Press Kit

Backgrounder
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Step into the World of the Adamastor

Breath of the Adamastor is Ardis Lowney’s story of turtle research in WWII Portugal and her extraordinary discovery at sea. While the story and the interactions between characters are realistic, the characters conjure fanciful, enigmatic notions that tilt reality to reveal thoughtful insights into the human condition, cloaking the novel’s important moments in the artistic style of magic realism.

A newly graduated marine biologist, Ardis talks with an ancient turtle in a dream-like scene. This existential fantasy helps to transform her obsession with sea turtles into a quest to locate their nesting grounds and help them survive extinction. Her bid to become an environmental steward who saves sea turtles is synonymous to saving the planet.

In times of uncertainty and fear, Xisco conjures the Adamastor, an ancient sea monster from Portuguese literature. He finds courage to fight the monster, a growth process that is emblematic of what a young person must do to find the inner strength needed to assert one’s agency as an individual. On learning of his heritage as a Marrano Jew, he seeks knowledge about his ancestors' faith. He learns about the unity of God, which reinforces the inner strength he has gained already from fighting monsters.

Carlos, a Catholic seminarian, is obsessed with the absurdity of life he discovers in the Old Testament books of Ecclesiastes and Job, the myth of Sisyphus, and the miracles of Fatima. Thwarted by this obsession with the absurdity of life, Carlos seeks answers from God on the beach at Santa Cruz but gets no reply.

Sam Meyer, a Jewish mining engineer, accuses Prime Minister Salazar’s fascist Estado Novo government of conspiring with Cardinal Cerejeira, Lisbon’s head of the Catholic Church, to use the Fatima miracles to distract and manipulate the Portuguese people. Sam claims the Fatima miracles are a hoax. What are Salazar and Cerejeira afraid of?

As a nation, Portugal delivers a deep injury to its long-time ally Great Britain when it sells wolfram to the Nazis while the Nazis are bombing London. But that isn’t the issue. Salazar and Cerejeira are more concerned with the rise of communism, which could eat away their power base with the Portuguese people. Hence, the “secret” message of the Lady of Fatima is a warning about Russia and the communists.

Does Ardis save the planet?

Ardis’s involvement in spying, wolfram, the war, etc. become symbols of the distractions and weaknesses of humanity and the human condition that thwart her from saving turtles—as the turtle had predicted.

Ardis's efforts do lead to an amazing discovery of a particular sea turtle nesting practice that occurs in broad daylight—an en masse nesting that overwhelms predators. But she does not see the hatching.

Her voyage home becomes an allegorical voyage on a ship captained by Charon, who in Greek and Roman myths ferries souls to the afterlife. During this voyage, Ardis seals her induction into the underworld of spying and doesn't arrive home.

Breath of the Adamastor sets the stage for a subsequent quest to find wisdom and articulate the human condition. (Author’s note: I’m working on that sequel as well as another story that is like a third child in a series now forming around Ardis.)

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Backgrounder
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Explanation of the Title

As a title, Breath of the Adamastor conveys much with very few words and does so with poetic effect. When one hears this title, the notion of breath conjures an image of something invisible, silent, insidious, life-giving, yet sinister. We are powered by our breath. Yet, breath also refers to wind, and wind refers to currents. Currents, in turn, refer to water and even to politics.

The title harnesses a mythical image invented by Portuguese poet Luis Camoẽs in the 16th century. The Adamastor wrecks havoc by creating storms at sea. Notice that “storms at sea,” “stormy seas,” “lost at sea,” and even the term “sea change” are all powerful, common metaphors for the challenging and turbulent experiences in one’s life.

For Ardis, the protagonist, these metaphors are especially effective in referencing her experiences with uncertainty, chaos, struggles, and transformation. ‘Breath of the Adamastor’—as the title—hits on the right sounds, images, myths, and tropes with strategic precision.

The figurative description of the wind in the title is equally true for Carlos, who is obsessed with the Book of Ecclesiastes that personifies the notion of the absurd as ‘all things are blowing in the wind.’

Similarly, the sea monster is pertinent to Xisco. During his first night alone in the loft, Xisco is terrified as he conjures the monster.

The Adamastor appears in the titles of two chapters in which the narrative reaches deep into the past to invoke this primaeval force that embodies humanity’s fear of the unknown.

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Author Bio

Timothy Paleczny writes historical fiction shaped by environmental inquiry, philosophical depth, and global perspectives. His debut novel, A Life on Water, was first published in 2023; Breath of the Adamastor is its reimagined second edition. Paleczny’s work explores how individuals navigate the moral and ecological turbulence of their times. His other fictions include A Bill to Pay (2024), a play in two acts, and The Tale of Indigo (2022), a book of poetry. Over the years, he has enjoyed traveling to locations featured in his stories, such as Portugal, Italy, Brazil, and Paraguay. Tim has a son and a daughter, and now lives in Barrie, Ontario.

Sparking Discussions and Engaging Audiences

These prompts may be useful for journalists, podcasters, book clubs, and event hosts. The “you” in the questions could be your Book Club members, your students, your readers, or the author.

About the Novel

• What inspired the author to set Breath of the Adamastor in Portugal during World War II?

• Ardis Lowney is both a scientist and an intelligence asset. How does the author develop this unusual protagonist?

• The novel blends espionage with marine biology. How do those two worlds come together in the story?

• The title references the legendary sea giant Adamastor. What role does myth play in the narrative?

• Portugal’s neutrality created a unique wartime atmosphere. What draws you to this setting?

About the Writing Process

• Beyond the Second Great War, what other historical research informs the novel?

• The writing evokes a strong visual atmosphere. How do cinematic influences contribute even further to the creative outcomes?

• How does the author balance the demands of historical details within the framework of storytelling?

About Themes

• The ocean appears to play an important role in the story. What does the sea represent in the novel?

• Environmental impacts threaten marine life while espionage and war are very real and imminent dangers to humans. Neither is survivable. Is this a legitimate, real-life takeaway or is it just fiction?

• Many characters face moral ambiguity during wartime. Can you relate to their dilemmas or are you indifferent to them because there are more important issues pressing on us now than ever before?

About the Author’s Work

• Paleczny’s books span poetry, theatre, and fiction. How do those forms influence one another in his writing?

• What led the author to establish Cavalarico Books as an independent publishing imprint?

• What do you feel many readers take away from Breath of the Adamastor? What do you hope or wish they took away instead?