Announcing The Fifth Floor

I wrote what I love. I love what I wrote. But you must judge for yourself.

You'll love The Fifth Floor, right? Not so fast! Honestly, I can't say for sure. Listen, I'm proud of my novel. I worked as hard as the next guy, whether he be the butcher, the baker, or the candlestick maker. My point is this. I would love everyone to scream and shout…"Julie Oleszek's book is out"…and then run to get themselves and several friends a copy. However, I'm not going to do that.

I don't know your spend-all-day-reading genre, or if you like to read at all. Truth be told, The Fifth Floor is not for everyone. If you're a sci-fi junkie, then run the other way. Are you looking for romance? One where a young girl falls in love with a rich six-pack, six-foot-four doctor? If so, then I beg you to steer clear of The Fifth Floor.

So, who should be reading my novel, The Fifth Floor? Anyone who has suffered a loss, struggled with emotions, feared they were alone in experiencing difficult times in life, or just wants to embark on a story of love, family, and friendship.

The Fifth Floor is set in the Chicago suburbs in the 1970s. It is a coming-of-age story that shows we’re not alone in experiencing heartache, tragedy, and the guilt that comes from ignoring such events. The Fifth Floor tells a similar story to The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but it is told in narrative form. Like Tell the Wolves I’m Home, it is the story of two sisters whose lives are inexorably intertwined.

You may find you connect with Anna or one of her siblings. Maybe in reading The Fifth Floor you'll better understand a friend, a sister, a loved one. Or maybe The Fifth Floor will bring your attention to the world that surrounds you. Has a smell ever brought back a memory? Have you ever felt trapped? Felt loved? Been afraid? Has the blink of an eye ever changed the course of your life? If yes, then The Fifth Floor has the real possibility of finding its way into your shopping cart.

The Fifth Floor-Available March 2015