WAKEFIELD, Mich., May 4, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Ham-fisted personal integrity infuses the tale of a Finnish masseuse in the hilarious uber-candid new novel, The Psalm of Psaint Mabel. Author Emma Mackin's droll wit hauls over the coals the eternal verities of economic disparity with a distinctly Upper Peninsula of Michigan outlook seldom seen in literature. Mackin's roman a clef shines a light on unbleached massage table revelations by the upper crust concerning the homeless, the working poor, and the non-beautiful people who serve them. Set during the Thomas-Hill hearings and the Kennedy-Smith trial in Palm Beach, Mackin grapples the philosophical tangle of discerning when one's perceived oppressor may in fact be one's benefactor.
After her friend is date raped by a wealthy local banker's son, Mabel Wirtanen flees the U.P. with her comrade for the potentially greener pastures of south Florida. Mabel is hell-bent on achieving spiritual superstardom-the Lutheran equivalent of Mother Theresa-by bringing salvation through repentance to the wealthy through her position as a luxury island enclave's masseuse. Alas, big tips become the Catch-22 in her search for enlightenment. Mabel's lonely mother, her friend's desperate need for justice, a New Age roommate, her status as an unmarried woman and a devilish married sugar-daddy wanna-be challenge her Sunday school values. Pulling off her goal of being immortalized as a dashboard pseudo-saint develops into an outrageous tale of unintended consequences.
The Psalm of Psaint Mabel is a brilliant shock-and-awe manual for those on blind vision quests, bungling spiritual journeys, and respite for the blessed seeking the permanent bivouac of a moral and democratic playing field in America, with justice for all. Get yourself a copy and enjoy a laugh out loud virtual expedition with our Yooper (that is a denizen of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for you) heroine behind a massage room door.
About the Author
Emma Mackin has been writing since childhood. Raised in a small town in Wisconsin, she has written five novels while working from Berkeley to South Florida as a housekeeper, laundress, bar owner, and massage therapist. Mackin believes in on-demand self-publishing to be part of a literary revolution. She is currently working on The Art of Massage, which pays tribute to the laying on of hands with love and humility that engenders a healing flow between client and therapist, an art beyond science. She lives in her beloved Big Snow country as a newlywed. Her husband, Tim, a theological historian, and their independent dog, Homer, are fellow debunkers and avid believers in the Mystery.
The Psalm of Psaint Mabel
Publication Date: February 11, 2004
Trade Paperback; $24.99; 413 pages; 1-4134-2771-5
Cloth Hardback; $34.99; 413 pages; 1-4134-2772-3
To request a complimentary paperback review copy, contact the publisher at (215) 923-4686 x. 165. Tearsheets may be sent by regular or electronic mail to Marianne Bellesorte. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (215) 599-0114.
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