Prose & Pride – Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire

Join us for this month’s book club featuring the YA novel “Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire” by local author Don Martin.

There will be an author reading, followed by discussion questions, Q&A from the audience, and finally by a book signing.  The author requests that you purchase your copy of the book from a local independent bookseller or from Bookshop.org. Also, copies for purchase will be available at the event.

Synopsis

WELCOME TO FOXFIRE

The rules here are simple:

Don’t look in the trees.

Don’t whistle in the woods at night.

Don’t answer if you hear your
name called.

And remember . . . everything wants.

Verity Vox is a witch-in-training who has never met a problem her spells can’t solve. But when a cryptic plea for help sends her to the forgotten coal mining town of Foxfire, she soon learns even magic has its limits.

Verity discovers a curse was laid years ago by a traveling magician who vanished into the ancient Appalachian hills to seek greater power. Crops won’t grow. Bellies go hungry. Even treasured possessions fall apart. What’s worse, people have gone missing amidst rumors that they’ve sought out the magician who is lying in wait for those foolish or desperate enough to strike a deal with him.

The witch must break the curse, find a missing girl, and solve the mystery of what’s really under the mountain before the town falls forever into the clutches of the monster lurking in the hills.

About The Author

Don Martin is a New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestselling author of nonfiction, poetry, and young adult fantasy. Born in Appalachia, he is the author of the critically acclaimed debut YA novel Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire (2025) and the nonfiction deep-dive Where Did Everybody Go?, which explores the historical and social roots of the loneliness epidemic.

Other works include two collections of poetry—while I wait to be a god again, and The Playground—as well as the nonfiction work The Dabbler’s Guide to Witchcraft.

Don is also the creator and host of the inquisitive podcast Head On Fire, where he interviews experts in overlooked or misunderstood fields. His work is known for its atmospheric storytelling, signature humor, and poignant commentary on the human experience.

He lives just outside Chicago with his husband and their many pets. You can find him daily on TikTok and Instagram at @ByDonMartin. His literary agent is Kate Davids of ARC Literary Management.