Masha

In Hayden Kopser's debut Novella, the relationships of two neighboring couples come to separate heads on a winter night, thanks in part to voyeuristic intrusions from both sides of the wall that separates their apartments.

The members of each couple search their souls and lessons learned throughout life for the answers to moral dilemmas that have placed them into states of arrested development.

Masha’s storyline focuses largely on voyeurism, settling, comfort, urgency, immigration, prejudice, lust, love, faith, wounds from the past, and plans for the future. All topics are examined deeply in hyper-realistic or allegorical fashion leaving few aspects of the human psyche untouched.

The setting and character count are limited in scope, allowing room for a deep dive within the focused confines of the novella’s world. In addition to the adjacent apartments in which the characters reside, the setting also includes the minds of the characters, with each possessing far more truth than the characters are willing or able to verbalize. Masha fits within its brief length an extraordinarily rich world of complex characters, human emotions, and situations that will cause the reader to confront their own actions and beliefs, should they be willing to do so.

Sample Excerpts from the book:
“But why do I let him get to me this way? Why do I not leave him? I am an attorney! I have the means!” She reminded herself, temporarily finding inspiration in her own internal monologue. “But ah, I look at him and still, through the hate, I do love him. I cannot help but to love him. And I know he loves me, though I know he is no longer in love. And God would not want me to hate, but does God not know what hurt this man has caused me? Surely he must hate him too! Oh, God please forgive me.”

"He was no longer in love with Masha, this he knew, but he loved her too much to tell her so. To tell her about his feelings for his coworker, or rather co-employee, at that moment was unthinkable."

"Amy’s ‘no’ was a statement to this man, who she loved then and still loved, that she did not need him. Amy had done what her mother seemingly could not, and chose herself over a man."