Morgan Parker
Textual Encounters
Synopsis
Katie discovers an unlocked iPhone in the back seat of a taxi. But instead of turning it in to the driver as lost, she decides to keep it for herself.
Outside of the usual clutter you would expect to find on a smartphone, what captures Katie's interest is the single conversation she finds on the phone's secure text messaging service, a three-month dialogue between a woman with an uncertain past named Christine and a single, eligible man named Jake.
From Strangers to Soulmates in 90 Days
What starts out as a message intended for someone else ends up being the beginning of a relationship more powerful than anything Christine or Jake have ever experienced.
But nothing ever turns out to be as good as it initially seems and their histories slowly reveal details and past lovers that threaten to derail their humble quest for love.
Forgotten In The Back Seat of a New York City Taxi
Can Christine and Jake overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles, doubts and secrets that endanger their love?
If so, why would such a relationship get forgotten in the back seat of a New York City taxi?
Presented in a Format Unlike Any Other You Will Find.
Follow Katie as she reads through the 3 months of conversations that form The Christine + Jake Affair and provide the foundation for the Textual Encounters Trilogy.
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Textual Encounters 2
Synopsis
Having found a white iPhone in the back of a New York City cab, Katie orchestrates a "chance" meeting with Jake, the man of her dreams. Knowing more than she lets on, Katie develops a relationship with Jake that ultimately gets captured in text form. And those texts are passed along to the woman that just lost Jake's baby.
As the follow up to Textual Encounters, Textual Encounters: 2 follows Jake's second attempt at finding love... this time with a more manipulative younger woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
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Non Friction
Synopsis
After 12 years, 4 months and 1 and 1/2 weeks of marriage, his wife packs up and leaves with their daughter. So he writes an Indie novel. And it becomes a bestseller. Well, sort of.
His fame brings him the lifestyle of a rockstar, and he has the fan mail (i.e. female undergarments, probably clean) to prove it.
But seeing his fame, his wife suddenly believes in marriage counseling. Their homework: to create something beautiful for each other.
So he writes Our Story, his literary secret-weapon that will win his wife back. But in the process he discovers that true love is more than just ticking the right boxes on a checklist..
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Surviving Goodbye
Synopsis
In the final hours of her life, Elliot Fitch’s wife confesses that he is not the biological father to their 16-year old daughter.
Surviving Goodbye follows Elliot’s collision course with Fate as he embarks on a journey to locate his daughter’s real father. When Elena, now seventeen years old, announces her unplanned pregnancy and the father’s unwillingness to play a role in their child’s upbringing, Elliot faces an ironic dilemma about the true meaning of parenthood and the roles we play in the lives of others, particularly those we love and who love us in return.
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Hope
Synopsis
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Sick Day
Synopsis
Now, three years later, Cam has one day – a sick day on this last Friday of summer – to convince the one woman whose very existence breaths life into his lungs, that sometimes love like theirs actually does exist, and it’s that kind of love that lives forever, no matter how hard you fight to forget about it and move on.
From the author of non friction and Hope, Sick Day follows one man’s day-long attempt to persuade the love of his life that sometimes it’s okay to break promises if it means keeping the ones that count.
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Fun Facts
Author Bio
An Interview with the Author
Interview conducted by The Book Gurus. Follow them on Facebook and check out their Blog.
Interview conducted by The Book Gurus. Follow them on Facebook and check out their Blog.
What inspired you to try your hand at writing?
I’ve always written, from the moment I could string a few words together. Master storytellers like Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Mary Higgins Clark and John Saul were early inspirer's, and as my writing evolved, I began to enjoy the anonymity that authors enjoyed compared to other creative types like actors, singers and so on.
Have you ever regretted the decision?
Not at all. Up until recently, there were no options for writers like me who just weren’t talented enough to secure or even engage the big, traditional publishers. Now that self-publishing (also known as indie publishing) has gained popularity and respect from readers, it’s a lot easier for someone like myself, who writes something “different” to attract and appeal to a relatively large audience. I’m very happy that I kept my “dream” alive over the years.
Textual Encounters is an interesting concept, where did you come up with the idea for this book?
