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Have you been to the circus? What is it like? Powerful, thrilling, mesmerizing? Frightening, overwhelming, a bit sad? Our own feelings about the circus play into our reading of Gruen's book.

If we're mesmerized, Gruen's take on the circus might call to mind the Wizard of Oz, when the Wizard says, right before the gig is up: "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

Gruen flatly ignores the wizard, showing us that even though we might dream of running away to the circus, it's not all fun & games & cotton candy.

 What is the effect of seeing behind the curtain in Gruen's book? Is it empowering? Illuminating? A lot like your own working life?

The Semi-Finalists in the Amazon.Com Breakthrough Novel Contest — an online quest for the next Great American Novel — are here. The winner of this contest receives publication by Penguin. And — well, what else is there? OK, there's money — a $25,000 advance.

Several Carolina authors are among the semifinalists. And here's where you come in. Download a 5,000-word excerpt from a novel, then rate and review it. Those voted to stay on the virtual island move on to the 100 Top Semi-Finalists. From these top 100 Semi-Finalists, 10 finalists will be selected by Penguin. Excerpts from the 10 finalists will be posted online and Amazon.Com customers will vote to select the Grand Prize winner.

Cast your vote for the next book for the N&O Book Club!