The Story
The year is 1993. A young pianist is trying to work his way into the Los Angeles music scene. And he is hiding a painful secret.
He is homeless.
Though I hope to have created an engrossing story rich with detail, you won’t find any physical details of the main character. It is for the same reason I kept him nameless. He’s one of the many anonymous, faceless people trying to make it in music and in Hollywood. But he can be described as brilliant, industrious, disciplined, and tenacious.
March 20, 2024
Empress Publications
ebook ASIN B0CYRCVX9J
ISBN-10 : 195717630X
ISBN-13 : 978-1957176307
171 pages
Trim size: 6 x 9 inches
Reviews
“Robert Haus loves music, he loves writing, and he has a huge heart. So it’s no surprise that he melds all three beautifully into this soulful, insightful novel. Homelessness is not understood well by enough people, but you can hear Haus’s compassionate comprehension of its anguish and challenge in every line of this melodic book. Read it — and feel hope.”
Kevin Fagan, “The Lost And The Found”
“Diminished, Resolving to Major” is a well-written novel that takes us into two worlds. We meet “the pianist” (never named), a talented musician, who is trying to make a living and find success in the competitive world of performance and recording while at the same time struggling to keep his head above water as he deals with his own homeless situation. He navigates both worlds, day by day, with dignity, using his multiple talents, inner strength, and ingenuity to tackle whatever comes his way.
Anyone who has witnessed homelessness or is aware of what it’s like to maintain a sense of self while living on the margins of society will appreciate what the pianist is going through. A background in music is helpful but not necessary.
This novel is articulate and timely, and gives us a realistic picture of life for an artist in contemporary society, and how one person can prevail through perseverance, talent, and grit.”
Robert Schoen, “The Rabbi Finds Her Way”
“The musician finds himself homeless in LA, living in his car, ostensibly with only his piano skills and a union card for musical odd jobs. But this story is more MacGyver than a “pull yourself up from your bootstraps” tome, as the pianist relies on his memory, wit, and optimism to build a sturdy foundation to stage his rebound. In one instance, he scours the freeway right of way for cast-off materials and creates a sturdy habitat with an engineer’s eyes for structural detail.
Readers can’t help but cheer as he finds creative ways to advance his struggling career and blunt the hard-hitting obstacles of street living. The author’s kind, unflinching look at homelessness and the pianist’s innovative solutions for addressing his fall from grace will keep readers turning the pages to the end.”
Jeff Weiss, “Fourth And Ape”