When Adam was 15, a terrible thing happened. So terrible that he and his father ran away in an attempt to put it behind them.

But the past is not so easy to shake off. And a new start does not necessarily mean a better start.

Who is the figure at the top of the stairs? Whose is the face in the mirror? What is the thing in the pond? And why does Adam often feel he is being followed, only for his pursuers to dissolve into shadow when he turns to confront them?

When Adam was 15, a terrible thing happened. So terrible that he believed it to be the worst thing of all. But he is about to find out that there are far worse things waiting out there....

It Sustains: the new and unforgettable short novel by Mark Morris, who Clive Barker calls “one of the finest horror writers at work today.” With an introduction by Sarah Pinborough and art by Edward Miller.

500 numbered hardcovers; bound in cloth and Smyth sewn; signed by Mark Morris, $35	Order a Numbered Copy
10 lettered hardcovers; book and traycase completely made by hand using the finest materials; signed by Mark Morris, Sarah Pinborough, and Edward Miller, $750	SOLD OUT

Python skin-covered lettered edition:

PRAISE FOR IT SUSTAINS:

"Blending psychological drama and supernatural fantasy, heavyweight author Mark Morris paints a picture that is both intricate and chilling."
— Rue Morgue

"It Sustains is a fitting title as Morris carefully builds suspense and tension as the book moves toward the climax. A subtle, disturbing story that has its roots firmly in the realm of works by authors like Ramsey Campbell and Glen Hirshberg. Highli recommended!"
— Dark Discoveries

"Morris weaves together a boy’s troubled adolescence and inexplicable supernatural doings in this subtle, elusive, and unforgettable tale. Morris elicits the supernatural from his rendering of ordinary life, and anguish and despair from understatement. This engrossing novella promises to sustain the reader through multiple encounters."
— Publishers Weekly Starred Review

"Mark Morris writes from the heart and strikes you to the depths of your soul. This nightmarish coming-of-age story once again proves he is one of the best horror writers out there."
— Stephen Volk

“Mark Morris is always a writer who goes about his business quietly and unobtrusively. But before you know it, his clean, crisp and deceptively simple prose has beguiled you and pierced your heart. It Sustains showcases Morris at the very height of his powers; the rest of us can merely stand there and look up at him in awe. Here is sorrow; here is unflinching honesty; here is art that sustains and, yes, enlightens, by staring deep into the heart of a very personal darkness.”
— Gary McMahon

“A remarkable study of grief, first love, and what it’s like to be a child when everything around you is new and exciting and dangerous. Mark Morris’ skill is he can flip you between shocks and scares, and break your heart in the process.”
— Robert Shearman

“Mark Morris is the irreducible rock of modern horror literature. Unafraid to push the boundaries of his art, he nevertheless has one foot firmly entrenched in the good earth of tradition. He is a fine storyteller, and It Sustains is one of the best things he’s written, mature and restrained, bearing comparison with his masterpiece, The Immaculate. Morris captures perfectly the pain of bereavement and the nihilistic tendencies of threatened youth in an achingly beautiful, but disturbing, story.”
— Conrad Williams

“Heart-rending, powerful, and distinguished by Morris's dynamic and insightful writing, It Sustains is one of the best novels I've read in a long time.”
— Tim Lebbon

“Morris using every trick in his writerly repertoire to generate and reinforce an atmosphere of menace. This exquisitely written and compassionately imagined small novel is one of the finest books I’ve read so far this year and I recommend it without reservation. It is a compelling demonstration of what Morris is capable of when at his best.”
— Peter Tennant, BLACK STATIC