About the Book:
In Take the Lively Air, a minor traffic collision escalates into a confrontation between two families haunted by their pasts and apprehensive of their futures. Rage and regret butt heads against the background of America’s toxic cultural climate. But saner voices discover that human frailties are best viewed through the microscope of compassion, and our common humanity must be acknowledged to make way for our futures.
Reviews:
“Take the Lively Air is a powerful tale of overlapping lives, the intersection of past and present, and ghosts who reside all too easily in the hearts of the living. In the course of a single day, strangers become both friends and enemies…Bennett gives us a fine novel that shows how compassion triumphs over rage, and kindness always saves the day.” — Anne Leigh Parrish, author of an open door and A Summer Morning
“Take the Lively Air is a thoughtful and realistic portrait of modern families. Bennett is unafraid to take on tough and touchy subjects with empathy and honesty. With prose as vibrant as its New Jersey beach setting, the simmering tension will have readers flipping pages. More than a family drama, it’s an examination of the complexities of excavating buried grief and regret, and a map for how to move forward.” — Meagan Lucas, author Songbirds and Stray Dogs, and Editor-in-Chief of Reckon Review.
“Crafted with just the right details, understated humor, and empathy, Take the Lively Air is a simple yet startling novel…Mr. Bennett reminds us that everybody has a story, and that some of those stories lead to healing.” — Jay Kristensen Jr, author
Purchase Links:
Author Interview:
1: Tell us a little about yourself and what got you into writing?
I’m a retired teacher/adjunct living in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania with my wife and a golden retriever. We have two grown children. I first became interested in writing when I was in high school and read Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises.
2: Do you have a favourite time and place where you write?
I have a table down in our basement I use. Mornings are generally my time to write.
3: Where do your ideas come from?
Incidents I imagine or witness. My experiences and the people I’ve known.
4: Do you have a plan in your head of where the story is going before you start writing or do you let it carry you along as you go?
For flash fiction, which is the type of short fiction I write, I have some idea. In my novels I let the characters take me where they want to go.
5: What genre are your books and what drew you to that genre?
My novels are literary fiction. In other words, character-based fiction.
6: What dream cast would you like to see playing the characters in your latest book?
In my newest novel I would cast Eliot Gould (when he was 50), Barbara Stanwyck (again at 50) and a 12 year old Danny Bonaduce.
7: Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors?
I read constantly. My favorite authors are the American writers between the world wars (Steinbeck, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, etc.) Also Flannery O’Connor, Raymond Carver, James Baldwin, Walt Whitman.
8: What book/s are you reading at present?
The Year of the Monster by Tara Stillions Whithead and re-reading Faulkner’s Light in August.
9: What is your favourite book and why?
Raymond Carver’s collection of short stories Where I’m Calling From. I love his short fiction.
10: What advice would you give for someone thinking about becoming a writer?
Have a successful day job, and make sure you read everything.
11: What are the best Social Media Sites for people to find out about you and your work?
Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelbennet29
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mickbennettauthor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authormickbennett
About the Author:
Mick Bennett is from Belmar, New Jersey. Bennett attended Gettysburg College, and after graduation in 1975, found a job at a high school 15 miles from Gettysburg where he taught for 33 years. Bennett is the author of four books: Missing You in Belmar NJ, Summer Mirrors, Boardwalk Man, and Beat the Blues.
Reading Nook 