The characters confront very difficult issues: school violence, abortion rights, euthanasia, homophobia, and political extremism. And one must be very SENSITIVE when addressing such topics.

M. Laszlo – 1 November 2022

The Back Flap

In this trio of novellas, three game young ladies enter into dangerous liaisons that test each one’s limits and force them to confront the most heartrending issues facing society in the early twentieth century.

The Phantom Glare of Day tells of Sophie, a young lady who has lived a sheltered life and consequently has no idea how cruel public school bullying can be. When she meets Jarvis, a young man obsessed with avenging all those students who delight in his daily debasement, she resolves to intervene before tragedy unfolds. Mouvements Perpétuels tells of Cäcilia, a young lady shunned by her birth father. She longs for the approval of an older man, so when her ice-skating instructor attempts to take advantage of her, she cannot resist. Not a month later, she realizes that she is pregnant and must decide whether or not to get an abortion. Passion Bearer tells of Manon, a young lady who falls in love with a beautiful actress after taking a post as a script girl for a film company—and is subsequently confronted with the pettiest kinds of homophobia.

Specific to their time yet unquestionably relevant for women today, The Phantom Glare of Day is a compelling interrogation of who gets to decide what is right and what is wrong.

About the book

What is the book about?

Thank you for asking. The Phantom Glare of Day is a collection of three interrelated novellas that take place in WWI-era London. One novella tells of a young lady who investigates the city’s burgeoning Goth-youth culture, and the second revolves around a young lady who longs to be a professional ice skater. The third novella relates the tale of a young lady who works in the world of theatre. In a sense, the novellas tell of how the three women make “a separate peace.”

When did you start writing the book?

The project took off at some point during the Trump presidency; however, the novellas follow from a youthful diary that I kept during my summer in London, 1985. (Age 16)

How long did it take you to write it?

All in all, it took about three years.

Where did you get the idea from?

The ideas followed from the topics and themes that made up my angst-ridden, teenage diary. In one way or another, each and every adventure and/or quirky character in the diary morphed into something specific in the work. As such, the novellas are filled with highly specific imagery. There’s very little narrative voice.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Yes, of course. The characters confront very difficult issues: school violence, abortion rights, euthanasia, homophobia, and political extremism. And one must be very SENSITIVE when addressing such topics.

What came easily?

Hmm. Does anything in writing come easily? Perhaps the rough draft came somewhat easily enough. Still, the maniacal, maddening redrafting stage is where the book gets written. And that stage is always excruciatingly difficult.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Every character is a composite of several people from my youth—mainly friends and frenemies and classmates. One must borrow from the real world: it’s the only way to make the unbelievable seem believable. F. Scott Fitzgerald said something to that effect.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

For this work, no one influenced me more than John Knowles—specifically A Separate Peace. He brought his story to life by dramatizing scenes, flooding the youthful characters with real emotions, and letting teenagers talk like teenagers. A lot you can learn from Mr. John Knowles!

Do you have a target reader?

Not really. The Phantom Glare of Day should appeal to anyone interested in the way people struggle with the big ethical issues that face society.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so, can you please describe it?

My process is something like the game of connecting the dots. Once I’ve torn apart my journal/diary/idea book, it’s a matter of isolating variables by putting related words and ideas together into separate piles. Then, going one pile at a time, the task becomes one of creating a thread by which to string together all that material. Hence, the connecting-the-dots analogy.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I outline extensively. Once the disparate elements or subcomponents come together, it is necessary to arrange all the big categories into something resembling a narrative arc. And everything has to be there: the inciting incident, the turn, the big event, the point of no return, the conflict, the low point, and the finale/resolution. Without structure, there is no story.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

For this work, it felt right to redraft until the manuscript seemed clean enough to send it off to a professional content editor. When she returned the work, then it was a case of going straight back to redrafting!

Did you hire a professional editor?

Yes, of course. The craft of fiction is just too difficult without a professional editor to tell you what you’re doing wrong.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Yes, of course. You Tube is always playing in the background. Often times, the music will be one to three Satie piano pieces playing on an endless loop. No one is more awesome than Erik Satie. His music makes me feel good.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

No. It’s hard to trust them. Too many of them have a mean streak.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

Spark Press is an imprint of She Writes Press, and that’s a hybrid that has garnered great reviews. It just feels good to be a part of a real, discernible writing community. The feeling at Spark/She Writes Press is a feeling of belonging to a really cool literary salon. The people who love the Indie View probably feel the same way about your website.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Spark handled the cover and did a very professional job. It’s a photograph of two bold, winsome women. What could be more inspiring?

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

Books Forward has an excellent publicity campaign going on my behalf. The great Simone Jung is handling everything. She’s very cool. When the campaign ends, I’ll do some more marketing on my own. The most important thing is to tell people that they really can and will learn something from my characters because my characters want to help others.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

You’re doing what you should be doing. Everything will align one day. Take care.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Northeastern Ohio, for the most part. It’s a very nice place—especially Cuyahoga Valley.

Where do you live now?

I still live in Northeastern Ohio. This is due to the fact that my mom lives here. I’m in my fifties now, but I still need her wisdom and guidance.

What would you like readers to know about you?

Hmm. Readers should know that I’m very much the philosophical type—not at all judgmental nor political. For me, nothing is more important than cutting through the miasma of things and finding real meaning.

What are you working on now?

Thank you for asking. At present, I’m cutting up the diary/journal/idea book that I kept while doing an M.F.A. degree in poetry. The work that’s emerging from all that peculiar material is a tale of a Faustian character determined to resolve the origins of the universe, the meaning of life, and the purpose of civilization. And he does! And that’s no joke. My next work will, in fact, reveal all. Gosh, that sounds absurd—but it’s not. You’ll just have to trust me. Cheers, and thank you again for this opportunity to chat with you.

End of Interview:

Get your copy of The Phantom Glare of Day from Amazon US or Amazon UK.