About In The Dark
Unfolding against a backdrop of violence plaguing the city, In The Dark offers a warm embrace of home. But in Savannah, just like any close-knit community where everyone knows everyone else, a multitude of secrets abound.
Kara Gold struggles to reconcile her aspirations with the narrow expectations of her ultra-orthodox Jewish parents.
Confronted with her partner’s dementia diagnosis Mary Ellis elicits help from Kara’s roommate, Peter Adano, an out of work musician.
A single parent and African American burlesque dancer, Felicia Price relies on her mother’s support while dreaming of college and a professional dance career. Becoming involved with a successful businessman, she fantasizes he is the ticket to a better life. Unfortunately he’s deeply in debt. As his tension escalates he takes it out on her.
Excerpts
"A sign with a black comb and scissors painted directly on a window said, Houston’s Barbershop. And underneath, in smaller letters, William Houston, Proprietor. A red, white and blue barber pole accompanied the lettering. The shop seemed open; Dylan stopped in. Between customers, the barber dozed in the middle one of his three barber chairs. Awakened by the rattle of the metal bell, his alert for incoming traffic, he appeared briefly cheered by the prospect of a paying customer. On second glance, he eyed Dylan’s dreads with suspicion."
"He imagined the prayer meetings, the call and response between the preacher and the congregation. When he heard the preacher ask, 'Can I get a witness?' Dylan smelled the comforting scent of freshly ironed cotton clothing. Large handsome women in white dresses cooled themselves with paper fans decorated with ads for local funeral homes. Children who’d much rather be playing outside, squirmed on metal folding chairs, and were reminded by their attentive mothers to sit up straight and quit that fidgeting."
"The crowded coffee shop is full of post-Farmer’s Market customers enjoying lazy Saturday morning brunch and conversation. A long line of people waiting to order food and drinks snakes through the table area. The Bean is noisy with chatter and baristas’ shouts of: 'Iced chai with soy milk, mango-strawberry smoothie at the bar.' SCAD students, couples with babies and toddlers, and older regulars mix with tourists in the popular hangout."
Acknowledgements
Writing a novel is lonely work. That’s why I look forward to Wednesday mornings when my writers’ group meets. In a living room, on a front porch, or at The Foundery coffee shop, their incisive but supportive critiques are a lifeline; without them, In The Dark, wouldn’t exist. Hats off to Charlotte Getz, Kimberly Evans, Helen Bradley and Beverly Willett for warm friendship and sage advice.
I started writing fiction after becoming a volunteer Writing Fellow for the Deep Young Author Project. An award-winning, local non-profit, Deep uses creative writing to promote literacy among public school students. In helping kids be better writers, I became one myself.
Thanks to friends and astute critics, Debbie and Matt Pallai, for detailed feedback, and ferreting out errors. Any remaining ones are my responsibility. Lynn Evansohn, L.C.S.W. provided expertise on the effects of sexual abuse on children. Thanks to Paul Rockwell whose hilarious rendition of his adventures inspired parts of the story, and to Marquice Williams for permission to represent himself and SpitFire.
Kudos to Maxine Patterson, for graciously letting me include her in the story. Her plans to retire are completely a figment of my imagination.
My appreciation to Kristin Russell and Claren Jamerson for cooking up community at The Sentient Bean, a home away from home for myself and many fellow Savannahians.
And to Betsy Bull who was kind enough to tackle formatting the book for publication.
Finally, many thanks to my daughter, Emily Earl, for her support, graphic design and author photo.