Textual Encounters was inspired by a picture book by Nick Bantock in which two people send post-cards back and forth. Nick’s story was told in the 1980’s, before text messages existed like they do today. It was also inspired by the numerous love stories that I’ve read or seen where two soul mates were separated by distance and had nothing but their words (in the form of love letters, phone calls, etc.) to keep their love alive. I really liked the potential of a love story to develop and build through text messages.
You have said that you never planned on writing “Hope”, what made you change your mind?
When Non Friction was published, I was surprised by the support and reviews. I’ve met hundreds of people thanks to Non Friction, particularly the love story that Morgan Barker writes during the course of that novel. His story is called Our Story, and it was what a lot of readers connected with. They asked me to write more. While writing Sick Day, I decided to give back to my readers and supporters by writing and publishing a “free” ebook about Our Story, except I titled it Hope and used it as a way to introduce Hope from Sick Day, and bridge Non Friction to Sick Day.
In other words, readers and supporters have a huge opportunity to shape the quality of what they read in this indie industry. All they need to do is leave reviews and connect with the authors of their favourite stories. Hope was proof that indie authors do listen, they do care, and they do want to keep their audience happy. I’m not the only one that does this.
You’re next book “Surviving Goodbye” is schedules to come out August 28, the teasers have led me to believe this is a more serious book, is this the case or will we still see some Morgan Parker humor?
I believe that Surviving Goodbye is a serious story (it deals with a serious subject matter, love, loss and survival). But I also believe that Non Friction is a serious story (it dealt with love, loss and survival as well). Unlike Non Friction where the story was largely humorous to an extreme, Surviving Goodbye’s humor shines through in little bursts. There is definitely a lot of humor, but the overarching story seems to take away from that.
(The reality is that I’m a very hilarious individual. I tell myself that… a lot. So, it’s probably just my “voice” coming out in the story, often unintentionally.)
I know this is a tough one, but which ONE of your books is your favourite? I know, I know, it’s like asking a parent who their favourite child is, “They’re all my favourite”. Come on we all know there is always a favourite!
Easily, I would say Surviving Goodbye is my favourite. I’ll even give you a reason: the story is complicated, like real life, without distracting from the raw emotion and motives of the characters. It involves a bit of suspense, which is an area where I enjoy writing. And, like Non Friction in 2013, Surviving Goodbye provides a stepping stone into the next cluster of stories I will publish later in 2014 and early 2015, the kinds of stories that will (hopefully) have readers talking and speculating about the underlying meaning to those novels.
What can we expect to see from you after “Surviving Goodbye”?
I really, really love my pipeline of stories. In late-December 2014, I’m publishing Anna Graham, which is arguably my most-daring novel ever. Yes, it’s a love story, but it’s a twisted, demented and suspicious love story. And then, in February 2015, I’m publishing Violets & Violence, a story about trust, betrayal and the magic of love (or the love of magic, or both).
You seem to have a love for Chicago, what attracts you to that city?
Nobody really cares about Toronto. Chicago is similar to Toronto (climate, on the edge of a Great Lake, financial hub, good food, etc.) except it has a few key differences, including the fact that it’s an American city. More than that, however, is that Chicago is known for its innovation, for driving progress and experimenting in social arenas where others never would. I love citing the Cabrini-Green projects that texted a social-housing theory. The project ended up being one of the most highly publicized sociological errors in history, yet the city evolved (as it always has) and now they’re testing new theories, all for the betterment of humankind. I think that’s wonderful, and I try really hard to push limits and evolve as a writer…
: How has being an author affected your life, both positively and negatively?
I lead a dual-life right now. I’m still deciding whether that is positive or negative.
Ok, let’s get to know you a bit more. If you could talk to anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why?
I would like to speak with Count Laszlo de Almasy (the burnt guy in the English Patient, which I watched for the hundredth time this weekend). I’m curious to know how you can love the way he loved Katharine, and not know that it was reciprocal. I’d love to know how he felt that going crazy would help him win her, I’d love to hear what he thought and felt when he knew she would die, alone, in that cave while he went and sought out help. I would also be interested to hear about how he felt once she told him that she had always loved him and that any potential happiness they could have enjoyed together was wasted on heartache and loss. And then I’d end the conversation/call/whatever, by asking him if he really believed in their love when she chose her husband over him.
If you could live anywhere were would it be?
Los Angeles. I love everything that it is and isn’t.
Where is your favorite vacation spot? Are you a beach, mountain or city guy?
