He refused to stray too far from home, and it appears to have worked. Sales of Sean Patrick Dolan’s new novel The Prophet of Frogs Hollow have been steady. In fact, he has been the bestselling author at The Book Hive, Meaford’s new bookstore, so far this summer.
Dolan’s new thriller features scenes on the Bruce Trail, Scenic Caves Road, Penny’s Motel, and The Dam Pub. He’s hoping to take local readers into a world in which a fictitious cult establishes itself at the base of Frogs Hollow Sideroad while a couple from Ravenna attempts to rescue two of their friends from the nefarious group. Rural Meaford is the epicentre of the story as a conflict between the forces of good and the forces of evil emerges at the cult’s compound just outside of town.
“The novel is unapologetically local and it’s unapologetically Canadian,” Dolan explained. When pressed on why he didn’t set his novel elsewhere, he emphasized the universality of his story and the opportunity to reflect the beauty of the Georgian Triangle in a fictional setting. “Why not take advantage of the wonder of our area while telling a story that is both dramatic and interesting?” Dolan asks.
The Prophet of Frogs Hollow explores how cults emerge, how people are recruited, and why it is so hard for someone to leave a cult once they’ve been indoctrinated. Readers will come to appreciate the complexities of cult dynamics and the magnetic pull of these groups. The storyline involves plenty of drama, character development, and shocking scenes that see the cult lead its followers into danger. All this while the protagonists do everything in their power to save their friends.
In the end, Dolan hopes that people will take their ‘shop local’ habits and apply it to a ‘read local’ perspective.
If you want to learn more about The Prophet of Frogs Hollow and Sean Patrick Dolan, come to an author meet and greet at The Book Hive at 84 Sykes Street North from 12-3 p.m. on Saturday, August 16.
