When Gideon discovers a mysterious drawing tucked in an old journal he returns to his mission area in Jamaica with dreams of finding a legendary treasure. Some would kill to keep the treasure secret. This thrilling adventure takes you deep into Jamaica’s treacherous cockpit country and back in time for a spine-tingling mystery you won’t be able to put down.
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The following is an excerpt from the journal of Lieutenant Benjamin Jarvis, a British soldier in the mid-seventeenth century. These events, and those that will follow, lead directly to The Land of Look Behind; available everywhere February 9, 2016.
Twelfth of June
Despite the formal terms of surrender, and the exodus of most of the populous, there is a contingent that is determined to resist us. They have armed their Negroes and hide in the mountains like vagabonds. We have managed to subdue and capture a good number of them and are holding them here in Santiago de la Vega, which the men have begun to call Spanish Town. A stately manner near the town center was designated as a detention center. I have been assigned to keep watch over these rabble rousers.
Actually there are a few who have been quite orderly and cooperative even though they did not leave with the rest of the noncombatants. Chavez, an elderly servant from the house of de Proenza, speaks English quite well and has begun to teach me Spanish. It is a way to fill the long nights when most of the prisoners are sleeping. This evening Chavez taught me to say El burro sabe mas que tu, which I believe means dumber than a donkey.
I have not heard a report of Andrew in some time. I have no way of knowing if he is still on the ships or if he has been dispatched to a combat unit. I fear the worst.
Entry I – Enter The Caribbean
Entry II – Caguay Bay Landing
The following is an excerpt from the journal of Lieutenant Benjamin Jarvis, a British soldier in the mid-seventeenth century. These events, and those that will follow, lead directly to The Land of Look Behind; available everywhere February 9, 2016.
Twentieth of May
Much has transpired yet it seems as if I only just set foot on the shores of this magnificent island. Our flotilla rounded a sandy barrier and made our way through the shallow bay waters. The vessel that carried our company ran aground twice before we reached dry land. We were fired on immediately but the enemy retreated when their position was flanked and overrun by our numbers.
At Admiral Penn’s command we marched northwest to Santiago de la Vega. We occupied the town and Colonel Venables soon joined us there to negotiate terms of surrender.
We have met with shockingly little resistance and many of the inhabitants have already fled the island, it is almost as if they were keen to be rid of it. The most excitement thus far has come from a wild boar who charged through our encampment just before dawn and startled a good many rugged and battle tested men. It took several of us to bring it down and the skirmish was not without causality, Lieutenant Pryor’s dress shirt was dragged through the mud and pierced by its crooked horn. Aside from the early morning entertainment and exercise the beast made a wonder meal come supper time.
Andrew stayed aboard the Swiftsure with the rest of the sick and wounded and has missed all of the action, or lack there of, which I am sure to hold over him as long as he lives. I miss his company and will be glad when he rejoins our ranks. His humor will be a welcome addition to our revelry as we have won this swift and decisive victory for King and country.
Entry I – Enter the Caribbean
The definition of purpose is the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. When my blog was born, way back in the bygone year of 2008, its purpose was another outlet for me to share my long form thoughts and, hopefully, to entertain. I posted semi-regularly, mostly about food, and we had some laughs. Over time the purpose of the blog evolved, although food seemed to be a theme that prevailed (note to self: you really should think less about food).
I write for fun, to some people that may sound strange but I enjoy it. For years I toyed with the idea of writing a book and researched the best practices for becoming a writer. Over and over again the message I found was to write and write often. So the purpose of my blog became a play ground for an aspiring writer.
I wrote on a variety of topics from my own neurosis to food, from interpersonal relationships to food, from highlighting my favorite action movie stars to highlighting my favorite restaurants (seriously man, stop thinking about food). While my blog was still a forum to share my long form thoughts and entertain, it was more importantly a place for me to see what I could accomplish with the written word; a place to flex my burgeoning author muscles.
Much of my writing dealt with my observations and opinions about the things I witnessed or experienced. My favorite posts, though, were when I could tell a story. I love to tell stories, I always have. For me the best stories are those that are only mostly true; stories that have a strong footing in reality with a splash of fiction for flavor.
