Static Movement

Reggie struggles to remain employed in a job in which he is grossly unqualified. Lloyd lives with his irritable elderly mother in a one-bedroom apartment unable to make ends meet. An unexpected visitor up-ends their existence and provides an opportunity for them to lean on each other. As they rediscover purpose in their lives, a path appears that leads to redemption. "Static Movement" conveys the frailty of the human condition and sits between the extremes of humor and anguish, hope and desperation.

"Static Movement" portrays three characters struggling to survive while experiencing moments of humor and suspense with a dash of grace. An elderly lady, her adult son, and a male neighbor are each fighting their everyday demons when an opportunity appears for them to find a glimmer of hope in their lives. Lloyd and his mother, Momma, have fallen on hard times without any means or financial stability. Facing eviction, Lloyd tries to build a career from an unskilled past. Momma fights her isolation and life's disappointment with well-worn homemade video cassettes of 70s TV detective, Kojak. Reggie, their neighbor, finds himself in way over his head in an office job serving three masters: a demanding boss, an anonymous caller, and a mysterious visitor all with different agendas. Careers, dating, expectations, threats, boredom, unmet potential, and isolation are themes throughout the novel that challenge the characters and help them to ultimately find purpose. Some of the philosophy may remind readers of Terry Pratchett, while the humor may be compared with that of Carl Hiassen, Tim Dorsey, and Tom Robbins. Others may find the frailty of the human condition reflected similarly to the works of Hunter S. Thompson. "Static Movement" includes salty language, adult situations, and hints of violence.

Howard Hoover lives in Mint Hill, North Carolina with his family. "Static Movement" is his first novel after writing "Travels through a Toxic Shock Nightmare", a memoir about his struggle with toxic shock syndrome. He works as a financial analyst in telecommunications and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from the University of South Florida, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Mercer University. He enjoys spending time with family, cooking, movies, reading, writing, history, and staying physically active.