Michael Thomas Perone's Blog, page 13

My Interview With Literary Titan

courtesy Nicole Esposito Photography

The book-reviewing website Literary Titan was nice enough to interview me after their five-star review of Danger Peak. Click on the link below to read it, or you can read the interview in full below the link.

Literary Titan Interview With MTP

Danger Peak  follows three loyal friends who set out on a fun adventure to find out what’s on top of Danger Peak. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

Danger Peak is based on a short story I wrote when I was a kid in 1988 called Action Bike (hence the ’80s setting). I was inspired by the old-school, 8-bit Nintendo game “Excitebike.” I’m not sure if you’ve ever played it before, but it was one of those programmable games where you could construct your own course. One day, I built a giant ramp that looked like a mountain, and I wondered what would be on top of that mountain. That was the germ of the idea. I was also influenced, unfortunately, by the death of my brother, who passed a few years before I wrote the story. My final inspiration was growing up in the ‘80s and the many misadventures I had with my two best friends riding our bikes all over town, though we didn’t get into as much trouble as my characters! (laughs)

Your characters were well developed and fun to follow. What were some driving ideals behind their character development?

For anyone who knows me, I think it’s obvious that Robert, the main character, is loosely based on me, and any author who says the main character of their book has nothing to do with them is lying to you! (laughs) He’s much braver than I am, though. I would never attempt to climb Danger Peak myself, and I haven’t even ridden a motorbike before. I did ride a moped once, though. Does that count? (laughs) Chris and Rinnie are very loosely based on the two best friends I grew up with that I mentioned before. I say “loosely” because I took many liberties. For example, even though Rinnie is overweight, he’s based on a friend who used to be rail thin, but this friend, like Rinnie, also loved Nintendo, was picked on a lot by my other best friend, and always seemed to be chasing the ladies (laughs). Also, Chris is an amalgamation of one of my best friends, who also loved “Miami Vice” and was great with the wisecracks, and another friend who passed away in the early ‘90s. Like the character in the book, he was always very loyal to me, and I named the character after him.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

There’s the obvious theme of “Climb every mountain” since in my book, there’s literally a mountain—a magical one. Everyone’s mountain is different in life. For me, it was writing and publishing this book. The other major theme is dealing with and overcoming grief. I’ve said this before in another interview, but it bears repeating. Everyone has had someone close to them die. For some, that happens earlier than others. For me, it happened when I was 8. I hope that my novel gives people hope in that just because the person you loved died doesn’t mean the love you had for him or her has to die as well.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

My next book, if I ever get around to writing it, is going to be more ambitious than Danger Peak. I think the concept of the book is actually better than Danger Peak, but so far, the story isn’t there yet, though I wrote the outline, and it’s twice as long as the outline I had for Danger Peak. I told you it was more ambitious! (laughs) This doesn’t necessarily mean it will be longer, but it’ll cover more ground. Danger Peak is more or less about the death of my brother; this one is going to be about the death of childhood, so it’s going to be darker and maybe a little scary at times. There’s a supernatural element too, but I don’t want to give the whole thing away. The problem is finding time to write it. I have a full-time job, two young kids and a dog to take care of, a wife to make happy, a house to fix up, this book to promote. I’ll be surprised if I finish the book in a year. I’m sometimes amazed I had time to write the first one! (laughs)

MTP

P.S.: Danger Peak is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Danger Peak FAQ

courtesy 20th Century Television/Gracie Films

Just like the reviews, the questions for Danger Peak have been trickling in slowly over the past few months, and I’ve noticed a theme: There are four or five questions that keep popping up over and over again, so I thought I’d address them here in a special blog so I don’t have to repeat myself. Here they are:

Q.: Why are Robert, Chris, and Rinnie 13 years old? Shouldn’t they be 12?

A.: Truth be told, I was originally going to have my characters be 12 years old (the age I was in 1989, the year Danger Peak takes place), but a few things occurred to me. First of all, I thought it would be slightly more realistic for teenagers to be riding motorbikes all over town. Also, I needed these guys to tangle with their technology teacher, and you don’t really get a technology teacher in elementary school—at least not in the ‘80s—so I bumped them into junior high. Finally, I had one of those “happy accidents” when I learned that by aging your main characters a few years in middle-grade/young adult books, you can increase your readership. In other words, 13 and 14 year olds (and up) might not be that interested in reading a book about a bunch of 12 year olds, but they would be if it starred kids their age. And that’s your marketing lesson for today!

Q.: Speaking of the kids’ ages, you mention early in the book that Rinnie is younger than the other two Wild Boars, but if so, how come he attends the same technology class as the other two? Shouldn’t they be in different grades?

