"As a sophomore in college Samantha Reddick meets Tony Amaya, a brokenhearted young man, whose written words she keeps as a memento of a weekend long affair. The words, written on the back of a paper place mat, become her only solid ground during a tumultuous decade that nearly destroys her, leaving her searching for answers at the bottom of the bottle. Haunted by guilt and the constant menace from a man she once loved, Samantha searches for Tony and inserts herself into his life through an online friend request to his wife, Gwen. Mutual curiosity opens the door to an unexpected friendship that becomes the catalyst of an inner battle between the better woman Samantha longs to be, and the Samantha who despises her own gaze."
Javier Robayo has written a masterpiece in 'The Gaze', one that is already showing as a top-grossing, all-engrossing, unforgettable movie in my mind, and I'm almost positive those who've read it feel the same way. Think 'Gone With The Wind' on steroids.Think...well...no...don't think. There isn't a movie in the annals that can match a film made from 'The Gaze'. There is no equal in the book world that could have been made into such a movie. Author Robayo has given screenwriters everywhere a screenwriter's dream. Even his English dialogue in the British vernacular is spot-on. From dialogue to detail, to every stray hair tucked behind an ear, to a thousand-mile stare and that gaze boring deep into the soul, it's all there. Just put it in screenplay format and voilà!
Of course, the ideal is to have real people from which to mold realistic on-screen characters as you have that person's history and demeanor right in front of you. Nothing has to be fashioned from imagination. Author Robayo's characters in no way fly in the face of that. They ARE real people. Instead of living next door, they have moved into the one little cul-de-sac in your mind that has no picket fence of disbelief. You are compelled, even after finishing the book, to observe these fascinating, deeply complex people from behind your elegant sheers in the front window. How does he do that? I'm a writer and damned if I know.
Having read hundreds, perhaps thousands, of books in my life, never has there been one this impactful, this vastly memorable, this addictive...for me. Author Robayo has given us something magical, something so rare there is naught with which to compare it. The plot twists, story line, pace and flow are flawless. Clearly, parts of his own fascinating life are woven in, but you'll never see the seams. In my mind this is an utterly, utterly fascinating read.
I've been researching lately how profoundly we are what we think, and how we are builders of our own worlds. On Javier Robayo's website, he occasionally tosses up yet another famous actor, his dream choice to play a character in his book for the film to come. He clearly has a big dream, as most of us do, but in his case, the dream is destined to become real. He has the incredible chops, so he has already finely fashioned his future. What a fine inspiration to writers everywhere! If the unique quality of your work matches the vast expanse of your dream, you will have found the secret to it all. As simple as that.
Buy the book. Savor it, like I did. Then buy 'The Next Chapter'. He has already written it, both literally and figuratively. Start saving your money to take everyone you know to the movies. The day 'The Gaze' premiers will be one fine day, indeed. Coming soon, to a theater and theatre near you.
--Jo VonBargen 2012