It's my pleasure to welcome my guest to my blog today, Pavarti K. Tyler
"I’m Holding Out for a Hero"
He rides in like a phoenix from the fire, black coat fanned
out behind him. He’s a good man with a
dark past, perhaps a penchant for violence, but it stems from passion not
cruelty. He’s a lover standing in the
rain, bleeding and victorious, come to find the one who makes him whole.
A hero.
The archetypical lover of women and role-model of men. We all know who he is, the outline of his
shape branded on our psyche. From
Achilles to Clark Kent, from James Bond to John McClane, he is a flawed and
deeply driven man.
What is it about the larger-than-life icon of “Hero” that
draws readers in? Is it the
psychological need to believe in someone who can do exceptional things? I think maybe it has something to do with the
idea that one person can make a real and concrete change in the world. Heroes are often imbued with supernatural
abilities or extraordinary qualities, but it’s not necessary for the hero to be
from Krypton to pull us in to their plight.
In fact, it’s not the supernatural of Superman that makes him a hero,
but the goodness of Clark Kent.
The idea of the “everyman” rising above the rest of us and
accomplishing the impossible is seductive.
The mild mannered alter-ego reflects our lives back to us. Work, bills, family and all the things that
sometimes feel so average. Our internal
conflicts of who we are, what do we believe, what do we stand for, are all
pushed to the side in the interest of paying the mortgage and getting to work
on time.
It’s so easy amidst the sea of chaos in which we find
ourselves to feel that nothing we do has any real impact. Apathy reigns supreme and in our busy lives
the important things like life, liberty and justice have to wait until after
our taxes are done. But a hero, someone
with a single-minded focus, acting for good, can make a real difference.
The hero character inspires us, makes us want to take up
Jujitsu and hunt down our nemesis, thereby freeing the city. Real life isn’t so
easy, not so black and white, and it makes these iconic stories so enticing.
Standing atop a high building or speeding off to the next
emergency, the superhero has a clarity of purpose which I find desperately
appealing. In Shadow on the Wall Recai Osman is a man adrift. He is removed from his culture, his religion,
and his legacy. But when faced with the
existence of real evil he is compelled to act.
In Shadow Recai must grapple with his own insecurities and
complicated past. He is burdened by the
same questions of substance as the rest of us. This is the story of him coming
to terms with who he is and what he believes so he can heed Allah’s call to
become The SandStorm.
Pavarti K. Tyler's Bio:
Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and number cruncher.
She graduated Smith College in 1999 with a degree in Theatre. After graduation,
she moved to New York, where she worked as a Dramaturge, Assistant Director and
Production Manager on productions both on and off Broadway.
Later, Pavarti went to work in the finance industry as a freelance accountant
for several international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm
in the Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and
two terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is busy penning her next
novel.
Throughout history, literature and the art of story-telling have influenced
politics, religion and culture. The power of the epic tale is universal. Why is
it that those who never read The Iliad know Helen of Troy? Her story, Homer’s
story, transcends the written word and has become a part of our human lexicon.
The power of the written word is undeniable and Pavarti is honored to be part
of the next wave of literary revolution.
Various links:
Paperback
Price: $11.95
Pages: 248
ISBN: 9780983876908
Publisher: Fighting Monkey Press
Release: May 1, 2012
