Every day, I’m reminded that from our first breath to our last, all souls crave relevance. I saw it in my dad, still demanding to be heard in his final days battling dementia. It’s an innate aspect of our ego, fueling our inner struggles and drawing us to the legends we retell, searching for ourselves in what we hear. It doesn’t matter if one is an athlete, a judge or single mother, we all need to feel our importance.
But what if an object exists—hidden somewhere close—that can rewrite humanity by revealing why we matter? To claim, requires passage across a strange sea, where the toll is the surrender of what our heart clings to most.
Before death, many will find themselves at its shore, a place they know yet not how- offering not comfort—but a choice, if brave enough to make the crossing and claim it.
The See of Things
By Lisa Marie
the place you know but not how…
The See of Things (76,000 words/ Speculative Fiction):
For centuries, the Fates have existed unseen, except to dark counter forces and stars wandering their same worlds. Unlike what humans believe, they do not weave human destiny but that of thoughts— inspiring, haunting, and shifting the very constellations that guide. While such Fates weave, measure, and bring an end to all human intention, an object from a source more powerful, awaits. Founded by a storied pirate, Knox Point and its family have always been tied to such a prize, calling with power from a single choice. Rylan Knox, their aging patriarch suffering dementia, refuses to release control over its claim— tormented by its whispers. At night, as his mind fights to remember, he communes with a dark ghost hungry for the old man’s next move. His wife, Tiny—a Fate in human form—struggles to protect her family as young Coyote Knox, watcher to the family’s unspoken pain, must face its power over them. Forced to confront the looming darkness, he finds himself crossing a strange ocean where meaningful objects drift, paid as passage. Reaching the place you know but not how, and the Fate who judges all attachments rolled in from the sea, his next choice will alter human stories forever— into chaos or courage.
Could you make such a choice?
Lisa Marie (Batchelder)
Lisa has been a writer since childhood, penning her first story at seven about a truck driver and his five adventurous cats. At twelve, meeting with her literary idol, Madeleine L’Engle at a public library, who spoke of human mishief, imagination and possibilities affirmed what she already knew—writing was her path.
Winning creative writing awards in high school and college, Lisa continued using storytelling to explore life with humor and insight. Her work blends philosophy, real life, curiosity, and play.
Beyond writing, she has worn many hats—corporate educator, artist, and parent—always driven by a commitment for inclusivity and storytelling as a bridge between perspectives.
Lisa is the author of Dandelion Salad (2004) and Coddiwomple Queen, a wellness journal and conversation card set (2017) and has spent much of her career writing non-fiction professional development content as part of building strong learning cultures.