Focus Lost

The line between passion and obsession runs through us all.Levi Combs never planned to rocket to stardom.Eva Florez knew he would the moment she saw him.Gabe Adams didn’t want anything to do with celebrities.But after Gabe’s sister sells his photos of Levi with a young starlet to a tabloid website, their lives become intertwined forever, bound by rage and retribution. Blending the nuance and insight of literary fiction with the big-screen magic of a Hollywood thriller, Focus Lost whisks readers into a world of temptation, indulgence, and revenge, daring them to take a bite of the forbidden fruit.

Jerry Stahl, author of Permanent Midnight, Bad Sex on Speed, and Happy Mutant Baby Pills

"A deep, entertaining read about all the truths that find us when we’re looking the other way."

Stephen Jay Schwartz, Los Angeles Times bestselling author of Boulevard and Beat

"Rarely does an author capture the frenzied descent into drug and alcohol abuse as Doug Cooper does in his tumultuous novel, Outside In. A story of disillusion drowned in excess, tempered by the decisions we make to survive another day. A searing debut."

Weldon Long, author of the New York Times bestseller The Power of Consistency

"This modern take on finding oneself shows readers what can happen when you completely lose control and become someone you are not. It reminds us all of Shakespeare’s counsel, ‘To thine own self be true.’"

Colleen Hoover, author of the New York Times bestseller Slammed

"Outside In takes readers on a wild ride with the final destination being a rediscovered sense of self."

Stuart Smith, CEO, Central Recovery

"Doug Cooper writes authoritatively about the ease with which circumstances conspire to ensnare a promising young teacher into a lush life of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. It remains to be seen how easy it will be for him to get himself out―or if he will just become another bleached-out lotus-eater in the Florida sun. A charismatic cast of characters populates this promising novel from a rising talent."

ForeWord Reviews

“[An] insightful coming-of-age story.”

Red City Review

“…the relatable tale of one man’s quarter-life crisis that will resonate with readers of all ages.”

Literally Jen

“A look at one man’s belated coming of age that’s equally funny, earnest, romantic, and lamenting, Doug Cooper’s debut novel explores the modern search for responsibility and identity, showing through the eyes of Brad Shepherd how sometimes, we can only come to understand who we truly are by becoming the person we’re not.”

About the Author

Doug Cooper is the author of the award-winning novels Outside In and The Investment Club. Always searching, he has traveled to over twenty-five countries on five continents, exploring the contradictions between what we believe and how we act in the pursuit of truth, beauty, and love. Originally from Port Clinton, Ohio, he has also called Cleveland, St. Louis, Detroit, New York, Las Vegas, and Oslo, Norway home. Focus Lost is his third novel.

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