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The Room - Ray Melnik
The Room
Ray Melnik
ISBN: 1589615425
PageFree Publishing, Inc.
Reviewed By Janet Peterson
Apex Reviews Rating:
"It was quiet in the room for awhile, but Harry could hear his brother still turning in bed.
'Malcolm. Can't you sleep?' Harry asked.
'I'm trying to, but I keep waking up. I was thinking about something, Harry. Daniel's family believes in God. They say he watches over people. Do you think it's true?'
'Not over us, Malcolm.'"
And so childhood goes for brothers Harry and Malcolm Ladd: victims of an extremely abusive father whose rage spares neither them nor their mother, for years forced to rely only on each other for the emotional, physical, and even financial support they need to endure a harsh reality that's theirs by inheritance alone. Faced with daily onslaughts of flying insults, food, and fists, ultimately the only solace that either boy can find is the safe haven of the closet located in their mother's room, momentarily insulated from their father's endless tirades.
As an unfortunate consequence, as time – and the abuse – goes on, the boys grow apart. Even more unfortunate is that Malcolm, the younger of the two, in his constant struggles to understand the reasons behind his father's violent behavior, ultimately blames his mother for allowing the abuse to continue. Despite Harry's best efforts to preserve his relationship with Malcolm, his younger brother eventually severs all family ties and moves on with his life as if he never knew his father, mother, or brother at all.
Thus, the stage is set for Harry, The Room's protagonist, as he struggles through one trial after another: overcoming his abusive childhood, he marries the successful, well-off Sarah – only to see his marriage crumble due to irreconcilable differences. The worst result of this? He loses custody of his precious daughters, Kaela and Lainey, who mean more to him than anything else in the world. And as if things couldn't get any worse, his mother is soon diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, coupled with a worsening dementia that rivals that of the worst Alzheimer's patients. You'd think that having to endure such setbacks would strengthen Harry's resolve, even making him a religious man, seeking God for peace & understanding amidst all the chaos in his life – but not so. Harry is a lifelong atheist, and he makes no secret of his disdain for organized religion. Witness an amusing exchange he has one afternoon with two Bible-thumping women on a scouting mission in his neighborhood:
"Harry: 'How do you know what your God thinks? Because someone told you? I plan to live my life the best I can and then make way for my children, and hopefully grandchildren to have their time.'
Woman: 'It sounds like you hate God.'
Harry: 'I don't believe in your god. Why would I hate him? What I hate is being cornered by his sales people.'"
In fact, even though his mood isn't normally upbeat, Harry remains resolved that things simply are the way that they're meant to be, and that, for good or for bad, people make way too much of trying to assign particular (divine) value to things. And his life soon goes on the upswing as he begins a promising relationship with Lacie, a remarkably sweet, supportive, and loving young woman in her own right. So, his renewed outlook on life bolsters him as he faces the onset of the inevitable, visiting his mother regularly and routinely humoring her during her delusions, comforting her for her own peace of mind – until his final visit to her before she dies: from the moment he arrives at the house, he senses something isn't quite right, and as soon as he steps foot in her room to spend what will be his final moments with her, his reality is suddenly transformed by a force the likes of which he cannot deny…what exactly it is or where exactly it comes from, though, remains a mystery…
For anyone who has ever wondered about the real psychological and emotional effects of domestic violence, The Room couldn't do a better job of highlighting its tragic truth in heart-breaking detail. The true genius, though, of Melnik's tale lies in the seamless way he intermarries cold scientific theory with the warmth of healing's redemptive power. In a refreshing twist, Melnik cleverly conveys a caveat that should serve as a clarion call for us all: even our most precious beliefs about life are always subject to revision – no matter how convinced we may be that things never change – and Harry's personification of this process is at the same time subtle and stirring.
A compelling read, very well written and crafted, The Room will surprise you with just how long its true message lingers well after you've put it down.
Official Apex Reviews Interview - Ray Melnik (The Room)
Apex Reviews: Ray, thanks so much for allowing us to review The Room, as well as for joining us for this interview. We greatly appreciate it.
Ray Melnik: Thank you.
AR: One of the most powerful features of the The Room is its very real depiction of domestic violence - especially its stinging aftereffects. How were you able to so accurately reflect the realities of an abusive home?
RM: I think it comes from a hyperactive sense of empathy. While most people see a news story of a child molested and then murdered, they seem to be able to put it away and move on. For me, not that it consumes, but it re-enters my mind for months or some times years. With the aftereffects, I can imagine most of us have things we feel humiliated by growing up. I amplified those and blended in what I gleaned from real life stories.
AR: How much of yourself, including your own childhood, is depicted in the book?
RM: Because the novel was intended to express personal views, with regards to personality, Harry and I have many parallels. I gave him my love for science, existential and political views. My childhood was nothing like his, but fairly often there was verbal abuse. I left home involuntarily when I was seventeen years old.
