The story is of an American photojournalist named Aidan Conner, who begins the story on the deck of a Tokyo apartment. Burned out from an assignment that turned disastrous in a professional and personal way, Aidan visits his old college friend, Mima. A successful artist, Mima still finds it a rough go on her own, as do two of her closest friends.

Sora and Eko are tagged as parasite singles, or young women who live at home longer than expected. They’re accused under the term of living materialistic lives while sponging off their parents.

Aidan knows everyone has a story, and both women do: a brilliant painter, Sora struggles with bipolar disorder. Eko, who seems the poster child for the term has her own dark past. All three women (and Aidan) find they must all face their pasts now, if ever they are to move forward.

Through remaking himself, Aidan realizes what kept him close to Mima, and she to her friends all these years. One thing never dies.

You’re not going to tell us what that is, are you? At least tell us what genre we’re dealing with here.

Mainstream Fiction, with some elements of Young Adult (my primary genre).

Tell us a little more about Aidan.

Aidan is a native Bostonian in his early 30’s. A camera bug from childhood, he parlays his sister’s secondhand Minolta into a career in journalism. He freelances, and travels the world to shoot and report on the stories that others will not touch. His base is Washington, DC, but he’s rarely “home.”

Aidan is a down to earth guy, but can be brash and outspoken. He is unmarried, though has maintained a long-term distance relationship with Philippa, producer of TV programs at a cable news network. His family connections are few–at the time of the story Aidan has not seen his brother Stephen in two years, and his sister Katie is a woman only spoken of.

This is a man married to his work–virtually rootless, Aidan knows he is searching for something more than the story of other’s lives.

What kind of readers will this book appeal to?

I want to think readers of contemporary fiction will pick up on the story right away. There is an element of danger and adventure, from the perspectives of Aidan’s past, and also Mima’s. In addition, my examination of tolerance (and intolerance) of those who are “different,” or who choose to not follow society’s conventional paths I hope has meaning. The examination of bipolar disorder is a subplot, in Sora’s case; I suffer from depression myself, and have family and friends who battle different variations of bipolarity.

We’re really sorry to hear that. Tell us more about yourself.

I was born in Vermont, and grew up on a dairy farm that my family still operates. As I noted before, I had interests in broadcasting, but also reading and writing. Over the past decades, I’ve worked radio stations in just about every format and position, as a DJ, journalist, newscaster, talk show host and manager.

I lived in Boston for nearly ten years, and they were formative, not just for radio. I acted for several years in two “Rocky Horror Picture Show” casts, did some theatre and indie film work and jobbed about the broadcasting world. My travels were mostly in New England, until I moved to Pennsylvania in 2000. I’ve been here ever since.

I made the jump to internet radio in 2012: I’m known as DJ`Riff on Radio-Airwaves Station, which is based in London.

Do you have a website where we can keep up with your work?

Yes. I use the Behance.net site for my radio air check, selections of my writing and music.

What about Twitter?

@ToryGates.

What’s next for you?

For me, what is next is to promote “Parasite Girls” in any way I can. Meanwhile, I shall be editing both “The Drifters” and “Time the Healer” to consider which will be next. While at it, I have new story ideas, and will be going over the older ones. That never stops for me!