What is real-life fiction?

ATTMP author Philip Nork, photo credit: M. Dauna

That's a great way to open a conversation with talented author Philip Nork.  Philip, author of five published books, including one that just went live a few hours ago via Amazon CreateSpace, uses this term to describe fictional tales woven from elements of true experience, often his own.

One of Philip's primary themes is of a young man finding his way after being devastated by the divorce of his parents.  And this theme is clearly taken from his real life.  Much of the subject matter seems to cover his relationships with women, from his mother and grandmother to girlfriends and school acquaintances.  And the bottom line--the narrative arc--is one of growth and self-discovery.

I'm going to cite just one example from a review of "Misguided Sensitivity" (ATTMP, May 2012) that best distills the essence of most of the many other comments and reviews I've read about Philip's books:

"An intriguing read. To the average reader, a coming of age story...but there is so much more to it. Mr. Nork's struggle for acceptance and happiness is fascinating. Being a young boy, a product of a divorce no less, Nork uses lessons learned to help him find these lost desires...yet along the way he somehow equates them to sexual pleasure. The resulting internal debate he has about good and bad is skillfully written, along with allowing the reader to experience both sides of each story. A unique way to show the different perceptions we leave. I found the book not about sex at all. but more about the journey of self-acceptance."
Gwendolyn Banks Ph.D.

Phil lives in Henderson, Nevada and can frequently be found 'strolling the halls' of Facebook.
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This is the first of a short series of 'Author Profiles' featuring fellow authors in the All Things That Matter Press family.