Trompe-l'oeil

Trompe-l'oeil: the title of this work is as much a description of the principal female character as it is of the work itself.

Although a work in the genre of "Modern Romance," this novel is unusually explicit -- hence, not for the young. (The target-audience for this novel is female, college-educated [at least], not prudish. No, not prudish!

That said - and given the number of erotic scenes -- this is NOT a work in the genre of 'Erotica.' If there were such a category in Fiction, this work would fall under complicated genre of 'Chick Lit/Modern Romance/ Erotic/ Psychological.

Why? Quite simply because the work is about a modern-day woman who works out her Narcissistic Personality Disorder through sex.

Nothing new there. Tolstoy's Anna did it in ANNA KARENINA. Flaubert's Emma did it in MADAME BOVARY. I know. I've read and critiqued them both.

That said, neither Tolstoy nor Flaubert had the freedom of expression we have today. They may've thought the same thoughts, may've known the same kinds of characters, but the times in which they both lived didn't allow them the same freedom of expression.

We have that now -- for better or for worse.

I've taken advantage of these liberal times to describe something I think borders on an epidemic. I could well be wrong, but I don't think so.

Whether or not I've achieved my objective in describing a modern-day plague is something only you as a reader can decide.

In any case, I invite you to read and decide for yourself -- and very much thank you for the opportunity to present my argument.

I look forward to reading your comments -- be they positive or negative, but at least honest.

Russell