I work in dual disciplines, as an illustrator as well as a writer. As an illustrator, the challenge is to convey messages visually. My writing is much like illustration, but instead of paint I create with words.
Stephen Hayes – 17 August 2026
The Back Flap
On November 25, 1872, every soul aboard the brigantine Mary Celeste vanished without explanation. The ship was found drifting weeks later — cargo undisturbed, log entries ending mid-morning, no bodies, no answers. It remains the most famous unsolved mystery in maritime history.
One hundred and fifty years later, Anderson Owens — overnight radio host, professional skeptic, with secrets of his own — encounters a young woman who should not exist.
Her name is Sophia. She speaks in a way no living person speaks. She carries things no living person should have. And someone very powerful, for reasons that cut to the heart of modern medicine, will stop at nothing to find her.
What Owens unravels will force him to confront the one possibility his skepticism was never built to survive.
About the book
What is the book about?
Return of the Mary Celeste is an action thriller built around the real 1872 mystery of a ship found drifting in the Atlantic with its crew gone and no explanation. My protagonist has built his life and career on logic and the debunking of myths and conspiracies. His world is turned upside down when he confronts the seemingly impossible—the reappearance of someone who vanished over a hundred and fifty years ago.
When did you start writing the book?
Return of the Mary Celeste had been percolating in my mind for a few years.
How long did it take you to write it?
Approx. a year. It began as a straightforward action adventure, but my main character kept evolving in my mind, probably reflecting my own evolution in spiritual thinking.
Where did you get the idea from?
In 1872, the Mary Celeste was last spotted in the Atlantic passing by the Azores. My mother’s family emigrated to America from the Azores, and she liked to entertain me and my brother with fanciful stories, the fate of the Mary Celeste being one of them.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
A portion of my novel takes place in the Azores, and since I don’t speak Portuguese, researching the dialogue was a challenge. Fortunately, at our local pool I met a fellow born in Lisbon, and he was gracious enough to make sure the dialogue was correct and appropriate.
What came easily?
I work in dual disciplines, as an illustrator as well as a writer. As an illustrator, the challenge is to convey messages visually. My writing is much like illustration, but instead of paint I create with words. Sometimes I describe more than necessary, and when doing a rewrite I benefit from simplifying.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
In Return of the Mary Celeste, the characters are mostly fictitious, although I often resort to personal idiosyncrasies to give them a realistic feel. My next novel is based on my son, his love of Jeeps, and his college experiences.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I often hear how important it is for writers to read, so this is a tricky question to answer. I started painting at a very early age, and I became such a mimic of famous artists that I eventually became lost when it came to my own identity. It took years to rid myself of outside influences to create my own painterly style. When it comes to reading, I usually stick with nonfiction, although I made an exception for Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.
Do you have a target reader?
Not really. I know many writers channel their writing in the direction of a certain audience, but I think good storytelling needn’t be pigeonholed into genres and should appeal to everyone.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I tend to write in fast bursts, like the quick sketches I do before settling down to flesh out a painting. When the fever of jotting down words ebbs, I like to throw the pages in a drawer and revisit them weeks or even months later. Distance provides the clarity I often need to see my writing more clearly.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I don’t use an outline. I like to give my characters space to evolve. I’m often surprised by what they say and do.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
After the first rough draft, I go back to the beginning and do a careful read. As a confession, I never learned to type, so I make an embarrassing number of mistakes. I try my best to edit as I go, but fortunately my wife was an English major, and she keeps my manuscripts from being a major embarrassment.
Did you hire a professional editor
Sūtra House did the final edit. They also made a few suggestions that, in my opinion, enhanced my book.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
No. I do enjoy music when I paint, but when I write I prefer quiet.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I was working on self-publishing a memoir called The Kid in the Kaleidoscope (A Chubby Chatterbox Grows Up in the ’60s, ’70s & Beyond) when I happened upon Sūtra House’s posting on Instagram. I was very impressed with their unique philosophy on publishing, but my memoir wasn’t ready, so I sent them Return of the Mary Celeste.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Sūtra House entirely created the cover. I had a few ideas and they worked extremely hard to please me, a challenge (I’m sure) since I’ve spent much of my life as a professional artist. I was extremely pleased with the cover they provided.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I guess I’m just winging it. I enjoy public speaking, and Sūtra House is doing a good job of arranging events for me to promote my book.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Timing is everything. Just because you’re rejected today doesn’t mean you won’t be accepted at a later date.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Santa Clara, California
Where do you live now?
Ridgefield, Washington
What would you like readers to know about you?
Although I write and paint, I would mostly describe myself as a storyteller. I love entertaining people.
What are you working on now?
I’ve already finished and submitted my next novel: The Lottery Pirate. It’s about a young man who has survived a tragic childhood with his integrity intact, but when he learns a dark secret about his past, he must choose between his ethics, his freedom and the woman he loves. It’s a true crime novel/romance and it revolves around a mysterious lottery ticket.
End of Interview:
For more from Stephen Hayes follow him on Instagram.
Get you copy of Return of the Mary Celeste from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
