Palpable Obscure

 Palpable

I’m cursed. And I don’t mean cursed in the biblical sense of the word, because I’m far from being superstitious; which is not to say that thoughts of a divine but disengaged presence haven’t crossed my mind from time to time; rather, I speak of a curse in the most rational, scientific and respectable meaning of the word.

I’m a modern man, after all, and I, like you, have no time for flimsy superstitions. There are no immutable, celestial laws fashioned with the purpose of rewarding the good and punishing the wicked. Hard work makes us no more deserving of favor, nor do ill-deeds render us less deserving.

We’re here, that’s all; you and I and everyone else. And we’re not here because a divine entity willed it so. We’re here thanks to a long and inexplicable concatenation of events without reason or justification. One might be tempted to consider our presence here to be a mistake, but our vanity will never permit such an interpretation. We’re all too important to be the product of chance, aren’t we?

Now, I’ve never considered myself the victim of a divine injustice, so if you’re expecting a tale of a modern Job, look elsewhere. My story offers no advice on how to live your life, let alone a righteous one. I can’t help you in any way, nor can I even help myself, for that matter.  Listen to me if you like, but I’ll only confuse you. Follow me and I’ll only get you lost.  I’m no use to you or anyone.

I’ve done no one any good, but it’s not like I haven’t tried. I’ve done everything I could to live a meaningful life. But it hasn’t made a difference. And now, perhaps, you’re beginning to understand the nature of my curse.

PALPABLE OBSCURE: a novel / completed 2005

In a twist on the Faust legend, an embittered creative writing teacher by the name of Olwen Sheridan meets a charismatic young student who appears to have everything: looks, money and the confidence that comes with having both. His own life series of disappointments, Olwen believes himself accursed; but the young man, who calls himself Silvanus, assures him he isn’t, intimating that Olwen could have anything he wanted if he so chose, including a dazzling writing career.

Instantly suspicious of the young man’s overstated promises, Olwen makes a point of avoiding the younger man; but Silvanus refuses to leave him in peace. It’s only when Silvanus asks about Olwen’s collegiate years that Olwen remembers meeting Silvanus, or, rather, someone who looked just like him. It’s not long before the lover he’d spurned so many years before returns to him, looking just as she did before he’d walked out on her. The past appears to be giving Olwen a second chance to live without making the mistakes which blighted his once lofty ambitions.

Silvanus offers Olwen success, provided he does what Silvanus tells him to do. There’s no room for pity, only ambition. But Olwen balks at Silvanus’ suggestion that he take credit for the impassioned work of one of his students. The younger man’s unctuous and amoral arrogance disgusts him. Nonetheless, Olwen is too desperate to revive a twenty year old romance with the young woman who thinks he’d never left her. The temptation is hard to resist, and Olwen consents to Silvanus’ conditions.

Before long, twenty years of enervating failure evaporate to reveal Olwen as a young man, bright and greedy for life. Is it wishful thinking, or is it really happening to him? A pact with something not of this world; or is everything what he thinks it is? Fantasy becomes too seductive for Olwen to care either way. And with the promise of the publication of a book which may, or may not, be his own, Olwen’s life is picking up again.

While Olwen reclaims lost love and squandered youth, and while he fashions himself into a luminary of the publishing world, he questions his own good fortune. Is he really worthy of it? And is he never again to suffer the consequences of his actions?

As his desire for the truth contends with his mounting need for long-overdue recognition, Olwen begins to lose his foothold on reality altogether. Is it no longer possible for him to fail, or has he only closed his eyes to the inevitability of failure?

Palpable Obscure is a tour of a man’s life, in all its passion and shame, and a story of how meaning seems to elude us the more we come to expect it. But if, as Olwen discovers, perspective is everything, is there much point in looking for truth?

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Baron Brady Aims to Satisfy Independent Publishing Publicity Craving with Print-on-Demand Availability of Palpable Obscure at Lulu.com

LOS ANGELES, CA -JULY 20, 2007- Baron Brady offers a modern twist on the Faust legend with the publication of Palpable Obscure in conjunction with Lulu (www.lulu.com), the world’s fastest-growing provider of print-on-demand books.

In this dark and metaphysical tale of uncurbed ambition, an embittered creative writing teacher by the name of Olwen Sheridan meets a charismatic young student who appears to have everything: looks, money and the confidence that comes with having both. His own life series of disappointments, Olwen believes himself accursed; but the young man, who calls himself Silvanus, assures him he isn’t, intimating that Olwen could have everything he ever wanted, including a dazzling writing career.

Palpable Obscure is a tour of a man’s life, in all its passion and shame, and a story of how meaning seems to elude us the more we come to expect it. But if, as Olwen discovers, perspective is everything, is there much point in looking for truth?

Link to Publication*:http://www.lulu.com/bbrady or http://www.baronbrady.com/index.html

ABOUT AUTHOR

A practicing attorney, Baron Brady has written five novels and twenty-six screenplays over the last ten years. He graduated from Pomona College and has a J.D from Pepperdine University. This is his third novel. His other novels have also been published on Lulu.

ABOUT LULU

Founded in 2002, Lulu is the world’s fastest-growing print-on-demand marketplace for digital do-it-yourselfers.Please see www.lulu.com for more information.

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MEDIA CONTACT:Baron Brady, baronbrady@gmail.com

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