pottersville. However, it will feature a new cast of characters and explore a different set of themes.
Author Website
“It held me spellbound until the very last page, leaving me eager for more.” –Literary Titan
In the quaint town of Pottersville, Angie, a former ballerina turned bartender, seeks a fresh start away from the demanding world of ballet.
However, her quest for independence encounters unexpected challenges during the town’s legendary Valentine’s Day festivities. As romance and mystique intertwine, Angie finds herself irrestibly drawn to a man she doesn’t truly love, struggling to maintain her autonomy.
With the towns’s historical secrets slowly unraveling, Angie must confront the dark forces of an ancient tradition.
Can she reclaim her will or will she be forever caught in a supernatural struggle that dictates the heart?
Feast Of Valentine: Where Love Binds More Then Just Hearts (Pottersville’s Dark Valentine Book 1)
Angie had no clear vision for her future, but she knew one thing for certain, love had no place in it. Her return to Pottersville was born of necessity, not nostalgia, spurred by the passing of her mother. Though she found herself back in her childhood home, her stay was meant to be temporary. Yet, Pottersville had a way of holding onto people, especially as Valentine’s Day approached. The town’s very identity was entwined with love, its defining statue, the Heart Binder, standing as a symbol of unity, reinforced by the town’s mantra: Bonded by Heart, Together We Stand. But for Angie, love was about to reveal itself in starkly contrasting forms, one freely given, the other imposed. How she responded would shape the course of her future.
Christopher Clark’s Feast of Valentine is a gripping romantic thriller that threads the eerie history of Pottersville into the lives of Angie, her sister Alicia, and the men who orbit them. Angie, after more than 15 years away, is only just discovering the town’s unsettling past when she suddenly finds herself drawn almost inexplicably to a mysterious stranger. As her fascination teeters on obsession, the lines between folklore and reality begin to blur. The deeper she falls, the more bizarre and perilous her world becomes, forcing her to question whether Pottersville’s legends are merely stories or sinister truths waiting to be unearthed.
Clark’s prose is immersive, laced with dreamlike imagery and shifting perspectives that mirror Angie’s spiraling sense of uncertainty. The novel thrives on atmosphere, treading the delicate space between reality and fantasy, pulling the reader into Angie’s growing unease. Each revelation is a fragment of a larger, enigmatic puzzle, one she must piece together with only fleeting guidance. Despite its compelling premise, Feast of Valentine falters where it should shine. The Heart Binder, a central symbol of the town’s legacy, remains frustratingly underexplored. Hinted at rather than truly dissected, its significance lingers on the periphery rather than being meaningfully integrated into the narrative’s climax.
At its core, the novel brims with potential, delivering moments of gripping tension and intrigue. The suspense builds masterfully, reaching exhilarating heights that keep the pages turning. While the conclusion unfolds with an unexpected abruptness, it leaves room for interpretation, encouraging readers to ponder its deeper implications. Feast of Valentine is a fascinating enigma, both captivating and thought-provoking, compelling yet open-ended. It held me spellbound until the very last page, leaving me eager for more and reflecting long after the final chapter.
Pages: 291 | ASIN : B0DTGXQR1H
LITERARY TITAN 