Author Michael Schulze Writes a Novel About Schizophrenia - from the Schizophrenic's Point of View
Boston, MA, January 15, 2023 --(PR.com)-- Author Michael Schulze has published a second novel that takes the “What Is Reality?” question to a new extreme. In "The Fictionalizer," which will appeal to both readers of literary fiction and science fiction buffs, the very unreliable narrator, a high-technology executive named Waldo Stanton, takes a frightening but revelatory journey from Manhattan to Los Angeles in the last two months of 1999.
Waldo suffers from paranoid schizophrenic psychosis, and his condition has been worsened by his psychiatrist, who has his own strange agenda. Following some life-changing and traumatizing incidents, Waldo heads west to confront the person he suspects is responsible: Richard Light, the CEO of a shadowy, Hollywood-based corporate empire that owns his company.
Light seeks to perfect a drug called “the Fictionalizer,” which could purportedly modify reality itself. As Waldo travels cross country, he invades several of Light’s heavily guarded office buildings to uncover information about the development effort.
But as the narrative progresses, questions arise: How much of this journey is “fact,” how much “fiction”? Who is who in the world of Waldo’s multiple personalities? Will Waldo find Light? Will the Fictionalizer work? If so, what will Light do with it?
And what will happen then?
“Why did I write this novel?” Schulze says. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure when I started. But then, when I understood that my main character was a deeply conflicted schizophrenic, I realized that I could do some tremendous things with point of view. Then I had to wrestle over structure, until I found that I could combine third-person passages, which provide the bedrock of the story, with Waldo’s first-person accounts, which can’t be trusted – not even by him – but show that he’s a relatable, passionate, and likable human being. I’m not aware of any other novel or film that takes this approach. In any case, it works for this book. The result is the best story I’ve written so far. This is a fast-paced, page-turning, very readable tale with a killer ending, in my opinion.”
Born and raised in the U.S. Midwest, Michael Schulze earned an MA in English and moved to Boston where he played rock and roll in clubs. At this time, he began expanding his first novel, Love Song (available on Kindle), which he wrote on the second floor of the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore in Paris. Later, he received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and ITT (via the Fulbright program), both of which helped him write early drafts of "The Fictionalizer."
Schulze served for many years as Vice President of Editorial Services for the H.W. Wilson publishing company, where he managed about 200 people in New York and Dublin. He also helped launch the business and technology magazine World Tour, served as Senior Editor for Robb Report, and taught many young writers.
"The Fictionalizer," published in December 2022, is available on Amazon.com for $4.99 (a special Kindle ebook promotional price), $19.95 (paperback), and $29.95 (hardcover). It’s also available via Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, and Google Play.
Contact Michael at michaelschulze46@gmail.com.
Note to Media:
Michael Schulze is available for interviews.
Contact him at the above email address or at 978-621-1534.
Waldo suffers from paranoid schizophrenic psychosis, and his condition has been worsened by his psychiatrist, who has his own strange agenda. Following some life-changing and traumatizing incidents, Waldo heads west to confront the person he suspects is responsible: Richard Light, the CEO of a shadowy, Hollywood-based corporate empire that owns his company.
Light seeks to perfect a drug called “the Fictionalizer,” which could purportedly modify reality itself. As Waldo travels cross country, he invades several of Light’s heavily guarded office buildings to uncover information about the development effort.
But as the narrative progresses, questions arise: How much of this journey is “fact,” how much “fiction”? Who is who in the world of Waldo’s multiple personalities? Will Waldo find Light? Will the Fictionalizer work? If so, what will Light do with it?
And what will happen then?
“Why did I write this novel?” Schulze says. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure when I started. But then, when I understood that my main character was a deeply conflicted schizophrenic, I realized that I could do some tremendous things with point of view. Then I had to wrestle over structure, until I found that I could combine third-person passages, which provide the bedrock of the story, with Waldo’s first-person accounts, which can’t be trusted – not even by him – but show that he’s a relatable, passionate, and likable human being. I’m not aware of any other novel or film that takes this approach. In any case, it works for this book. The result is the best story I’ve written so far. This is a fast-paced, page-turning, very readable tale with a killer ending, in my opinion.”
Born and raised in the U.S. Midwest, Michael Schulze earned an MA in English and moved to Boston where he played rock and roll in clubs. At this time, he began expanding his first novel, Love Song (available on Kindle), which he wrote on the second floor of the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore in Paris. Later, he received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and ITT (via the Fulbright program), both of which helped him write early drafts of "The Fictionalizer."
Schulze served for many years as Vice President of Editorial Services for the H.W. Wilson publishing company, where he managed about 200 people in New York and Dublin. He also helped launch the business and technology magazine World Tour, served as Senior Editor for Robb Report, and taught many young writers.
"The Fictionalizer," published in December 2022, is available on Amazon.com for $4.99 (a special Kindle ebook promotional price), $19.95 (paperback), and $29.95 (hardcover). It’s also available via Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Scribd, and Google Play.
Contact Michael at michaelschulze46@gmail.com.
Note to Media:
Michael Schulze is available for interviews.
Contact him at the above email address or at 978-621-1534.
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