When Mike Figliola's debut novel was released in August 2020, the timing couldn't have been worse.
The Bellmore resident watched as the Covid-19 pandemic sidelined book signings, author events and in-person promotions that typically accompany a new release. Despite positive reviews from readers, he said, The Slow Midnight on Cypress Avenue never received the public introduction he had envisioned.
Now, nearly six years later, Figliola is getting a second chance.
His sophomore novel, “Fine Is Flying Without You,” will be published by Post Hill Press on Dec. 15, giving the author an opportunity to introduce readers to another story rooted in the neighborhoods of Queens while reaching a broader audience through book signings and national recognition.
"I'm really hoping now, with this climate where we are now, that I can really do more book signings, meet more people and get the word out about this," Figliola said.
Ahead of its Dec. 15 release, “Fine Is Flying Without You” has received advance praise from actor Michael Imperioli, bestselling author Brad Meltzer, historian Douglas Brinkley and several other writers and journalists. Imperioli praised Figliola as "an expert spinner of New York tales," calling the novel "authentic" and "fearless," while Meltzer described it as "raw, honest, and true," saying readers will continue to feel its impact long after finishing the book.
Like his debut, “Fine Is Flying Without You” is set in Queens, though this time the story shifts from Ridgewood to Woodhaven, another neighborhood Figliola knows well from his younger years.
The novel follows John Laredo, an unemployed man who returns to the streets and friendships of his past hoping to rediscover a happier chapter of his life. Instead, he finds that memory has romanticized a world that no longer exists.
"What if once you got there, you realized this wasn't how you remembered it?" Figliola said. "You kind of romanticized your past."
As Laredo attempts to reconnect with old friends and familiar places, the day takes an increasingly dangerous turn, forcing him to confront the difference between nostalgia and reality.
While “Fine Is Flying Without You” shares the same literary universe as “The Slow Midnight on Cypress Avenue,” Figliola said the books are structurally different.
His debut consisted of interconnected vignettes told through multiple perspectives, inspired in part by filmmaker Quentin Tarantino's nonlinear storytelling. The new novel follows a single protagonist through a traditional beginning, middle and end.
"I wanted to keep that same vibe," Figliola said. "I wouldn't say this is an exact sequel to that book, but it's definitely set in the same literary universe."
Born and raised in Queens, Figliola spent decades exploring neighborhoods throughout the borough before moving to Bellmore with his wife during the pandemic.
Although he now calls Long Island home, he said Queens remains the heart of his fiction.
"Write about what you know," Figliola said. "I know those streets. I know every corner of Queens pretty much really well."
He said his characters are fictional but often draw inspiration from the people, conversations and neighborhoods he experienced growing up. Real locations and local landmarks frequently appear throughout his stories, giving readers what he hopes is an authentic sense of place.
"I want to put you in those neighborhoods and be like, 'Oh, I can see that building. I can see that corner,'" he said.
Beyond promoting his latest novel, Figliola hopes his work encourages readers to embrace literary fiction at a time when fantasy and romance dominate many bestseller lists.
"I'm really trying to bring back literary fiction," Figliola said. "I'm hoping it inspires people to write some more real literary fiction."
Looking ahead, Figliola plans to schedule book signings around the Dec. 15 release and hopes the new novel reaches readers who may have missed his first book during the pandemic.
His long-term goal remains unchanged.
"Ultimately," he said, "I'd love to turn these books into films."
