Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for On The Threshold organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.
Author M. Laszlo will award a $25 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!
And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
On The Threshold
by M. Laszlo
Genre: Historical Science Fiction
Synopsis
Obsessed with learning the origins of the cosmos, the actual meaning of life, and the true purpose of civilization, a fine Scotsman named Fingal T. Smyth dedicates himself to the study of Plato’s most extraordinary ideas. Convinced of Plato’s belief that humankind possesses any and all innate knowledge deep within the collective unconscious mind, Fingal soon conducts a series of bold, pioneering occult-science experiments by which to resolve the riddle of the universe once and for all. However, Fingal forgets how violent and perilous the animal impulses that reside in the deepest recesses of the unconscious mind. And when Fingal unleashes a mysterious avatar of his innate knowledge, the entity appears as a burning man and immediately seeks to manipulate innocent and unsuspecting people everywhere into immolating themselves. Now, with little hope of returning the fiery figure into his being, Fingal must capture his nemesis before it destroys the world.
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Enjoy this peek inside:
Fräulein Wunderwaffe did not return the smile. Hand on heart, the little girl drew a bit closer. Then, as the hot, animalistic presence undulated all across Fingal’s body, the little girl’s eyes grew wide. Until the little girl’s expression turned to that of a vacant stare.
A moment later, her feet pointed inwards, she removed her hat and undid her long, flaxen hair.
Again, he cringed. “If you’ve noticed something, ignore all. This hasn’t got anything to do with you.” A third time, he cringed.
A most ethereal, lyrical, incomprehensible hiss commenced then: from the other end of the winding, decorative-brick driveway, each clay block shining the color of blue Welsh stone, a sleek Siamese cat with a coat of chocolate-spotted ivory had just appeared. And now the creature raced toward his shadow.
As he looked into the animal’s big, searching, blue eyes, the chocolate Siamese studied the off-center tip of his nose. Then the animal turned away, as if to compare the peculiarity with that of some disembodied visage hovering in the distance.
Out upon the loch, meanwhile, a miraculous rogue wave suddenly arose—and now the swell crashed against the pebbly strand.
Not a moment later, a cool flame crawled across Fingal’s throat. The strange fire rattled, too—not unlike the sound of fallen juniper leaves caught up in the current and dancing against the surface of a stone walkway.
Crivens. By now, the alien, pulsating presence held him so tight that he could barely breathe. Before long, he fell to the earth, and as the dreamlike flame continued to move across his throat, he rolled all about—until the illusory sensation of cool warmth wriggled and twisted and dropped into his neck dimple.
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About Author M. Laszlo
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M. Laszlo is an aging recluse who lives in Bath, Ohio. Rumor holds that his pseudonym is a reference to Victor Laszlo, a character in the classic film Casablanca. On the Threshold is his first release with the acclaimed, Australian hybrid house AIA Publishing. Oddly, M. Laszlo insists that his latest work, On the Threshold, does in fact provide the correct answer to the riddle of the universe.
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Stunning cover!
Thank you so much for featuring today’s book.
The cover looks great.Very intriguing story.
Thank you to everyone at FUONLY KNEW! For anyone who is interested, please do follow me on X. I dispense lots of philosophical musings there.
Some days I feel like this…
A captivating and fascinating novel.
What made you want to be a writer
Nancy, that’s a very good but difficult question to answer. For me, my need to collect words and ideas and to write them down followed from endless unconscious impulses. A writer probably never chooses to write. The writer’s unconscious mind simply compels it to happen. That’s my feeling.
What writers or books have had the most significant impact on your writing style?
That’s a great question. Honestly, the writers I love the most are the haiku poets of Shogun-era Japan. I love the clarity and the imagism, and it’s fun to write a sentence in that style—and to make the sentence itself as beautiful as possible. It’s very difficult to describe, but it is possible to write in a kind of simple, ‘poetic’ style. I’ve always loved prose poems, too.
The cover of your book is very eye catching!
I am intrigued. I like the whole concept of Historical Science Fiction.
The cover looks interesting
This looks like a great read and I like the blurb.
I wish you the very best in your future.
Thank you kindly!
Thank you to everyone for your kind words and positive energy!
I enjoyed the peak inside. Mesmerizing. Thank you.
Thank you. You are so lovely!
Thank you again for all the nice feedback and positive energy. It’s good to wake up to all that!
very nice cover
Wishing you a very happy weekend.
Hope it does well
Sounds like an amazing book!
Thanks for sharing.
The synopsis sounds interesting.
when did you know you wanted to be a writer
Wendy, I figured it out when I was a kid of about ten years old. We were vacationing in Maine and I had begun a little diary of my adventures, and I just knew. Also, I’ve always loved books and comic books. Every introvert can relate to what I’m saying.
I did enjoy the peek inside. Thanks for the giveaway!
