Only Everything

Logan Downing trusted that with hard work, some talent, and a little luck he could have it all: fame, fortune, even the girl. Emboldened by the dirty, daring world of mid-90s New York City and spurred on by his older brother Franklin and the photographer Alejandro -- outsized characters embracing their own creativity and passion -- he launched himself onto the artist's path.

And he succeeded. Wildly.

Yet when we catch up with present-day Logan, now in his early 40s, something, somewhere has gone terribly wrong. He's battling alcoholism, insomnia, and a decade-long creative rut. As his claustrophobic job and dying relationship threaten to extinguish what's left of his artistic passion, he can't resist writing about that magical time in New York City.

Ultimately he's forced to face an unspeakable tragedy that occurred at the pinnacle of his success. The harder Logan tries to avoid it, the more it leaches into his present -- until the undertow of unmetabolized grief begins to pull him apart.

'Only Everything' explores art and ambition, love and loss, privilege and entitlement. It reveals how even the most beautiful of dreams can create unexpected pain, along with the possibility of redemption.

Keith Martin-Smith has a passion for the untold stories that drive us, the things that push us to grow and question our world and ourselves. 'Only Everything' is Keith's fourth book and first novel. A collection of short stories, 'The Mysterious Divination of Tea Leaves', was published in 2009, followed in 2012 by the award-winning memoir 'A Heart Blown Open' and its follow-up, 'The Heart of Zen.' In addition to being an author, Keith is also an ordained Zen priest and a Northern Kung Fu lineage holder and recognized master. But just so you don't get the wrong idea, he's also fond of sleeping in and drinking ales. More on Keith at www.keithmartinsmith.com