Barnaby Atlas Fox
2022 American Writing Awards Finalist
The Catcher in the Rye meets The World According to Garp in this story of young love, heartbreak, and redemption.
Young love, a talking fish, and broken hearts.
When Barnaby Atlas Fox is five years old, he “marries” the love of his life, Annabel, the girl that lives in the apartment above his. The first time they met, they both ended up with shiners, but that didn’t prevent the saplings of first love from sprouting. Barnaby is a walking disaster, despite consistently good intentions.
When Barnaby attends Annabel’s sixth birthday, he tries to save her fish from the birthday cake contaminating its tank, only to accidentally send it down the garbage disposal. Afterward, he hears the fish, Ceviche, in his mind, reprimanding, cajoling, advising.
When Barnaby discovers that Annabel will be moving away, he is devastated. Deciding that he can’t let her leave without saying goodbye and giving her a present, he sneaks up to her bedroom window via the fire escape; however, tragedy strikes when the candles he is using to light his way fall and set fire to the building. Guilt-ridden and resented by most of the people they know, Barnaby and his family are forced to leave New York.
In addition to the pains of growing up, Barnaby can’t seem to outrun the shadow of his past, as tragedy continues to befall him at every turn. All the while, his longing for his first love is ever-present in his mind and heart.
Will Barnaby ever find Annabel again? Will he be able to make amends? And, most importantly, will he ever be able to forgive himself?
Find out in this captivating coming of age tale of redemption and heartbreak.