A.: Rinnie is actually only a few months younger than Robert and Chris, which may not seem like much as an adult but is a big deal when you’re a kid. I remember picking on/being picked on in grammar school and junior high if I was several months older/younger than someone else. It’s what kids do. This is subtly implied in the book, but maybe I’ll explain it further in Danger Peak 2: Electric Bike-aloo.

Q: Why is the turbocharger so expensive? $300 seems like a lot of money, especially in the 1980s.

A.: You make a fair if petty point about the $300. I went back and forth about how much the turbocharger should cost. At first, it was $100, but I thought, “That’s too cheap.” Then I had Dr. Howard say, “It was worth at least three times that!” so I made it $300. In retrospect, I wasn’t thinking about inflation and how much cheaper things were in the ‘80s, so if I had a chance to write the book again, I would probably make it $200, not $300.

Q.: Is Danger Peak autobiographical?

A.: Well, it’s not The Gospel According to Michael Thomas Perone, but yes, there are elements in it that are autobiographical, as I believe all good fiction is. For example, all the stuff about the “Star Wars” sleepovers is based on my relationship with my late brother. Also, the Dad wanting the younger son to fill the older son’s shoes after he died is based on real life. In fact, the funeral scene is almost verbatim what happened to me that day. The only difference is that I wasn’t 12; I was 8. Dr. Howard is slightly based on a high school music teacher I had who refused to be called “Mister.” He insisted on being called “Doctor,” but make no mistake; if there was a medical emergency in the school halls, you definitely still needed to call 911. Finally, I was inspired by the many misadventures I had riding my bike around town with my two best friends when I was growing up, but as I revealed in an interview earlier this year, I’ve never actually ridden a motorbike before. I have ridden a moped though—once. (This was during one such childhood misadventure.) Does that count?

Q.: Will Danger Peak get a sequel?

A.: This answer was so long, I decided to make it its own blog, so tune in next week for the answer and the exciting conclusion to the first Danger Peak FAQ (same Danger Peak time, same Danger Peak channel. . .In other words, Thursdays on this website).

MTP

P.S.: Danger Peak is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Danger Peak Book Trailer

courtesy the most overused meme ever

Well, it’s several months late, but the trailer for Danger Peak is finally here! I’ve done enough yapping in these blogs for the past nearly half year, so I figured you guys would enjoy my first—and probably last—video related to Danger Peak…at least until it becomes a movie. (May the ‘80s gods be listening.) The video is embedded below and has also been posted to this site’s homepage. Enjoy!

MTP

P.S.: Danger Peak is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Excerpts From The Darkest Side: A Collection of Twisted Nursery Rhymes

I guess I had Pink Floyd on the brain when I came up with the title.

Some people who bought Danger Peak may be surprised to learn on the very first page that I also wrote a poetry book, titled The Darkest Side: A Collection of Twisted Nursery Rhymes. Of course, this book was purely self-published 15 years ago with absolutely no marketing behind it (not even a website like this). I ended up publishing only around 50 copies or so and sold most of them to my friends and family. Here is the book’s back-flap copy:

Michael Thomas Perone has been writing poetry since he was first taught his ABCs, but it wasn’t until a deep depression hit in high school that he was inspired to write a series of poems that blends Dr. Seuss with Edgar Allan Poe and marries Emily Dickinson with Shel Silverstein. Upon graduation, he continued to write poems for more than a decade during his darker days, not-so-dark days, and times when he felt he had to explain the experience of life to himself. A few of these poems, such as “Stagnant” and “Futility,” have been published previously in various poetry collections and literary zines, including Unsilenced Voices. Many of his best works are collected here in hopes of inspiring others during unexpected bouts of depression. You are not alone.

And here are a few samples:

Stagnant

Stagnant, I’ve become

Damn it, I feel numb

And I will experience

the endless, vicious cycle

This torture and hell

I put myself through

Gnawing my insides

and my sanity too

Mental borders

constrict my once brilliant mind

I run around in circles

It happens all the time

—I’m disappearing—

Physical breakdown

will eventually occur

Because brain and body are linked

My eyes are blurred

I can’t see out

I can’t see in

I cannot escape

this shape I’m in

I used to have emotion

Now I’m just disturbed

I can’t go on anymore

My sight’s obscured

—I’m gone.

The Suicide of Dorothy Hale (by Frida Kahlo)

Floating through the swirling sky

I, Miss Dorothy Hale

have decided to take my little life

from daring dreams gone stale

Friends told me, “Don’t you do it, dear”

But hell, what do they know?

