TICKET by Charles Logan

About TICKET

Under the glowing neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip, the lives of a sidelined drifter, affluent widow, petty drug dealer and an emotionally disconnected stripper intertwine with tragic consequences. A social commentary on the value of drugs, money and love in today's society, the reader is escorted through a world of prostitution and ambivalent sexuality, cocaine addiction and alcoholism.

. . . The words echo in my ear as I make my way back to my room. Sweat is beading on my forehead. I tell myself it's from the sun but I can feel my heart beating its way out of my chest and I know that it's not. I'm nervous. Maybe a little scared. I know I'm in trouble. My pace quickens as I get near the door and I fumble with the lock. The door shuts and for a moment I feel safe again. The vial Pat gave me is still in my hands and I run my thumb up and down the length of the smooth glass surface and somehow this comforts me. Joan Jett is on the radio and I take a seat by the nightstand, open the vial and tap some powder out. There's a little voice in my head telling me to stop and for a moment I listen . . .

Book Reviews / Endorsements

Dave

"I had to think about it for a while before I wrote this review of it, let it steep a bit as it were before I made the claims I’m about to make. Having done that, I’ll start with the summary. I doubt I’ll be able to leave it there though because I’m wordy. This may be the finest work of fiction I’ve read in years. Now a warning. If you have a morally sensitive alignment or are easily offended by deeper insights into our base and ugly natures, run away screaming before you turn the first page. This book will likely challenge any preconceived ideas you have about human nature and leave your oh-so-ethical palate with a clinging aftertaste, much like that left by the cheapest liquor, and one you can’t rinse out. Even those thoroughly hardened to our human frailties and god-awful unseemliness will find page after page of new and twisting insights that will leave you changed. Isn’t that the point of pivotal fiction? If by reading a good book you want enlightenment, you won’t have to wait long when you start this one. I’ll try to put the rest into one sentence and leave it there because I just don’t want to spend all day on this, although I could with just a little push. This novel, written by Charles Logan in beautiful, insightful and rhythmic first person prose, pries up a familiar carcass and shows us its crawling underbelly, which you’ll learn as you read the story, is teeming not with unspeakable or unrecognizable things, but with what turn out to be, in the end, intensely human ones. Ok, two sentences. I’m nearly certain that this is not the last we’ll hear about TICKET."

Lawson

"Ticket delivers, as promised, a gritty, thought-provoking walk through the underbelly of Las Vegas - the drug dealer, prostitute, drifter side of town that is fueled by alcohol and cocaine then capped-off with heavy doses of sex. The cast of unique characters and their perspectives gives us an education on tragic lives and interactions. The story is a microcosm of society with commentary that leaves us stunned and questioning how we can be so blind to the struggles around us. Fasten your seat belt. This book may not be right for everyone.

Beyond the book, is a bigger mystery. I am left with questions about the author. This book is so flawless, so well-written, so captivating that the writing quality demands a read just to experience the work of a master. I picture a famous author, pen-named and exploring a new genre backed by a team of professional editors. Ticket gets a strong five stars and a “Wow!”"

Fast Reader

"This is a beautifully told account of addiction and degradation and hope against the backdrop of Las Vegas with all its glorious vices. The stories of four people ebb and flow and eventually, intertwine. Everybody is craving an authentic connection. Everybody is lying to everybody. Everybody wants to be seen for their true self and yet keeps objectifying and abusing the other. The sex and drug use are the way of life and are described with appropriate authenticity. The psychological torment is also described in a clear and elegant prose, quite realistically. I cared for each of the characters from the start and, as the stakes grew higher, I felt genuine concern for their wellbeing."

Frequently Asked Questions

TICKET

What inspired you to write this book?

It goes without saying that as an author, I have a passion for writing. But really it's more of a compulsion. I don't write to create bestsellers. I don't focus on what's marketable. And I try very hard not to think about how people might misconstrue or misinterpret what I write. Writing, for me, is almost a meditation, a form of catharsis. I take all my experiences and emotions and try to turn them into something meaningful, often only starting with a half-baked idea that only becomes a coherent thought after the first ten thousand words or so. This book is a work of fiction, but it would not be inaccurate to say that it was inspired by my travels, people I've met, or experiences I've had along the way.

Can you tell me about the book?

Well, the story takes place in Las Vegas, but it doesn't revolve around the glitz and glamour of the Strip that so many people are familiar with. I lived in Vegas for a while, and my experience there was nothing like what the movies portray. And it was that side of the city that I wanted to bring out in my novel. So while of course casinos are included, many parts of this story take place off the Strip, and focus more on the city and its residents.

The story itself focuses around the life of Jack McCallister, who was in the process of traveling to Los Angeles when an accident leaves him stranded in Las Vegas. There, he develops a cocaine addiction that dictates many of his choices, and takes him to some very dark places. And of course, there’s a girl.

What I will say is that this book is gritty. There are some controversial themes within its pages. It is intended for mature audiences. But, more importantly, I think it's worth a read. But I am a little biased.

What is the key theme and/or message in the book?

It's about life, and the choices we make. The things we have, and what we're willing to do to keep them. That, or the things we want and what we're willing to do to get them. But I think a lot of what I've written is up for interpretation, and more than a few things may end up being misunderstood. But that's okay. I didn't write the book to deliver a message per say, but if it engages people...that's a win, regardless of the interpretation.

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

I first drafted this book about eight years ago. I was unemployed at the time, or more accurately, on a sabbatical of sorts. And it was all that free time that eventually allowed me to finish the first draft and move into the second. My only real roadblocks boiled down to an unsupportive circle of friends and my own lack of confidence in myself. But these hurdles were substantial, and so this book - along with several others - just sat on my bookshelf for many years, forgotten. Finishing the book hasn't been the easiest task, but I think it has come together well, and while I could probably tear it apart and find a dozen things that I wish I'd written differently, I'm quite proud of it.

Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about?

I have two other books that I plan to release by the end of the year, but I don't want to give away too many details. The next one, which I'm finishing up now, was originally written almost twelve years ago, but I've since gutted and reshaped it a bit. It's a very personal book, a failed love story, you might call it. It's one of those books that you could say was expressly written with one person in mind. The other one, which I just drafted this November, may be quite gruesome and explicit. I really pushed the envelope on it. Again, to speak vaguely, it's a first person accounting of one man's descent into psychosis.