books
"Best Fiction Book of 2010" -- KIRKUS Discoveries
It's 2008 and there's more melting down than the economy. Peter is a successful Wall Street player until his world is turned upside down by the global economic crisis. The trick is to keep his life and career together while his sisters in Seattle struggle to hold on to jobs, homes and sanity. Younger sister Florence is losing her grip on reality...she jumped off a bridge, for starters. Mental holograms crack into the fissures of her mind as pieces fall away. Her brother and older sister, Sara, are forced to disrupt their lives in an attempt to save her. Ticking time bombs, real and imagined, challenge them to choose how they will show up for each other and for themselves. Moving between Seattle and New York, the story is told though the voices of the three siblings as they face their own crises and try to stay afloat.
With insight and empathy, Olevin explores the mysterious world of mental illness, the corruption
and greed of financial markets, and the tangled ties of family. The Good Side of Bad is a finely
wrought, humorous and moving journey towards compassion and the other side of loss.
The Good Side of Bad was originally published by White River Press. The Kindle version is from Marley Publishing.
Zellie Without Walls: new for 2017
Zellie, our fifteen year old narrator, takes us inside her unexpected and frightening journey, from a normal teenage life to a world without walls. She is finally feeling safe again two years after the shocking murder of her father. Now a popular cheerleader dating the captain of the football team, not to mention the hottest guy on campus, she is getting ready for the Homecoming dance, when everything suddenly falls apart. Through the course of the novel, Zellie grows in strength and wisdom as she struggles to survive in a hostile environment with the help of an unlikely friend. Our heroine is a complex character skillfully crafted by Steinbeck, as are the other main characters in this novel. The pacing is brisk and the writing economical, all which support the sudden challenges Zellie is forced to deal with, but create a compelling and page-turning story.
A father’s act of kindness invites an unexpected and possibly dangerous visitor into the tranquil small town life of a family in Elgin, Illinois in the late 1950’s. Seen through the eyes of the youngest daughter, this is a story of mystery, intrigue and tenderness.
It all begins with a request in the newspaper: Become a pen pal with a convicted man and bring a bit of the outside into his life. Found guilty of murder, sentenced to life in prison, this stranger finds his way into the very heart of a family, putting his guilt and much more in question.
Told with warmth, humor and suspense, this is a touching true story of loyalties put to the test.
Into every life a little deception must fall.
Lies and indiscretions are a matter of degree in this collection of stories which slides across the border between charming Thurberesque tales and deeply moving stories with bruising impact. The whimsy and innocence of Following Bennie and the title story, Little Lies and Serious Indiscretions, are elevated by a sweet introspection that gives them surprising emotional impact. The Gypsy Moon brings myth and magical story telling to life, while Charlotte Corday and Neat as Pin provide taut journeys into the humorous side of revenge.
With honesty, compassion, and a delightful sense of humor, Olevin creates page-turning fiction. Now Available.
A miraculous secret hidden in her past ... an ancient prophecy only she can fulfill.
Follow young Aeron Wilkes on a heroine's journey, in the tradition of Joseph Campbell, to the destiny that awaits her as the millenium year of 2000 approaches.
"An extraordinary modern fantasy...haunting, compelling and poignant." -- Sandra Tsing Loh
Think "The Da Vinci Code" meets "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" with a dash of Lisbeth Salander (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) thrown in, and you're ready to get started on this haunting adventure.
Juno's Prophecy available exclusively on Amazon Kindle.
Note: The Breath of Juno took readers on an adventure that culminated in the millennium year 2000. That acclaimed story has now been revised and updated, traveling to 2012 to fulfill Juno's Prophecy. Enjoy!