My novel Shattered has been described as these two things.

(Shattered), Midwest author (Thomas Cannon), isbn (9781928094791), genre (Dramatic Fiction / Dark Comedy), and character (Mikey Haskell).

This, of course, does not give a complete picture. Yet it is also fairly accurate.

Mikey is a standup because I am interested in standup comedy. I love it and don’t think I could ever do it, so it was great to research it. I wanted to immerse myself and my readers in a world not a lot of people know.

The alienation everyone knows. That was where the story began. I was never in a relationship in high school, so when one came shortly after and then ended in me getting dumped, I took it hard. I never wanted to feel any emotions again.

The other ingredients to the story had their origins in various ways.

Abortion. A woman I had a brief fling with asked me a question (I think it was on the day we met). How would you feel if a woman wanted to have an abortion and it was your baby. That question bothered me 30 years ago and I don’t think I know the answer. I support a woman’s choice and it is their body. I don’t think a man can decide. And yet it is their child. I would be devastated.

Another ingredient was Surfacing by Margarete Atwood. A novel where a woman believes she is turning into a creature. Which goes back to alienation and not wanting to be hurt. The avoidance of it takes many forms.

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