With more than 40,000 words written, I think it’s safe to reveal that I’m working another another book.
It’s not a mystery like my previous novel, Murder in Ocean Hall.
Instead, it’s a satire called Don’t Mess Up My Block. My novel is a parody of self-help tomes like Who Moved My Cheese.
The story is told by Laurent Christ, a management consultant and life coach from the plains of North Dakota. A late-night encounter with a hooker (who tells him to get lost) becomes his core philosophy, one that he applies successfully to life and work.
Aren’t we all afflicted with people or situations that are “messing up our block”? Whether it’s a nagging spouse or an annoying boss, wouldn’t we be more effective without them?
From the swankiest of CEO sanctums to the bowels of government, Laurent leads us in a misfortune-plagued journey through the world of work in America today. A creature of his own invention, he always comes out ahead, while leaving his clients in misery.
The book was inspired by the self-help genre, this popular and peculiarly American phenomena. If Mark Twain were alive today, he’d probably be writing a book on getting organized.
Excerpts from this book have already been published, as stand-alone stories:
Don’t Mess Up My Block
Thirty First Bird Review
Laurent goes to Africa and destabilizes a whole country.
Boom and Bust
SPLIT Quarterly
Shareholders are angry and only Laurent can save a desperate executive.
I’m diligently working on the book right now. Look for it on a Nook or Kindle later this summer!
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