Book Review The Illuminating Occurrence Coming Friday!

The Illuminating Occurrence of Maxine Porter

Glenn Seerup

Print and eBook

October 11, 2019

Literary fantasy

$4.99 Ebook

262 pp

available in hardcover

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About the Book

Hayden Carlisle, a socially awkward twenty-three year old designer, begins his first professional job at The Plush Porcupine, a boutique toy design studio in Chicago. Hard times have fallen on the Porcupine and a dark cloud hangs over its future.

Maxine Porter arrives with a mysterious background and an uncanny knack for knowing things. Spellbound by the amazing Max, the eclectic crew at the Porcupine begin to prosper, while continually ruminating over who Max is and where she came from.

Through Hayden’s Journal writing, we learn of the unlikely friendship developing between him and Max.

Lisa's Review

Time is the essence of this new work from former architect Glenn Seerup. A self-proclaimed aficionado of Holden Caulfield, readers are challenged and amused to discover bits of Catcher allusions in Seerup’s stories.

One March day in Chicago, present, life begins to unfold for recent industrial design graduate Hayden Carlisle. Realizing his talents are more suited to a smaller operation, as is his prickly personality, Hayden has been hired by a toy design firm. The Plush Porcupine is past its heyday of once-popular unique toys and entering a downward spiral of ennui. Hayden is more interested in using the staff for a personal pet project—writing a best-seller documentary on his first, and probably only, year at the firm that will jumpstart his literary career—and has initially little other appreciation for corporate or personal intrigue.

Characters rarely get what they wish. Hayden is not the only hire at the Porcupine this special week. A promising indeterminately-aged but highly motivated and challenging woman named Maxine Porter comes on board as well. The reader follows Hayden and the members and friends of the Plush Porcupine during the rest of the tumultuous year.

The book is divided into months with epigraphs that hint at the events to come. Chapters within the months are divided by Hayden’s journal writing in first person and other chapters in a wandering omniscient voice that focus on the personnel: company founder and owner Walter whom Hayden admires; the troubled Marty, Walter’s friend and confidant who’s a talented designer in her own right; Scott, another focused toy designer; Matthew, the religious advertising guy; the ever-perky Caryn who’s a designer but prefers to run the office and make sure everyone is greeted with a smile; and Adam, Hayden’s roommate. The story progresses as the force that is Maxine with all her mystery and energy firmly shakes up the world of the Porcupine. The staff wonders alternately if she’s an angel, an alien, or Mary Poppins. Maxine plows on, taking Hayden under her wing as her special assistant on an equally mysterious project dealing with virtual reality. Or does it?

Meanwhile, each character’s personal and professional life plays out with Maxine’s golden prophetic aid, firm hand, and subtle dare to rise above. As the year flows onward, it’s obvious Maxine has a personal goal, and I had fun turning pages and wondering about it right along with the well-fleshed and interwoven characters. Participating in the story as the pieces come together is a delight for readers who enjoy character-driven set pieces with a subtle twist of fantasy.

Chicago comes alive as the designers and their friends and family invest themselves in their work and lifestyle choices. The Illuminating Occurrence of Maxine Porter is a fresh, thoughtful, feel-good tale of imperfect people learning to grow, work, and communicate in a joint effort to make a better future.