forthcoming from University Press of Tampa's Pomme novella series
Expedition is the story of a life upended.
When water quality specialist Margo Webster returns from Africa following her recovery from an unknown ailment, something seems off. Although the doctors from the nonprofit sponsoring her work gave Margo a clean bill of health, when she arrives in Chicago, she’s still experiencing troubling symptoms—a heightened sense of smell, hallucinations, and severe memory loss. When Margo tries to investigate, she is thwarted, and the nonprofit organization insists she never left the country.
The novella follows Margo on her quest to uncover answers and find a path forward. While the truth evades her, Margo discovers allies and a surprise paranormal power. Maybe.
“This suspenseful novella is alternately eerie and funny, enigmatic and specific. Valerie Vogrin’s exploration of what happens when a previous life is demolished is also a mesmerizing cataloging of what we rebuild with, from fragile trust to pizza rolls. I didn’t want to stop reading.”
—Caitlin Horrocks, author of The Vexations and Life Among the Terranauts