The inscription explains my anguish clear

written in blood below

Upon the balcony’s edge I stood

ready to do the deed

They say a flower’s only as good

as it was in seed

But now I do not feel so low

walking in my world of snow.

Something Happened at the Retreat

Staggering into play

with trembling candle in hand

Spontaneously sputtering

about a nameless man

Who never grew up

from a life-to-be

is now a broken branch

from his ailing family tree

Watch him quietly kneel low

in his dopey puddle of tears

as mucous drips slow

mixing within lost years

Failing to contain

his eternity of mourning

It was cut off too soon

as his childhood was dawning

He’s puffing out flushed

overflowing with shame

His flood of body wastes

almost dousing the flame…

…But look! The tip is still lit

as the crowd gathers ‘round

His eyes pulse red

A whimper his only sound

Streaked veins his only sight

holding his still flickering light

The last fleeting legacy

of his brother’s fading memory.

Misunderstood Artist

The ambiguities

of being misunderstood

are echoed in every gallery

in each neighborhood

The painter died trying

to express his grief

while the sculptor used clay

to illustrate relief

Of course it doesn’t matter

what lies behind the meaning

If it moves you, it’s art

It transforms sleep to dreaming

When viewing a work of art

One says it’s black, the other white

And the artist, smiling, says:

“You two are both right.”

Midnight Madness

Insomnia befriends those

who gave it their all

Working night and day

and yet still fall

They would die for their country

but are charged with treason

Life’s not perfect nor fair

but everything happens for a reason

The opera man rehearsed

but forgot when to sing

He may have a heavenly voice

but timing is everything

Circling in a canoe

yet ceaselessly rowing

It’s not the loneliness I fear

It’s the not knowing.

The following poem isn’t actually in the book, but I wrote it a few years ago when I was having trouble finding a publisher for Danger Peak, so I thought I’d give it a home here:

Failure

Lying flat on my back

in the boxing ring

I fought like hell

but he outmatched my swing

Sitting with the gamblers

and I’m all out of aces

I see only mocking smirks

No more smiling faces

Stranded at the bottom of the mount

I thought I was prepped

But I stumbled and fell

before taking my first step

Floating face down in the ocean

I can’t even turn to breathe

Why bother writing down

another thought I conceive?

There are now about 15 copies of The Darkest Side left in my possession. If you would like your own paperback copy of this 120-paged collection of poetry, please send me a note on my Contact page, and I’ll give you my Paypal address. Once payment is received, I’ll ship the book to you. The books cost $15 each, including shipping and handling (unless you live outside the U.S., in which case the S&H will be more). I should warn people that some poems contain naughty language (it is titled The Darkest Side, after all), so if you don’t wish to read the occasional four-letter word sprinkled in with your poetry, maybe give this one a pass. I just don’t want disgruntled readers to say I didn’t warn them!

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: Danger Peak FAQ

P.P.S.: Danger Peak is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Danger Peak Has Been Revamped!

courtesy me (duh)

If you haven’t picked up your copy of Danger Peak yet, now’s the time to do it. The book has been revamped. I wouldn’t call it a second edition per se, but a few typos that my publisher introduced are getting fixed (*shakes fist to the heavens* “Damn you, Wheatmark!”), and some of the language is getting cleaned up to look prettier. A quick example of the cleanup: If you’re wondering how Danny and his father had the wherewithal and knowhow to build a “circular treehouse,” they didn’t; I meant to write “rectangular treehouse.” (The tree itself is circular, or I suppose “cylindrical” is the proper word, but the house around it is rectangular.) Also, could I have snuck in a few more ‘80s references? Can you say “Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper”? Finally, for those who enjoyed the character Rinnie, he gets up to new shenanigans in this version.

And since I’m on the subject of updates, I have good news for people who hate paper: Danger Peak is now available as an eBook in all formats! Amazon Kindle is linked below, and it’s also available on B&N Nook, Apple, Google Books, and Kobo. (I’ve never even heard of those last two.)

In short, buy Danger Peak! It’s 100% gluten-free and guaranteed to cure all your problems!