As a missionary, for five months, I lived and worked in Mandeville, Jamaica. Number 4 Cotton Tree Road housed six missionaries, including myself. Missionaries were paired in companionships and assigned to work in specific areas. Each night we would return home from our assigned fields of labor and swap stories of our daily adventures. I remember one particular night I began to regale the other two companionships with a hilarious encounter between us, a Rastafarian man and his machete. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my companion burst into the room and seat himself on the bed to my right. He looked up at me with all the glee and wonder of a child on Christmas morning. His complete engagement and anticipation for the story caused me to pause. I looked down at him and said, “Why are you looking at me like that? You know what happens, man, you were there.” His reply has always stuck with me. He said, “I know, but it always sounds better when you tell it.”
You see, I knew I could tell stories but I still wasn’t sure if I could write. After years of posting my inane ramblings on my blog I decided to take a crack at a short and simple story and dip my toe into the frightening world of publishing. I wrote a fictional account of an exchange between a hippopotamus father and his hippopotamus son, which I thought lent itself to a children’s picture book. After some thorough Internet research, I sent it to one literary agent that I determined was a good fit for my story. I was soundly, but politely, rejected. It hit me harder than I thought. Immediately I doubted whether I could handle such an outcome with a story that I would need to invest months, if not years, in to tell properly. I still had my blog and so, after licking my wounds for several weeks, I dusted myself off and moved on.
Nearly two years later my brother heard me telling bed time stories to my children about a bird and an iguana. He attempted to cajole me into writing them down and seeking to have them published. I shared with him my previously undisclosed failure and he scoffed at me and told me I should try again. Mostly to shut him up, I decided to polish up my original story and even took a stab at illustrating it myself (my hippopotamus skills are on point). This time I sent it to several literary agents with the hope of increasing my chances, but also to have more evidence to prove how difficult it is to get published. I was again met with disappointment in the former but succeeded brilliantly in proving the latter. By now, however, I had put so much time and effort into it that I thought it would be a waste to just let it die; so I chose to publish it myself as an ebook. It was so simple, and free, that I wonder if it might be a viable option should I attempt a novel.
As a test I compiled the majority of the posts from my blog into one book. In just under a week I had published It’s Called Helping…You’re Welcome. With this new safety net, the very next day I started working on an idea I had been carrying around with me for fifteen years. Once I had completed the first draft of my novel, a year later, I went back to the well one last time to turn a 2009 post, about a harrowing experience in the Hellsgate wilderness, into a novella titled The Gorge.
These were all key milestones on my journey to becoming a published author, a dream that will be realized this February when The Land of Look Behind hits a book shelf near you. So it is with profound gratitude that I say farewell to my blog as it has fulfilled its purpose. Today a new site is born with a new purpose and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Welcome to aaronblaylock.com (so far no food).
The following is an excerpt from the journal of Lieutenant Benjamin Jarvis, a British soldier in the mid-seventeenth century. These events, and those that will follow, lead directly to The Land of Look Behind; available everywhere February 9, 2016.
Ninth of May
It has been nearly a fortnight since our failure to capture Hispaniola. Many of the men, including myself, wished to sail for England but Admiral Penn is determined not to return in defeat. From Santo Domingo we fought a contrary wind and headed due south. Owing to our losses I was at first relieved to board the Swiftsure and put our embarrassment behind us, however, I must admit I will be glad when we make landfall, even if it means another engagement.
I have been little more than a nursemaid to Andrew during our voyage. A fever befell him and he has laid below deck day and night in an awful state of confusion. Last night, at last, his fever broke and this morning he seemed much improved. I secured some rations for him and took my leave to get above deck, as I longed for the sun and fresh air. One does not realize how the soul craves light until it is withdrawn.
We were told our destination is the island of Jamaica and this evening that isle’s distance shores were spotted. Preparations are underway for an invasion. The Spanish forces of Jamaica are reportedly vastly inferior to those we encountered at Santo Domingo. Our objective is to take the Spaniards by surprise and secure a victory for the crown.
Entry II – Caguay Bay landing
The Land of Look Behind
Aaron Blaylock
The Land of Look Behind follows two men, separated by over three hundred years, as they seek to return to a cave marked with a mysterious symbol in the depths of the treacherous cockpit country of Jamaica.
Lieutenant Benjamin Jarvis is a British soldier, in the seventeenth century, in the midst of a conflict with a Spanish militia for control of the island.
Gideon Goodwin is a recently returned missionary who discovers a symbol, which he recognizes, tucked within the pages of Jarvis’ journal.
These men must brave the perilous but beautiful island wilderness and enlist the help of friends, both old and new, in their quest for the cave. Along the way they encounter dark forces set to protect the treasure within.
Join Gideon and Jarvis on the adventure of a lifetime as they journey to The Land of Look Behind.
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