Book interview - Phantom Reunions by Sal Nudo

Please tell us a little about the book

The novel "Phantom Reunions" is about Danielle Walton. All she wants is a relaxing trip to Las Vegas by herself, within the cavernous, anonymous confines of her favorite casino. Meeting a stranger named Lindy Parker isn't part of the plan. But she does meet him, and for one night in Vegas, they experience some laughs and more without a care. But who exactly IS Lindy, and why is he so enamored with his one-night encounter?

While Danielle makes a fast friend in Vegas, her troubled life back home eventually unglues her. When she and her friend Big Al concoct a plan of vengeance against the drugged-out boyfriend who hurts her, Danielle's world is supposed to be right again. But an unforeseen event changes things, and suddenly, with her plan of revenge gone awry, there's no undoing the disaster that was initiated.

Where did the inspiration come from for your book?

A trip to Las Vegas in the early 2000s.

How did you find the experience of writing this book?

It was a learning experience, and I'll just leave it at that. I wish the cover of the book was better.

Did you draw any inspiration from any real life people with any of your characters?

Yes. 

If you could say anything to readers of this  book then what would it be?

Writing fictional books is fun. You get to become other people in various situations and settings, environments you'll likely never experience in real life. It's a hoot to imagine things and then put them on paper.

And while my tales may not reveal the far-ranging worlds a sci-fi writer may create, I've concocted some wide-ranging narratives that have involved danger, violence, and greed. My second novel, "The Millionaire's Cross," is about a run-of-the-mill copywriter in his thirties who suddenly starts killing people for financial gain. I'm all for striving for a huge payday, but geez.

In my third novel, "The Newspaperman," a cast of eerie misfits offer a college town their strange brand of journalism, and the town bites. It's up to the main character to save the day by revealing what constitutes good journalism. The poor guy seems to be the only person alive in Champaign, Illinois, who knows what a solid newspaper used to look like, giving the novella a Twilight Zone feel.  

Both of the main characters in the aforementioned stories have similarities to me, but they're not me--thank God--nor should they be. Again, that's the cool part of authoring--making stuff up with abandon, becoming different people.

But even I look back with some perplexity at my debut novel from early 2005, "Phantom Reunions," mostly because I can't believe a guy like me wrote it. To date, it's probably the richest novel I've written in terms of character development, in-depth settings, and perhaps even plotline. But where was my head at when I wrote this book? Phantom Reunions captures the life of a sexy drugged-out Las Vegas stripper, worlds away from my existence. There's also an on-the-take bouncer and a side story about a few guys who are up to no good on the mean streets of San Diego. I was in my early thirties when I wrote this tale, and it was indeed inspired by a rather unremarkable incident I had in glitzy Las Vegas with friends. Writing about all these sordid folks was an interesting experience, but I'm not sure I could do it now, or if I'd even want to.

Nonetheless, in some ways I'm more proud of "Phantom Reunions" than any book I've written to date. I wish it was available as an e-book so that more people would read it. Those who have read this story have generally said the following: It does a good job of believably immersing you into these people's dark lives, and the surprise in the middle of the story is a genuine jolt. The book is a mix of sweetness, sleaziness, and sadness.

Give "Phantom Reunions" a read and please ignore the God-awful cover. There's some weighty material here, but it's also a bit of a beach read that will take you far, far away from your own life, the way good books do.

Are there plans for more from these characters, or is it a stand alone piece?

It's a standalone piece.

Where can we purchase your book?

Amazon.

Please tell us where readers can connect with you and find out about any new book releases too.

Please connect with me on Twitter at @NudoSal.