124 E. Washington Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
USA
Tonight Literati is excited to welcome author Steven Gillis who will be reading from his new novel Liars
About Liars
Eric McCanus is a novelist with the misfortune of having written his one great book when he was young. Struggling to write more, recently divorced, cynical toward marriage while still missing his ex-wife, Eric becomes convinced that happy relationships are unsustainable. He sets out to prove his theory when he spots a seemingly perfect couple, Cara and Matt, at the market. Convinced that Cara and Matt’s marriage can’t be as successful as it appears, Eric does what he can to break them apart, using his power as a one-time great novelist. What follows is a psychological and philosophical comedy of errors. Liars is an exploration of love, relationships, and human interaction—a madcap romp through the vestiges of modern affairs—revolving around five characters, each spun drunk on the batterings of love while attempting to sustain themselves in a false world.
“Steve Gillis was born to write Liars, the mesmerizing, noirish story of Eric McCanus, a writer, professor, music aficionado, bon vivant. This lyrical, fast-paced novel is chock-full of intrigue, slight paranoia, plans gone awry, and outright mystery. One couple, pushing the same grocery cart, serves as Gillis’s madeleine. And then the reader’s taken on one fun bumpy jolting ride.” — George Singleton, author of Calloustown
“Writers may control the plot on the page, but can they bend real-life to their purposes? In the story of writer and dilettante Eric McManus, Gillis explores the slippery slope between love and commitment, with McManus determined to prove love’s folly by interfering in the marriage of a happy couple. Reminiscent of Pinter and Mamet, Gillis writes a sharp but strangely vulnerable comedy of errors that shows sometimes the ringmaster is really the dancing bear.” —Jen Michalski, author of The Summer She Was Under Water
Steven Gillis is the author of five novels and two short story collections. A founding member of the Ann Arbor Book Festival Board of Directors, and a finalist for the 2007 Ann Arbor News Citizen of the Year, Steve taught writing at Eastern Michigan University. In 2004 Steve founded 826Michigan, a mentoring program for students. In 2006 Steve co-founded Dzanc Books. Steve lives in Ann Arbor with his wife Mary, and two dogs, and regular visits from their kids, Anna and Zach.
