Finally, after twenty-five years, I figured it out, and this is that novel.
His journal gives us a unique window into his life, with which we get to watch his successes and failures
as he tries to understand why he is the way he is and repair his broken parts. Seemingly without a solid foundation,
he nevertheless goes forward, and while he is often the only tangible thing he has, he keeps going forward.
This is the story of a man who realizes he is completely broken but decides he wants to fix himself.
Can he do it? Does he have the long-term tenacity for the job? Does he do it?
The Journal Writer will be out in the spring of 2024.
Just ask for The Box by Peter Skeels or simply click on the following link to search online:
This link shows online bookstores worldwide.
The Box tells the story of Rupert and Lucille; their lives, loves, families, achievements, and failures. Lucille is the last child born to a family of generationally poor dirt farmers, while Rupert is the only child born to multi-billionaire parents. Rupert and Lucille's paths cross due to a confluence of seemingly random events, and, as their business relationship grows, so does their friendship, love, and respect grow for each other. The Box tells how a simple invention has the potential to transform not only their two lives, but the story tells how the invention has the potential to change the lives of thousands of people. Where does it all lead though? Does the invention lead to the good that Rupert first envisioned? Does the invention help Lucille out of her generational poverty? Does the invention help anybody? Or, is the old adage that says, "No good deed goes unpunished," really true?
With the publication of the first 4 novels, I have concluded the tetralogy about Michael.
Below is a summary of those four novels, and some reviews, followed by summaries of Consenting Adult and The Box.
From birth Michael hasn't belonged anywhere, and from birth no one has really liked him. At 17 he sets out to find himself and to find a place and people where he belongs. He tries drugs, rock and roll, but doesn't belong. He travels across the United States and still nothing. He travels to Europe and through 20 countries, and while he makes some friends he still doesn't belong. Michael doesn't seem to fit into society nor any religion that he's tried. He's a happy and an optimistic guy for some reason, and every day he gets up expecting that this is going to be the day he finds someone or something that he fits into and belongs with. Does he find it? Does he finally find that he fits in with somebody or something? Does he find happiness and contentment?
Michael learns he is dreadfully unhappy but he is in the middle of his life. He has a wife, children, a job and responsibilities galore. People count on him! How can he just stop? How can he correct the situation? He is not prepared to be tied to this situation so he decides to face his fear. His methodology is unusual to say the least. He must relive some of his past, navigate a new relationship, and convince people he is not insane. Does Michael succeed? Does he achieve his goal?
A nice trailer my publisher created
Persistent follows the main character Michael through the next decades of his life after A Natural Pause. After he becomes a single parent, he realizes he needs to go back to college to update his career choices. Finally, he starts his own business hoping to lower the stress in his life. But the traumas from his early childhood and the subsequent traumas and pressures as an adult cause his personality to split into pieces. Michael doesn't consciously know this has happened, yet he compensates unconsciously by creating a theatre-of-selves to help him navigate his life. As the decades pass, the reader gets to know him and his behaviour. They laugh with him and they worry with him. They learn about his god and his dog. Does his out-of-control behaviour, that is so very far from normal, start to come under control? Or is it his demise?
He looks back on his life, and forward to his life, and he wonders what, if any, connection there might be between this garden and his life.
My fifth novel Consenting Adult was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize!
"Your Fiction entry (Consenting Adult peter skeels)
in the 2023 Pulitzer Prize competition has been approved."
I did not win but just being nominated for the Pulitzer Prize is a dream come true!
Independent reviews
***** 5 out of 5 stars.
Intriguing
Consenting Adult by Peter Skeels is an interesting and thought-provoking read. The lead Jonathan is trying to rewrite the ten commandments to suit the current era, so the author walks us through how he goes about it and his thought process during this time.
He has some interesting information and comparisons of different religious view points. While I don't accept that we have to rewrite anything in the Bible and I don't believe it's a dated book, it's a different perspective and I loved reading it.
The relationship between Jonathan and Susan moved gradually but seemed forced during the start, and their interactions sounded weird, but that's probably just my opinion.
Set aside some time for this exciting read and enjoy a whole other perspective the author gives us with this book.
Consenting Adult
by Peter Skeels
***** 5 out of 5 stars.
Brian Kanda's review:
Mar 13, 2022
It was amazing
"Peter Skeels' book "Consenting Adult" is a philosophical narrative that exploits the model of an infant's upbringing to discuss thematic concerns, such as free will and determinism. The writer further addresses forms of social bias, notably the socio-economic classes that prevail in society. The text adopts a third-person viewpoint to pursue the story of Jonathan, the protagonist, as he envisions himself both as a child and an adult. It philosophically uses the model of a child's upbringing to foreground the innocence that a human is born with.
