"A Pale Sequence of Stars"
A boy helps his sister but not how he planned. And Night School new novel available 23 January 2025.
This month’s content is brought to you by readers like you whose paid Substack subscriptions and book purchases help produce and promote my work: extraordinary stories about ordinary Americans. If you’re a free subscriber, consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Thank you for supporting and reading my work and spreading the word. And a hearty welcome to new subscribers. I hope you stick around.
Night School New Novel Available 23 January 2025
“What you hear is what you know, but what you don’t know is what you need to hear.”
When college radio DJ Scotty Piper receives mysterious messages connected to his love of music and encyclopedic knowledge about a legendary rock band and their enigmatic guitarist, he leaves behind his colleagues and everything familiar and raises the odds he may never return home or to the job that keeps him grounded and gives him meaning. Scotty pursues answers and untangles riddles, diving into an oceanside city’s natural and supernatural history, an underground world of allies among enemies and enemies among allies, and groups and individuals haunted by transcendence. Like a detective, he unearths the truth about things that are seen but temporal and those that are unseen and eternal. Scotty’s journey among media and tech, money and corporations, the secular and sacred, and illusions and reality reveals an inescapable longing to be part of something larger.
ISBN (print): 9798986092713
ISBN (e-book): 9798986092720
A book’s success can thrive on word-of-mouth and grassroots marketing, and I’m asking you to help spread the word about Night School. Anything below you can do can positively impact me and my work:
Order the book (print and e-book).
Recommend to family, friends, acquaintances, book clubs, libraries, bookstores, bloggers, and platforms devoted to American fiction and culture.
Share on social media and websites.
Add and rate on Amazon, Goodreads, and similar outlets.
Place a copy in Little Free Libraries.
“A Pale Sequence of Stars”
William Auten
Copyright William Auten
Driving home from his game, his parents argue, as when they left for his game, about Ruthie, her phone, taking it away, and pictures of her in skimpy clothes and, his mother is certain, without clothes and the emojis, times, and places to meet she sent to a boy at another school, and as his parents argue, Pug sinks into the backseat, hearing Ruthie ask him the other day to let her know “if Mom and Dad are coming home early or later. Promise. Like we do with them. You and me.” The end of his game surges through him again, his legs twitching. The football floated toward him in the end zone—seconds left on the clock; the score tied—but he did not run toward it.
They turn for the neighborhood, and passing a teammate’s house, Pug’s gut twists. His mother says she doesn’t need Ruthie’s permission to take her phone and adds Ruthie didn’t come to Pug’s game. “She’s never done that before.”
Pug sits up. “She told me she had something else going on.”
“Yeah. She said it has something to do with work,” his father says.
“Micah…” Sara clenches. “Stop. Both of you. We’re intervening today. I made an appointment with an addiction specialist. He said she could be out in time for the holidays.”
“She’s not an addict.”
Sara turns toward Pug. “Do you know everything she’s done?”
“No. I mean, I’ve seen some of her posts.”
“Have you? Why haven’t you said something?”
Pug mutters about feeling sick, his head burning, as they pull into the driveway.
“She’s not an addict the way you’re thinking,” Micah says. “It’s not drugs or alcohol.”
“You’re right about that.” Sara turns toward a breeze carrying fiery leaves off trees as the SUV squeals into the garage.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to William Auten Stories and Newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.