By Theresa Edwards, Intern

Ballard author Jeffrey David Payne made his publishing debut in mid-September with a novel titled "Far From the War".

Aimed at young adults, the book chronicles the adventures of a teenage girl who finds herself caught in a futuristic American civil war fueled by a sinking economy and political rancor.

Payne said that the idea for the story came a few years ago when he and his wife were on a trip to Orcas Island, where they stayed in a cottage very close to the ferry landing.

“We saw the ferry come and go all day and I began to wonder what would happen if the ferry stopped coming. That led me to wonder about how the island would cope if power and communications were cut off,” he said.

After considering several different scenarios in which the island could lose contact with the mainland, he settled on civil war as the most compelling explanation because it had the potential to make for a story with modern day relevance.

The book begins at a time when America has been pushed to civil war by the economic downturn and political turmoil. Far From the War’s protagonist, 17-year-old Esther, has been stuck on Orcas Island with her parents for most of her life. Her world is turned upside down when she moves to Washington, D.C. to serve as a House of Representatives page, where she is suddenly caught in the heart of the unsettling conflict.

After being initially overwhelmed by the hostile environment of the page program, Esther makes friends with a page from the rival political party, Gwen. Without warning, the city is attacked and the pages are forced to flee back to their homes. As danger erupts all around her, Esther must courageously make her way back home to Orcas Island.

On the novel’s female point of view, Payne noted, “I think stories like this are seldom told from a female's point of view and I felt like that would give it a fresh and unique feel.  Most war stories are told from a soldier's perspective – or maybe spies or politicians.  I wanted to write a book that felt intimate and emotional, and the choice of seventeen year old Esther as a protagonist felt like a good way to do that.”

Orcas Island proved a tough area to research when local politicians, the chamber of commerce, historical society, and even writers groups were unresponsive to Payne’s requests for information. Payne also had to piece together his idea of the House of Representatives page program because of security measures that restrict access by the media.

The novel took about a year to write, during which Payne’s first child was born. A sequel to the book, called The Mail Still Runs, is nearing completion.

How does Payne hope the book will affect people? “I prefer novels that leave you with something to think about beyond the entertainment value,” explained the author.
“If we fail to compromise and work our problems out in a political process, people will die and the living will be left with almost unimaginable suffering and chaos. And this message is especially relevant for teenagers, people of your generation.”

Part of the story’s intention is for people to gain a greater understanding of the consequences of such inflammatory political rhetoric. 

“I hope the book will show teenagers what can happen when normal, sane people abandon the political process and perhaps spur them to action.  There are tough times ahead, and it's going to hit your generation harder than most," he said.

Jeffrey David Payne lives in Ballard with his wife, Kathryn, and nine-month-old son, Oliver. His favorite book is The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, and some of his favorite authors include Cormac McCarthy, Herman Melville, George Orwell, Barbara Tuchman, and Roald Dahl. To read more about his work, visit http://www.rocheharborbooks.com/rh/jeffrey-david-payne/.