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Crescendo: A Community of Writers
A Community of Writers is a literary magazine by writers and for writers. The Writer’s Circle publishes innovative voices, including poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. This collection, inspired by the COVID-19 Pandemic, explores the theme of silence and sound. Authors
Ammiel Alcalay,
C. Joy Lisonbee,
Michael Gigandet,
Ryan Harper,
Carlo Rey Lacsamana,
Douglas Cole,
Marguerite Schneider,
A.J. Huffman,
Craig Nix,
John Brantingham,
Mary E. Cronin,
Mishele Maron,
Allan Lake,
Brent MacKinnon,
Steven L. Peck,
Paul Backalenick,
Judith Taylor,
Iryna Savchyn,
Roberta Gould,
Jennifer Stewart.
Ammiel Alcalay,
C. Joy Lisonbee,
Michael Gigandet,
Ryan Harper,
Carlo Rey Lacsamana,
Douglas Cole,
Marguerite Schneider,
A.J. Huffman,
Craig Nix,
John Brantingham,
Mary E. Cronin,
Mishele Maron,
Allan Lake,
Brent MacKinnon,
Steven L. Peck,
Paul Backalenick,
Judith Taylor,
Iryna Savchyn,
Roberta Gould,
Jennifer Stewart.
105 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 7, 2024
1 person is currently reading
About the author
Paul Backalenick
4 books6 followersI am the author three novels, currently working on a fourth.
My current project is set in 19th century Ukraine. It is a fictionalized tale of my father’s ancestors. In 1893, his father immigrated to the United States at age eight with my great-grandmother. But this is the story of what it was like back there, in Ukraine, before they left. The book will explore the historical realities of that time and place. It is a tale of a Jewish family in a land that no longer wanted them.
My three earlier books are all tales of psychological suspense. They include families and individuals in peril, usually as a result of the choices they have made. Together, these three novels comprise my “Twisted Roads Series.” We all travel many roads through life. Some roads lead us straight to worthy destinations. Others bring us pain and guilt. We don't always know which road we are on ahead of time, or even as we travel down it. When some of my characters discover they are on dangerous roads, knowing doesn’t necessarily change their direction. Are they hell-bent on self-destruction or blinded by greed or lust? Some characters choose crime even with its attendant risks. Others struggle with addictions or follow a path someone else has laid out for them. Throughout this series, bad choices abound, moral decisions arise, and consequences result.
The real question is why do people make bad decisions? What twisted logic leads any of us to choose a bad road or stay on one once we recognize it is wrong? Is it out of convenience, familiarity, hope, or misguided loyalty? Certainly psychological factors such as family dynamics come into play and I explore these connections.
The last in the series is EMPTY LUCK. In this story, a greedy man and his naive younger brother contend with a dangerous Mafia captain, from whom the older brother secretly stole money. The book raises questions of moral ambiguity. For example, is it ever right to steal from someone who shows no regard for your life, who is willing to have you die to benefit his own selfish interests? Is falling for a prostitute a sin for a Catholic boy? And does addiction excuse harming those who love you?
My earlier novel, CARRIE'S SECRET, was praised by Kirkus Reviews as a “riveting, addictive story,” in which a teenage psychiatric patient bears a terrible secret. Her fear of revealing it may destroy her family and send the wrong man to prison for life. It is at times a dark tale, but ultimately it is an uplifting story of human strength and survival.
The first novel in the series, DEVELOPMENT, follows a dysfunctional suburban family as the father tries to pull off a risky real estate deal and the mother over-manages her young daughter’s modeling career.
Regarding my background, I majored in Psychology at Brown University and then worked in psychiatric facilities, information technology strategy consulting, and lastly, Internet entrepreneurship. I have been writing novels since 2013.
Born and raised in New England, I live now in New York City with my wife, artist Karen Loew.
My current project is set in 19th century Ukraine. It is a fictionalized tale of my father’s ancestors. In 1893, his father immigrated to the United States at age eight with my great-grandmother. But this is the story of what it was like back there, in Ukraine, before they left. The book will explore the historical realities of that time and place. It is a tale of a Jewish family in a land that no longer wanted them.
My three earlier books are all tales of psychological suspense. They include families and individuals in peril, usually as a result of the choices they have made. Together, these three novels comprise my “Twisted Roads Series.” We all travel many roads through life. Some roads lead us straight to worthy destinations. Others bring us pain and guilt. We don't always know which road we are on ahead of time, or even as we travel down it. When some of my characters discover they are on dangerous roads, knowing doesn’t necessarily change their direction. Are they hell-bent on self-destruction or blinded by greed or lust? Some characters choose crime even with its attendant risks. Others struggle with addictions or follow a path someone else has laid out for them. Throughout this series, bad choices abound, moral decisions arise, and consequences result.
The real question is why do people make bad decisions? What twisted logic leads any of us to choose a bad road or stay on one once we recognize it is wrong? Is it out of convenience, familiarity, hope, or misguided loyalty? Certainly psychological factors such as family dynamics come into play and I explore these connections.
The last in the series is EMPTY LUCK. In this story, a greedy man and his naive younger brother contend with a dangerous Mafia captain, from whom the older brother secretly stole money. The book raises questions of moral ambiguity. For example, is it ever right to steal from someone who shows no regard for your life, who is willing to have you die to benefit his own selfish interests? Is falling for a prostitute a sin for a Catholic boy? And does addiction excuse harming those who love you?
My earlier novel, CARRIE'S SECRET, was praised by Kirkus Reviews as a “riveting, addictive story,” in which a teenage psychiatric patient bears a terrible secret. Her fear of revealing it may destroy her family and send the wrong man to prison for life. It is at times a dark tale, but ultimately it is an uplifting story of human strength and survival.
The first novel in the series, DEVELOPMENT, follows a dysfunctional suburban family as the father tries to pull off a risky real estate deal and the mother over-manages her young daughter’s modeling career.
Regarding my background, I majored in Psychology at Brown University and then worked in psychiatric facilities, information technology strategy consulting, and lastly, Internet entrepreneurship. I have been writing novels since 2013.
Born and raised in New England, I live now in New York City with my wife, artist Karen Loew.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 30, 2025
A wonderful and varied collection of poetry, translations, and short stories (one of which is mine). I'm biased because I am one of the editors of this compilation, but I enjoyed all the work here. The writing comes from writers in the United States and around the world. This sampling of diverse stories and sentiments is available on Amazon. I urge everyone who enjoys good writing to order a copy.
Displaying 1 of 1 review