Patrick R. Penland

Haunched Twilight: Eluding Pity Parties Patrick R. Penland

Haunched Twilight is a novel about the sexual and personality excesses of two individuals in the latter days of a post-modern world. The stories of the principal characters are introduced separately, but soon interact with dramatic intensity. In the late spring and early summer months, Jean Lewis is given to sleeping naked on the flat roof of her dwelling while her lesbian mistress, now a run-away, sleeps below. One early morning, she is threatened by the traumatic appearance of a rapist catapulted onto her rooftop from a police helicopter. Parallel with these developments, Jonathan Hooker becomes acquainted in a proximity relationship by force of circumstances. Initially distanced from one another, each is almost completely self-absorbed in particularly singular hang-ups and patterns of addiction. After happenstance involvement in a sex-anon group, each cagily watches the other until some semblance of interpersonal interest develops. Dire warnings by the self-appointed coordinator against intra-group fraternizing to the contrary, they continue to bump into each other's space. Eventually, twelve stepping together brings them to the possibility of a scarcely believable heterosexual solidarity and connubial maturation.