Michael Thomas Perone's Blog, page 8

Read a Deleted Chapter From Déjà View

Déjà View is a book, not a film, but you get the idea.

For today’s blog, I thought I’d offer a little treat for those waiting with bated breath to read my new novel (I know you guys are out there somewhere!): a chapter from the cutting room floor, so to speak. One comment I received over and over again from my beta readers was that the beginning of the novel was too slow, and I needed to get to the “good stuff” faster. In other words, they kept asking, “When are they going to get to the fireworks factory?”

That meant making cuts. I snipped several lines of dialogue and small parts of scenes elsewhere, but losing this chapter was by far the biggest cut. It hurt deleting it because I liked it a lot, but what’s the point in having beta readers if you’re not going to listen to their advice? Also, if I’m being honest with myself, this chapter doesn’t really affect the overall story, save for resolving a conflict two characters have in the previous chapter (not included here). I guess the reason I wrote this chapter in the first place is because I wanted the main characters to have one final hurrah in elementary school before graduating (the next chapter is literally titled “Graduation”), but most readers probably wouldn’t get that anyway—unless they’re reading this blog. (And judging by this site’s traffic numbers, they’re not.)

As a famous writer whose name escapes me (Stephen King?) once instructed: “Kill your darlings.” So here’s my poor, little darling, laid out bleeding on a slab:

CHAPTER TEN

FIELD DAY

Empty Capri-Sun containers and Cheetos bags littered the back lawn of Shadybrook Elementary as kids competed against each other at the annual Field Day, the final event before graduation. Half were dressed in blue, and half were dressed in gold, the school’s colors. Parents perched in faded nylon lawn chairs across from the main field where the action was. Frisbee catch, relay race, and egg toss had already been played, and it seemed the teams were tied, if anyone was keeping score.

“Derrick told me this thing is rigged,” Joe told Bobby as they sat across from each other on an A-Team beach towel. Joe’s behind was covering Mr. T, and Bobby joked earlier that it looked like he was farting in his face. That broke the tension from the fight the weekend before at Joe’s birthday party. Neither wanted to mention the Laser Tag incident again, and Joe even hinted that there probably wouldn’t be a repeat next year. After all, he loved competition but not at the expense of one of his best friends. “He says one year the Blue team wins,” Joe continued, “and then the next year, the Gold team wins, and they just switch back and forth every year.”

“How would he know?” Bobby asked. “He just joined this school last year.”

“He must’ve heard it from someone else,” Joe explained. “I think Tom Johnston. I see him keeping score every year. He normally keeps track of these things.”

Bobby sighed. “He’s wrong,” he said. “We also trade teams every year, so does that mean someone is always on the losing team?” Joe could tell Bobby was trying to approach the situation logically, but logic didn’t apply when it came to Field Day. “I mean, I was on the losing team last year.”

“So did you ever win at Field Day?” Joe asked.

Bobby scanned the horizon as he searched his memory. “Now that I think about it,” he admitted. “I don’t think so.”

“Bobby!” his coach and gym teacher snapped. “You’re up. Three-legged race with Max!” He pointed to his shorter friend several yards away and handed him a thick, corded rope.

“Aren’t you guys still fighting?” Joe asked.

“Looks like we don’t have much of a choice,” Bobby replied. Reluctantly grabbing the rope, he walked, one slow step at a time, towards Max, who looked just as unenthusiastic as him. Dragging the rope behind him with a morose disposition, Bobby resembled a hangman heading for the gallows with a noose. In a three-legged race, two people tied their legs together—one person’s right leg to the other person’s left leg—and then they raced a short distance to the finish line. Whichever couple got there first was declared the winner.

“Hey,” Bobby said as he approached Max.

“Hey,” was his reticent reply. As their competitors hurriedly tied their legs together, the two friends stood firm, staring at the grass and then each other.

“Look, let’s get this over with,” Bobby offered, “and then you can go back to ignoring me.”

Unexpectedly, Max looked ashamed. “I’m not ignoring you. I thought you were ignoring me,” he said.

Bobby brightened. “Why would I want to ignore one of my best friends?” he asked.

“You know,” Max continued. “For what happened at Laser Tag.”

