Steven M. Rubin W’83 is the author of a new novel, The Unraveling of Michael Galler (SparkPress). He writes, “The book is a psychological family drama about a teenager transitioning from high school to college, and whose entanglement in an intense, complex new relationship exacerbates his obsession over his greatest fear: cancer.” It has received favorable reviews from other Penn alumni, including USA Today bestselling author Jacqueline Friedland C’99 L’00, Pulitzer Prize–nominee and journalist Vahe Gregorian C’83, and filmmaker Gavin O’Connor C’86.
Interviews:
BookDNA: Steven M. Rubin’s favorite books with masterclass dialogue
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb: Q&A with Steven M. Rubin
Hasty Book List: Author Interview with Steven M. Rubin
IndieView with Steven M. Rubin, author of The Unraveling of Michael Galler
Sarahlyn Bruck – Spotlight: Steven M. Rubin
Podcasts:
One Final Twist with Teresa Bruck and Scott Lovelace:
Terry Shepherd – In Conversation:
The Culture Buzz – John Busbee:
A common question to me has been, “When did you start writing the book?” With some reflection, and some evidence below, I remembered I had submitted an abridged version of the fourth chapter into the 1997 Marblehead Festival of Arts and won Adult Short Story Best of Show. This chapter was the introduction of a new character, Tremont, and his entrance into the story felt like it could stand alone as a compelling short story. The judges apparently agreed.
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A brief excerpt:
Tremont’s mother shook him again. This time she shook him so hard that even her own body was rocking feverishly, as if she were trying to shake herself out of this nightmare that was her life.
They were at a standoff. She could not give him what she did not have, and he could not surrender a strategic position he had risked so much to achieve.
One other thing gave Tremont an uneasy feeling: She seemed to know something that he did not. She knew something and was uncomfortable with the knowledge, and Tremont did not know it and was uncomfortable with the lack of knowledge.
He saw only one resolution. He needed to find a new source for the money. But first he needed to find out what had his mother so distraught.
Both questions were answered simultaneously when a steady knock sounded at the front door.
His mother redirected her anger at the wall clock, as if that were the problem.
“He’s early,” she whispered, as if the man on the other side of the door had his ear pressed against it. There was another knock, this time firmer. His mother stood leaning weakly on the kitchen table, motionless. She looked at Tremont, the clock, the door, then surveilled the room one last time, seeming bewildered by her options. She ran a hand through her hair as if she could rake an idea out of the knotted mess.
“I can’t control what happens when he comes in,” she warned.
Tremont pushed out his chest and dug his fingernails into his palms. “Could you ever? Let him in.”
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The Marblehead Weekly News ran a story this week acknowledging the distance from that award to today, as I am now about a month away from my May 12, 2026 publishing date.
https://marbleheadweeklynews.com/festival-of-arts-award-winner-publishes-first-novel/
The Unraveling of Michael Galler is about a teenager transitioning from high school to college, who tries to outrun an obsessive fear of getting cancer while balancing the physical toll of Boston Marathon training with the emotional toll of a promising, but emotionally complex relationship.
It’s available for pre-order on amazon, Barnes & Noble, Simon & Schuster, your local independent bookstore, and many other retailers.
Steven M. Rubin 