Supersymmetry: A Novel

“For every particle, there is a hidden one that fits perfectly together with it. Balances it out. Makes the laws of the universe work.” In this one-of-a-kind story, a young woman struggles through faltering relationships to find meaning in her identity and in love.

Getting pregnant at nineteen was never Lisa’s plan. Postpartum depression, single parenthood, her own childhood trauma, and her son’s increasingly violent outbursts make Lisa feel like she’s unraveling. Alone, with guilt weighing heavy on her mind and her path shrouded in uncertainty, she leaves her hometown in Oregon and ventures to Croatia, hoping for a fresh start.

There, she meets Luka, a handsome man with a complex past. The partnership and love that Lisa builds with Luka helps her navigate the estranged familial relationships she left behind in Oregon, but as her feelings for Luka continue to develop, her past begins to resurface and she’s forced to confront the secrets she’s been keeping from him.

Lisa's present in Croatia and her past in Oregon collide in this dramatic story of a young woman looking to make her life into something more. Can Lisa run away from her problems forever, creating a new life, identity, and love for herself? Or will the pull of family prove stronger than the thousands of miles that separate them?

S. R. Schulz lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, three sons, and two dogs. He’s been traveling to visit family in Croatia since 2010. He currently works as a family physician just outside Portland, Oregon, and is a faculty member at Oregon Health & Science University. His writing has been published online and in print, including McSweeney’s, HAD, Rejection Letters, Maudlin House, Autofocus, and others. Supersymmetry is his first novel.