Bobby waved his hand in an “Aw-shucks” maneuver. “It’s just a game,” he said as the other racers took their mark behind the starting line: a string tied off to two orange cones.

“Speaking of which, we better get going,” Max said as he twirled the rope around their legs. Bobby tried to help but seemed to be getting more in Max’s way. He then watched Derrick stride past him with such cocksure attitude, it looked like he was imitating his hero Billy Idol.

“Hey Blobby,” Derrick sneered. “Just imagine there’s a box of Ho-Hos at the finish line, and you’ll be sure to smoke the others away.” He then walked back to his team.

“He’s just trying to psych you out,” Max said, unconcerned. “Don’t let him get to you.”

Derrick turned once more to call out, “Don’t trip on the twerp!” Now Max was concerned.

Bobby grit his teeth. “I don’t know what Joe sees in him,” he said.

Max tried to play Devil’s advocate. “Well, he’s got a tough reputation to maintain in school,” he said as he finished tying off the rope. “I think that’s why people think he’s cool.”

“What does ‘cool’ even mean?” Bobby asked.

“Let’s go, slowpokes!” the coach on the other team ordered from the far side of the field, his hands cupping his mouth to make sure they heard his warning.

“Whatever it is, it ain’t us,” Max answered. The two limped to the starting line, being careful not to collapse on top of each other. As they were the last ones there, the teacher in charge of the game grabbed the whistle around her neck and placed it near her lips. Max leaned over to his partner to whisper, “Run, Bobby. Run like the wind.”

The whistle was blown, and as their fellow Blue teammates cheered from the sides, Bobby and Max each took two uncoordinated steps and immediately tumbled, with Bobby landing on top of Max.

“Get off, Bobby!” Max wheezed. “I can’t breathe!”

As Bobby dismounted, he asked, “Was that a weight crack?”

“No, just the truth,” Max explained as they both got up to try to make up for lost time.

“Then how could you talk?” Bobby argued.

“Hey, Bobby?” Max wondered. “Can we finish this thing and chat later?” Bobby nodded as they hobbled away as fast as their little legs could carry them, looking like a tripod sprung to life, but it was no use; the other runners had gained too much ground on them.

Suddenly, Max’s eyes lit up like fireflies in a summer evening. “Wait,” he began, “I have an idea.” After his last word, he wrapped his body around Bobby’s left side, clinging to him like a baby koala bear to his mother. Because their sizes were so different, it was the only way to balance them out. Bobby was about to protest, but as he picked up speed, he realized Max’s method was working.

As Max held on for the ride, Bobby was afraid he might break an ankle. Glancing at his class on the sidelines, who was still cheering them on, he passed couple after couple gunning for the finish line. One group tripped and fell just before reaching the end, with Bobby and Max right behind. Bobby maneuvered around the fallen boys and managed to cross the finish line just before the others behind them.

Bobby and Max cheered in victory. For emphasis, Bobby slapped Max’s hand, causing them both to topple over, with Bobby once more on top.

“You’re crushing me again!” Max complained.

“It doesn’t matter,” Bobby said, still beaming ear to ear from the day’s conquest. “We won! We—” Bobby cut himself off as he watched a slimmer pair grab their first place ribbons. “Lost,” he finished, out of breath. Somehow, in all the excitement, he failed to see the true winners cross the finish line.

At the end of the day, both teams competed in the Tug of War, always the final game of the ceremonies. Bobby, being the heaviest, placed himself at the end of the rope, acting as the anchor. But even though Bobby’s Blue team won the game, Derrick’s prediction proved true: His team won Field Day, and the Blue team lost.

MTP

P.S.: Tomorrow’s blog (yes, it’s my first back-to-back blog): The End of the Tour

P.P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

The First Reviews of Déjà View Are In—and They’re Pretty Good!

The OGs.

Well, it’s been a month since Déjà View was released, and the reviews are slowly trickling in. How are they so far? Not bad, actually! I was seriously expecting worse since I knew this book was a harder sell than Danger Peak. It doesn’t move as quickly, and it’s not exactly a “feel-good tale.” Nevertheless, most folks had kind things to say about it. Here are the reviews so far, in no order:

To crack the spine of Déjà View is to unearth a time capsule filled with one’s own 1980s childhood. Perone’s novel earnestly depicts both the pop-culture spectacle of the decade and the joy and anxiety of coming of age during that era. Filled with nostalgia, emotion, and unpredictable twists, Déjà View is sure to delight the most sardonic of ‘80s kids.

