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Ephemeral Summer

By Mario & Melissa Saliba

January 17^th, 2024

Ephemeral Summer

Now available on:

Ephemeral Summer

Short Description

Raphael, a young man in his mid-thirties, returns to the rustic coastal village of Hopetown, where he spent the last few days with his son, Clay, before his son suffers an unfortunate, near-sudden death in a devastating car crash, and during which he, the father, was driving. Join him as he relives the anguish, the blatant incredulity, the consequent meltdown and intermittent pangs of guilt, and which are then followed by an unfathomable void alternating with a sudden surge of emotion, all in that order, on realising that things had forever changed.

While reviving memories, he also crosses paths with a roaming woman spirit of the sea, who claims that he needs her and that she knows Clay's whereabouts, and who slowly unveils herself as the relationship grows. The story also further teases a complex interplay of emotions and secrets, as some friends also introduce him to Céline, another young woman, who initially seems to be the perfect antithesis of the other woman, and yet is similar in some ways, leaving readers questioning the unfolding of events and connections between characters.

Introductory Quote

There is a flicker of rising hope in the blushing remnants of the campfire, in the surreal rays of the half-crescent moon splaying out across the midnight-blue skies and in the soft humming chant of the waves gently hitting against the pebbly beach.

‘Keep going,’ the Earth whispers, ‘Let it be. Let things unfold. I hold you, I hold you, I hold you.’

And the onshore evening breeze, heavily laden with sea salt, drifts across sky, sea and rugged coast to then dabble playfully with the particoloured pebbles, before wrapping itself like a warm moisty linen around her, offering a fine shield of protection in the wondrous game of life.

Melissa Saliba, 30.06.2023

Foreword to Book, a few words by the author, Melissa Saliba

A BA (Hons) graduate in English, and an avid reader of different genres, I had a knack for creative writing since a young age and similar to other writers, have stowed away several notebooks over time. And yet it is only recently that I decided to publish, also as my writing matured over time, and as consequently I felt more confident to publish.

Rather than a writer, however, I would rather describe myself as a conveyor of life’s diverse experiences & emotions; and with my write-ups focusing more on the word dynamic, which contributes to a good rhythmic flow of language, and which helps to create, I believe, the right setting and story nuances for an ultimate reader experience.

I’m sure that when you start reading the book, many will be those who will identify themselves with Raphael, one of the main protagonists, as I’m sure that various readers would have been through some type of loss in their lives on some level, and I hope it will serve as an emotional catharsis to some, as it was for me. This is while adding that the narrative is not over yet, as though I initially intended this to be a short story, this is just the start of a series I plan to publish, and sets the stage for an unpredictable narrative in subsequent parts.

The book is currently available on amazon, and is available in kindle, and will soon be available also in paperback in more regions.

For more information regarding myself and my writings, you can visit the website I share with my husband, on https://www.localstoryteller.com/, and subscribe for free to be updated with our monthly blogs.

For further updates, you can also follow me on my Instagram.

Ephemeral Summer

© 2026 Mario & Melissa Saliba

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