In this "part-parable, part-modern  myth," as author Neil Connelly describes it, Chase Manna is angry with life and especially with God. After being abandoned for a second time by someone he loves, Chase falls asleep and cannot awaken from the danger-laden journey he must face. Led by curiosity and inspired by his love for Nora Waters, Chase is exposed to the ways of the villagers and their leader, his evil twin brother. Chase must learn about sacrifice and betrayal, and ultimately whether or not he will join his brother or destroy him.

A NOTE FROM THE
AUTHOR
Chase Manna, the story’s main character, is a young man doing exactly what his name says. He is chasing the truth, a truth inbred in him by his Christian roots, a truth that has become distant and suspect as the suffering and confusion of life mounts. What I think is most intriguing about this journey is that there are no identifiable, concrete answers, which mimics the uncertainty of life. We try to control everything, we want an immediate fix to every problem, but the truth of life is that with every question follows 99 more that shouldn’t further confuse us but inspire us to simply relax a little bit more and enjoy the ride of life. Let go, and let God.
    One of the most consistent comments about the book is that it does keep you wanting more, curious as to what happens next, wanting Chase to somehow find his path but knowing he’s both helping and harming himself along the way. Perhaps this is what makes the book so appealing for young and old, male and female alike: it is a universal parable of the individual trying his best, both because of and in spite of himself, to find the truth. And when Chase does indeed chase down the truth, he discovers that there is a whole new journey with a whole new day ahead. The story is his "final chase" but only because that finality opens up a new world of discovery, good and evil, love and pain, peace and war—a new chase more adventurous, more dangerous, more fulfilling than the last. 
    The writing of the book and the aftermath actually parallel my main character. I, like Chase, couldn't let go as I wrote the book. Let me explain. The book was started when I was 21 years old, my first work of fiction since I was a young child. It was inspired by my studies of mythology and ancient literature in college, and I set out to write my own epic story. With that goal, however, came a story style that is sometimes stilted and flat. It works for this book because of the dream element, but I read it now and know I could have done better. I have since rewritten the book, this time with less description and more dialogue, under the subtitle, Postmarked Edition. My second novel Postmarked Baltimore shows what great things can happen when a person unwraps the gift that is his or her humanness, and with the new version of The Final Chase, I feel like I have unwrapped my characters and my story, allowing them to breathe. I actually "woke up" from my own journey where I tried to control everything in my writing, and like Chase, I am the better for having experienced it. Though I still am intrigued by and enjoy reading mythology, I am happy to have left behind the influence it made on the original version of The Final Chase.
    And by the way, the Jung connection came after the book was finished. Given his exploration of the subconscious, this point may prove some of his findings correct.