AmazonBarnes & Noble

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: Excerpts From The Darkest Side: A Collection of Twisted Nursery Rhymes

The First Reviews of Danger Peak

courtesy IMDb images

It’s been a little over a month since Danger Peak was released, and the reviews are slowly trickling in. How are they so far? Pretty good, actually! Here is a smattering:

Perone weaves a compelling tale of one young boy’s coming-of-age journey in his engrossing debut… (He) beautifully develops Robert’s emotional arc (of wanting) to attain his goal of conquering the mountain but feels frustrated in the face of his father’s impossibly difficult attitude. He deftly portrays the young boy’s fears and insecurities, his longing for Danny, and his burning need for acceptance and understanding. Crisp and straightforward, the prose is smooth and the pacing measured. A dash of magical realism adds to the intrigue, and themes of teenage angst, friendship, bullying, grief, understanding, acceptance, and sibling bonds are beautifully woven into the narrative. A gripping, raw read.

—The Prairies Book Review

Perone sets up the perfect teenage boy crusade in these pages, packed with dirt bike racing, mechanical know-how, a dash of romance, and even some high-speed chases, all under the guise of Robert’s quest to “conquer the mountain that had conquered his brother.” …In the end, this feel-good tale on how to handle grief, accompanied by a crash course on refusing to give up your dreams, will please younger readers.

—Publishers Weekly

Danger Peak is fast paced and exciting. I also found it surprisingly emotional, especially toward the end. To explain why would give it away. Even though it takes place in the 1980s, you don’t have to be an ‘80s nerd to enjoy the story.

—five-star Amazon review

Danger Peak is funny and even touching at times. Of course, there’s plenty of adventure (just look at that book cover!), but I found the personal family story more compelling than the action parts, to be quite honest.

—five-star Amazon review

Great ‘80s-based book for both adolescents and adults. Read it as my summer beach read, and it had a great ‘80s movie vibe. I would compare to it “Stand By Me,” “The Goonies,” or “Stranger Things.” Recommended for my 10-year-old son or even my middle-school students but also a quick, enjoyable read for adults. Touched nicely upon friendships, family relationships, and the trauma of losing a sibling at a young age. Both fun and touching.

—five-star Amazon review

I don’t normally write reviews, but I have to admit that I was impressed by the author’s ability to weave together an engaging plot with humorous characters from the 1980s. The nostalgic references really brought me back to the days when I rode dirt bikes with my neighborhood pals. As the story builds, it’s difficult to put the book down.

—five-star Amazon review

I found Danger Peak sweet and a little moving. I didn’t grow up in the ‘80s, so I wasn’t able to identify that much with all the references, but I still found the story adventurous and satisfying. It’s also quite funny in places. (You’re going to love the character Rinnie.) Overall, I thought it was very good. I’ll probably read it again at some point.

—five-star Amazon review

I was an ‘80s kid, and Danger Peak really nails the tone of being a vaguely defiant sort of miscreant teen in the ‘80s. Very much captures the spirit of an ‘80s-kids-going-on-a-wacky-adventure movie vibe. Manages to throw in a little heart as well, like any good ‘80s flick. I give it a rating of Totally Radical! Five mint-in-box Luke Skywalkers out of five.

—five-star Amazon review

A beautifully written book about friends chasing their dream. (Perone) eloquently describes each setting for a clear understanding of what was taking place. I loved that it was fast paced and used many references from rock bands and T.V. shows I could relate to. Made me sit back and reminisce the days of riding my Schwinn bike and hanging out with my friends when I was 12.

—five-star Amazon review

Danger Peak is a quick, easy, and captivating must-read. The author draws you in from the first page with his vivid descriptions — I immediately imagined that I was Robert. Bonus points for bringing me back to my ‘80s childhood. If you were a preteen/teen in the mid to late ‘80s, you will love all the references to the era.

—five-star Amazon review

Couldn’t put it down! Having grown up in the ‘80s, this book brought on a ton of nostalgia for me. Felt like “The Goonies” meets “E.T.,” without the aliens and deformed sibling. Rather those friendships as a kid in the ‘80s: packs of kids roaming the neighborhoods, seeking adventures. Fast-paced with lovable characters, this book also had a sentimentality to it that tugged at my heartstrings. Can’t wait for more from this author.

—five-star Amazon review

A staggering work of genius. Miraculously, Michael Thomas Perone has come out of nowhere to insist people don’t forget Generation X.

—five-star Amazon review

Okay, that last one was me (fool you!), but the rest were real! You may be asking yourself, “Is Danger Peak really that good?” Pick up a copy and judge for yourself! Thanks to everyone who took the time not only to buy my book and read it but write such nice things. I’m touched, people.

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: A Surprise Announcement About Danger Peak (oh, the suspense…)

P.P.S.: Danger Peak is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Lists, Life, and Other Unimportant Details Excerpt, Part 3: The Other Unimportant Details Section

My, that’s a rather large…pipe.

