Lanterns in the Dark

A contemporary political fiction novel about what happens when “woke” becomes a slur—and one exhausted, sarcastic woman decides she can’t pretend anymore. Set in (fictional) Briar County, Ohio, Lanterns in the Dark follows Ella Quinn as she collides with the language traps, charity optics, and backlash machine that protect power. But the story doesn’t stop at awareness—it shows what real “wokeness” looks like in action: mutual aid without shame, policy change without performance, and community built for survival. This isn’t a feel-good fantasy. It’s grounded, sharp, and practical—because the stakes are real.