AR: In the Prologue, you expound on both string and M theory, and you do avery good job of incorporating elements of those theories in your story. Please share with our readers your inspiration for crafting a novel around those key scientific developments.
RM: I have an insatiable appetite for science - Physics, evolution, earth sciences, you name it. Free from belief in anything supernatural, science is the only place to find answers to life's greatest questions. I find amusing, people who dispute facts revealed by some of the greatest intellects on the planet, yet rush to support an uninformed AM radio talk show host or the chain smoking woman sitting on the porch of her shack with the hand painted sign above that reads "Psychic".
String theory and M theory are incredible areas of science with profound implications too numerous to list. The Room was intended as a work of imagination and the extraordinary event intended to contrast. Of course I took great liberties with my use of string theory, but it had to be based, even though loosely, on real science. Brian Greene's Book and PBS special called 'The Elegant Universe' introduced me to this field of physics. To me, real science reveals a cosmos far more bizarre and interesting than any pseudo-science can ever hope to offer.
AR: Harry, the main character, is an unabashed lifelong atheist, and we've all been seeing more activity lately in the ongoing debate between science and religion. Do you think his views on religion are indicative of an increasingly agnostic/atheistic turn that our society is taking?
RM: I think Harry represents the small percentage of people not afraid to admit to anyone, that they don't believe in any god. But I also add the person who would admit it at least in personal conversation. I do see a growing desire in people to question. When the religious right imposes itself on our government policies, it diminishes us all. I watched a steaming lecture from the University of California where respected scientists discussed how our President distorted or intentionally omitted science on everything from global warming to stem cell research.
A man elected to represent all the people used his personal religious views to dictate public policy. It would be refreshing if we could be represented by someone of reason. Notice the group that nudged him to power is passionate about outlawing a woman's right to choose or lobbying to deny my gay friends liberty, while apathetic when it comes to the slaughter of millions in Africa, an education system that fails 75% of children in many of our cities and many of our other most dire issues. Contrast their values with Humanists. I could only imagine what the world would be like if those of reason could influence the course of history as much as those of faith.
AR: How did you go about crafting the storyline for The Room, and how long did it take you to complete the book?
RM: I developed the main theme and wrote personality profiles for each of the characters. Then I outlined the storyline for each chapter. With writing, editing and proofreading included, it took 13 months to complete.
AR: What is the main message that you want readers to take from The Room?
RM: That only they can make a difference. They may not be able to control what life throws at them, but they do choose what they do with it. There is always a choice.
AR: What are your expectations for The Room? How do you want readers to receive/perceive it?
RM: I understand that Harry's religious views will be provocative to some, but those who read it should notice that most of those references exist in Harry's personal thoughts. Only when confronted does he strongly respond. My hope for The Room is that it encourages people to question. I hope it's seen for the existential story first and work of imagination next.
AR: As this new Digital Age has progressed, many authors have found itincreasingly easier to get their works into print. What has your experience been like in self-publishing The Room, finally bringing it to the light of day?
RM: There has been a great deal of success with Indie movies and music so it made sense in my case to pursue it that way. I'm writing short stories right now, but I'm also having fun with promotion. I have a small home multimedia studio where I produced a DVD introduction to The Room that I could offer, as well as podcasts of the excerpt and prologue. I distributed a scaled down version of the introduction on all the video sites and listed the podcast RSS feed in all the podcast directories. In addition I got to develop the promotional site, theroomnovel.com and graphics. Most of it was done between proofreads.
AR: You've written everything - from poetry to song lyrics to technical articles - but The Room is your first novel. What lies on the horizon for you now? Will you focus solely on novels?
RM: I last wrote fiction in school when I was studying literature at my local city college on Staten Island, but when I left I became a full time musician. Writing lyrics was satisfying, but a novel gives you so much more room to explore things.
Now that the promotional tools have been created I have more time to write again. I plan to focus on short stories and novels. Fairly soon I will add the third in a series of short stories to my promotional site. The first two are self contained themes but this third short story is the basis for a chapter of a novel I plan to write, possibly next. I don't want it to be taken as another in a novel series, but the story uses some of the same characters set 12 years in the future.
I thought it might be fun to use my background in technology and science to describe a world not too far off, but enough to imagine some profound changes. This chapter introduces a new set of characters from a different background. Briefly; it involves a young man named Rael from the lower Bronx, New York. Late in the short story he has a chance meeting in Manhattan with, Kaela, who is now 20 years old. Those who read The Room will recognize her.
AR: Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
RM: Maybe something slightly philosophical. Believe what you want, but don't expect wishes to bring you anything. Do it yourself.
AR: Thanks again, Ray, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors.
RM: Thank you for the opportunity to talk about The Room.