In this final excerpt of my book Lists, Life, and Other Unimportant Details (Don’t forget to sign up for blog updates in the opt-in box at the bottom of the Blog/FREE book page to get it for free, kids!), I decided to post something that’s completely irrelevant to Danger Peak for once, but hopefully, it’ll still put a smile on your face anyway. Enjoy (again, or don’t):

Those Dirty Engineers!

My day job is a Senior Editor at a nonprofit technical society in New York City that works with engineers. Editing technical books on engineering can get pretty dry sometimes, but luckily, there are the occasional, unintentionally dirty sentences that make you snap back into attention. Here is a random sampling:

“The model’s geometry shall reflect the overall size, length, connectivity, and stiffness of the member.”

Book title: “Pressure Pipes and Valve Cocks”

“This method is sometimes referred to as ‘dithering’ or ‘jittering.’”

“Figure 1: Deviation From Straightness in Bars”

“Variable rod-in-tube orifice: type of pressure inducer that uses a retractable tapered rod inside a reamed tube to provide a variable orifice for pressure reduction parallel with sample flow while allowing retraction for cleaning of crud bursts.”
(What the hell are “crud bursts”? Never mind. I don’t want to know.)

“Section 434: Butt Welds and Transition Nipples”

“Studs shall extend completely through their nuts.”

And my personal favorite:
“Gaylord Industries sells grease and odor electrostatic precipitator units.”

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: The First Reviews of Danger Peak

P.P.S.: Danger Peak is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Danger Peak Won The Firebird Book Award for Magical Realism

courtesy of The Firebird Book Awards

I’m excited to share the news that Danger Peak won its first award: The Firebird Book Award in the category of Magical Realism. This was actually the first award I submitted for weeks ago. The Firebird Book Awards are presented by Speak Up Talk Radio. These awards support women and children in long-term shelters. As their website states:

The firebird is known as a magical helper and is believed to drop pearls from its beak when passing over peasant villages, to give the poor something to trade for food and other necessities. We hope, in some small way, that we too can help others via the donation aspect of these book awards.

When I was younger, I used to fly to Cincinnati to visit my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins every summer. It was a long plane ride for an easily bored kid like me, and just before one visit, my Mom took me to my local library and asked me to pick out a book for the trip. My eyes settled on Beatrice Gormley’s early ’80s classic Mail-Order Wings. I thought the cover looked interesting: a girl with giant wings strapped to her back was stepping out of her bedroom window on the top floor of her house.

I read the whole book on the plane ride to Ohio. I thought it was a fascinating idea to have just one magical thing in the book—the titular wings. Everything else in the story was basically just like our real world. There were no orcs, fairies, wizards, or werewolves. It was my first experience reading a book on magical realism, and I was hooked. In fact, in my book proposal for Danger Peak, I specifically cite Mail-Order Wings as one of my inspirations. After all, there’s only one truly magical thing in my book: the titular mountain.

I am honored to receive this award but even more pleased that it was in my favorite category.

MTP

P.S.: Danger Peak is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Lists, Life, and Other Unimportant Details Excerpt, Part 2: The Life Section

courtesy Warner Bros.

Similar to my last post, in this second of three excerpts of my book Lists, Life, and Other Unimportant Details (taken from the Life section), I decided to post something that’s somewhat relevant to Danger Peak, since my novel takes place (mostly) in 1989. Some astute readers may observe that there are two short lists included in this blog/article/essay/piece/whatever you want to call it, but I’d argue the lists themselves aren’t the main thrust of the blog/article/etc., unlike last week’s blog about “Stand By Me” (and the other entries in the Lists section). Here we go…

1989: Best Year Ever?

“You know the good ol’ days weren’t always good, and tomorrow’s not as bad as it seems.”

—Billy Joel, “Keeping the Faith”

Most people who know me well know that 1989 is considered “my favorite year.” Sometimes the universe comes together for someone, and everything seems to gel. For me, that special time was 1989.

