Manhattan to Montauk
Manhattan to Montauk is a romantic, coming-of-age novel set in 1995, in both locations. It examines early-adulthood love through changing seasons, setting and circumstance.
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ABOUT THE BOOK
“Downing chronicles early adulthood in a way that is insightful, honest, and nostalgic.”
– Leighann Hart, author of Loving Rosenfeld
“In this coming-of-age story, Zachary Downing combines hilarity and sincerity as he narrates a forbidden summer fling that develops into a tender romance with an uncertain fate. His ability to bring his writing to life with vivid prose and true-to-life dialogue shine in this charming tale that captures the essence of the excitement of young love and the difficult journey to adulthood.”
– Matthew Hanover, author of Not Famous
New York City, 1995. Chris Sundstrom is a twenty-two-year-old college graduate and flailing entry-level employee at a firm in the Financial District. When a professional faux pas leaves him exiled from the office for two weeks, Chris flees to the Summer beach town of Montauk.
In comes an enchanting distraction named Daisy, who’s sweet, sassy and thoughtful. Sparks immediately fly, but when the truth comes out— that she’s only seventeen, everything becomes more complex. To add another knot, Chris and Daisy encounter a wildfire that forces them to play house, and are obligated to babysit a stranger’s kid. And all this before Labor Day.
But, in spite of everything they’ve endured, once the strange season eventually does end, can Chris and Daisy’s Summer romance survive into the Fall? Or are they living in some limbo, and if so, how long can it last?
Listen to the Manhattan to Montauk playlist on Spotify.
FLOUNDER
Flounder is a coming-of-age, Young Adult novel that examines early-adulthood competency, anxiety and transience through the eyes of college freshman, Alex Ryback, and his sputtering, Odysseusesque journey.
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ABOUt THE BOOK
“Flounder strikes just the right tone, drawing readers in with sharply drawn characters and naturalistic dialogue. This world of summer romances, parties with lunkhead friends, and awkward dinner conversations with family is both poignant and hilarious. Read this book.”
– Marc DiPaolo, author of Fake Italian: An 83% True Autobiography with Pseudonyms and Some Tall Tales
“Zachary Downing perfectly captures the highs (sometimes literally) and anxiety of the college experience. Flounder serves as a delightful touch point for anyone who struggled to find themselves when they went out on their own.”
– Ian Shane, author of Postgraduate
Seventeen-year-old Alex Ryback is adamant that he won’t end up like his deadbeat, older brother, Gerry. He’s wrapping up high school well enough, but his parents still give him a college ultimatum: maintain a 3.0 GPA or lose all financial support, following in Gerry’s footsteps.
Now thrust into higher education, Alex discovers that keeping on top of his grades while navigating his social life is no easy task. And when one, unsympathetic professor forces that 3.0 GPA to slip out of reach, he figures, what’s the point? Shouldn’t he just go crazy partying until the music stops?
Sputtering through a turbulent year containing pointless classes, girlfriends, way too much weed, an illegitimate yearbook superlative, a weapon at a house party, a laundry room confrontation, and a campus-wide, drinking scavenger hunt, Alex must ultimately determine whether he’ll let a few blunders condemn him to be a loser forever, or if he is willing to persevere and overcome his mistakes.
Listen to the Flounder playlist on Spotify.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Zachary Downing is an Amazon best-selling author and songwriter from Long Island, NY. His first novel, Flounder, was published in 2022.
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Contact
ZDowning@beggiebooks.com