The Beach

Alan loves the beach. More than a weekend respite, it is his home, his refuge, his sanctuary. And for most of the year, he strolls the sand in blissful solitude, letting nature—and no one else—touch him. But spring has given way to summer, and soon, the annual invasion of vacationers and tourists will subdivide the beach with blankets, umbrellas, and chairs, depriving Alan of his privacy and seclusion—the fundamental touchstones of his life.

Resigned to endure another seasonal onslaught of beach-goers, Alan believes there is nothing he can do but prepare for the worst.

​But fate has other plans.

Delivered to him on the crest of a rogue wave, the strange object appears to have no purpose, no practical use—until Alan accidentally discovers what waits inside. Now he must attempt to unravel an ageless mystery, unaware that the final outcome will change his life, and the beach, forever.

​In the companion novella Short Time, you’ll meet a respectable but bored middle-class executive, who exchanges his future for six months of excess and extravagance, only to discover the price he must pay for his hedonistic indulgence is beyond anything he could have imagined.

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​Reviews of The Beach:

“The writing makes this an easy read, with the story flowing smoothly as the plot unravels. The ending was so creepy, it sent chills running up and down my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck tingling . . . ” Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental

“The one thing I really admire about the author is that she can show you one of life’s hardest lessons in just a few pages. Jaye has a very unique way of describing the events and the ultimate outcome . . .  Bravo!” – TwoGirlsReading

“Both stories in their own ways were challenging to read and stayed with me afterwards giving me reason to pause and reflect on my own life (yeah, they’re those kinds of stories). . . A worthy, challenging read!” – Sophia Rose “Guest Reviewer for Delighted Reader Blog”

“Jaye Frances once again writes a story that is so descriptive that I felt like I was right there on Alan’s beach with him. If there was a genre called science fiction fantasy, that is what I would say this book falls into.  When reading a Jaye Frances book, I never finish with just a story in my head, I usually have learned some kind of life lesson  . . .” – Jen Berg “book lover”

“This is one of those “What would I do?” reads. Tightly plotted with well defined characters, this book will make you take a gook look at yourself & think. I thoroughly enjoyed it & highly recommend it.” – Ruth Ann Taylor “Relaying for a Cure”