My favorite show, which I still watch to this day, “The Simpsons,” aired its first full-length episode: “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” otherwise known as “The Christmas episode.” If you’ve ever visited my house, you know how obsessed I am with this show: board and card games, a clock that spouts pithy Homer quotes every hour, a phone that announces even more Homer phrases when it rings, posters, and even animation art signed by Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson herself!).One of my favorite albums of all time, …But Seriously by Phil Collins, came out, and I literally wore the tape out playing it over and over again. It has now thankfully been replaced with the more frequent player-friendly CD. “Do You Remember?” indeed, Phil.I ate at Taco Bell, my favorite fast-food restaurant, for the first time. Yeah, I know the “Taco Hell/Smell” jokes, and I realize it’s Grade Z meat (if that), but damn it all if it ain’t tasty! As my friend once enthused after a big, enthusiastic chomp of his chalupa (whatever the hell that is): “Taco Bell is amaaaaazing.”I had my favorite summer of all time, being really the last time I could just be myself and play like a kid in the woods behind my house with my best friends. It was the last time I was really allowed to be silly and childish, like having stick fights or spotting “Big Foot’s” impression in the dirt, and could still get away with it.My favorite movie at the time, “Batman” (the original, baby!), came out in theaters, and I saw it twice, something I never did before. I even had to lie about my age when I saw it a second time with my aforementioned best friends. After all, it was rated a then-shocking PG-13! Lock up your kids, folks! And sorry Val Kilmer/George Clooney/Christian Bale/Ben Affleck/or even Adam West fans, for my money, Michael Keaton will always be the only Batman (and I’m not saying that because we share the same first name).I won almost every award at my “Moving Up” ceremony when I graduated elementary school—all but “Most Improved,” as even then, I wasn’t a big fan of change. (There is an oblique reference to this in Danger Peak.) I actually felt bad getting up and down from my seat to collect the awards as other parents reluctantly applauded and my somewhat jealous peers applauded even less. My 6th Grade teacher even hollered, above the applause: “You’re going to wear your shoes out!” (Incidentally, he’s the last person I thank in the Acknowledgments section of Danger Peak.)Finally, I had my favorite Christmas of all time, visiting my cousins, Aunt, and Uncle in Cincinnati, Ohio, which, to a kid like me at the time, was as exotic and foreign as Fiji. It was my first and only time I spent Christmas somewhere other than my home in New York, and it didn’t hurt that Santa was especially good to little Mikey that year. “Paula Abdul’s Forever Your Girl on tape? You shouldn’t have!!”

But more than just a list of highlights and/or accomplishments, 1989 represented something more special to me that I quickly lost the next year. From a simple decade shift into 1990, my class went from grade schoolers into middle schoolers, from children into teenagers (we turned 13 that year), and from the ‘80s into the ‘90s. All of a sudden, we noticed girls, which of course always leads to complications. Playing with toys got replaced with “playing rough” with the boys, as in after-school fights and showing off for the ladies (but at least we still had our video games). Charlie Brown and Garfield lunchboxes got replaced with brown paper bags, lest someone think you’re “uncool.” One teacher was replaced with eight (nine if you count homeroom) and approximately eight times the homework. People in school went from calling you by your first name to calling you by your last one. Oh yeah, and to top it all off, we got zits, more physical reminders that things were never going to be the same again—and not necessarily in a good way. Even then I bemoaned the unfortunate timing that just as we were finally self-conscious of our outward appearance, our faces decided to turn against us to ward off any member of the opposite sex who might actually have some fleeting interest in us.

We weren’t kids anymore. The innocence was lost and wouldn’t return ever again. And we knew it. Christ, even Don Henley was singing “The End of the Innocence” on the radio.

I remember watching “Vice-Versa” (with Fred Savage from T.V.’s “The Wonder Years”!), “Like Father, Like Son” (with Kirk Cameron from T.V.’s “Growing Pains”!), and “Big” (with Tom Hanks from T.V.’s “Bosom Buddies”!) and relating to them even then—“Big” being the “Casablanca” of the the late-‘80s, age-reversal movies. I deeply identified with the main characters, who were basically little kids trapped in big, adult bodies, and remember thinking I was probably going to be like them when I grew up, simply because I didn’t want to grow up. People with Peter Pan Syndrome had nothing on me. Now I’m in my 40s, over a decade older than Tom Hanks was in “Big,” and still sometimes feel like that 12-year-old who just wants to play with sticks in the woods with his friends.

But my older friend once said something to me that still resonates today. After I told him all this (well, a very brief summary anyway), he immediately laughed and said: “Mike, do you know what my favorite year is? This year. Do you know what my favorite year is next year? Next year.” At first, I thought he was just dismissing me, as big brother-type people tend to do, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right. Taking a look at my life now, things aren’t so bad. In fact, in some respects, they’re better than they’ve ever been:

