Little by Little; Or, the Cruise of the Flyaway

After his father's death, twelve-year-old Paul Duncan must suddenly become the man of his household. When a small fishing expedition offers escape from his responsibilities, Paul faces a choice that will test everything he believes about duty, courage, and what it means to grow up. Set against the dangerous waters of the mid-19th century Atlantic, the novel follows Paul and his friend Thomas Nettle as they navigate not just rough seas, but the turbulent currents between childhood and adulthood. Paul's mother has called him back to shore, but the pull of the open water and the promise of independence prove irresistible. Optic fills the narrative with vivid nautical detail while exploring the fundamental tensions of youth: obedience versus freedom, responsibility versus self-discovery, and the hard truth that some lessons can only be learned through experience. It is, at its core, a book about the moments that shape us before we understand what they're shaping.