Only The Lonely Are Free: A Novel - Softcover

Kincaid, Tim

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798711575641

Publisher: Independently published, 2021

Synopsis

This is a composite novel, ONLY THE LONELY ARE FREE. (174,000 words).It’s 1967. Joe Mc Caslin is a young man that starts his adult life looking for a way to be presentable, a way to have a long meaningful relationship with a desirable woman in this Midwestern city. Step one: complete his bachelor’s degree and then on law school. He is determined to plod through as far as he can but obstacles such as heavy drinking and keeping a part time job make the task overwhelming. He manages to get through the first two years enjoying the education but finding exams to be stressful. In the middle of his junior year, it all comes to a halt. The university suspends him for sub-par grades. With the Vietnam War still raging, he goes from one stressful situation to another. Alas, Joe has also flunked the draft lottery, coming up with a very low 36. The separation from the university launches him into a fatalistic spirit; he decides to join the Army for two years, fulfilling his military obligation.Later in Joe Mc Caslin’s life, he opts for the merchant marine, not having any desire for the corporate scene. Along the way, he meets Penelope, an Ophelia-like character. He becomes instantly infatuated. Joe doesn’t take it seriously due to a big age difference. Fate, however, continually shoves beautiful Penelope into his path. An uncanny series of coincidences follow over the next decade making her impossible to resist, not unlike Ulysses and the Sirens; however, there is no ship’s crew to fasten Joe to the mast. To complicate things, a young self-absorbed lawyer and plain dealing villain enters the story, injecting threatening poison-pen letters into this fragile acquaintance.I am a retired merchant marine officer with over thirty years at sea, a B.A. in history, and Army veteran. I am more than able to lend proper authenticity to this fiction. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Edition details

• Publisher: Independently published
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798711575641
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 294