I don’t have to ride my bike for miles to go to the stationery store or bug my Mom for a ride. I own and drive a car.I don’t live with my parents anymore. I have my own house.I don’t have to save up my $5 weekly allowance for months at a time—only to splurge it on Toys “R” Us in a Saturday shopping frenzy. I have a respectable income, very decent savings for someone my age, and, as Winston Zeddmore from the first “Ghostbusters” said: “A steady paycheck.” In other words, if I want a CD or DVD, I just go to the store and buy it (or download it from the comfort of my home).That’s another thing we didn’t have back then: the Internet. I used to have to wait over a week to get a letter from my pen pal in Florida, and now I can send a message to someone in Zimbabwe in 5 seconds—not that I know or will ever know someone from there, but I digress…I don’t have to worry about the future and what I’ll do with my life. I’m already living my dream job as a Senior Editor—and on Park Avenue, no less (sorry, had to throw that in there).I don’t have to sing or play my sax by myself in a locked bedroom anymore. I got to perform in a kick-ass ska/punk band that played on Long Island and in New York City.Most importantly, I don’t have to be anxious about those awkward first dates and trying like hell to figure girls out. I’m married to the most wonderful woman I’ve ever known who each day makes me feel happy to be alive.

But again, even more than just a “Best-of” list, there’s a wisdom far more significant in my friend’s words. You can’t change the past. You can’t really change the future. All you can do is worry about today. That’s all there is. Like my favorite musical “Rent” once sang: “No day but today.” We only have the power to affect the outcome of today’s events—for good or worse. What could be more exciting than that?

So after decades of being lost in reminiscence, maybe it’s time to finally bid adieu to 1989. So long Oquenock Elementary, “Batman,” Phil Collins, and yes, even you Paula Abdul. We’ll always have our memories (and you’ll always have reality shows).

MTP

P.S.: If we were allowed to include quotes in our senior yearbook in high school, the Billy Joel quote above would’ve been mine.

P.P.S.: Next week’s blog: An Excerpt From the Other Unimportant Details Section

P.P.P.S.: Danger Peak is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

My First Interview As an “Author”

courtesy Nicole Esposito Photography

In this surprise blog post, the popular book blog Linda’s Book Obsession was nice enough to ask me a few questions about Danger Peak and the writing process. You can read the interview at the link directly below this paragraph, or you can continue to the full transcript of the interview, which follows the link.

Linda’s Book Obsession Interviews MTP

1. What was your motivation for becoming an author and writer? What did you do before you were a writer?

Not to sound pretentious, but I don’t really believe people suddenly “decide” to be a writer. It’s like being an athlete; you either are or you’re not. Of course you can train and get better over time, but if you don’t have that original, natural talent, you might not get as far as you want. I actually fought against the impulse of considering myself a writer for the longest time, but my Mom reminded me years ago how I would spend a lot of my childhood upstairs in my bedroom writing story after story. As she said, “No one told you to do that, Michael. You just did it on your own.” At the time, I assumed everyone was doing that. I would ask some friends in elementary school what stories they were working on, and they assumed I meant schoolwork (laughs). As for what I did before I became a professional writer, well, I’m still doing it. I’m a senior editor for The American Society of Mechanical Engineers in Manhattan. The editing is dry, but it pays the bills. I’m not Stephen King…yet! (laughs)

2. What motivated or inspired you to write?

I was inspired by three major sources when writing this book: the old-school, 8-bit Nintendo game “Excitebike”; the many misadventures I had riding my bike with my friends growing up; and, unfortunately, the death of my brother when I was 8 years old. Danger Peak is based on a short story I wrote over 30 years ago when I was 11. Having written the main beats of the story when I was a child myself helped capture the preadolescent tone of the book, and I believe it will help connect with young readers today, as well as hook nostalgia-minded adults who grew up on George Lucas and Steven Spielberg adventures and are longing for the simpler, “totally awesome” time of the ‘80s when the book is set.

3. How did you go about researching your book?

Well, my book is about growing up in the ‘80s, and I didn’t need any research for that. I lived it! (laughs) Aside from that, I’ve had a few readers tell me I really captured the feel of an ‘80s adventure movie starring kids, and again, that comes from growing up with Spielberg and Lucas as my co-parents (laughs).

4. You say your book is set in the ‘80s. What details did you use to get that across to the reader?

How much time do you have? (laughs) The book is filled with wall-to-wall ‘80s references. Off the top of my head, an incomplete list includes references to Nintendo Power, Martika’s “Toy Soldiers,” “Knight Rider,” “ALF,” Garfield, Genesis/Phil Collins, “Miami Vice,” Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Game Boy, “Ghostbusters” (just the first one), Indiana Jones (again, just the first movie), “Star Wars” (only the original trilogy), He-Man, “Batman” (the 1989 film version and that is all), and the Berlin Wall coming down. Having said, er, listed this, this is not to say that my book is simply a referential nostalgia fest, where I just randomly cite things from the ‘80s for no apparent reason and call it a day; I incorporate the ‘80s references organically in the story—or at least I tried to! (laughs) For example, Robert, the main character, gets the idea to build a super-powered motorbike after seeing Batman’s utility belt in the 1989 film version of “Batman” and realizing he needs “better tools” to defeat Danger Peak. Also, Robert and Danny, his older brother who dies, bond over the “Star Wars” sleepovers they used to have, where Robert played Luke and Danny played Han. This detail is based on my own relationship with my late brother.

