Padraig Jack MacPhee

3 booksYoung AdultLiterary FictionFirst person

Padraig Jack MacPhee is a dedicated storyteller who explores the intricate dynamics of non-traditional families and the social structures that shape them. Drawing from a deep understanding of community and the importance of inclusive spaces, MacPhee writes with a raw honesty that captures the complexities of the adolescent experience. When not writing, MacPhee is an advocate for social justice and spends time reflecting on the power of chosen family and moral courage. Prequel to Our Life with Ike a novel is a testament to the author's commitment to giving a voice to the vulnerable and examining the true meaning of sanctuary in the modern world.

Books

Ike’s Bittersweet Life a novel

Prequel to Or Life with Ike a Novel

Young Adult
Literary Fiction
First person

In the quiet coastal town of Duxbury, thirteen-year-old Mickey Cameron is navigating more than just a paper route. While her mothers, Meg and Stacy, have built a home rooted in radical love and acceptance, Mickey’s best friend, Ike Riley, is slipping into a shadow she can’t ignore. The local Universalist congregation was supposed to be a haven for all, but beneath the surface of liberal ideals lies a sharp, judgmental edge. As adults openly criticize Ike’s behaviors, they fail to see the trauma brewing at home under the volatile Stanley Bush. Only the Cameron children seem to sense the impending storm. When a brave teacher finally reports the abuse, it triggers a chain of protection orders, confiscated weapons, and a chilling threat that looms over the winter frost. As Mickey grapples with her own identity and her first steps toward self-discovery, she must learn what it means to stand up for those the world has cast aside. Amidst the tension, the children cling to the dream of a future on a shared piece of land—a promise of safety in a world that feels increasingly fragile. From author Padraig Jack MacPhee comes a poignant coming-of-age story about the weight of secrets, the failure of institutions, and the fierce, protective bonds of a family that chooses to do what is right, even when it costs them everything.

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Our Life with Ike

A heartbreaking tale of family, friendship, and the shadows that hide behind closed doors

Young Adult
Domestic Violence
LGBTQIA+

In the sun-drenched seaside town of Duxbury, the Cameron household is a whirlwind of creative chaos and unconditional love. Raised by their mothers, Meg and Stacy, the five Cameron siblings—triplets Mickey, Farland, and Pherson, and twins Jill and Rusty—share a bond that defines their world. At the center of their circle is Ike Riley, a gifted artist and musician who find solace in their home and their dreams of building a sanctuary in Provincetown. But as the kids plan for a future of baseball diamonds and backyard retreats, a chilling reality remains hidden just a few miles away in a Kingston mobile home park. Behind the doors of Ike’s house, his stepfather Stanley rules with a volatile hand, leaving Ike and his mother Kristy to navigate a landscape of fear and silence. Only Pherson, battling his own identity crisis, begins to see the cracks in Ike’s resilient facade. As the vibrant colors of autumn fade into a cold December, the sanctuary the children have built is threatened by a darkness they never saw coming. 'Our Life with Ike' is a poignant, devastating exploration of the power of chosen family and the tragic consequences when a community’s love isn't enough to stop the cycle of domestic violence. It is a story of the light we find in each other, and the embers that remain when that light is extinguished.

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Five Kids, One Heart

A story of found family, summer dreams, and the shadows that haunt a seaside town

Young Adult

In the picturesque town of Duxbury, the Cameron siblings—triplets Mickey, Farland, and Pherson, and twins Jill and Rusty—share a bond that transcends their non-traditional upbringing. Supported by their two mothers, Meg and Denise, and their biological father Jack, the kids spend their fourteenth summer on the baseball diamond and dreaming of a secret sanctuary in Provincetown. But while the Camerons live in a world of light and laughter, their best friend Ike Riley is drowning in a dark reality. Living in a mobile park in nearby Kingston, Ike hides the bruises and the terror of his stepfather Stanley’s rage. He finds solace in his art, his music, and the unwavering loyalty of the Duxbury crew, but the walls are closing in. As the siblings plan a professional baseball diamond and a custom-built gazebo for their future, Pherson begins to sense the cracks in Ike’s armor. What starts as a coming-of-age story about friendship and first loves soon becomes a race against time. In a world where family is everything, the Camerons must discover if love is enough to save a friend from the ultimate tragedy. This emotional journey explores the strength of domestic bonds and the devastating cost of secrets kept in the shadows.

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