I love Grand Cayman Island; Seven-Mile Beach is one of the most beautiful spots I have ever visited three times. So… definitely a beach guy. I love the salt on my skin, the sand at my feet and the sound of the waves. I’ve never known peace like I have on Grand Cayman…
You have said the happiest moment in your life was marrying your wife (my husband better say that too!). How did your propose to her?
Well, my happiest moment was my wedding day. Marrying her was a little stressful; she was late to the ceremony and I knew she was angry with her mother because, being notoriously late for everything, the one thing she wanted to show up on time for was our wedding.
The proposal looked like this: we had planned a day to the beach. The night before, I escaped to the underground parking and decorated the trunk of our car with silly things like poems and “will you marry me.” When we arrived at the beach the next morning, she opened the trunk and asked who had made the mess in the car – it was windy and she couldn’t read the words because the streamers and stuff were distracting or something. So I dropped to my knee and asked the question – will you marry me? – and she asked “Are you serious?”
I never did get an official “Yes,” or even “I guess I’m free for the rest of my life,” (yes, I wasn’t picky, I would have settled for anything). Ultimately, she showed up, right? And, as far as I know, nobody drugged or bribed her.
Fangirl moments, let’s talk about them. What has been the craziest message you have received from a fan, the most inspiring message and the funniest message you have received.
Craziest – I’m always amazed when someone insists that a story was written about her. Often, I didn’t even know this someone while writing the story. In many cases, I agree with the similarities, then ignore future messages.
Inspiring – Cynthia Heyman left a review for Sick Day that floored me. I still have it and I refer to it often because I hadn’t spoken with her before reading the review and it surprised me that could say such nice things about my writing…
Funniest – Anything from Tara Sivec gets me laughing. She knows it too.
Have you ever gone Fangirl (or fanboy in your case) on anyone? If so who and did they respond to your Fangirl moment?
Usually once a month (or once every two months if she’s lucky) I’ll go fanboy crazy on Tarryn Fisher. She’s inspiring and funny at the same time, she takes time to respond to my silly questions, and, well, she hasn’t blocked me yet or sent her street team to break my nose. So, when the urge arises, I’ll send her a note. I’ll remind her that she has a soft spot for me. I’ll usually ask when she’ll have another “Win a Date With Tarryn Fisher” contest and urge her to open it up to Canadians. And then I wait for a response that usually never comes… (But when they do come, they’re (usually) very kind). She’s awesome.
While walking down the street or in a mall or at a Starbucks has anyone ever said, “Hey are you Morgan Parker?”?
Nope, never. I usually carry a Morgan Parker novel with me, and that helps as a distraction because, surely, no real “author” would carry/read his own novel in public, would he? Also, I don’t wear those blue-rimmed bling glasses in public, so people wouldn’t recognize me.
As a Canadian I expected you to love all things “Tim Horton’s” but alas you are a Starbucks lover, what is it that you love most about Starbucks?
Oh, Tim Horton’s doesn’t make a cappuccino. They have flavoured water, just like McCafe. Starbucks makes a good, generic-tasting cap and they have a handy app on the iPhone that never runs out of money. My favourite cap is by a place called Balzac’s, but since my favourite barista left, I’ve had less of a reason to get there. Wow, where’s my counsellor???
Do you watch Hockey? If so who is your favourite team and player? If no I am revoking your Canadian Passport...just kidding...or am I?
This will sound sappy, but I watch my son’s hockey all the time, and he is my all-time favourite player. I admire his courage, drive and passion. He doesn’t get distracted by the flash or on-ice drama; he shows up, invests 100% each time he laces up his skates, and he doesn’t stop until the final buzzer goes off. And in the spirit of keeping my son happy, I cheer for his favourite hockey team (the Toronto Maple Leafs) and his favourite player (Bernier, their goalie).
Thank you Morgan for sharing and allowing us to get to know you a bit better. It has been a pleasure and I look forward to reading “Surviving Goodbye” as soon as it gets released! Where can people stalk you (in the good way of course) and buy your books?
I suggest people stalk me through my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Morgan-Parker/275520695903188?ref_type=bookmark) as this is where I post most actively or Twitter @mparkerbooks. All of my novels can be purchased through Amazon.
Thank you for having me .
Connect with Morgan
and follow him on Twitter: @mparkerbooks
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