—Will Padilla, host of 1980s Now, a Top 200 TV and Film podcast

Deja View: A Kid Nightmare is written in a perfect tone to capture the attention of a middle-grade audience. Bobby’s narrations are strikingly authentic, and the trials readers experience alongside him are all too familiar for anyone who is currently or has already gone through the treacherous tween years of junior high. The bullying, body insecurity, and drifting of childhood friendships are things that most readers will be able to identify with, and this helps make Bobby a sympathetic narrator you want to root for… Bobby’s visions give the book a spooky twist that also helps add a dose of thrill which will resonate with readers of Bobby’s own age… (Déjà View) is a bittersweet story about a kid who is struggling on the cusp between childhood and adulthood, and that’s something pretty much any reader can relate to on some level.

—Reader Views

Perone’s sophomore novel, following Danger Peak, is a slow-burn, time-warped Atari-and-MTV-era nightmare with heaps of heart, all centered on middle-schooler Bobby Dalton, a kind-hearted late bloomer who isn’t quite ready to grow up… Perone’s story twists into unexpected directions…eventually becoming a science-fiction thriller with a terrifying conclusion reminiscent of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Throughout, though, Déjà View is attentive to character and the everyday impact of the fantastic on real lives, with engaging prose and sharp, funny dialogue… (The) climactic battle to save the fate of humanity, when it comes, is exciting and surprising, a mind-bender complete with lasers, evil scientists, and even love at first sight. (Déjà View) is (a) character-driven sci-fi mind-bender centered on the pains of growing up.

—Publisher’s Weekly

Evocative, well-written, and emotionally stirring… Perone weaves a captivating story set in the 1980s, where changing social dynamics and fear of growing up set the stage for a journey full of anguish… Perone delves into the typical struggles of a middle schooler, from making friends to grappling with topics like mental health issues, anxiety, home life, tormenting, and childhood distress… (Bobby’s) heartbreak over his fractured friendships makes him an authentic, sympathetic character, and readers will want to engage with him. This is an affecting exploration of childhood angst.

—The Prairies Book Review

Déjà View is at turns hilarious and heartbreaking. It follows the journey of 12-year-old Bobby from kiddom to young adulthood, but his trip is far from ordinary (or at least the second half of this book is). Bobby doesn’t want to grow up and is having a hard time adjusting to his new life in junior high. After convincing his two best friends Joe and Max to bury a time capsule to commemorate the end of the 1980s, he starts being haunted by ghostly apparitions, and they all look like copies of him, his friends, and others in his life. What’s more, no one else seems to see them or believe that they’re real, so he needs to figure out what it all means before he finally loses his mind. Those expecting a repeat of Danger Peak, Perone’s debut novel, may be disappointed, as this book isn’t anywhere near as fast-paced (it’s not really an action-adventure until the very end), but if you go in with an open mind knowing this book is its own thing, you’ll be pleasantly surprised, especially by a certain twist I won’t reveal here.

—Amazon review

Such a fun sci-fi/YA story! This story follows 12-year old Bobby as he desperately tries to hold onto his childhood and is thrusted into a nightmare of dueling realities he has to navigate. True to form, Perone delivers tons of nostalgia and fun characters. Truly enjoyed this read!

—Amazon review

As a fan of Michael Thomas Perone’s debut novel, Danger Peak, this was an unexpected read but no less enjoyable. He almost seems to be playing with a different genre (namely sci-fi), though it’s still in his wheelhouse of ‘80s nostalgia and coming of age. In fact, I’d say this novel is more coming of age than his last one, and that’s saying something. I agree with the other reviewers who said the book isn’t as fast-paced as Danger Peak, but the story grows on you the more you progress through it, and I certainly wasn’t expecting the slam-bang ending—despite warnings from those same reviewers! Overall, I enjoyed this book as much as the last one, despite the story being much darker. Give it a try if you liked Danger Peak. You won’t regret it.