Thank you!
do you have a favorite author
Wow, what a question. Honestly, I don’t. I read anything and everything. Actually, I read a great deal of poetry, too. I love Mary Oliver. In terms of prose, maybe Ray Bradbury is my favorite. It’s very hard to say. Something Wicked This Way Comes is a definite favorite.
When you were a child, what genres did you read?
Great question. Even as a kid, I read anything and everything. Regarding comic books, I’d buy superhero stuff, military comics, Richie Rich, and comics that were already trans-genre. As I started reading real books, it was just as diverse. All through Junior High School, I’d read Ian Fleming for fun but also Jack Kerouac. Fast forward to the present and it’s really difficult to categorize my writing. Everything is trans-genre. When we people ask me what it is, I usually answer: ‘Who cares. It’s literature.’
Note: Please ignore the erroneous ‘we’ before ‘people’ in that previous post!
do you like Mondays?
Awesome question. When I was a kid and had to go to school, I dreaded Mondays. Now that I’m old and slothful, there’s no reason to hold Mondays in any kind of contempt whatsoever. That’s my best answer.
do you have any hobbies
Cool question. I love long walks through Cuyahoga Valley. It’s a very beautiful place and never fails to leave me feeling rejuvenated. I’m not patient enough for other hobbies such as building things.
do you have a special place you go to write
Great question. At this point, I do not. A big empty computer room/writing room suffices. When I was a kid, though, it was fun to curl up in bed with my idea books and journals and to write while lying down. Back then I had a healthy back and was able to do things like that.
Fascinating cover
what was your career before writing
Wendy, cool question. I’m an archivist by profession. Got a library and information science degree. It was all quite an enjoyable life, too. I had to retire early, though. At times it was impossible to concentrate on the task at hand. Inside, my mind was brainstorming plots and scenes and dialogue and so on.
What inspired you to write this book?
Marisela, that’s a profound question. Honestly, I’ve been wanting to write a book about human psychology since childhood—when I found myself haunted by the Amityville murders. In addition, I’ve always wanted to write a book in which the protagonist would state his/my beliefs regarding the riddle of the universe. Most writers avoid that subject, but it never intimidated me.
TGIF Have a great weekend
do you have any new books coming out soon
Thank you for that question. Next year I hope to publish my coming-of-age novel. It’ll be innovative but much more accessible and relatable than On the Threshold. I’m quite excited about it because coming of age is such an important topic—and it’s a challenge to say something new about it what with all the great books that have come before.
do you like this daylight savings time change
Wendy, awesome question. Daylight savings time has been a real bear for me. When we fell back, my cat got her breakfast that much sooner. Now that we’ve sprung forward, she’s quite confounded and continues to make demands. I love my little Milli, but she’s a little bit crazy—and it all comes down to daylight savings time.
Hope you’re enjoying your tour!
enjoy your week
Absolutely. Let’s hope it’s a good one.
Sounds terrific
as a child what did you want to be when you grew up
Cool question. Believe it or not, I remember wanting to be a firefighter. My mom gave me a children’s book that explained what they do, and it seemed like fun. Plus, I loved the idea of living and working with a bunch of dalmatians. Oh, and the fire trucks were all bright red and looked quite alluring. Alas, my life did not turn out quite that exciting. As I grew more introverted, it became harder to resist the urge to live in the page.
Cool question. I do remember wanting to be a firefighter because they got to live with dalmatians—and they got to slide down that pole and ride about in those big red trucks. Nothing else seemed quite as exciting.
Cool question. I remember wanting to be a firefighter, since they got to live with dalmatians. Firefighters also got to slide down that pole and ride about in big red trucks. Nothing else seemed quite as exciting.
I wanted to be a firefighter!
I always wanted to be a firefighter because they got to live with dalmatians and slide down that pole and ride around in big red trucks. At least my children’s book always made it seem like firefighters had a really fun life. As a kid, you don’t necessarily realize the perils of a profession like that.
best wishes with the book
Wendy, thank you. Oh, and you might also notice all the technical difficulties I had answering your previous question. In the end, though, it seems every attempt did get posted. Yikes. That’s rather embarrassing.
Happy Pi Day
Yes, indeed. So clever of you to have noticed! I must confess I hadn’t even realized it.
did you go to college for writing
Wendy, as a matter of fact, I did do an expensive mfa degree in poetry. Nevertheless, I very much regret it. The whole thing was a scam. It’s better to learn to write by hiring a writer to read and to edit your work. College really isn’t that important!
have a great week-end
And let’s have a great Saint Patrick’s Day, everyone!
Happy St Patricks day
I love your positive energy, Wendy.
