Albert Allen III does not end his story with finality. Instead, he leaves the door open just enough for the fog to slip back in. In our final conversation with the author, we learned that The Mysterious Visitor of Vashon Island was never meant to be a one-time tale. It is a beginning. A signal. A myth in the making.
“I’m developing another book with the same characters as Emma and Tommy,” Allen reveals. “A new science fiction tale on the Island.” Their journey is far from over. What started with a strange boat, a haunted radio, and a stone that speaks in dreams will continue into new chapters, still echoing with the island’s voice.
Allen’s vision for the story expands beyond the page. “I’m also toying with a film script based on the book,” he says. That blend of the visual and the mysterious feels like a natural extension of his artistry, which encompasses both painting and storytelling.
As a visual artist, Allen’s work reflects the same surreal tension found in his writing. Two of his recent paintings, Paradigm Shift III and Paradigm Shift IV, explore what he describes as the moment “when the veil between the familiar and the unknown grows thin.” These canvases shimmer with symbols, light, and contrast, evoking the same uneasy beauty that pulses through Emma and Tommy’s journey.
At its core, Allen’s book is not just about a mysterious visitor, but about memory and myth, about the tension between the known and the half-remembered. He explains that the story was built on themes of trust, protection, and the resilience of young people. “It’s about who we trust, how we protect what we love, and how children often see the truth adults ignore.”
He also touches on another idea that threads quietly through the narrative: forgetting. “There’s a theme of memory and forgetting,” Allen says. “It speaks to the fragile nature of community histories.”
Readers from Vashon have responded in kind. “The book feels like a myth that could’ve really happened,” some told him. And Allen treats that response as a kind of quiet victory. Fiction that settles into the soil. Characters who feel remembered rather than invented.
He is not interested in spectacle. When asked about his dream for how the story could live in the community, he describes something intimate and haunting. “A dramatic reading at the lighthouse during a foggy evening, with projections of the orbs and the strange broadcast playing softly in the background.” He pauses, then adds something simpler. “Even just a group of teens reading it under blankets by flashlight would be a dream come true.”
Allen’s story lingers like fog at the shoreline, like a signal just beyond clarity, something half-heard, yet impossible to forget.
We’d love to hear your thoughts. Did the fog pull you in? Did Emma and Tommy’s story remind you of something long buried or still waiting to be discovered? Did it make you see Vashon Island differently, or feel more connected to the quiet mystery of the lighthouse? Share your reflections, questions, or theories in the comments below and help keep the story alive in our community.
If You Liked This Book, Try These:
Recruited by the FBI by Rob Baddorf
A fast-paced, faith-filled action story for middle grade and teen readers. Follow Robin and his friends as they work with the FBI on a covert mission that tests their trust, courage, and beliefs. With grappling hooks, high-stakes missions, and a gripping emotional core, this Christian spy adventure blends suspense with heart.
The Witch Cats by Lori Cooper
Set in the misty mountains of Tennessee, this enchanting tale follows two black cats who must uncover dark secrets and protect their chosen witches. A story of bravery, justice, and the hidden voices of the animal world. Perfect for readers who love a bit of magic, mystery, and messages from beyond.
Do you have a favorite book by a Vashon author that you think deserves to be featured? Submit your article idea to the Observer. We’re always looking to spotlight stories rooted in the heart of our island.
Author: Vashon Island
Vashon is an Island located between Tacoma and West Seattle. This account manages the vashon-maury.com website full on useful information for residents and visitors of the Island.