Ray Melnik
ISBN: 1589615425
PageFree Publishing, Inc.
Reviewed By Janet Peterson
Apex Reviews Rating:
"It was quiet in the room for awhile, but Harry could hear his brother still turning in bed.
'Malcolm. Can't you sleep?' Harry asked.
'I'm trying to, but I keep waking up. I was thinking about something, Harry. Daniel's family believes in God. They say he watches over people. Do you think it's true?'
'Not over us, Malcolm.'"
And so childhood goes for brothers Harry and Malcolm Ladd: victims of an extremely abusive father whose rage spares neither them nor their mother, for years forced to rely only on each other for the emotional, physical, and even financial support they need to endure a harsh reality that's theirs by inheritance alone. Faced with daily onslaughts of flying insults, food, and fists, ultimately the only solace that either boy can find is the safe haven of the closet located in their mother's room, momentarily insulated from their father's endless tirades.
As an unfortunate consequence, as time – and the abuse – goes on, the boys grow apart. Even more unfortunate is that Malcolm, the younger of the two, in his constant struggles to understand the reasons behind his father's violent behavior, ultimately blames his mother for allowing the abuse to continue. Despite Harry's best efforts to preserve his relationship with Malcolm, his younger brother eventually severs all family ties and moves on with his life as if he never knew his father, mother, or brother at all.
Thus, the stage is set for Harry, The Room's protagonist, as he struggles through one trial after another: overcoming his abusive childhood, he marries the successful, well-off Sarah – only to see his marriage crumble due to irreconcilable differences. The worst result of this? He loses custody of his precious daughters, Kaela and Lainey, who mean more to him than anything else in the world. And as if things couldn't get any worse, his mother is soon diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, coupled with a worsening dementia that rivals that of the worst Alzheimer's patients. You'd think that having to endure such setbacks would strengthen Harry's resolve, even making him a religious man, seeking God for peace & understanding amidst all the chaos in his life – but not so. Harry is a lifelong atheist, and he makes no secret of his disdain for organized religion. Witness an amusing exchange he has one afternoon with two Bible-thumping women on a scouting mission in his neighborhood:
"Harry: 'How do you know what your God thinks? Because someone told you? I plan to live my life the best I can and then make way for my children, and hopefully grandchildren to have their time.'
Woman: 'It sounds like you hate God.'
Harry: 'I don't believe in your god. Why would I hate him? What I hate is being cornered by his sales people.'"
In fact, even though his mood isn't normally upbeat, Harry remains resolved that things simply are the way that they're meant to be, and that, for good or for bad, people make way too much of trying to assign particular (divine) value to things. And his life soon goes on the upswing as he begins a promising relationship with Lacie, a remarkably sweet, supportive, and loving young woman in her own right. So, his renewed outlook on life bolsters him as he faces the onset of the inevitable, visiting his mother regularly and routinely humoring her during her delusions, comforting her for her own peace of mind – until his final visit to her before she dies: from the moment he arrives at the house, he senses something isn't quite right, and as soon as he steps foot in her room to spend what will be his final moments with her, his reality is suddenly transformed by a force the likes of which he cannot deny…what exactly it is or where exactly it comes from, though, remains a mystery…
For anyone who has ever wondered about the real psychological and emotional effects of domestic violence, The Room couldn't do a better job of highlighting its tragic truth in heart-breaking detail. The true genius, though, of Melnik's tale lies in the seamless way he intermarries cold scientific theory with the warmth of healing's redemptive power. In a refreshing twist, Melnik cleverly conveys a caveat that should serve as a clarion call for us all: even our most precious beliefs about life are always subject to revision – no matter how convinced we may be that things never change – and Harry's personification of this process is at the same time subtle and stirring.
A compelling read, very well written and crafted, The Room will surprise you with just how long its true message lingers well after you've put it down.
Official Apex Reviews Interview - Ray Melnik (The Room)
Apex Reviews: Ray, thanks so much for allowing us to review The Room, as well as for joining us for this interview. We greatly appreciate it.
Ray Melnik: Thank you.
AR: One of the most powerful features of the The Room is its very real depiction of domestic violence - especially its stinging aftereffects. How were you able to so accurately reflect the realities of an abusive home?
RM: I think it comes from a hyperactive sense of empathy. While most people see a news story of a child molested and then murdered, they seem to be able to put it away and move on. For me, not that it consumes, but it re-enters my mind for months or some times years. With the aftereffects, I can imagine most of us have things we feel humiliated by growing up. I amplified those and blended in what I gleaned from real life stories.
AR: How much of yourself, including your own childhood, is depicted in the book?
RM: Because the novel was intended to express personal views, with regards to personality, Harry and I have many parallels. I gave him my love for science, existential and political views. My childhood was nothing like his, but fairly often there was verbal abuse. I left home involuntarily when I was seventeen years old.