LOVE READING ABOUT NEW AUTHORS
Have you ever been to England
Yes, I went in the summer of 1985—when I was a teenager. Lived in Redbridge London and went to Liverpool to take the Magical Mystery Tour and to see the Beatles Museum. What an awesome experience. If you go to mlaszlo.com and look through my first few blogs, I wrote all about my experiences and my first encounters with Britspeak. Isn’t Britspeak fascinating?
Fantastic cover
has Spring arrived where you live? we got hit with more snow overnight
Wendy, here in Ohio the snow did return. For the most part, it has melted. Still, everyone fears it will be back. April can be very cruel in northeastern Ohio. There’s nothing to do but persevere. Wintry weather can be so depressing.
Well first day of spring and still snowing in Alberta Canada
I love Gordon Lightfoot’s song ‘Alberta Bound.’ Not that that has anything to do with anything.
This looks like a captivating novel. Thanks for hosting this tour.
do you have a favorite type of music, I like the classic rock
I listen to pretty much anything. Classic rock, the singer-songwriters, post-punk, baroque, jazz, Japanese koto music, nineteenth-century composers, too—especially Erik Satie. With regard to classic rock, I love the Doors. Canadian bands are awesome, too. Oh, and I love Joni Mitchel, and she’s Canadian, isn’t she? Love her.
any weekend plans? we are just relaxing and watching it snow lol
I have no especial weekend plans. I live with my mom, and she’s fighting cancer. She needs me to be there for her, and it does feel so good to help her in any way she requires. Life can be bitter and challenging, but we must persevere.
M. Laszlo is a hew author to me, but I am excited to read On The Threshold.
excited to read this, it does sound very interesting
love reading the info about the authors
I find that authors can be very quirky . . . and oddly similar to cats.
do you belong to any bookclubs
Great question. Not yet. Maybe someday. I mainly love to read all the old books lying around the house. Some publicity firms seem to believe that submitting a new work to a book club could be a good idea, but who knows. The biggest problem with joining a book club is that the whole idea is inconsistent with my reclusive nature.
Happy Easter
Yes, indeed. Let’s all have a good, spiritually uplifting Easter. Peace and love to all.
looks like a fun one
ane easter plans
I plan to take care of my mom. She is very Catholic, but she’s very ill. Easter is solemn and hopeful, but sometimes life can be very stressful.
Have a wondrful Easter Sunday
Happy Easter everyone!
Congratulations on your book!
Thank you, Nancy. You’re so lovely.
do you prank people on APril fools
Never! I don’t know why, but I never do. Also, I remember that in high school, we had a bulletin board by which to keep track of everyone’s birthday. And a girl’s birthday actually fell on April Fool’s Day, but I was very sensitive about it. Indeed, most of the students felt that way. No one wanted to hurt her feelings.
Looks fascinating
sound wonderful
Love the cover!
sounds like an exciting book
interesting cover
how did you think of this design for the cover
Wendy, it was the book designer’s idea. I went along because a cover has to be marketable. If I were a book cover designer, every cover would be understated and quiet. And that would not be good for business.
Looks like a fun book
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
Nancy, I always knew! Ever since I was an introverted little kid, I’d take notes and write peculiar little things down onto paper. Instinctively, I just knew it would be wrong to forget. There must be plenty of others who did that. Keep in mind, too, many kids keep a diary. Perhaps the unconscious mind just compels that kind of introspection.
Love Fuonlyknew
Fascinating design
what person do you admire the most
Gosh, what a question. Here are some candidates: Jesus, Joan of Arc, Buddha, Qohelet (the author of Ecclesiastes,) Thelonius Monk, Teri Garr, Erik Satie, Annie Potts, Vincent Van Gogh, Kepler, and Diana Rigg.
sounds like a great book, must have been fun to write
Sometimes fun, sometimes a big challege. So it goes with any labour of love.
What is your favorite season?
Awesome question. For me, and many others, autumn will always be the most magnificent of seasons. The leaves and pepppery scent in the air fill me with thoughts of beauty tinged with nostalgia. But don’t we all feel that way?
Unique looking cover idea
was it hard to find a publisher
I wouldn’t know. Never tried the traditional route. Hybrid publishing is the place to be. It did take time to find a hybrid that believed in me and would work with me, but it was worth it. With a hybrid, you write and publish what you want—provided you are willing to pay for exacting, intensive editing.
Thanks for the opportunity
Thank you!
Thank you David.
David, sorry but I put your thank you up above! I get so confused sometimes.
Great giveaway!
David, do you see what I did? I put my thank you in the wrong place and put the apology there too. Computers are not my thing.
love reading the authors bio
are you a morning person or a night owl
Wow, what a question. I think I’m neither. When morning comes, though, my cat always gets me out of bed because she’s accustomed to having a breakfast meal. Somtimes I’d like to be a night owl, but the older I get, the harder it is for me to stay up.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a firefighter. And in my book, the point-of-view character, Fingal, is, in a sense, a firefighter. He has to save the world from a fiery foe anyway. Isn’t that perfect?
what’s it like being a writer?
