This novel was born out of a short story (also titled, "The Umbrella") from one of my previous books, The Almost Definitive Collection vol. 1. It follows a short period of time in the lives of about a dozen people who have only one thing in common: a mysterious black umbrella. That, and a visit to a very unusual bar and restaurant called 'The Seventh Circle'. Two men, one the owner/bartender of the bar, and a mystical traveling umbrella salesman who frequents the bar every night, are our guides into the lives of these people. Much like Dante and Virgil in The Inferno, these two men take the visitors through the seven levels of Purgatory. These levels represent the seven deadly sins: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride. Each of these people arrive at the bar at a crossroad in their lives and must choose between good and evil. Coupled with a high stakes wager between our two guides, the futures of these people hang in the balance.
| Author: Michael Maccalupo |
| Publisher: Write Beyond |
| Publication Date: May 30, 2023 |
| Number of Pages: 193 pages |
| Language: English |
| Binding: Paperback |
| ISBN-10: 0996437800 |
| ISBN-13: 9780996437806 |
