CHARACTERS

The Skin is an animal hide the size of a small fox's pelt. It glows with supernatural energy when Andy encounters it and quivers like a beating heart when it fulfills his wishes.

Andy is a young Black pianist and Stanford-trained computer scientist. He writes code like he plays jazz, brilliantly and effortlessly. When his father dies bankrupt, Andy goes to New York to seek his fortune.

Pauline is the daughter of Andy's Spanish landlady in New York. She is eighteen when Andy meets her. She falls in love with him quickly­. He falls in love with her only after Rose betrays him.

Rose is a Southern belle and social media Influencer. She is cosmopolitan and blonde. Her family owned oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico that were cancelled. Her goal is to get them back.

Arthur is a fellow student of Andy’s at the New York Academy of Sciences. He introduces Andy to Rose, and becomes the Chief Marketing Officer at Roxy, Andy's company for concerts on the Internet.

Christopher is also a fellow student of Andy’s and designs the quantum chip that Andy uses to create Roxy. He is a quick-witted engineer and becomes the Chief Technology Officer of Roxy.

Brett, Andy's cousin, is the black sheep of the family. He conspires with Rose to buy Roxy for pennies on the dollar and hosts the IPO closing dinner in his new penthouse in Steinway Towers. 

Larry is Brett's "fixer" in Washington D.C. He uses his contacts in government to steal Roxy from Andy, and restores Rose’s oil leases in the bargain.

The Dealer is a Silk Road Trader who owns a Curiosity Shop in Manhattan. He goads Andy to bet on the Skin. Andy’s first wish is for the Dealer to fall in love with a younger woman and to sell everything he owns to please her.

Prof Shih is Andy's supervisor at the New York Academy of Sciences. He overlooks Andy’s use of the Academy data center to prototype Roxy. Later, Prof Shih asks Andy for a favor.

Benson is the Somerset family butler in Mississippi. He takes care of Andy in New York after he enters into his Faustian bargain with the Skin.