Much of what appears on the surface of Outside In is a mask concealing a much deeper and sometimes opposite meaning. Although some of the events are similar to those in my life, everything that happens in Outside In is there for a reason and has many layers of meaning. Setting Outside In at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island in the middle of Lake Erie might seem to those who know about my background as a connection to my roots. But despite growing up merely fourteen miles away from the island in the Lake Erie coastal town of Port Clinton, I never spent much time at Put-in-Bay in my formative years except for twice. The first was a sixth grade safety patrol spring field trip rewarding us for our service in which I remember only the waves being so high on the ferry ride back, I questioned I would ever leave firm ground again. The second was a rainy, chilly day after high school when a girlfriend and I snuck over to her family’s summer condo to be alone without the fear of parents pulling in the driveway and sparking the frantic search for clothes followed by the transparent facade of composure that nothing was going on when they entered.
Not until I left Port Clinton for college at Miami University, came back to teach junior high math for a year, then left again to teach in St. Louis, and I had the serendipity of connecting with a bunch of Put-in-Bay workers on a trip to Key West that I found my way back to South Bass Island. Despite my mathematics background, I guess I never learned the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. It was during the several summers I spent there while teaching in St. Louis during the school year that the contrast, mystery and beauty of the island resonated with me. I remember standing on the porch of the Round House, the very one described in the story, as golf carts buzzed by and people flowed through the park with the lake shimmering in the background that I thought, This would be the perfect setting for a literary novel.
Using an island as a setting in a novel is nothing new. The unique attributes of isolation, finite resources, and the influence of water have made islands a popular choice in novels ranging from Robinson Crusoe to Treasure Island to Lord of the Flies. Islands are recognized as a microculture and place for escape, transformation, or sometimes even exile and punishment. The archetype of the island is one buried deep in the psyche often representing the earth’s mandala and a symbol of unification of self. In Outside In, South Bass Island plays all these parts at times. But more than just a backdrop of where the action happens, the island serves as another character in the story, one that inspires, guides, challenges, and even levies consequences.
But why this island? Why choose to set the story at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island in Ohio? Two unique factors set this island apart from all others and make it the perfect setting for a story about a teacher, who is fleeing from the haunting death of a student due to a drug overdose, becoming lost in a haze of excess and instant gratification. These attributes are, one, the contrast to the classic Manifest Destiny theme and, two, the Battle of Lake Erie history. By starting the journey of the protagonist in St. Louis, known as the Gateway to the West, but rather than forging west in search of a better life, he delves deeper into the middle of the country, it is a direct contrast to the concept of Manifest Destiny. With minimal external unexplored land and frontier remaining, the character’s path represents the need to look deeper in oneself to find the answers to problems and that dreams don’t lie on the horizon; they lie within.
The Battle of Lake Erie history, however, is the main reason why South Bass Island was chosen over all others. It was there that Oliver Hazard Perry led a decisive naval battle in the War of 1812 which secured the North shore for the US forces and established peace between US, Canada, and Great Britain. Commemorating the victory, which celebrated its bicentennial on September 10, 2013, stands the world’s tallest Doric column at 352 ft (107m) known as Perry’s Monument. The monument, which is the setting of many scenes in the novel, serves as a protective and comforting figure. It represents the conflict that took place there so long ago with Perry sending his famous message to William Henry Harrison following the battle, “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”, but it is also symbolic of the inner struggles the characters are having and contrasts the difficulty in the modern search for identity of knowing exactly who the enemy is.
Stay connected to this website or follow me on Facebook @ByCooper, on Twitter @ByCoop, or on Instagram @dougiecoop for more deeper looks at aspects of Outside In.
For those of you in the Northern Ohio area, several new book signing events to be announced for mid-March in the Toledo, Sandusky, and Cleveland area at Books A Million stores. More info on the individual events in the coming week. Hope to see you!
If you’re in the downtown Vegas area on March 19, come hang out at Rachel’s Kitchen in the Ogden at 150 Las Vegas Blvd. N., #160, Las Vegas, NV 89101 from 5-7. I’ll be giving an author talk and signing books and also giving a special sneak preview of the The Investment Club, which is based in downtown Las Vegas. Books are on sale there now and will be available at the vent. Food and drinks from their delicious menu will also be served for hungry and thirsty fellow word nerds. Hope to see you!
The Fussy Librarian has featured the Outside Inebook in its daily newsletter to its subscribers for the low price of $2.99. The Fussy Librarian is your personal librarian that helps find books matching your unique interest and content preferences. If you want to receive these special deals delivered to your inbox, join for free today.