"The novel draws inspiration from the spiritual dimensions to highlight the subjective battles individuals have to engage in within themselves regularly. The author's approach employs multiple scenes in which Jonathan participates in diversified social interactions and mirrors how they influence him. He then visually establishes himself as an adult observer, analyzing Jonathan's reactions to his surrounding environment. By doing this, Skeels shows the extent to which society plays a role in shaping how we learn about things, like consent.
'In 'Consenting Adult', Peter Skeels explores the theme of human relationships by looking at how they affect our lives and the decisions we make. His characters are a diverse group of people from all walks of life who have one thing in common: they're all trying to find their place in this world. Drawing his inspirations from his teaching profession, Jonathan uses rhetorical questions to provoke readers into meditating upon their faiths. For instance, he expects his students to ask themselves: Who am I now? What am I supposed to be doing?
"The author presents his characters as ordinary people like us. The conversations between the characters are realistic and captivating. The characters in the novel sound like any other person you would meet on the street. Jonathan, the main character, always questions and talks to himself. He even engages us in his dilemma of whether he feels towards Susan is genuine love or merely infatuation.
"There is nothing to dislike in this book, which is exceptionally edited. This is an exciting book that will make you ponder over your beliefs. It is a book that can help you understand yourself better as you meditate upon your beliefs through some questions posed by the book. I'm positive that it deserves the maximum rating of five out of five stars.
Irene Roth
5.0 out of 5 stars An Intriguing and Thought-Provoking Philosophical Story
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2022
"This is a very intriguing novel that is thought-provoking and philosophical. I love the modern approach to the ten commandments and how the author weaves the Socratic method into his story. I love the questioning scepticism spirit of the narrative and how readers are also led on this journey of self-questioning.
"The story is about Jonathan, who is hired to teach a creative writing class at a local college. He set on a quest as a modern-day Moses to rewrite the ten commandments so that they are more relevant to the modern-day person who may struggle to live his/her most moral and meaningful life.
"Jonathan is surprised when his students are sceptical about all that he is presenting. Each scene of the story takes the reader deeper into the questioning tendencies of the students. It's a wonderfully deep and unforgettable journey of self-discovery about topics that will stretch the imagination.
"Peter Skeels's story is skillfully written. It has plenty of imagery, it will transport the reader the reader right into the middle of the story. I honestly felt as if I was one of the students in Jonathan's class. What a wonderful tribute to deep reflection and questioning for a philosopher like myself."
4.0 Out Of 5 Stars Rewriting The Ten Commandments
Peter Skeels's novel CONSENTING ADULT is well-written and richly descriptive with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted philosophical narrative that serves, perhaps, as an allegory for the pains of being. It's a unique work that will captivate the reader from the opening chapter. Skillfully constructed, this well-written tale of morality and ethics will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. There's plenty of imagery in the writing style that makes you feel you are right there in the story, and that's something I look for in a good book.
To summarize the synopsis: Jonathan is hired as a creative writing instructor at the local community college. An idea occurs to him out of nowhere: what if there was a modern-day Moses who was told by God to rewrite the Ten Commandments, and what would they be like now if they were written? Jonathan is interested by the concept, but his students are not. If the Commandments get written, what would the present-day Commandments end up being?
This was a captivating read that had me immersed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are scenes of a graphic sexual nature. Nevertheless, the themes and outcome are just as affecting in the arresting contemporary landscape. Recommended.
Jonathan is hired to teach a Creative Writing class at the local college. Out of nowhere comes the idea of what if there was a modern-day Moses and he heard that God wanted him to rewrite the Commandments now? What would they be if they were written today? Jonathan is intrigued by the idea, his students are skeptical, so sit back, enjoy the journey, and see if the Commandments get written and, if they get written, what the present-day Commandments end up being?
The Box tells the story of Rupert and Lucille; their lives, loves, families, achievements, and failures. Lucille is the last child born to a family of generationally poor dirt farmers, while Rupert is the only child born to multi-billionaire parents. Rupert and Lucille's paths cross due to a confluence of seemingly random events, and, as their business relationship grows, so does their friendship, love, and respect grow for each other. The Box tells how a simple invention has the potential to transform not only their two lives, but the story tells how the invention has the potential to change the lives of thousands of people. Where does it all lead though? Does the invention lead to the good that Rupert first envisioned? Does the invention help Lucille out of her generational poverty? Does the invention help anybody? Or, is the old adage that says, "No good deed goes unpunished," really true?
His journal gives us a unique window into his life, with which we get to watch his successes and failures
as he tries to understand why he is the way he is and repair his broken parts. Seemingly without a solid foundation,
he nevertheless goes forward, and while he is often the only tangible thing he has, he keeps going forward.
This is the story of a man who realizes he is completely broken but decides he wants to fix himself.
Can he do it? Does he have the long-term tenacity for the job? Does he do it?
Finally, after twenty-five years I figured it out, and this is that novel.