42 a Novel by Portland's M. Thomas Cooper

42 is the number forty-two important, or is it all in George’s mind?  When accusations of murder force George Olson to examine the forces at work in his life, he becomes lost amid paranoia, coincidences, and a strange reality. Looking down at Portland, Oregon, from his office in the Black Box building, George tries to make sense of a string of disappearances and strange disasters, and the recurrence of the number forty-two. 42 a novel by Portland's M. Thomas Cooper is the 16th title from Ooligan Press, the nation’s premier student-run general trade press. As part of Portland State University’s Masters in Writing program,

The meaning of life is forty-two. A select few know why. Very few, if any, know it as succinctly as I.

Why? Because I turned forty-two on the forty-second day of the year 2004, February 11. My wife is thirty-five. My daughter is eight.

If it's not clear… forty-two: four times two is eight. Thirty-five: three plus five is eight. Eight is eight, so….

I was born in 1962. Nine minus one is eight. Six plus two is eight. One plus nine plus six plus two is eighteen. In high school I played football, wide receiver, ran back punts and kickoffs. My number? That's right-eight. I graduated high school in '81. I graduated with a BA in English in '84. I received my master's in '88. I live in Portland, Oregon. Portland, of course, has eight letters. The license plate on my car, an aged and decrepit, black Mustang convertible, which runs strong and true, is ATE 042. Honest. I think I bought the car more for the license plate and less for the car itself. And, maybe, a little for Steve McQueen, God bless his soul, if there is such a precarious thing.

In a plot that quickly escalates, George’s mundane existence free-falls into accusations of arson and murder, and his life depends on making sense of the answers that are hidden everywhere. Ooligan Press is dedicated to teaching the art and craft of publishing, while producing high-quality books in a variety of genres.

The official launch of  42 a novel by M. Thomas Cooper will be on July 10, 2008 at the Someday Lounge at 125 NW 5th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209. The event which is open to the public will be from 5-7 pm, with a reading by the author at 6 pm. Cooper will also be reading at Powell's City of Books on Hawthorne on July 28, 2008 at 7:30 pm and at Bob's Beach Books in Lincoln City on August 9, 2008 at noon.

 Be sure to catch this exciting new title, scheduled for release July 1, 2008.