In senior year, Beau Boudreaux is racing against time to change his destiny. His scheming parents have him on track to become a lawyer, marry a girl he hates and remain stuck in small town hell. Standing in his famous father’s shadow only further seals his fate. Witch Crenshaw and the rest of her clan have different plans. They need Beau to learn the truth about his lineage, continue the bloodline and safeguard the urban legend roaming in the woods. The Creepler has needs of its own, none of which coincides with protecting Stray Oaks. A trespassing hunter discovers the aberration and loses his life. The sheriff tries to drink his beer in solitude, though he knows the autopsy report is a fabrication. The town reporter seeking career advancement sensationalizes the story. The unethical mayor makes a deal to steal the witch’s land. A conspiracy to suppress the secret begins. Amid the chaos, Beau’s longtime girlfriend Saylor is destined for stardom on the big screen. Her fiery personality and petulant nature plans a bright future, but jealousy and ambition ruins her dreams. The whole town has an agenda contrary to Beau’s desires. He just wants to attend art school and shoot photographs. Can he take command of his life and if he does, will the consequences of his choices be too grave to bear? Moreover, what will happen to the young lovers with the Creepler lurking nearby? " Part-monster story, part-tale of the frightening behavior of human beings. Set in a small Southern town of Stray Oaks, the novel follows high school senior Beau Boudreaux as he navigates the dangerous waters of pending adulthood and the creature of the swamps known as the Creepler ... If you're a fan of family drama and swamp monster movies, Shallow Basin is your book." - The Geek Girl Project "Chaos, evil, love and a little bit of Hollywood glamour are tossed into a blender and mixed into this book...If you want a kick in the horror chops, this is truly a great read. Evil is a big theme and it keeps the flow of the book going well. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA and horror." - Kathryn Bennett for Readers' Favorite Suzanne Cowles was born and raised in New Orleans and now lives in Florida with her husband and dachshund. She graduated from Florida State University with a bachelors degree in Interior Design and received a Masters of Fine Art from the Academy of Art University. One day her husband dared her to write a sequel screenplay for her favorite movie ... and she did, ALIEN 5: TRANSFECTION was born. Enjoying the creative process so much, she challenged herself to write a debut novel, producing book number one of a trilogy: SHALLOW BASIN. She grew up watching Saturday morning monster movies and loves the horror genre because it is disturbing and unpleasant. She adores the dark prose of the Bronte sisters or the sorrowful tone of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. She is happiest when scared, especially by anything that leaves a feeling of lingering terror. Her work crosses genres and bridges the gap between literary and commercial fiction. She endeavors to create a movie experience originating from a conceptualized story, painting a mental picture with words. The words connect thoughts in context as the driving force sustaining momentum for the reader to turn each page. Building suspense, the monster that waits in the crevice between pages reminds us that life is not a fairy tale. If you want stereotypical tired plot lines, then read something else. If you want to be entertained in a new exciting way, then follow her into that dark place ... She dares you.