—Amazon review

I found Déjà View funny and strangely affecting. You don’t realize how moving the story is until you get to the very end. I won’t recount the plot since you can read it in the book’s description and other reviews here, and I also don’t want to spoil anything. Needless to say, this coming-of-age story has a way of sneaking up on you. First, you’re laughing along at the hijinks and especially the dialogue (the bits about Chuck E. Cheese and “Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue” are hilarious), and then the next moment, your heart goes out to Bobby, the main character. By the end, it’s downright poignant and even made me miss my own childhood. Highly recommended.

—Amazon review

This is the second book I have read by Michael Thomas Perone, and I admit that even though I am not a child, I enjoyed reading it. Yes, it is dedicated primarily to young readers, but if you let your imagination flow, this book will also be enjoyable and exciting for adults. It makes you think about your life when you have wishes, dreams, and hopes. I recommend it to anybody who enjoys the exciting and mind-blowing way of fictional thinking. Just let your imagination flow, and enjoy the ride.

—Amazon review

Two words: Get. Help.

—my wife

Yes, even that last one was real. Was she right? Read Déjà View, and judge for yourself!

In other news, Déjà View is currently in the middle of a 2-week blog tour, which you already knew if you read my last blog. So far, the following blogs about the book have been posted:

Book Review Virginia Lee Blog (post and book giveaway)Rockstar Book Tours (excerpt and book giveaway)YA Books Central (interview and book giveaway)Two Chicks on Books (excerpt and book giveaway)

If you click on only one link above, I’d go with my interview at YA Books Central. Also, I failed to mention this in the original post of my last blog (it’s since been updated), but the blogs during this tour are giving away 10 free copies of Déjà View, so make sure to check them out and enter the contest. Good luck!

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: Read a Deleted Chapter From Déjà View

P.P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Déjà View Is Going on a Blog Tour!

For the first time, one of my books is going on a tour! That’s right, for the next 2 weeks, Déjà View is going on a blog tour! What exactly is a blog tour? I’m still not sure! But we’re going to find out together! And why am I yelling?! Actually, from what I understand, a blog tour is when a bunch of seasoned and up-and-coming bloggers cover your book at the same time. So, from Monday, November 27th to Friday, December 8th, Rockstar Book Tours is going to be hosting Déjà View. These bloggers will review the book, offer excerpts from the novel, and even interview me. I’ll also make a surprise appearance here and there with a guest blog. Here, in order, are the dates and blogs of the tour:

11/27: Book Review Virgina Lee Blog

11/27: Rockstar Book Tours

11/28: YA Books Central

11/28: Ally Luvs Books a Latte

11/29: Two Chicks on Books

11/29: A Backwards Story

11/30: Rajiv’s Reviews

11/30: Dhara Shah

12/1: A Blue Box Full of Books

12/1: Gryffindor Bookish Nerd

12/4: Sandra’s Book Club

12/4: Kim’s Book Reviews

12/5: Character Madness and Musings

12/5: Enjoying Books Again

12/6: The Momma Spot

12/6: Callisto’s Calling

12/7: Country Mamas With Kids

12/7: Anitra Loves Books and Dogs

12/8: Enthuse Reader

12/8: Froggy Read Teach

Whew! I know that’s a lot of info to dump on you, and I’m also aware that you’re probably not going to be checking back and forth on this blog every day to click on these links, but fear not! All you need to do is follow my socials, and whenever there’s a new post about my book, I’ll update it there, mainly on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can follow my socials on my Contact page.

Happy blogging!

MTP

P.S.: Next blog: The First Reviews of Déjà View Are In—and They’re Pretty Good!

P.P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

How I Came to Appreciate Thanksgiving More Than Christmas

Best. Turkey Day Movie. Ever.

I realize this blog may come across as “Bah, humbug,” especially if you love Christmas, but, as the kids say, share your truth, and since I have a blog, and Thanksgiving is once again upon us, a truthing I shall do. I used to love Christmas. I remember staying up all night wearing a Santa hat feverishly anticipating what goodies Kris Kringle would shove down my chimney, while also wondering how kids in apartments who didn’t own chimneys received gifts from Jolly Old Saint Nick. When it came to Thanksgiving, however, I used to shrug my shoulders and say, “Meh,” even before that phrase was coined by Lisa Simpson on a seminal episode of The Simpsons to describe how being a Gen-Xer feels. (This may not be the canonical view of how the word was first used, but it’s certainly the first time I heard it.) In fact, one year, when my Mom asked if I was excited about it almost being Thanksgiving, I caustically quipped, “Eh, Thanksgiving is just the appetizer to Christmas.” I’m still unsure whether the food-related pun was intended.

