What's your book about?

"What's your book about?" is a fair question whether it comes from a prospective reader, interviewer, CIA operative or hit man.

But I don't like it.

I want to answer: "Why don't you read the book and then tell me what it's about?"

People take that as sarcasm. But seriously, it isn't. In the realm of psychics, alternative realities, an the imagination, perception is reality. In fact, that's partly what my latest novel Sarabande is about. Is this realm, your expectations impact the experience you will have. In fact, they may even keep you from seeing everything (books, the world, your dreams) in a fresh and creative way.

So, I don't really want to tell you--or anyone else---that Sarabande is about a woman who is accosted on a lonely road at night because that's not the whole story. In fact, when you read the book, you might think that, yes, that happens, but it's not the central thing you took away from the book.

Nonetheless, people tend to feel uncomfortable when they don't know what a book is about. With that in mind, I added a page to my website that tells what I think Sarabande might be about. My thoughts on the matter certainly aren't gospel. Here it is. See what you think.

There's a certain level of comfort in knowing what a book is about. I understand prospective readers' wants and needs in that regard and will do all I can to help. My eyes my glaze over if you ask me directly. I'll fumble through something and hope for the best.


Otherwise, you're on your own recognizance whenever you pick up a copy of Sarabande--or any novel, for that matter. It's supposed to set you free. You can imagine the story anyway you like.

--Malcolm