Over now to Michael to tell us about the 5* reviewed book he's featuring today called 'Goodbye Emily'.
The cover for it is wonderfully bright, don't you think? (and I confess I used to do my own tie-dying and dress making- kaftans galore)
The
Newest Genre
If YA novels deal with coming of age, then
Boomer Lit, or baby boomer novels deal with coming of aging. My latest novel,
Goodbye Emily, falls into this category of novels with main characters who are
baby boomers. The characters face life’s challenges and obstacles like in any
other genre, but they have the advantage of life’s experiences.
Too often characters in their mid-fifties
and sixties are presented in fiction as grumpy, get off my lawn kind of people.
I prefer to create characters in this age group the way I see them in real
life—talented, loving, nurturing toward friends, family and those younger than
themselves, funny, because we’ve learned to laugh at ourselves and life’s
ironies, and sexually active.
Baby boomers represent the largest group of
book readers, so it makes sense for authors to write for and about people this
age. Goodreads has a Boomer Lit group of talented authors who write about and
for baby boomers. If you’re an author, or reader, check out the group and join
in the discussions at http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/81261-boomer-lit-novels-short-fiction-memoirs-and-more.
When I mention to people I’ve written a
novel about baby boomers, they often react with a pre-conceived notation that a
novel about boomers will just have to be a depressing look at health and
post-retirement issues. Far from it,
readers.
Goodbye Emily addresses serious themes that
many baby boomers deal have dealt with, broken heart syndrome, post traumatic
stress and Alzheimers, but the novel does so with a significant amount of humor
and compassion. I enjoy people who can laugh at themselves, and brought this
attitude to my characters. Don’t take my word for it, check out what others
have said at www.goodbyeemily.com.
Mine is one of many novels that are written
for and about baby boomers. Last time I checked the Boomer Lit group had more
than two hundred members, so if you’re a baby boomer, check out books written
about and for you at Boomer Lit.
***
Three baby boomers relive their trip to Woodstock in ’69. One
final roadtrip. One last chance to say Goodbye Emily.
Blurb:
Two years after the death of his wife Emily from cancer, a college professor faces his own life-threatening illness, broken-heart syndrome. Adding to his grief, a bean counting administrator has kicked him into early retirement, his daughter is considering a dream job halfway across the county, and his only friend is a pot smoking Vietnam vet stuck in the sixties. The professor plans a road trip to scatter his wife Emily’s ashes where they met at Woodstock. To recreate the original trip they’ll need to bring along a high school buddy who is in a nursing home with early stage Alzheimer’s. When the home refuses to allow their friend to come along, the professor and the vet bust him out, attracting the attention of the cops and the media, fascinating the public. Good-bye, Emily is a journey of self-discovery for a man who thought he’d left all important journeys in life behind, only to rediscover that life is still groovy after all.
Blurb:
Two years after the death of his wife Emily from cancer, a college professor faces his own life-threatening illness, broken-heart syndrome. Adding to his grief, a bean counting administrator has kicked him into early retirement, his daughter is considering a dream job halfway across the county, and his only friend is a pot smoking Vietnam vet stuck in the sixties. The professor plans a road trip to scatter his wife Emily’s ashes where they met at Woodstock. To recreate the original trip they’ll need to bring along a high school buddy who is in a nursing home with early stage Alzheimer’s. When the home refuses to allow their friend to come along, the professor and the vet bust him out, attracting the attention of the cops and the media, fascinating the public. Good-bye, Emily is a journey of self-discovery for a man who thought he’d left all important journeys in life behind, only to rediscover that life is still groovy after all.
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BIO:
Michael Murphy lives in Arizona with his wife of forty years. He’s a
full-time writer and part time backyard urban chicken rancher.
Other novels by Michael can be seen here:
http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Murphy/e/B0030HEZCY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Find Michael at:
Thank you very much for sharing you information about 'Goodbye Emily', Michael. Your book sounds like one I have to find time for very soon. Best wishes for its success!
Slainthe!
Thanks, Nancy. More and more authors are writing about and for the largest group of book buyers, baby boomers.
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying reading Goodbye Emily at the moment. Michael effectively takes the reader back to the Psychedelic 60s while juxtaposing very real issues faced by people today who are in their sixties. The story is a good reminder that age is just a number and, as he says, "life is still groovy after all".
ReplyDeleteI haven't started Goodbye Emily yet but it's my next read and I'm really looking forward to it! I'm finishing Rachel Joyce's The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and it's a masterpiece, in fact, this debut novel was short listed for the Man Booker Prize and got over 3,000 reviews on Goodreads and something like 12,000 ratings. This is just to say that Boomer lit is with us in a big way, and I'm sure Michael's book will add to this new wave that's fast turning into a tsunami, LOL!
ReplyDeleteAn intriguing post, Michael. Your comments about baby boomers buying and reading a lot of books is quite true. I know in my own case, I purchase 3 books a week. Many sales to you.
ReplyDeleteNancy, hugs and waves my friend!!!
Thank you to Patricia, Claude and Vonnie for popping in. It's great to read your comments.
ReplyDeleteBoomers are also embracing ebooks. Half of the Kindles are purchased by people 50 and older.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right about that, Michael. Thank you vey much for coming onto the blog. It's been good learning about your boomer lit!
ReplyDelete