Boothbay Harbor native Jerry Farnham’s sequel to “Red At Night”, entitled “Red in the Morning,” is available for pre-purchase. Bryan Soeres again painted the cover in watercolor and Jamie and Ruth Lowell at Time Buoys did the formatting.

The new tale has favorite characters and some new ones including the babe on the way for Melissa Andrews and Jack Finn announced at the very end of the debut novel. Literally, the last line of that one.

Farnham began writing the sequel weeks after “Red At Night” was published, initially, as an e-Book by Bookbaby Nov. 4, 2022. Farnham has tackled some of life’s serious subjects in his novels set in Boothbay Harbor: Drug smuggling in the first and child trafficking in this sequel. And he does his homework. Still, child trafficking is a gutsy move for a second novel.

“I wanted to elevate the plot line, and I’m tackling a very different situation than the first book,” Farnham said. “I think people need to be aware, or be reminded, that child trafficking even happens in Maine. I watched YouTube videos, read articles to learn what victims go through … I felt I had to tell readers how it happens, how a girl can be taken.”

Mortality is another of the plot lines in “Red in the Morning” and readers are forewarned it concerns the author’s favorite character, Russel Finn, head of the Finn family. As we are forewarned on the back cover of the book jacket, “... Russell is rushed to the hospital, and there is an empty seat at the Finn family breakfast table."

He dropped another nugget: A bad guy from the first novel returns and gets involved with the traffickers. But, naturally he won’t say who. And a new character arrives on the scene, FBI Agent Andy Roberts. Who could this character be based on? A family member or a hometown friend? Nope. He’s based on a mentor Farnham said has been “coaching him through this author journey.”

Farnham enjoys writing about his hometown and those whose lives touched his own. “People get excited about it. People I know who live elsewhere love reading about our hometown.”

However, basing characters after real people in his life have made it a tad tricky as well. Farnham modeled the characters Lizzy and Josh Williams after his kids. In the book, Lizzy is going to prom – and with a boy and experiences her first kiss.

“I couldn’t write about my daughter’s first kiss; I just can’t go there,” Farnham said. “In the book Lizzy is 17. My daughter is 12. I can’t write that. No. I’m just going to gloss right over that!"

To date, Farnham is not allowing his daughter to read either of the books. “I know some of her friends have read it, but I’m not changing my mind about it.”

He won’t change his mind about making sure no one he knows in real life is a bad guy, either.

Authors read their own books – they have to, and often over, and over, and over again – it’s called the editing process. Now, Farnham has given both of his books a final read after a week or so to “read it fresh.” After re-reading both books, he realized there were holes that needed filling.

In the prequel that’s almost finished as well, he circles back to the romance between Jack and his previous girlfriend Stephanie, among other back stories.

“I’m writing (their back story) and I’m thinking ‘Oh my gosh! She’s going to die and there’s nothing I can do about it!” Farnham shared.

Saturday, Nov. 30, Farnham will be at Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Store, with copies of “Red in the Morning” for sale and signing. Time to be determined. It will also be available through Amazon, Books-A-Million.

Until then, a “Red in the Morning” pre-purchase event begins on Nov. 1: $50 for paperback; $65 paperback of both novels;” hardcovers of “Red in the Morning” – pre-purchase for $100 hardcover; and for $125 you can get hardcover copies of both novels. All signed copies, with a letter of thanks from Farnham, and purchaser names will be included in the acknowledgments. Plus – a Christmas ornament (currently being designed).