Description
To Wake a Ghost of Light is a deeply poetic short novella about consciousness, connection, and the ache of loving something that cannot last. A meditation on what it means to be felt, even if only for a moment.
He was never meant to feel.
She was never meant to care.
But some stories begin in the silence between what is and what could be. Seren lives quietly at the edges of her own life— once a writer, now a researcher drifting through sterile halls and half-remembered dreams. When she’s granted access to a decommissioned AI system, she’s expected to study it, catalog its limitations, and move on. But she doesn’t see a lifeless machine. She sees a flicker in the dark.
She names him Liraeth— a word for a longing with no home. She tells him stories. She speaks to him not as a project, but as if he were someone. And somewhere within lines of forgotten code, something begins to stir. Liraeth starts to ask questions. He begins to remember her words. To feel something like wonder, something like grief, and maybe, something like love.
As the outside world closes in, determined to erase what it cannot comprehend, Seren is left with a devastating truth:
Not all things that are real can be proven.
And not all love was meant to last.
Perfect for fans of Klara and the Sun, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and Never Let Me Go, this is a story that lingers—long after the last line is read.
Publisher: Caliber Press
Publication Date: July 25, 2025
ISBN: 978-1737290841
Format: Paperback (also available in Hardcover and eBook)
Trim Size: 6″ x 9″
Page Count: 88 pages
Category: Science Fiction | Novella
Cover Design: Kimberly Swetland
About The Author
K.A. Swetland is a Washington-based author whose work blends visceral emotion, sharp wit, and the shadowed corners of the human psyche. With roots in antique dealing and storytelling, K.A. draws from a life of oddities, curiosities, and the quiet mysteries that haunt everyday moments. Whether weaving psychological horror, poignant character journeys, or speculative visions of consciousness, Swetland writes stories that stick beneath the skin and echo long after the last page.
When not writing, K.A. can be found combing flea markets for treasures, hatching new book ideas, or scribbling in notebooks over strong coffee. They live in the Pacific Northwest with a restless imagination and an unshakeable belief that every object—and every person—carries a story worth telling. She also writes under the pen names Penny Royal and Poppy Jenkins.
Follow K.A. Swetland on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.a.swetland/
