How East of Eden inspired my survival thriller
East of Eden is a classic tale that, when read carefully, boasts a lot of nostalgia. And that’s where it falls in line with an upcoming survival thriller.
I’ve always seen East of Eden by John Steinbeck as a nostalgic tale, especially that first chapter. And in my dystopian survival thriller, Beyond the Lost Horizon, Quinn Cozens takes a similar trip down memory lane.
A disillusioned sports journalist, Quinn’s living a life of regret. Sure, he’s got a big name and a reputation to boot, but you find out rather fast that he’s a man who made a deal with the devil, for lack of a better term.
Quinn sacrificed relationships to get what he wanted. So, when he’s leaving his parents’ house right before the novella takes off, you’re convinced he’d do anything to go back and take a mulligan. He’d have rather spent more time with his late grandparents, or saved himself from the falling out he had with his younger sister. Even if it meant getting a “normal job” in the process.
On the outside, Quinn’s got it all. Fame, a good paycheck, credibility, a cool job, a voice, you name it. But, in his pursuit, he pushed away everything that mattered to him the most. Like the people who were right in front of him and had been at his side since birth.
That’s tearing Quinn apart early on.
The Upper Ohio Valley’s my Eden as much as it is Quinn’s
Just as the Salinas Valley was Steinbeck’s Eden, the Upper Ohio Valley is my Eden. For as crazy as today’s world is, especially with so much war and rumors of war, neither myself nor anyone reading this knows where we’ll end up. If they’ll stay home, or leave for good.
South America may be a good destination. So would just about any remote island. Prospera may be the place to be, and free cities that are like it. Or even off-the-grid communities. Hey, I don’t know where life will take me, but I know this: the Steubenville-Weirton area will always be my Garden of Eden.
Even if it’s a place that couldn’t look any less like Eden. Hell, it’s got a winding river that’s beyond contaminated. Old, abandoned steel mills tower over the aging homes dotting the area, and it’s not uncommon to see the regulars in these towns driving around in old, beat-up vehicles that’d seen better days.
Hills, valleys, and deciduous forests stretch out into the horizon in all four cardinal directions. And in the early morning, fog hangs low over the treetops, giving the entire valley an eerie, but calming flair under the stratus clouds.
What I see in the real world is the exact same thing Quinn sees in Beyond the Lost Horizon, right before the entire world goes to Hell. Might be why we have the same colored eyes – olive green with amber dotting the interior.
Quinn moved on from his impatient, self-centered self
Quinn looked back on his life with regret. He didn’t realize what he had in his grandparents, two of the most important people in his life when he was growing up. Before he started chasing fame.
When they were gone, it hit him. And from that point forward, the Upper Ohio Valley, for all of its flaws, became a beautiful place. He cherished the small towns, the simpler lives, and even the lower income levels.
Quinn also had no idea that his world was about to turn upside down. And, in doing so, he’d stumble across a girl whose persona reminded him of his own from once upon a time.
A girl who treated most people like they were beneath her. All because she’d become a global K-pop idol. Quinn may be annoyed with her, but maybe, because he sees a lot of his old self in her, it’s why he goes out of his way for Yui Kikuchi. Even when she’s ungrateful for his existence.
Want to learn more about Quinn and Yui? Check out my Beyond the Lost page for updates, behind-the-scenes posts like this one, and teasers.
