Skylighting

In the wake of his wife’s death, Nick Nacht finds himself adrift, seeking emotional renewal among strangers in unfamiliar places. As he navigates the challenges of grief, he encounters a tapestry of lives-- an impulsive teenage girl, a married woman with a hidden agenda, a new neighbor’s pet bird, a young poet grappling with her own demons, and a woman who translates indigenous texts. Over the course of a year, from the sunny shores of Florida to the vibrant Mediterranean, these vivid encounters push him toward a reckoning with his deep feelings of loss and abandonment. With quick, lyrical prose, Skylighting unfolds a surprisingly intricate story, weaving together moments of connection and solitude. As Nick navigates the complexities of grief, he learns that healing can emerge from the most unexpected places, illuminating a path toward renewal and hope amid the shadows of sorrow.

Charles Hansmann is an award-winning poet, the author of five poetry chapbooks. His fiction, poetry, haiku and haibun have appeared in publications in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Austria (with German translation), India, Australia and New Zealand. A former New York attorney, he lives with his wife, Eileen Kennedy, in rural Wisconsin and coastal Florida.