Jake Bishop is a private detective who is pulled into a globe spanning adventure of magic and action. A cruel cult is trying to bring something hellish to Earth and only Jake has the magic to stop them. A novel of Pulp action and adventure!
Told in first-person, present tense, The Fountain of Shadows unfolds as the line between the rational and impossible blurs. This is a story about obsession, friendship and secrets. If you love hard-boiled detectives, shadowed streets, adventure, magic, and mystery, The Fountain of Shadows invites you to step into the rain and see what’s waiting at the end of that dark alley.
The Fountain of Shadows is a full-length noir mystery novel featuring private investigator Jake Bishop.
The book is written in first-person, present tense, placing the reader directly inside Jake’s head as the investigation unfolds. Every lead, misstep, and revelation happens in real time: no hindsight, no safety net.
Softcover edition: 282 pages
Hardcover edition: page count forthcoming
Genre: Noir / Mystery
Standalone story, with series potential
This is a character-driven story built on atmosphere, tension, and moral consequence. It leans into classic noir sensibilities; sharp dialogue, shadowed streets, and flawed people making difficult choices, while allowing room for darker, stranger elements when the case demands it.
The Fountain of Shadows is designed to be a complete experience on its own, while leaving the door open for future Jake Bishop stories.
The Fountain of Shadows is fully written and complete. This campaign focuses on printing, production, and special editions; not funding the writing itself.
A finalized cover design will be revealed during the campaign.
Jake Bishop is a character that I became instantly fascinated with. He is an original creation of Christopher A. Blalock, but I've always called him Doc. He was gracious enough to allow me to create a story using his character and he even wrote the foreword (see below).
Foreword
One of the quiet honors of creating a fictional world is discovering that someone else has enjoyed it enough to step inside and tell a story of their own. When that someone is a writer and friend whom I admire, it’s an even greater compliment.
Chris Brown has done exactly that.
What you’re about to read is a fresh and imaginative journey through the Jake Bishop universe. In my own work, Bishop’s world is firmly rooted in hard-boiled noir. Magic exists in Solomon City, hinting at itself in the shadows and corners of everyday cases, a quiet presence rather than a central force.
Chris’s interpretation travels a different road. His tale embraces high magical adventure—larger in scale, more fantastical in scope, and full of bold turns that explore possibilities well outside the established boundaries of the series. It offers a vibrant, alternate vision of Bishop and the world around him, one shaped by Chris’s own sense of adventure and narrative style.
I’m honored by the enthusiasm and heart he brings to the page, and I value anyone who chooses to spend time in the world I’ve built.
I hope you enjoy this adventurous alternate take on Jake Bishop as much as I enjoyed seeing another writer explore Irongate in his own way.
Before stepping into The Fountain of Shadows, readers have already embraced Christopher Brown’s storytelling through the Slaughterville series: praised for its atmosphere, twists, and escalating stakes.
Slaughterville: The Beast Within
★★★★★ Reader Reviews
“A great first outing from independent author Christopher Brown. You’ll be moving at a fast pace in this love letter to B-rated horror flicks. Great characters that really come to life on the page—and can you really go wrong with werewolves?” — Dash Hooper
“I was sucked in from the beginning. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, I was thrown a curveball. The ending was NOT what I expected. Great read!” — Kim Sloan, ARC Reader
“This series will suck you in and have you guessing. A terrifying twist I didn’t see coming. Highly recommend.” — Loreyes310
“An excellent introduction to the town and citizens of Slaughterville. You don’t need to know the RPG to enjoy this book—just settle in for a creepy, atmospheric mystery.” — Amelia
Slaughterville: The Slasher
★★★★★ Reader Reviews
“Best horror series going right now. If you read anything this year, you need to pick these up. This is the best thing going.” — Patrick Allan
“Fast-paced, relentless, and terrifying. The world expands, the stakes rise, and no one—and I mean no one—is safe.” — Dash Hooper
“An absolutely terrifying thrill ride. Brutal, vicious, and full of surprises. Who’s good? Who’s bad? Sometimes it’s both.” — Horror Reads
Slaughterville: The Cannibal Rednecks
★★★★★ Reader Reviews
“A fully realized world where previous installments have consequences. Each book raises the stakes and reveals darker secrets.” — Horror Reads
“A fast-paced romp through Slaughterville that doesn’t disappoint. Gruesome, addictive, and impossible to put down.” — Dash Hooper
“Creepy in the best way. Dark rituals, cult vibes, and slow, skin-crawling tension that sticks.” — Destiny M. Mueller
Author Endorsement — The Fountain of Shadows
The Fountain of Shadows is an original, adventurous interpretation of Jake Bishop written with the encouragement and blessing of the character’s creator.
“A fresh and imaginative journey through the Jake Bishop universe…bold, adventurous, and full of heart. I’m honored by the enthusiasm Chris Brown brings to the page.” — Christopher “Doc” Blalock, Creator of Jake Bishop
This novel explores an alternate take on Bishop’s world. One that leans into heightened mystery and magical adventure while remaining grounded in noir sensibilities and character-driven storytelling.
BackerKit allows The Fountain of Shadows to be made the right way without cutting corners or compromising quality.
By backing this campaign, you’re not just pre-ordering a book. You’re helping fund:
Professional printing and binding (Made in the USA)
A high-quality hardcover edition
A custom cover created specifically for this release
Fair production timelines that prioritize craft over speed
Crowdfunding also gives me the freedom to stay focused on the story itself rather than rushing a release or diluting the final product.
Most importantly, BackerKit makes this a direct collaboration between creator and reader. Every pledge helps determine how far this project can go, what extras can be added, and how polished the final book becomes.
If you believe in independent fiction, creator-owned projects, and stories that take their time to get the details right, your support here makes a real difference.
Because the book itself is already complete, BackerKit allows me to focus entirely on producing the best possible physical editions without rushing timelines or compromising quality.
Thank you for helping bring The Fountain of Shadows to life.
Christopher Brown is a novelist whose work blends atmosphere, character, and moral tension across genres.
He is the author of the Slaughterville series, a small-town horror saga praised by readers for its twists, escalating stakes, and fully realized world. Those novels established his reputation for creating stories where actions have consequences and survival is never guaranteed.
With The Fountain of Shadows, Christopher turns his focus to noir following private investigator Jake Bishop through a rain-soaked city of secrets, hard choices, and lingering truths that will take him across the globe. While the genre shifts, the core remains the same: character-driven storytelling, careful pacing, adventure, and an attention to atmosphere.
Christopher has successfully released multiple books and has used crowdfunding before to bring finished projects directly to readers. He believes in transparent campaigns, realistic timelines, and delivering exactly what’s promised.
When he’s not writing, he’s usually planning the next story or figuring out how to make the current one a little darker.
I believe shipping should be straightforward and transparent.
All physical rewards and add-ons will be shipped after the campaign ends and printing is complete. Every effort will be made to package items securely and ship them efficiently.
Shipping Details
Physical rewards will ship once, bundled together when possible
Add-on items will ship with your main reward to reduce costs
Digital rewards will be delivered electronically
Shipping will be charged in the Pledge Manager
International Shipping
International backers are welcome
Please note that international orders may be subject to customs fees or import taxes, which are the responsibility of the backer
Timing
Because The Fountain of Shadows is already written and complete, the primary variables are printing and fulfillment; not writing time. Updates will be shared throughout the process so backers always know where things stand.
My goal is to deliver everything safely, clearly, and without unnecessary delays.
