Michael R. French discusses his latest book.

"Cliffhanger: Jump Before You Get Pushed"

In 2030, viruses, spy drones, terrorism, and joblessness have eroded American optimism. People want something to believe in.  As demonstrated in a Midwest high school election, politics have taken on the inflexibility and dogma of a new religion. Only true believers will survive and prosper. Or so they think.



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​Date: January 10th
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Time: 4pm

Link: https://beastlybooks.com/project/virtual-author-event-michael-french/

Pass the envelope.  And the winner is…the voter.  
Specifically, millions  of new voters, many of whom were in their teens and twenties, stormed the barricades. The #neveragain and other movements of the last four years were great motivators.  In my generation, most of us didn’t vote  until our thirties, if  then, finally figuring out that politics matter.  So what was different this time?    

CLIFFANGER is a novel taking place in 2030.  What are you saying about how America might be changing?
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In my view, after owning the 20th Century, America  began to lose its way…  starting with 9/11. The terrorist  assaults on the twin towers, the Pentagon, and the aborted attack on the White House, were the wellspring of mixed national feelings: xenophobia,  insecurity, paranoia, conspiracy theories, and the us-against-them polarization of tribalism.  Many of us waited for these fears to dissipate,  to return to common sense, but they only  grew stronger. If the damage to our country’s identity and self-esteem  was an earthquake, I would say that September 11  was a nine out of ten on the Richter Scale.  No matter who wins on Nov 3,  the aftershocks will  still  keep coming.  

Until now, I have never rewritten a previously published novel of mine, never changed a jacket design or a title, and never envisioned how an extensively revised story could be more provocative than the original.