Today is the publication day - "launch day" in the book lingo - of my new novel "Tropical Depression." I feel like doing something special to commemorate the day, but all I can think of doing is going over to Giant Eagle and buying a celebratory donut.
Somehow with every book, as launch day approaches I'm always ever-so-slightly nervous that the publisher is going to change their mind at the last minute and call the whole deal off. But once again that didn't happen and it appears that the deal is on for real and the book is out.
I wrote “Tropical Depression” as a stand-alone story, though it is the third and final (I think) book of a trilogy of dramedies that tell a continuing tale about human relationships and contemporary social issues that span the distance from Northeast Philadelphia, the setting of the first two books,
Somehow with every book, as launch day approaches I'm always ever-so-slightly nervous that the publisher is going to change their mind at the last minute and call the whole deal off. But once again that didn't happen and it appears that the deal is on for real and the book is out.
I wrote “Tropical Depression” as a stand-alone story, though it is the third and final (I think) book of a trilogy of dramedies that tell a continuing tale about human relationships and contemporary social issues that span the distance from Northeast Philadelphia, the setting of the first two books,
...to the jungles and volcanoes of Nicaragua, where "Tropical Depression" is set.
The novel follows the story of a young Nicaraguan couple from the first book, Lupe and Ascensión Guzman, who, after being deported from the United States, have returned to their jungle village of Krukrulitos at the foot of the volcano Momotombo. Here they struggle to readjust to life with Ascensión's large, overbearing, over-opinionated extended family while they grieve privately for the American-born child they left behind in Philadelphia. Furthermore, Lupe has begun suffering from bouts of debilitating depression that make her the object of derision among Ascensión's up-in-your business relatives.
But the young couple finds an unexpected friend and ally in a gay expatriate American woman with long-simmering family issues of her own that have made her a knowledgeable veteran of emotional volcanoes and jungles of the heart.
Though the all characters and the story of "Tropical Depression" are complete works of fiction spun in my head that bear no resemblance - thank goodness - to any real people or events, I based the novel's setting on a Nicaraguan jungle village where my daughter worked some years ago and that I visited when I came to see her.
Me on the bus in León, Nicaragua.
The novel follows the story of a young Nicaraguan couple from the first book, Lupe and Ascensión Guzman, who, after being deported from the United States, have returned to their jungle village of Krukrulitos at the foot of the volcano Momotombo. Here they struggle to readjust to life with Ascensión's large, overbearing, over-opinionated extended family while they grieve privately for the American-born child they left behind in Philadelphia. Furthermore, Lupe has begun suffering from bouts of debilitating depression that make her the object of derision among Ascensión's up-in-your business relatives.
But the young couple finds an unexpected friend and ally in a gay expatriate American woman with long-simmering family issues of her own that have made her a knowledgeable veteran of emotional volcanoes and jungles of the heart.
Though the all characters and the story of "Tropical Depression" are complete works of fiction spun in my head that bear no resemblance - thank goodness - to any real people or events, I based the novel's setting on a Nicaraguan jungle village where my daughter worked some years ago and that I visited when I came to see her.
Me on the bus in León, Nicaragua.
My sister Romaine designed the cover,
...which captured exactly the stylized, minimalist, rather lonely look I was hoping for.
And my daughter Theresa,
...snapped my bio pic.
And, of course, there were lots of other kind, generous, skilled, knowledgeable people to whom I'm infinitely grateful who helped me along the way with the proofing, correction, suggestions, production, advance reading, reviewing and all the other things that needed to be done for the book to happen.
But the things were done, the book happened, and "Tropical Depression" is now available all over the internet as well as from my publisher Black Rose Writing,
But the things were done, the book happened, and "Tropical Depression" is now available all over the internet as well as from my publisher Black Rose Writing,
...but here's the Amazon link just in case anyone is interested: https://www.amzn.com/1685131832
And here's the Barnes & Noble link, too: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tropical-depression-patti-liszkay/1142982760?ean=9781685131838
Also in case anyone's interested, here's the link to a few early Goodreads reviews (scroll down the page for the reviews): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86517578-tropical-depression#CommunityReviews
Now I guess I'll wait to find out what the rest of the world thinks. ;)
And here's the Barnes & Noble link, too: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tropical-depression-patti-liszkay/1142982760?ean=9781685131838
Also in case anyone's interested, here's the link to a few early Goodreads reviews (scroll down the page for the reviews): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86517578-tropical-depression#CommunityReviews
Now I guess I'll wait to find out what the rest of the world thinks. ;)
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