Michael Zadoorian has a novel, “The Leisure Seekers,” that will be published by HarperCollins and is set to hit stores on Jan. 27. Much of the book takes place on Route 66.
Here’s the synopsis from the publisher:
John and Ella Robina have shared a wonderful life for more than fifty years. Now in their eighties, Ella suffers from cancer and has chosen to stop treatment. John has Alzheimer’s. Yearning for one last adventure, the self-proclaimed “down-on-their-luck geezers” kidnap themselves from the adult children and doctors who seem to run their lives to steal away from their home in suburban Detroit on a forbidden vacation of rediscovery.
With Ella as his vigilant copilot, John steers their ’78 Leisure Seeker RV along the forgotten roads of Route 66 toward Disneyland in search of a past they’re having a damned hard time remembering. Yet Ella is determined to prove that, when it comes to life, a person can go back for seconds—sneak a little extra time, grab a small portion more—even when everyone says you can’t.
Darkly observant, told with humor, affection, and a touch of irony, The Leisure Seeker is an odyssey through the ghost towns, deserted trailer parks, forgotten tourist attractions, giant roadside icons, and crumbling back roads of America. Ultimately it is the story of Ella and John: the people they encounter, the problems they overcome, the experiences they have lived, the love they share, and their courage to take back the end of their own lives.
It was reported in April that the book, months before publication, had already been optioned for a film.
Here, Zadoorian talks about the inspiration for the book:
And Zadoorian talks about the great time he had researching Route 66 itself:
And check out Zadoorian’s Web site. There, you’ll see images of the Munger Moss Motel in Lebanon, Mo., and the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas.
The book can be pre-ordered here.