Sunday morning. A day of worship and prayer. We rush to our sacred space, full of optimism and faith. It’s a new beginning. We have learned from last week’s transgressions and developed a new strategy and plan. We seek more than salvation. We want growth; we want gain. The promised bounty awaits … as long as we choose wisely. We just have to get there on time. It is not the disapproving looks of parishioners we are trying to avoid if we are late — we have to get our bets in on time. The church forgives; the sportsbook doesn’t.
Inside, a bouquet of cigarettes, cologne and simmering hot dogs envelops us. We scan the others gathered here today. Based on the held glances and nods, we know it is more than the financial allure of parlaying an entertainment source into an income supplement or a life-changing windfall that brought us here. It is the opportunity to make connections and build rapport with friends, colleagues and even strangers, to be in a congregation where everyone is accepted and all opinions are heard.
The monitors stare back at us. They are windows to our future and will show us our fate. We stand aghast before the twinkling board. The letters and numbers blur together, flashing like stars. Our adrenalin surges. Sweat pushes through, adding to the scent swirling around us. We dig out our play sheet, deciphering our notes to match the patterns gleaming from above.
At the counter, the indifferent stare of the ticket writer shakes our resolve. We lower our eyes to our wrinkled play sheet and speak the language of this hallowed place. His fingers dance over the keys, culminating in a dollar total. We remove the sweat-damp wad of bills buried in our pocket and straighten the requested total, pushing it forward like an offering. In return we receive a solitary slip of white paper. Satisfaction shoots through us. We nod in appreciation. This is the one. With a single wager we are no longer just a spectator. We have a role in the drama about to unfold.
The game starts. We savor each play. Every twist and turn is an affirmation of our choice or a conspiracy to steal our boon. Of course we want the money, but more than anything we want to be right, to watch the scenario we professed come to fruition, to puff our chest out and say, “I told you so.” Only seconds remain. We move closer to the screen, as if we could help if needed. A sudden reversal transpires. Our probability plummets. The monitor confirms the unfortunate outcome. Our head slumps forward in defeat. We steady ourselves and rise with humility and grace. The cheers of those who only moments ago were losers remind us that one person’s bad beat is another’s luck box cover. We raise our eyes to the heavens and search the board.
For a limited time, all ebooks for Kindle, Nook, and iBooks are on special for $2.99 during the holidays. That’s less than your grande, half-caff, triple, three-pump, nonfat, sugar-free, extra whip, caramel macchiato. Don’t have an ereader? Download their apps for your PCs or mobile devices.
After all the days and ways and games we played,
I covered my heart and closed my mind.
Walking in the rain, hiding from the pain,
I kept searching for someone to blame.
With so much lying and desperate trying,
I avoided the truth buried deep inside
That under all the layers and hopeful prayers
We were both afraid to be the one who cares.
So even after leaving, I kept believing.
Ignored my head and trusted the feeling
Despite our fearful plotting, no way I’m stopping.
We might be lost but not forgotten.
If you’re looking for an event to recharge after the weekend and jump start your week, come out to Stories – Books & Cafe in LA at 1716 West Sunset Blvd on Monday, September 30th at 7:30. Appearing with James Lough, the author of the multi-faceted portrait of the iconic Chelsea Hotel, This AIN’T NO HOLIDAY INN: Down and Out at the Chelsea Hotel 1980-1995, Cooper will drill down beneath the superficial exterior of Outside Inand provide a deeper look at the elements that make up his modern parable of excess and instant gratification.Break free from the couch, grab a friend, and enjoy a unique evening of past & present, non-fiction & fiction from two different authors on the patio at Stories.
For those in the LA area, Cooper will be at the West Hollywood Book Fair on September, 29th. Jerry Stahl, Mark Haskell Smith, and he will be on a panel from 2:00-3:00 called Side Effects: Drugs in Fiction. Come out and enjoy the 12th edition of this special festival in West Hollywood Park featuring literature, art, music, performance and community in an eclectic presentation.
Combining literature and fashion, Beau Brummel, the innovative European specialty men’s boutique in the heart of SoHo in New York City will be hosting a book event for Outside In on October 23rd from 6:30-8:30. Cooper will discuss elements of the novel and how fashion and identity are connected, read a few passages, and do a signing. Wine and other refreshments to be provided. Books will be available for purchase. Don’t miss this special event in such a chic setting.