That’s not how I view these two holidays at all anymore. As a parent who no longer believes in Mr. Claus (sorry, kids), I’m now more than aware of just how much work Christmas is, which brings me to my first point:

When You’re a Parent, Christmas Is a TON of Work

If it’s the Christmas season, here’s a short list of must-do items: gift buying, card writing, gift wrapping, tree trimming, gift hiding, etc. (Are you sensing a pattern here?) Even disregarding the enormous financial cost of Christmas, the monumental time and energy it takes to get through it every year are downright mind-blowing. Then there’s that damn Elf on the Shelf, something that didn’t even exist when I was a child. Now every morning I have to move this guy around the house into different, wacky situations that will amuse my kids. (Uh-oh! He’s gotten into the kitchen cabinet!) Trust me; I have a small house, and there are only so many inspired scenes I can create with this felt elf. After a week, I’m drained. And I haven’t even mentioned decorating your house with twinkling lights. This alone takes me all day, even with the help of my father, who, at his advanced age, really shouldn’t be doing it anymore, but he’s the handyman of the family while I can barely screw in a lightbulb. Just watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation for a primer of how insane this holiday has gotten (and it’s only gotten worse in the intervening 34 years since the movie was released). There’s a reason why it’s become a classic over the decades; it’s because of how unfortunately relatable it is, and it’s nice to laugh at poor Clark Griswold’s troubles for once instead of crying at your own.

Having listed all these time-consuming and money-sapping activities for Xmess, what do you have to do for Thanksgiving? Cook a meal. That’s it. And I don’t even do that, as I’m usually invited somewhere. (Thanks, cousins!) The only extra thing I do this holiday is watch the movie Planes, Trains & Automobiles, which brings me to my next point.

The Joy of Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Watching John Hughes’ classic Planes, Trains & Automobiles is my annual tradition every late November. It’s amazing to me that the prolific writer-director released this movie only a year after his equally brilliant Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. (It’s almost as impressive as how Mel Brooks released both Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein in 1974.) With each viewing, I’ve come to love the movie even more, if that’s possible. Of course it’s hilarious; that much is obvious upon your first watch, but I’ve come to embrace its deeper message the more I see it. I love how ironic it is that Neal Page, played with perfect nervous comic energy by Steve Martin, has it all—the gorgeous house and wife, beautiful kids, a well-paying job—but he’s more or less miserable (or at least incredibly uptight and unappreciative of his life). Then there’s Del Griffith, played with warmth and humor by the never better John Candy. This man embraces life with all its ups and downs, even explaining to Neal that he simply “goes with the flow, like a twig on the shoulders of a mighty stream.” Del more or less loves life, but then we find out… Well, I don’t want to give away the ending, just in case there’s one soul out there who still hasn’t seen this comedic masterpiece, but it makes you appreciate what you have, which brings me to my last point. (Side note: I love the fact that the movie starts off in New York City on Park Avenue, the very block I used to work before working from home.)

The Meaning of the Season

I’m ashamed to admit just how long it took me to figure out the word “Thanks” is in the holiday name “Thanksgiving.” Sure, I was still a kid, but c’mon; it’s the very first syllable! Abraham Lincoln was right, lo those many years ago, to declare the fourth Thursday in November a day for giving thanks, because we really do have a lot to be thankful for, not just for the strong, (mostly) prosperous nation we’re lucky to live in but for the daily goings-on in our own lives. Without divulging too many details, this year I was scammed out of half my life savings. We’re talking tens of thousands of dollars here. (This may be fodder for a future blog.) I could’ve kicked and screamed and cursed the heavens all year (and believe me, I did that first week), but I took a deep breath—so deep I could’ve swallowed the atmosphere—and looked at the bigger picture: 1) It’s just money, and money, as we all know, isn’t everything, 2) I wasn’t physically hurt or killed, and neither, thank God, were my children, wife, or other family members, and 3) I’m still not bankrupt (though it’s getting close!). And if you’re reading this right now, it means you either have a computer and/or a smartphone, so you can’t be too destitute yourself either, at least compared to people living in Third World countries. It’s a cliché and kinda corny but no less true: Gratitude is the attitude. How else could we live? Even if you are destitute, just the simple fact that you woke up today and are alive is proof positive that you can start to make changes in your life for the better. After all, what choice do we have? (btw, while I’m complaining about my financial troubles, now would be a good time to pick up one of my books at the links below. Hey, Christmas is coming!)

