written by Liz Larson
February 2018, Charlottesville, Virginia.
The Generation is back—finally. Over the course of a yearlong hiatus, the pop-punk trio has seen their beloved hometown rocked by racist violence and endured months of radio silence from their brilliant yet volatile front man, Max. But guitarist Jason is ready to put all of that behind him when a late-night call from Max reconnects the lifelong friends and reunites the band.
At a party on the eve of the band’s reunion tour, Jason watches in horror as Max is thrown to his death off a balcony. Or so he thinks. In the chaotic hours that follow, two things become clear: the victim on the balcony was an imposter, and—as usual—there are no simple answers when it comes to the real Max. He’s just . . . gone.
Troubled by the emotional storms that drove Max away even before his disappearance, but desperate to bring him home, Jason resolves to find Max himself. In the long winter shadow of Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Jason sets out on a race against time to save his friend. In doing so, he unravels a series of surprising personal truths about the people and places he cares about most.
$4.99 – $17.95
Liz Larson has spent half of her life in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the other half in State College, Pennsylvania. She loves both of her hometowns, faults and all. Despite her “real” job as a physics graduate student, her inner emo kid is still going strong. You can usually find her writing, playing bass, or out exploring the countryside—in all cases, surrounded by her animals and far, far too many Green Day albums.
Formats: Paperback, E-book
Pages: 208
ISBN (PB): 978-1-958754-29-0
ISBN (e-book): 978-1-958754-30-6
Release Date: 7/19/2023
“The free indirect discourse, and the way the story floats in between the current plot crisis and memories evoked by specific details, speaks to the writer’s love of Faulkner and other classic writers. Larson’s control over tone and the tightly constructed writing allow the reader to consume the story quickly—the suspense pushes the story along. This bildungsroman of a young man and his slow awakening to his privilege and ignorance allows us some hope for redemption.”
— Kate Hoffman, writer and educator
“Liz Larson’s Fireflies and Zeroes meditates on the 2017 racist hate assault on Charlottesville, VA, via three members of a pop-punk band who must grapple with the painful repercussions of the event for their lives, relationships, and ideas of home. The novel offers both a love song to Charlottesville and an anthem for every kind of love.”
— Caroline Rody, University of Virginia
“A heart-pounding story of love and mystery, of self-discovery and suspense, full of the thousand conflicts—large and small—that make life so beautiful and so painful. This is a story I’ll be picking up again.”
— Morgan Jensen, book blogger
OR
“A book as complex and rich as the small town it portrays in such loving detail, with a determined man and his achingly absent best friend at its center. Fireflies and Zeroes shows that dedication, loyalty, and love will always triumph over bigotry if we keep our hearts and minds open.”
— Morgan Jensen, book blogger
“Liz has seriously achieved something impressive with her debut novel. Her talent shines through the soul of her work. The detail of each scene has a grabbing effect and is executed perfectly. Her writing is clearly engraved with the passion she has for this work. Fireflies and Zeroes relates to our current events in a seamless manner, frankly, in some ways so surprising it will keep you on your toes. Liz’s talents, prose, and empathy shine throughout this novel. A fantastic debut. Certainly, this is the first of many.”
— David Adewumi, creator and entrepreneur.
