In no mood for a mystery, I chose a domestic Novel, Family Secrets by Nancy Thayer. Born in 1943, she is about to publish her 22nd novel, her first having come in 1981. Family Secrets, published in 1993, was her ninth. It is the story of three generations of women told in alternating long chapters from one of the women's point of view. The characters and situations are realistic, although I was at times exasperated by the 18-year-old grand-daughter and the all too familiar theme of teen suicide, which has never worked for me, although it is certainly not uncommon in real life. The prose and dialogue are solid, flowing, eminently readable. What I like most about the book is its honest depiction of the disappointments one encounters in life, the roads onto which it veers, and the grudging acceptance of it. The main message I took away is that parents should hope only that their children are happy, that it is wrong to persuade them to be something they’re not. Who could argue with that? There is a mystery element in the grandmother’s part of the narrative. I looked up the scientific term in question, Cold Fusion, and learned that the theory has been abandoned by all but die-hards. This doesn’t hurt the novel, as at the time (1940) and into the '80's it was seen as a real possibility. There are sex scenes along the way. Although none is explicit, it makes me hesitate to give the book to my sister, who is 20 years older than me, 82. This is kind of weird, as she has four children and is no stranger to sex. It’s just something we’ve never discussed. When she finished my first novel, Close to the Edge, where one of the characters is very much me and sexuality is at the forefront, and began discussing it, I was creeped-out. Anyway, on a scale of five, I rate Family Secrets three. It is rated four by customers at Amazon. Thayer’s books have cracked the NY Times Best Sellers list.
Speaking of Close to the Edge -- I won my silly dispute with the publisher. When I earned a $35 gift card recently, I ordered two copies. They sent one and The Presbyterian Elder. Skeptical of my complaint, they asked for photos of the cover of TBE and the bar code page at the rear, which I supplied. I received the second copy of Edge yesterday. My plan is to wait until Exchanges is in print so that I can display all five of my books at once at the floating book shop. With each book I told myself I wouldn't let the anxiety of wanting the process to be complete, the novel in print, get to me. Well, it has again. This publisher just does not communicate very often. He sent me a picture of the cover more than a month ago and I haven't heard from him since. And I, of course, refuse to make a nuisance of myself by emailing him.
It all turned out well for the floating book shop today, although I didn't sell any of my own books. It was a lot warmer, although still cold due to the lack of sunshine, but that unforgiving wind that plagued the area the past few days finally died down. As soon as I was set up, Frank, Lafayette H.S. class of '67, asked if I wanted books. He has found a buyer for his co-op and will be moving back home with his elderly mom before he embarks on the next stage of his life. He sees no reason to stay in Brooklyn, as the life we knew growing up is almost gone entirely. He brought me a lot of non-fiction winners on diverse topics: Clinton, Giuliani, Tao, Old and New Testament in modern English, health, healing, several of which I sold during the session. He is a survivor of prostate cancer. Apparently, he was looking for answers, both physical and spiritual, when he was first diagnosed. He is doing very well, retired from the Post Office. Thank you, sir, and to all my customers, and to Ipsos Surveys, which added $15 to my PayPal account. It's a far cry from Charlie Sheen, but it's nice to be winning again.
Visit Vic's sites:
Vic's Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
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