AR: In the Prologue, you expound on both string and M theory, and you do avery good job of incorporating elements of those theories in your story. Please share with our readers your inspiration for crafting a novel around those key scientific developments.
RM: I have an insatiable appetite for science - Physics, evolution, earth sciences, you name it. Free from belief in anything supernatural, science is the only place to find answers to life's greatest questions. I find amusing, people who dispute facts revealed by some of the greatest intellects on the planet, yet rush to support an uninformed AM radio talk show host or the chain smoking woman sitting on the porch of her shack with the hand painted sign above that reads "Psychic".
String theory and M theory are incredible areas of science with profound implications too numerous to list. The Room was intended as a work of imagination and the extraordinary event intended to contrast. Of course I took great liberties with my use of string theory, but it had to be based, even though loosely, on real science. Brian Greene's Book and PBS special called 'The Elegant Universe' introduced me to this field of physics. To me, real science reveals a cosmos far more bizarre and interesting than any pseudo-science can ever hope to offer.
AR: Harry, the main character, is an unabashed lifelong atheist, and we've all been seeing more activity lately in the ongoing debate between science and religion. Do you think his views on religion are indicative of an increasingly agnostic/atheistic turn that our society is taking?
RM: I think Harry represents the small percentage of people not afraid to admit to anyone, that they don't believe in any god. But I also add the person who would admit it at least in personal conversation. I do see a growing desire in people to question. When the religious right imposes itself on our government policies, it diminishes us all. I watched a steaming lecture from the University of California where respected scientists discussed how our President distorted or intentionally omitted science on everything from global warming to stem cell research.
A man elected to represent all the people used his personal religious views to dictate public policy. It would be refreshing if we could be represented by someone of reason. Notice the group that nudged him to power is passionate about outlawing a woman's right to choose or lobbying to deny my gay friends liberty, while apathetic when it comes to the slaughter of millions in Africa, an education system that fails 75% of children in many of our cities and many of our other most dire issues. Contrast their values with Humanists. I could only imagine what the world would be like if those of reason could influence the course of history as much as those of faith.
AR: How did you go about crafting the storyline for The Room, and how long did it take you to complete the book?
RM: I developed the main theme and wrote personality profiles for each of the characters. Then I outlined the storyline for each chapter. With writing, editing and proofreading included, it took 13 months to complete.
AR: What is the main message that you want readers to take from The Room?
RM: That only they can make a difference. They may not be able to control what life throws at them, but they do choose what they do with it. There is always a choice.
AR: What are your expectations for The Room? How do you want readers to receive/perceive it?
RM: I understand that Harry's religious views will be provocative to some, but those who read it should notice that most of those references exist in Harry's personal thoughts. Only when confronted does he strongly respond. My hope for The Room is that it encourages people to question. I hope it's seen for the existential story first and work of imagination next.
AR: As this new Digital Age has progressed, many authors have found itincreasingly easier to get their works into print. What has your experience been like in self-publishing The Room, finally bringing it to the light of day?
RM: There has been a great deal of success with Indie movies and music so it made sense in my case to pursue it that way. I'm writing short stories right now, but I'm also having fun with promotion. I have a small home multimedia studio where I produced a DVD introduction to The Room that I could offer, as well as podcasts of the excerpt and prologue. I distributed a scaled down version of the introduction on all the video sites and listed the podcast RSS feed in all the podcast directories. In addition I got to develop the promotional site, theroomnovel.com and graphics. Most of it was done between proofreads.
AR: You've written everything - from poetry to song lyrics to technical articles - but The Room is your first novel. What lies on the horizon for you now? Will you focus solely on novels?
RM: I last wrote fiction in school when I was studying literature at my local city college on Staten Island, but when I left I became a full time musician. Writing lyrics was satisfying, but a novel gives you so much more room to explore things.
Now that the promotional tools have been created I have more time to write again. I plan to focus on short stories and novels. Fairly soon I will add the third in a series of short stories to my promotional site. The first two are self contained themes but this third short story is the basis for a chapter of a novel I plan to write, possibly next. I don't want it to be taken as another in a novel series, but the story uses some of the same characters set 12 years in the future.
I thought it might be fun to use my background in technology and science to describe a world not too far off, but enough to imagine some profound changes. This chapter introduces a new set of characters from a different background. Briefly; it involves a young man named Rael from the lower Bronx, New York. Late in the short story he has a chance meeting in Manhattan with, Kaela, who is now 20 years old. Those who read The Room will recognize her.
AR: Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
RM: Maybe something slightly philosophical. Believe what you want, but don't expect wishes to bring you anything. Do it yourself.
AR: Thanks again, Ray, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors.
RM: Thank you for the opportunity to talk about The Room.