The writer’s life mainly occurs in a writing/computer room and consists of constant redrafting and lots of coffee. A writer lives in the page. Perhaps Willy Wonka put it best: ‘There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination.’
enjoy your sunday
Yes, indeed. Let’s all have a good Sunday!
Enjoy your book tour.
Have a great week.
Thank you, I will!
Thank you!
sounds like an interesting character
I hope readers find Fingal interesting because I believe readers can and will learn something from him.
How’s your year been so far?
David, this year has been all about caring for my beloved mother. She’s very ill with cancer, and the pain is unbearable. Still, there’s nothing to do but be strong and do whatever I can to make her autumn years better. One note: my mother loves nothing the way she loves books and gardening. Now that she is old, she can’t garden. Ah, but she still has her books!
Beautiful and quiet.
Sorry about this post. It was intended for another place, and it ended up here. I’m old and very easily confounded.
red wine or white
Red often gives me headaches, so I tend to go with white. Great question, by th way.
neat cover
How do you deal with writer’s block?
Take a break from fiction and write non-fiction. Journalism/memoir is best because it is descriptive. Honestly, it works!
If you were going to write a children’s book, what would it be about?
Nancy, I got confused and put my answer to your question underneath David’s question. So, I’ll answer his here. My favorite book genre is really non-fiction! I love history and reference literature. Oh, and I love reading poetry! As far as fiction is concerned, I love anything and everything. Honestly.
What’s your favorite book genre?
How about a bunch of seahorses battling pollution? I think that would be a good way of teaching children the importance of ecology. Dr. Seuss did that, of course, with the Lorax.
Just saying Hi.
Do you collect physical media?
Awesome question. When I was a kid, I collected comic books. But now that I’m old, the inclination to be acquisitive has given way to the need to be free of too much materialism.
What do you do when you need a break?
I like to take a long walk with a meet-up group and schmooze with someone friendly whilst enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I know that sounds corny, but it’s true!
What are some of your biggest pet peeves?
David, that’s a great question. Here my essential pet peeves: People who are too judgmental! People who are directionless! People who take joy in ridiculing others.
Do you read any of your own books?
Cool question. The answer is yes and no. Yes, I read them back when checking over the final proofread. No, I don’t read them the way I read other books. When I read my stuff, I’m working! When I read Ray Bradbury or Hermann Hesse, I’m just a fan who loves books.
How is life these days?
David, I’m in a bit of a fog. My beloved mother died of cancer on the 22nd, and the pain is unbearable. On the other hand, I am happy that she is out of pain herself. In addition, I have to be strong for others. A writer must be strong and philosophical if his or her characters are to teach anyone anything. I hope all is well with you!
I’m so sorry about your mom. I’m sure she’s proud of you.
Finally an answer, any answer, to the riddle of the universe!
Yes, indeed. Cheers!
I send you peace during this difficult time. Hope you enjoy your Sunday.
Thank you, sir. A funny thing about Sunday. April 28 just happens to be my late and beloved mom’s birthday. So, I’ll say it right here: happy birthday, Mom. I love you, and I miss you.
I hope your healing can begin.
Thank you, sir.
Condolences for your Mom. I put a picture of mine on Shorpy. Blessings.
Thank you, Nancy.
Hope your week is filled with hope.
Thank you, David.
Hope you’re enjoying your book tour.
Oh I am, Nancy. It’s fun to surf about each new blog and see what that particular bibliophile likes and dislikes. The blogosphere is a happy, gentle place.
This sounds like an interesting book. I like the cover.
Thank you for your kind words!
What’s your favorite song?
Very cool question, David. I’d like to say a good word for ‘Surf’s Up,’ words and music by Brian Wilson. Honestly, the song is perfect and life-affirming and oh so soothing.
What do you feel is your best career achievement to date?
Great question, Nancy. I’d say it’s my upcoming 2025 release. It was edited brilliantly by the British author Barbara Scott Emmett, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever written because of that. Thank God for great editors!
What kind of music do you enjoy most, if at all?
That’s a very cool question. The answer is relative to my mood. Often, though, I love to listen to Satie’s gymnopedies as I’m writing. He’s probably my favorite composer. I also love Kate Bush. Isn’t she awesome?
Yes, I like her distinctive voice & style.
How did you decide on the cover & why?
My book designer and I agreed that we had to put the burning man character on the cover because that character/symbol pretty much encapsulates the whole tale. The burning man serves as the fulcrum of the story and all the big epiphanies that come at the end of the book.
If you weren’t an author & could pursue any other profession, what would it be?
Great question. I know a guy who takes people white-water rafting in Colorado. That’s really his job! I think it would be great to do something like that, where I’m living and working in harmony with nature.