Making Up the Gods

Making Up the Gods is equal parts quirky and sincere in its thoughtful exploration of tragedy and recovery, of new and old relationships, and of deeper questions of when to let the past rest.Simone, a retired widow, would live a quiet and isolated life, if not for the lingering ghosts of her family. Spring has arrived, alongside Martin, who claims to be her cousin. When Martin asks if Simone is willing to sell her cottage by Lake Superior, a proposition made sweeter by the prospect of a condo in Florida, Simone, though pleased at the thought of a cousin, also questions his intentions.Where among her past has Martin even come from, and why has he emerged in this moment? The burden of making a decision is all the more difficult because Simone has agreed to take care of a nine-year-old boy, Chen, for a short time while his mother enjoys a much-needed vacation. Simone finds her match in Chen, a curious and precocious boy grieving the loss of his father and stepbrother in an accident that has shaken the entire community.Can Simone hide her ability to see her family ghosts? Will Martin succeed in extorting Simone's beloved home-and worse, is he a danger to Chen? Because of Chen and Martin, Simone is caught between her ties to the past and her desire to embrace the company of the living.