5. What are your goals for readers to take away after reading?

I hope people come away inspired and feeling like they read a great kid adventure. (Incidentally, “A Kid Adventure” is the subtitle of my book.) It’s kind of a cliché: “Climb every mountain,” but in my book, there’s actually a literal mountain—a magical one, in fact. Everyone has their mountain to climb. In some ways, writing and publishing this book was my mountain, and I’m just grateful to be here answering these questions for you. I feel like I’ve made it to the other side. Other than that, a big part of my book is dealing with and overcoming grief. Everyone has had someone in their life close to them die. For some, it happens sooner than others. For me, it was when I was 8. I feel my book might give people hope that just because that someone you loved is gone doesn’t mean the love you had for that person has to be gone as well.

6. What is a typical day in your life?

I’m a father first, then a husband, then an editor by day, then a writer, in that order. I’m usually scrambling from picking up or dropping my kids off somewhere to taking care of my dog (he’s actually sick right now) to fixing things around the house to promoting my book by blogging to making sure my wife is happy to getting my books edited on deadline. If I had to describe it in a word: juggling.

7. What are your hobbies or things you do in your downtime?

Besides the obvious like writing, I used to play the sax and occasionally sing and rap in a ska/punk band you’ve never heard of called All Out Riot. I play basketball when I visit my parents (they still have my old hoop up) and walk my dog several times a week. I also bike everyday if it’s not raining, and no, it’s a regular bicycle, not a motorbike. Believe it or not, I’ve never actually ridden a motorbike before. Now I’ve outed myself! (laughs)

8. What can you tell us of any new writing projects that you might have?

I have one more good idea for a book, but writing and publishing this one was such a harrowing experience, I’m not sure I want to go through it again! (laughs) Honestly, it depends on how well this book does. Right now, it’s doing fairly well for an independent book—not spectacular, but decent business. It doesn’t help that I haven’t done much promotion, aside from my website: http://www.dangerpeak.com. (Sorry, I had to get a plug in somewhere!) In many ways, I feel like I showed up 2 weeks late for a race. I haven’t even done a trailer for the book yet! That’s in the works, though. I have a few people already asking me when the next one’s coming out, and maybe they don’t understand how much work it was completing the first one. It was years of not only writing but revising and beta-testing and looking for a publisher, etc. Writing and publishing this book was the second hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, after being a father. Right now, I’m so busy with all the things I listed in a previous answer. If nothing else, I may have to wait until retirement to find time to write another book!

9. What are your favorite genres of books that you like to read?

Middle grade and young adult (still), action-adventure, graphic novels, a few classics, and celebrity memoirs (sorry).

10. What advice can you give to someone who wants to be a writer?

Just write. You can always edit later.

11. If your book were adapted to the screen, what actors and actresses do you envision for the main characters?

I was going to say the cast from “Stranger Things,” but they’re all in their 20s now (laughs). Honestly, my book stars a bunch of 13-year-olds, and I don’t know any famous 13-year-old actors or 13-year-old actors, period. Perhaps by the time my book is well known enough, there will be a great group of young actors who can fill the roles. So I don’t know about the cast, but of course, my dream director would be Steven Spielberg, since so many of his films obviously inspired my book. (I tell people Danger Peak is “The Goonies” meets “Stand By Me” with a dash of magical realism.) Hey, it could happen! (laughs) The film version of Ernest Cline’s ’80s-centric novel Ready Player One ended up being directed by Spielberg. You never know!

12. How would you like the readers to connect with you?

You can send me a note or a question on my website at http://www.dangerpeak.com/contact. Also, if you enter your email address in the opt-in box at the bottom of the Blog/FREE Book page of my website, I’ll send you a free PDF copy of my book Lists, Life, and Other Unimportant Details, an over 270-paged collection of my best blogs and published articles over the past 25 years. Thanks a lot for taking the time to ask me these great questions. I learned a lot about myself! (laughs)

Special thanks to Linda Zagon for the interview. Again, her website is below:

Linda’s Book Obsession

MTP

P.S.: Danger Peak is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble