Blog Archives
A Southern California Twist
Sundays at Simone’s follows a young man who gets tangled up in L.A.’s high society and weaves through a mix of intriguing characters and situations. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
As a native of Los Angeles, I’m pretty tuned into the psyche of the place. Besides, I was always fascinated by the great French salons of the 19th Century and thought it would be fun to give them a Southern California twist. Satire was the attention, but I also got wrapped up in the story of the young pianist and his loves.
Your characters were all interesting and I enjoyed how they evolved throughout the story. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Michael’s character, like any other, developed through disappointment, heartbreak, triumph, and experience.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I’m always drawn to the place of the artist in each society, so that is certainly near the top. Also, the pretensions that come with wealth and sometimes fame. Also, the ups and downs of ambition.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The Anachronist has just been published.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
Sundays at Simone’s
![Sundays at Simone's by [Thomas Bauer]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41WC6Q85oPL.jpg)
Sundays at Simone’s by Thomas Bauer is set in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas about a young man named Michael McDowell. As a young boy, his parents were killed in a car accident and he was adopted by his Aunt Madeleine. His aunt’s best friend was Sheila, an unsophisticated woman who was often down on her luck. Years later, Sheila has transformed herself into Simone, a wealthy and glamorous woman who married well. Every Sunday, Simone hosts exclusive gatherings modeled after 19th century salons, where the elite would come to enjoy art and music and discuss the issues of the day. Michael is barely making a living as a piano player at an Italian restaurant. What will happen after he is invited to Sundays at Simone’s?
Author Thomas Bauer provides readers with a refreshing character driven story that is easily enjoyable. I especially liked reading the sections of the story where Michael worked in the music department for the movie studio. It was interesting to get a glimpse into that behind the scenes aspect of making a film. I also liked learning how all the characters’ lives turned out, some succeeding and others suffering failures. The ending of the book had some unexpected elements.
The novel blends contemporary urban fantasy with sultry drama where we find an adulterous affair between Simone and Michael. She was married and he had a girlfriend that he claimed to love, but that did not ring true given his actions. I enjoyed the second half of the novel a lot more than the first half, which I think is attributed to being introduced to characters in the beginning, some of them not being likable, and afterwards seeing them evolve was much more interesting. They were all people who seemed to only care about their own interests and used others to get ahead without a thought for how their actions affected anyone else.
The story is told from the first person point of view of Michael, which gives readers a inside look at his motivations and ruminations, which provides more context for his actions, but it’s still left up to the reader to decide what was right and wrong. I was able to empathize with the characters and was emotionally involved in this riveting story.
Sundays at Simone’s is an emotional dramatic fiction story following the lives of stirring characters as they make decisions that change their life and affect the lives of others. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading light but intriguing romance novels.
Pages: 258 | ASIN: B08WRS1STV
The Present Climate of Hate and Division
The Seventh Circle follows a university student in Nazi Germany who is persecuted for his sexuality and faces the perils of a concentration camp. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I was inspired reading a memoir of a camp survivor entitled The Men with the Pink Triangles by Heinz Heger.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I was disturbed by the present climate of hate and division in our country and across the globe and felt a lesson in man’s inhumanity to man was needed to remind us all of potential results of extremism.
I appreciated how historically accurate your novel is. What kind of research did you undertake to ensure the story was accurate?
Although the literature on the subject is scant, I read every primary source I could get my hands on. Most survivors have been reluctant to recount their struggles. I depended a great deal on Heger’s memoir and information I found about the two concentration camps most of the story takes place in.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have just published Sundays at Simone’s, a satirical look at Los Angeles aristocracy as well as a tale of a young musician’s loves and struggles to find his niche in the musical world.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Based loosely on a true story, “The Seventh Circle,” tells of the forgotten victims of the Holocaust, the men who wore the pink triangle. It is a timely tale on man’s inhumanity to man.
The Seventh Circle
![The Seventh Circle by [Thomas Bauer]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51G-FuB4FUL.jpg)
The Seventh Circle by Thomas Bauer is an impassioned historical fiction novel demonstrating the human race’s inhumanity towards others. The novel is a literary gem set in the little Bavarian town of Fussen during the Third Reich (Nazi Germany), showcasing horrors endured by people due to inhumane laws. Karl, the son of an affluent business owner, is accused of homosexuality, which is illegal during this period. He is kept in a Nazi concentration camp and endures physical, emotional, and psychological trauma at his captors’ hands. Will Karl survive this horrific trial, or is he doomed forever?
In an intense and soul-wrenching manner, Thomas Bauer writes traumatic incidents that will stay with you long after you have finished reading the novel. The writing is unfeigned brutal and keeps you engrossed till the end. Some of the scenes are sexually explicit and horrific. The details unfold in a manner that makes it difficult to experience for a sensitive reader. One of the book’s beauties is the relationship between Karl and his mother, who is aware of her son’s sexuality and supports him, but this relationship isn’t explored much. Other than the phenomenal storyline, the structure of the book is also well organized. The chapters are synoptic and meaty, with no space for fluff writing or floundering. The story begins as a simple love story, but slowly turns into a sinister tale of terror, betrayal, abuse, and survival instinct.
The only issue I faced with the book was the use of uncommon and unfamiliar terms for which I had to use a dictionary. Still, it increases the writing’s authenticity, and improves my vocabulary. Bauer is unmercifully realistic and honest in his depiction of this story. His attention to detail and detailed descriptions give the reader some visceral experiences.
The book is an extraordinary tale that brings awareness to the crimes against sexual preferences and society’s discrimination, which is prevalent today. The book will interest anyone who loves reading emotionally charged historical fiction that accurately portrays the time frame. While the subject matter is depressing, it is a must-read for the present generation, unaware of the degree of historical oppression faced by the LGBTQ community.
Pages: 230 | ASIN: B08FMTTP69
LITERARY TITAN 