By the Sea - A Comic Novel — Steven Paul Leiva

A modern comic adult fairy tale with an ensemble cast of Cinderellas. Instead of a kingdom by the sea, our story takes place in and around a residential hotel by the sea. The architecturally eclectic Briers Hotel is situated on Leech Beach, a not particularly inviting beach, being often fog-bound and always scruffy. But it's the perfect setting for our Cinderellas, male and female, who put up with the scruffy-ness of life while striving to make it through their various personal seaside fogs. Theater; art; antiques; old movies; sex; more sex; death; fast and slow cars, chicken shit and cow poop; military bearing and erotic emissions -- not to mention the wicked witch, the sea serpent by the sea shore, the village ogre, the village idiot, and several Prince Charmings -- all figure into this merry tale with a multitude of happy endings.Steven Paul Leiva has written an engaging, thoughtful, and kind book. In this era of unlikable characters and the idea that a good book is one in which horrible things happen to horrible people, Leiva has turned that entirely on its head. Even when people act badly, he has told their story with sympathy and grace, with a complete kindness for even the most outwardly difficult characters. By the Sea is long, but it's not fat. It's all muscle. And what a satisfying book it is! Leiva has built his small world perfectly, and each character is so complete and well thought out that what at first seem disparate pieces fit together perfectly by the end. It's a hat trick in perfect proportions! -- Jo Graham, author of Black Ships, Hand of Isis, and Stealing Fire.What do they say about Steven Paul Leiva and his books?Leiva not only promises, he delivers....Beautifully written -Ray Bradbury, Literary LegendA wonderful read....highly entertaining and impressive. -Richard D. Zanuck, Hollywood LegendLeiva's immense gifts are matched only by his wry, biting wit -Paul Provenza, Comedy LegendWry humor, intellectual insight and terrific story telling are the consistent signatures of Leiva's work. -Ken Kragen, Show Biz LegendSteven gives way to impulse. To passion and the heart. -David Brin, Science Fiction Legend