Mayfly

by Alison Simpson

Crockett is a quaint but growing sleeper community in the coastal South. It’s nestled in between the mountains and the coast, with the Crockett River winding its way through the area and flowing down to bigger waters and bigger cities. One summer, many Crockett residents experienced unexpected and unexplainable good luck, so much so that people started talking and the town made the news. A local reporter comes to town to research for an article about it, intrigued by the history of the area’s “river people” (a now nearly-extinct animistic group of indigents), the recurrence of mayfly swarms at the river, and the rumors that the last-surviving member of the river people had something to do with Crockett’s recent wave of good fortune.

He meets Tella de la Coeur, owner of a new bakery in town, who tells him her own story of unexpected life After losing her stressful executive job, having a family to support, and an unfulfilled dream that’s been eating away at her for years, Tella barrels headfirst into re-making her life. As she struggles under the weight of family and financial stress while trying to launch a business, she encounters May Perkins, a homeless, developmentally disabled woman who is also the last known member of the river people. Rumor has it that May still performs animistic rituals at the river, spooking residents and tourists alike. Are May and her magic responsible for the supernatural occurrences that summer? And why does Tella feel such a connection to May?

209 pages, Paperback

Published August 16, 2026

About the author

Alison Simpson has been a published author of religious nonfiction for years. Her books include "Dieting By Design," "Delusions of Grandeur," and "Amazing Adventures, Creative Connections, and Daring Deeds" (co-authored with her husband Tim Simpson).

"Mayfly" is her first novel.

She holds a degree in journalism from Asbury College (now Asbury University) in Wilmore, Kentucky.

For more information about Alison, please visit alisonbakersimpson at Wordpress, or Ali Simpson on Substack.