Cadwell Turnbull didn’t set out to be a writer. As a boy on St. Thomas, he instead imagined himself a scientist, but when a middle school teacher praised a last-minute essay on “The Diary of Anne Frank” and asked if he had ever considered becoming an author, something clicked.
He started writing and never really stopped.
Years later, that spark became “The Lesson,” a debut novel that planted alien visitors on a version of St. Thomas not so different from the one he knew, forcing its characters — and readers — to confront questions of power, resistance, memory, and what it means to be a good neighbor in extraordinary circumstances. He wrote the first two-thirds over years, then, after a well-timed introduction to a literary agent, finished the rest in a nine-month sprint. That rhythm — slow build, intense push — has become a hallmark of his creative process.
Now, Turnbull is on the cusp of releasing the final book in “The Convergence Saga,” his genre-defying trilogy that blends speculative fiction with searing social commentary. The new novel, “A Ruin, Great and Free,” arrives in September, and it brings with it the full weight of a journey that began with “No Gods,” “No Monsters,” and deepened in “We Are the Crisis.” Together, the series unfolds across fractured timelines and overlapping lives, weaving a universe where monsters are real, magic breathes just beneath the surface, and society teeters on the edge of collapse — or convergence.
Unlike “The Lesson,” which grew organically from a series of short stories, “The Convergence Saga” was always meant to be a trilogy. It begins with individuals discovering the monstrous within and around them, moves to disparate groups grappling with visibility and power, and culminates in community — fragile, complex, and radical in its togetherness. This final book, Turnbull said in a recent interview with the Source, closes the loop. Alliances are tested. Worlds collide. The hidden monster city of Moon is no longer safe, and even the gods must make choices.
“The idea behind ‘The Convergence Saga’ was always about trying to articulate what I was feeling about the world in a way that didn’t feel direct but was still emotionally true,” Turnbull said. “I’ve always been interested in how we survive systems that aren’t built for us — and what we’re willing to become in order to change them.”
Throughout it all, Turnbull remains grounded in his approach. He writes 250 words a day —just one manuscript page. “If I do more, that’s great, but 250 words is the floor,” he said. “The goal is to keep the story close, keep it alive.”
That practice of staying close to the story is what allows Turnbull to bring nuance and intimacy to even the most fantastical of plots. His characters struggle with grief, injustice, and the ache of not knowing where they belong. They navigate neighborhoods and family dinners with the same urgency as they do magical disappearances and political uprisings. For all the supernatural elements, his books never forget that the most profound monsters— and miracles — live in plain sight.
“I’m writing about monsters, but I’m also writing about family,” he said. “I’m writing about community and what happens when it breaks — and what it takes to rebuild it.”
As the saga comes to a close, Turnbull said he isn’t necessarily slowing down. A short story collection is on the horizon. He’s collaborating on a shared-world project with other writers. And he’s beginning a new novel — a political horror story told through a single voice, a departure from the chorus-like structure that defined his trilogy.
Still, no matter the genre or structure, the Virgin Islands remains a constant presence. It’s in the cadence of his prose, the complexity of his characters, and the landscapes they move through. His stories may span galaxies, but their emotional gravity pulls from home.
“I didn’t always know how to talk about where I’m from,” Turnbull said. “But the more I wrote, the more I found my way into it. “The Lesson” is set on St. Thomas for a reason. I wanted to explore what it means to live in a place with a history of invasion, and how that shapes the way we respond to something extraordinary – like aliens landing here, instead of in a big city. Our perspective is different. And that perspective deserves to be seen.”
As September approaches and “A Ruin, Great and Free” readies for release, Turnbull reflected on the journey with humility and wonder. He built a world, yes. But more than that, he invited readers to step into it — to imagine differently, feel deeply, and ask what kind of future we’re building, together.
“There’s still so much to say,” he says. “And I want to keep saying it.”
St. Croix Source
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