To my ARC readers, I cannot thank you enough for investing your time in me and in this story.
To the countless other writers who have supported me on this journey, thank you. It means everything.
To my editor Emma T. Gitani, thank you for your valuable insights, all of your hard work, and your dedication to this book.
To Mandy Melanson, who works about as tirelessly as one human being can, and is always there to help, thank you.
To Dusty Grein, thank you for caring so much about my vision, and for creating such an amazing cover for The Tear Collector, that captures so much about the book.
And finally, to the rest of the wonderful team at RhetAskew Publishing, who are kind, helpful and a genuine joy to work with, THANK YOU!
This book wouldn't be the book it is without all of you.
— Shawn Burgess
About the Author
Shawn Burgess is a speculative fiction author, whose stories reflect his love for the unusual.
Shawn has a BA in English from the University of Florida, and focused on literature for his postgraduate studies at the University of North Florida. His travels have taken him to most parts of the country, where he often draws inspiration for his stories through meeting interesting new people and experiencing unique places. He does offer a warning to those he meets . . . if you should find yourself behaving curiously within the crosshairs of his vision, you might just end up on the pages of one of his stories.
Shawn lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with his wife and two sons. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, attending concerts, reading, and playing golf. He typically makes year-round preparations for Halloween by building props and elaborate sets. Although he claims Jacksonville as his home, he has lived all over the southeastern United States, and many of his stories are set in towns he once called home, or in fictional places inspired by them. He says, “I enjoy building upon the natural mysteries surrounding those areas I've personally experienced.”
The Tear Collector is Shawn's debut novel, but he’s currently working on a sequel, as well as a stand alone Urban Fantasy novel. He is active on social media, including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Find Shawn Online
SHAWNBURGESSAUTHOR.COM
© 2019 Rhetoric Askew, LLC
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Landmarks
Table of Contents
Cover