In the bustling City of New York, dreams are the currency of the ambitious. Marla Cameron, a thirty-six-year-old self-made writer, refuses to let anyone define her limits. Today marks the beginning of a transformative journey for Marla as she dives headfirst into the exhilarating world of Off-Broadway theater. But destiny takes an unexpected turn when charismatic fifty-five-year-old Billy Sweeney strides into the audition room, igniting a passion that threatens to consume them both. But as their connection deepens, a new threat looms on the horizon—an invisible force has brought the world to its knees.
The Covid pandemic casts an eerie shadow over their evolving romance, challenging Marla to confront the very core of her existence. Locked within the confines of their home and restricted by the rapidly tightening grip of the outside world, Marla realizes she must do better. In her pursuit of self-discovery, she peels back the layers of her privileged existence, exposing the cracks in her foundation. What if everything she thought she knew was a mere illusion? Who will she become when the world, as she knows it, crumbles? Through intimate prose that captures the essence of resilience, privilege, and the indomitable human spirit, Marla’s story compels us to question our own lives. In this tale of love, self-exploration, and the fragility of our reality, join Marla as she strives to make a difference—a journey that will linger in your heart long after you turn the final page.
About the Author:
Melissa Dorval, author of When You Lose Control, has published in The Offering, The Lowell Connector, The Shirley Volunteer, The Creative Zine, and the inaugural issue of The Sixpence Society Literary Journal. She is also one of the founding members of The New Dawn Writers Group.
Dorval graduated magna cum laude from the University of Massachusetts – Lowell, where best-selling author, Andre Dubus III, served as her mentor. Dorval has wanted to be a writer since an early age and believes an exceptional story is one with an immersive world, a powerful message, and realistic dialogue. She drafts most of her work in Gmail, with each chapter being an email. Dorval feels this method allows her to let the story flow, and then she can use the individual emails to “piece the story together like a quilt.” She credits much of her success to the support of her godmother, Donna, and her best friend, Abby. Dorval hopes her readers will learn to listen to diverse voice and take civil rights seriously.