The Island

Mark Selkirk's life was on the upswing; his career was taking off, he was married to a beautiful intelligent woman, and a family was in their not-to-distant future. All of that suddenly changed when his international flight made an emergency landing in the South Pacific. Separated from the rest of the passengers and crew, Mark finds himself stranded alone on a deserted tropical island with three other Iranian women. Convinced of imminent rescue, Mark's dormant faith in God is rekindled, but can he remain true to his beliefs and promises? Razma, a nurse with aspirations to be a doctor is frustrated with her country, it's backwardness, and has inwardly rejected the clerics' revolutionary brand of Shia Islam. She is a proud Persian and sees no hope for her country. She is intrigued by handsome Mark, his character and faith, and how they are managing to survive while patiently awaiting rescue. With her husband missing, in an arranged marriage she abhors, she fears she is falling for a married man who desires to remain true to his wife despite being castaway. The Island is a story of learning how to love, of contradictions and challenges to faith, and finding that courage necessary in the face of despair.

This was my first novel, done in November 2015 during National Novel Writing Month. This version has been updated and edited from the original.