The Lost Coast Calls Us Home
If you are a fan of Stranger Things and the unseen cosmic horrors of H.P. Lovecraft, then “By The Light of Dead Stars” is 100% for you.
However, it’s the human element that really steals the show in BTLODS.
That’s not to say that the cosmic horror doesn’t exist. Hell, it might even get a bit more “face time” than you’d expect in a Lovecraftian tale. But our protagonist Zelda leads a much more “traditional” existence than ST’s heroine. Although, her tale is just as tragic, if not more so.
Why? Because Zelda’s trauma remains grounded in a reality that we all know. The trauma of having and losing.
I love this story so much that I just went back for the audiobook, which was incredibly satisfying thanks to the talents of Tom Jordan. Whether reading or listening to this tale, prepare to be enveloped by the light of the dead star....
The way trauma and grief dictate the flow of life’s decisions roots itself deeply in the heart of this story. Whether it’s the death of a loved one or the torment of a bullying step-parent, it’s all on full display.
Moving on from those invisible wounds proves easier for some. Others it tattoos their personality and decisions for the foreseeable future.
Van Wey masterfully twists his narrative in ways that might convince readers this is a “chosen one” / “hero’s journey” tale.
But that’s not it.
BTLODS uses these themes subtly. Ultimately becoming something wholly original, as the characters develop depth that is far from expected in modern TV or classic Lovecraft. Because at day’s end, this isn’t a story of good vs evil.
This is a tale of individuals finding the light in the dark.
Unfortunately for them, that light isn’t always blinding and warm.
Sometimes, it’s dark, violet, and whispers tantalizing offers of infinite possibility.
These themes ultimately aid in producing a deep conclusive narrative that can stand on its own, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for the sequels to stand tall.
The Lost Coast series’ protagonist Zelda Ruiz confronts a cosmic deity named J’Harr in “By The Light of Dead Stars” and “Tides of Darkness”
J'Harr You Ready For This?
AJ: I like to think every story starts with inspiration. Whether it’s a line from a song, an abstract idea, a personal experience, you name it. So, what would you say was the inspiration for this novel?
AVW: Grief. I was inspired by how people pick up the pieces after a life-shattering event.
I saw flashes of a thirteen year old girl, knees bloodied from taking another fall on her skateboard, standing at the edge of a beach and staring at a sunset that was tearing a hole in the world.
I saw a dark star opening up from the fissure in reality, and dark tendrils worming through.
I saw a forty-something year old man—her uncle—standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder as she stared at a planet-sized eldritch horror that glared back with a thousand covetous eyes. That image—that tiny girl standing up against something cosmically ravenous—was the core inspiration. Everything after that was finding the right pieces and putting them in order.
AJ: From inspiration, to the physical copy in your hand, a journey took place. How was your journey, Andrew? Did it go according to plan, hitting all the stops? Was it tumultuous? Did you get lost? Were there setbacks?
AVW: I’m about 75% a discovery writer, so once I have the characters, the conflict, the setting, and some key beats (I always need to have the ending in mind), I set out to explore the world.
I write my first drafts longhand and give my scenes extra time to meander. Sometimes it feels like I’m just walking through a place I already know. Other times, the story feels like I’m wandering down wrong halls in the dark. There are always setbacks, always. And a few surprises too. But once I get to the end I circle back and edit brutally. Most of my work happens during the revision process, and I liken it to a sculptor refining a slab of granite into a statue.
AJ: I always wonder, did you know your final destination with Pyet’s story, or did you find it along the way?
AVW: I always wonder, especially with a series, did you know your final destination from the jump, or is it something that has required finding along the way?
AJ: I always wonder, especially with a series, did you know your final destination from the jump, or is it something that has required finding along the way?
AVW: Well, with a series it’s a bit harder to predict, but I find that if I have enough key moments in the story already decided, if I’ve earned enough insight into the characters and their motivations, the ending sort of takes care of itself. Sure, the settings change and maybe the mechanics of a showdown will shift as new details emerge. Still, I think that if you know the characters and their desires—if you have a solid bead on the core conflict—most writers can figure out that for a story to conclude, someone wins and someone loses, and it’s just a matter of finding the right arena for their conflict to reach climax.
By The Light of Dead Stars by Andrew Van Wey
Usually the theme of the story—which emerges organically and can take some teasing out—will point in a certain direction. Then, I just follow it.
AJ: At what point did you know for certain that Greywood Bay’s tale wouldn’t end with a single story?
AVW: Oh, I sensed it in the first draft of the first book, probably even before that. I understood that a cosmic horror who has had her eye on our world for centuries wouldn’t be defeated by kids over summer vacation.
Wounded slightly. Sent to bed without supper. But destroyed? No, no, no.
That image of the girl on the beach staring westward into the setting sun and the dark star glaring back, it told me instantly that to destroy a being “out of time” the girl and her uncle would need to go on a journey that involved time. And to me, in those early stages, that was a promise that implied a payoff of several years at least.
