The Mare

Everyone else may be enjoying the summer, but Indigo’s life isn’t going so well. Her dad’s marriage just ended in a very public divorce, and now he’s drinking again. Indy barely graduated from high school, she just lost her job, and she doesn’t know what to do with her life. The stress is causing her nightmarish sleep paralysis—or so she thinks. Indy confides in her best friend, Kasia, who blames “The Mare” for her troubles—the spirit of someone wronged that saps its victim’s energy at night. It sounds crazy to Indy, but is it? Steeped in the nostalgia of lazy summers and mixtapes, concert tickets and coffee, The Mare is a story about friends, family, and finding one’s way—with a touch of the supernatural and a powerful, surprising twist.

About the Author :
Seth Christian Martel is a graphic designer and freelance illustrator based in the Hudson Valley. A lifetime comics fan, Seth attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and State University of New York at New Paltz. In addition to his work in graphic design, Seth has worked as a set painter and special effects makeup artist at a Hudson Valley haunted attraction. He’s a big fan of cats, especially orange ones.

Review :
“Centering conflicts both fantastical and mundane, Martel delivers a tale redolent in suspense and earned plot twists.” —Publishers Weekly “Martel’s debut is a visual spectacle in mostly black, brown, and white panels enhanced with washes of deep blues and occasional splashes of reds and golds. Gorgeously saturated spreads announce the chapter delineations. Indy’s nocturnal horrors are bathed in smoky, swirling cerulean, cobalt, azure tones. Martel’s artistry triumphs throughout.” —Terry Hong Booklist “[A] solid premier to connect with subsequent storylines, and Indigo is endearing enough to create a following.” —Denise Hill NewPages “The Mare delivers a story where text and images grounded in reality converge with the supernatural to offer a compelling read for young adult collections.” —Jerry Dear No Flying No Tights “Not only a compelling story, but I found myself loving the controlled color palette of mostly black and white with splashes and highlights of blues and indigos.” —Adam Fisher Diamond Bookshelf “The Mare is a beautiful graphic novel. Vivid, ominous, and compelling, and a stunning debut from Seth Christian Martel.” —Joshua Kemble, author of Jacob’s Apartment and Two Stories “Martel’s art is evocative and compelling, capturing supernatural intensity alongside nuanced character expression. Their lives are all the more gripping from his economical use of colors and haunting gray washes.” —A. David Lewis, author of The Lone and Level Sands