Author Returns to Port Aransas for Sequel

GARLAND, TX – When Jeff Hampton finished writing “Aransas Morning,” his novel set in the Texas Gulf Coast town of Port Aransas, he thought he was finished. He began the process of shopping it to agents and editors, while at the same time letting close friends read it and posting it on manuscript sharing web sites. The agents and editors didn’t bite, but some readers liked it and asked, “So, what happens next?”

“My honest answer was, ‘Nothing; it’s done,’ but with sequels and series being popular I gave it more thought and the characters started speaking to me again,” said Hampton.

The result is “Aransas Evening,” a continuation of the story of Sam, Shelly, Dave, Bo and Allie — a group of strangers, all with bumps and bruises, who learn to live and love together and become a surrogate family in the process. “Evening” continues their story of community and introduces some new characters: Rosie, a divorcee from Houston; Justin, a college student from the Piney Woods; Nancy, a teacher and singer from Victoria, and her band, the Demolition Crew; and some other local characters.

“What I wasn’t expecting was the appearance of a new character named Harvey,” said Hampton.

He is referring to Hurricane Harvey, which battered Port Aransas on August 25, 2017, with winds of 132 miles per hour.

“I was on the home stretch of this second book and then Harvey showed up on the radar and I couldn’t avoid him,” said Hampton. “The storm changed Port Aransas in ways that are still not fully known.”

Harvey also changed Hampton’s publishing plans. First, the hurricane prompted the immediate release of “Aransas Morning” and became a major character in “Aransas Evening.” And it became the impetus for donating 75 percent of sales proceeds to recovery and relief agencies in the region. That started with “Aransas Morning” and it continues with “Aransas Evening.”

So, do you have to read “Aransas Morning” first?

“No,” said Hampton. “I’ve tried to leave enough plot and character bread crumbs, as they say, in the new book to let first-time readers know what has happened in the first book. But obviously it would be great to read ‘Morning’ first and follow with ‘Evening.’ It’s a more complete story that way.”

Will there be a third book — an “Aransas Midnight,” perhaps?

“Never say never. After all, I was not planning to write the second book, or even the first book for that matter, which began as a two-page short story. But I really am ready to move on to some other projects,” said Hampton.

Topping the list is a collection of essays looking at the theme of community in all its many shapes and forms. Those writings are based on blogs Hampton has been posting over the past six years. He’s also developing a book tentatively called “Lessons From the Garden,” which will be a collection of brief observations gained from gardening and working outdoors. Hampton hopes to publish both of those books in 2019.

He also plans to update “When the Light Returned to Main Street,” his popular collection of holiday stories.

“I write a new story every year, so we have a few to add to the 2015 edition,” he explained.

“Aransas Morning” and “Aransas Evening” are both available online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads. Signed copies are available directly from the author at www.jeffhamptonwriter.com. Buy them together and save on the cover price.

———————————————————————————————–

Jeff Hampton has based his life and career in Texas writing for newspapers, magazines, businesses and institutions. His interest in observing the people around him has led him to write essays, short stories, and novels that explore relationships and communities in their many forms.

“Aransas Evening” is Hampton’s sixth book, following: “Aransas Morning”; “Grandpa Jack,” a novel about a local hero who becomes a third-party candidate for president; “The Snowman Uprising on Hickory Lane,” a tale for older children about what happens when you bully the wrong person; “Jonah Prophet,” an allegory on the Old Testament Book of Jonah set in the modern business world; and “When the Light Returned to Main Street,” a collection of short stories with Christmas themes.