Passages

Mary Clark

The 1970s. Anything goes. Sexual liberation. New ideas on how to live. Being young in the city, searching for identity and love and the most amazing life possible – that was the story of many back then. They were trailblazers.

In Passages, Martin's coming of age in New York City reflects the greater panorama of people seeking freedom of expression. He is an aspiring writer who explores the tangled topics of love, sex, gender, social change, and an alternative lifestyle. He lives within his male and female identities which fuel his dreams and fantasies. Martin's family history of violence, his mental instability, and a friend’s death spur him to escape suburban life. In the city, he meets Simone, an actress on Broadway. In a strange first encounter a new self is revealed to him. He struggles to nourish this independent self as he engages in two volatile relationships. Rafaela, who works in a Times Square restaurant, tests his ability to grow beyond his past experiences. Rafaela is pragmatic, driven. Simone is on her way to a legendary career. What will Martin do with the gifts and burdens life has given him?

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2023