But seriously: Happy Thanksgiving.

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: The First Reviews of Déjà View Are In—and They’re Pretty Good!

P.P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

The Pop Culture Affidavit Podcast Interviewed Me About Déjà View, Danger Peak, and How “There’s Something Not Right With This World”

courtesy of Pop Culture Affidavit (duh)

The Pop Culture Affidavit Podcast, a podcast dedicated to—you guessed it—pop culture, interviewed me last week about my latest novel, Déjà View, as well as Danger Peak and my ol’ college days. “Why my college days?” you ask. Well, that’s because the host of the show, Tom Panarese, is an old college buddy and my former boss at The Greyhound, the student newspaper of Loyola University Maryland, where we both attended. Back then, Loyola was named “Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland” (it was the only Loyola College in the country; now there are none), milk was just a buck (I think?), and Danger Peak and Déjà View were just twinkles in my eyes. (I believe Déjà View was the left one.) Yes, Tom was the Editor-in-Chief of The Greyhound, while I was just the lowly Features Editor. I kid! (But no, power dynamics are an ongoing problem in the collegiate world.) I think it was Tom’s idea to combine the Focus, or campus news, section with the Arts section to form the Features section, and I was the lucky first editor to give it a crack. How’d I do? Well, it turns out I forgot about the whole Focus section and ran a lot of CD reviews. Hey, I tried! Plus, the CDs were free, and they were hard to resist. These were the days before downloading and when music is basically—and unfortunately—considered worthless by most people. (At least they’re not readily willing to pay for your music, unless your name is Beyoncé or Taylor Swift.)

Anyway, we go down the rabbit hole and explore the major themes of Déjà View, including how “there’s something not right with this world.” This is my fourth podcast interview, and at nearly an hour, it’s my longest. The link is below, and I urge people to also check out Tom’s website at www.popcultureaffidavit.com. Enjoy!

Pop Culture Affidavit Interview

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: How I Came to Appreciate Thanksgiving More Than Christmas

P.P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Book Reviews! (but Not of My Books)

“You’re right. No human being would stack books like this.”

For those not in the know, I’m on Goodreads. It’s true! Check out my Contact page! But I’m not just giving away books there (oh Danger Peak Goodreads giveaways, those were the days), I’m also reading and reviewing books! Why? Honestly, writing these little “book reports” has made me feel like a kid again, and anything that does that is a good thing in my book (pun definitely intended). Here in no order is an assortment of random reviews I’ve written over the past year, with a star rating (out of 5) assigned to each book. As the kids on the Internet say, your mileage may vary.

Gamemaster Classified: An Insider’s Guide to Nintendo’s Coming of Age by Howard Phillips and Matthew Taranto (5 out of 5 stars)

I was such a huge fan of Nintendo Power—and, by extension, Nintendo—when I was a kid that I had a subscription for several years and even owned the first issue, the cover of which is modeled for this book’s. Over 30 years later, I would even include several references to this magazine in my ‘80s-set novel Danger Peak (Plug!). But one thing has been gnawing at me since those halcyon days of memorizing cheat codes and reading Nester comics: why did Howard Phillips, the self-proclaimed gamemaster and ostensible star of the mag (alongside the aforementioned Nester), leave Nintendo—and, by extension, Nintendo Power? (See what I did there?) At the time, Nintendo was not only the biggest videogame company in the world, it was one of the biggest companies, period. (I guess not much has changed.) Was he pushed out? Was it a case of too-much, too-soon for the youngish former warehouse manager and game tester? I had no idea how much these questions were bugging me until I saw this book on Kickstarter. In a way, I felt like an abandoned child (there is a strange sort of bonding between a reader and the writer, especially when you’re reading his personal thoughts in diary-like entries, as Howard’s were in Nintendo Power), so I immediately helped fund the book to find the answers.

