"It is a deep and ancient forest, full of secrets and mystery, and home to many forgotten things."

Legend has it that the small creeks and streams that run throughout the vast expanse that is the Pine Barrens are a deep reddish-brown in color, tinted, local legends would have you believe, by the blood of the many victims of the Devil that inhabits these woods. Like most things the outsiders say and believe, there's a parcel of truth hidden amongst the weeds there somewhere.

The Barrens' streams do run a dark orange or red most times of the year; their slow-moving water taking on the colors of the iron ore and cedar trees it meets along the way. That's what accounts for the unusual color of the Piney creeks, the government and university experts would have you believe.

But Grandmother had another explanation for the colored water of the Pines, a secret she said the Pineys but that most outsiders refused to believe, even when they heard it. She called the Barrens "the heart of the land," the last area that man had yet to ruin with his ambitions and designs, and explained that the colored water in the Piney streams was just the land's blood flowing through that heart.

Barren Soul is a book of stories, legends, and little known truths about the New Jersey Pine Barrens, one of the last great unexplored and uncharted areas in North America. It is written and illustrated by individuals who have spent their days living in the shadows on the Barrens's trees, and their nights listening to the sounds of the creatures that wander the endless woods. It is a glimpse into the soul of the ancient wood, an introduction to the legends and history that form our current knowledge of the Barrens, and a testament to the beauty of living a life in harmony with the forces around us.

Barren Soul, by Roman Bern - available soon!