Rise, Do Not Be Afraid

The “original, creative, inclusive, imaginative” first novel by the master poet, Pushcart nominee, and winner of the American Book Award (Laura Pritchett, PEN USA Award–winning author).

Rise, Do Not Be Afraid is a compelling, intertwined story of a small New Mexico town and its people, the presence of shadowy gods, and the heart of human nature. These fantastical and almost whimsical tales are based in myth and biblical traditions, and the characters are rooted deeply in the past, returning to pass down the truth of their town—Santa Rita, New Mexico. Through the eyes and mouths of Abeyta’s characters, we are carried through a private and deeply personal history.

Aaron A. Abeyta’s allegorical retelling of his childhood past, woven in with his own beliefs and mythologies, brings an adventurous tone to history. Rise, Do Not Be Afraid is a lyrical and adamant prayer for redemption and salvation in a time where there is none to be spared.

“Abeyta’s language is tender and prophetic, his characters made of fragrant cedars and holy myth” —Tim Hernandez, award-winning author of All They Will Call You

“A novel that reads like poetry, with sentence after sentence that shimmer and shine like the throat of a hummingbird. Rise, Do Not Be Afraid is a work of art that rises above the mundane category of novel, one that deserves a special place in the world of literature for its beautifully crafted telling, tenderness, and elegance.” —Charles Finn, author of Wild Delicate Seconds

“There is no other voice that conjures the sky and keeps count of stars as human migrations, moving, fading, and bursting anew as Abeyta’s.” —Juan Felipe Herrera, former United States Poet Laureate