AJ: I think, like any journey—hiking, driving, cross-country skiing, spelunking, magic ring disposal—writing a story almost always has a point, whether it be on day one or day one-thousand-and-one, where the thought of quitting and turning back comes to mind. What was that moment like for you? Was it brief? Was it difficult?
AVW: I think about quitting daily, hourly, sometimes when the words don’t flow that desire is so loud I can almost hear it beside me. I don’t trust writers who say they never doubt themselves. If you’re not doubting yourself and your abilities, you’re not pushing yourself past the comfort zone, and you’re probably not writing a story that’s going to challenge the readers or lead them someplace new, someplace imaginative, someplace they won’t want to leave. So yeah, doubt is my constant companion.
It’s always difficult. Sometimes, it’s unstoppable, and in those moments I just have to try to write my way around it, or tackle a different project and then circle back. Our unconscious minds do a lot of the creative work in analyzing and following the vast threads of a complex narrative, and sometimes you just need to give that part of yourself a bit of time to quietly work. Some of my best insights for one project have come when I switch to another for a bit, take a walk, play a video game, and then—EUREKA!—you find a little bit of connective tissue that turns a dead end into a new path. I love those moments. They’re rare, but they’re always exciting.
AJ: I don’t think I’ve ever gone on a trip, a journey, without losing something…might be a me thing. But I know we all lose something when writing a story. Often this is called “killing your darlings” in the editing process. What did Zelda and her uncle lose that ultimately served them for the better?
AVW: They lost a few of the quieter scenes in the early chapters. While I knew we’d be spending time with them in those first hundred pages, I also knew we needed to get to some of the creepier moments first.
Part of that meant losing a bit of the life in Alder Glen before they moved to Greywood Bay. Part of that also meant losing a few of the smaller moments in that first week in Greywood Bay: exploring the downtown, going to the beach, walking the trails above Raven’s Valley.
While I prefer longer books, I know some modern readers lose focus and motivation, so it was important that Zelda, Mark, and Lloyd’s storyline started to emerge as soon as possible.
AJ: And through it all—especially editing—the story changes and our daily lives bleed into the writing, whether it be through prose, narrative, or something entirely different. I call this the “soundtrack” to a story’s progression. What would you say was going on in your life, the world around you, that served as By The Light of Dead Stars’ soundtrack?
AVW: Oh, that’s an interesting question. I’d say “grief” and “defiance” became the two defining characteristics of the Greywood Bay soundtrack.
Does The Lost Coast Call To You?
Musically, I listened to a lot of post rock, ambient, electronic, and more. Max Richter, Carbon Based Lifeforms, The Album Leaf, Tycho, and plenty of video game or movie soundtracks. Anything with a sort of eerie quiet or otherworldly rhythm, especially for the scenes with Lloyd and Armando the Great, where he’s clearly starting to have hairline fractures in his psyche.
So, in a literal sense, I was filling my ears with wordless vibes that leaned a bit dark and melancholy, while I was trying to find ways to describe the rhythm and complexities of the emotions Zelda and Uncle Mark were feeling in those first few months after the tragedy brought them together.
AJ: Now, if there were a soundtrack in existence that could best accompany reading By The Light of Dead Stars, what would it be?
AVW: As mentioned, I think you’d have a lot of tracks from Carbon Based Lifeforms. I have a few playlists literally titled Beyond the Lost Coast, so here’s a sampling of a few tracks:
Helios, “Emancipation”
Carbon Based Lifeforms, “Supersede”
Tony Anderson, “Eyes Wide Open (Cinematic Mix)”
Rik Schaffer, “Northpoint Nocturne”
Chicane, “Orleans (feat. Lisa Gerrard) [Sunrise Edit]”
God is an Astronaut, “All is Violent, All is Bright”
Balmorhea, “Lament”
Joey Fehrenbach, “I Remember”
Lights Out Asia, “Running Naked Through Underground Cities”
I think if you listen to just those songs listed you’ll get a good feel for the emotional landscape I’m exploring through these books.
AJ: What advice would you give readers, before patting them on the back and sending them down your literary roads?
AVW: Have fun. If you don’t enjoy a book, put it down and move on. Come back later. But at the same time, don’t chase perfection and a story that ticks all the boxes because most readers will be searching endlessly. Part of the joy in reading is being surprised, and we’re most surprised a bit beyond our zone of comfort. Reading is like a muscle, and the more you use it the better your endurance gets.
A lot of new readers (or returning readers) need to build up the endurance and focus to tackle a larger book. There's more moving parts, more of the style and world to get oriented to, and you simply have to work harder to keep it all in working memory. So, don’t beat yourself up if you can’t dive into the deep end with The Stand just yet; that’s totally fine.
But don’t stay in the shallows either. Challenge yourself. Personally, I tend to alternate. One book for fun, one book for learning, one to really struggle with. Often I’ll get a couple of the fun books in the time it takes me to work through the others, but those hard books are where you grow as a reader.
AJ: Anything else you’d like me to share with folks? Factoid? Links? Sale? Image?
AVW: Sure. You can direct them to my website, which has links to the various stores, audiobook samples, and more. You can find it here: andrewvanwey.com
Thanks for having me. Great questions!
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