The Light Pirate

More about the book

Set in the near future, this hopeful story of survival and resilience follows Wanda—a luminous child born from a devastating hurricane—as she navigates a rapidly changing world. Florida is facing severe challenges as weather patterns and rising sea levels disrupt the state’s infrastructure. A powerful hurricane approaches a small town on the southeastern coast, prompting Kirby Lowe, an electrical line worker, his pregnant wife Frida, and their two sons, Flip and Lucas, to prepare for the worst. When the boys go missing just before the storm hits, Kirby ventures into the high winds to find them. Alone, Frida goes into premature labor and gives birth to Wanda, named after the catastrophic storm that heralds a society on the brink of collapse. As Florida continues to deteriorate, Wanda grows, moving from childhood to adulthood while adapting to the changing landscape and the people who remain in a place abandoned by civilization. Throughout her journey, she experiences loss and finds community, ultimately seeking adventure, love, and purpose in a nature-reclaimed world. Divided into four parts—power, water, light, and time—the narrative reflects the rhythms of the elements and the gradual dissolution of the familiar world, serving as a meditation on the changes we often resist and a reminder of the beauty and violence of an untamable wilderness.