by Luke Kennard
First published 2026
An unemployed actor faces financial desperation when Dr. Blend presents him with the most unusual job offer imaginable. The work seems straightforward: climb into an enormous leather bag, seal himself inside, and remain perfectly still at the rear of university classrooms while Dr. Blend conducts his autumn lectures. The professor aims to observe student reactions to this mysterious presence. The actor jumps at the chance, thankful for any income. What begins as simple employment transforms into a maze of unforeseen problems. A post-humanism professor grows intrigued by the experiment and pursues her own research agenda, wondering if romantic feelings can develop toward someone concealed within black leather. The actor's longtime friend recognizes profit potential and devises a scheme to commercialize the odd arrangement. As weeks pass, the actor discovers he has become ensnared not only by the confining bag but by intersecting forces of scholarly ambition, surprising romantic possibilities, and his friend's business machinations.
Genres: literary-fiction, humor, contemporary, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
352 pages · Hardcover · Zando