While you don’t get too much information on Howard’s departure (it’s mostly explained in a two-paged write-up; long story short: he felt like Nintendo was just using him as a marketing tool—and I use that word in both senses), the rest of the book more than makes up for it by perfectly capturing that ‘80s nostalgia sweet spot—and this is coming from someone who wrote a novel filled with ‘80s references, so I know what I’m talking about. The book itself is formatted like an old Nintendo Power, with similar department names, fonts, and gorgeously rendered, old-school art by Matthew Taranto, whose opinions on the old games I seem to agree with more than Howard’s. I even learned some new gamer terminology, like shmups (shorthand for “shoot-‘em-ups”), button-mashers (games that require the player to tap the buttons as quickly as possible), and no-blink-twitch games (games that require intense concentration from the player to memorize opponents’ patterns, like the classic “Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!”). On a personal note, I enjoyed the inclusion of the 1990 Nintendo World Championships, which I attended with my two best friends in New York City. (I still own the program!) The book makes a very insightful point about it possibly being the first e-sports competition ever held; I never viewed it that way before, but I guess that’s true!

Overall, this book is a dream come true for diehard NES-heads (is that even a term?) like myself. It made me want to fire up the old console and play a game of “Duck Hunt.” It’s just too bad we can’t shoot the dog that laughs at you, like you can in the arcade version (another factoid I learned from this brilliant book).

P.S.: I’m in the book! (sorta) Taranto was nice enough to immortalize the people who funded this book by including their names and favorite games in the index. Truth be told, “Castlevania” was my favorite NES game, but I chose “Excitebike” because I wanted a cross-promotion for my book Danger Peak. (Last plug!)

Bossypants by Tina Fey (5 out of 5 stars)

I don’t know why it took me so long to read Tiny Fey’s hilarious memoir Bossypants, but I’m glad I did. It might have something to do with the fact that, to this day, I still haven’t seen a full episode of 30 Rock, only clips online (“Werewolf bar mitzvah…spooky scary!”), but after reading this book, I should rectify that right away. I loved Fey’s tenure on Saturday Night Live though (especially her epic takedown of Sarah “I-can-see-Russia-from-my-house” Palin), and there was a time I had a bit of a crush on her (Fey, not Palin). What can I say? I have a thing for smart brunettes in glasses.

Even if you know nothing about Fey, you can tell her style was honed by years in the trenches of writing for television comedy, where every line has to either be a joke or a setup to one. The only similar writing I’ve done was for a short, fake movie script for a comedy website, where the webmaster basically told me, “Okay, thanks” after posting my submission, and then I never heard from him again, despite having two more scripts ready to go. Oh well. Those are the breaks!

My favorite part, naturally, was the behind-the-scenes stuff at SNL, because I’ve been a devoted fan of the show since the early ‘90s when Chris Farley played a motivational speaker who lived “in a van down by the river.” I especially enjoyed the anecdote when Amy Poehler told Jimmy Fallon she didn’t care if he didn’t like what she was doing, mostly because I’ve always thought Fallon was overrated. (How many times did he ruin a sketch by breaking?) I still can’t believe he’s the host of The Tonight Show. He’s more handsome than funny. But I digress.

Reading her (partial) life story, I was amazed at how much Fey has accomplished in her relatively short life. Someone else endlessly listing their achievements would become tiresome and obnoxious (not to mention boring), but Fey gets away with it because of her self-deprecating, tongue-in-cheek writing style and sense of humor. For example, in the space of one weekend alone, Fey recorded an episode of 30 Rock with Oprah, debuted her Sarah Palin impression on SNL, and celebrated her daughter’s third birthday; Fey mentions the birthday party was the highlight. It also illustrates a point I’ve often made about how life is either everything or nothing. In other words, you either have a million things going on, or you can’t get arrested. But I digress again.

Working as an editor by day (and frustrated writer by night), I always look for things to cut, and if I was the book’s editor, I would omit the chapter on beauty tips (or at least shorten it), where Fey pretty much tells the same joke over and over again about how unrealistic society’s beauty standards are and have always been—especially for women. (It was also one of the longest chapters in the book.) But this is nitpicking. (I told you I’m an editor!)

If you still haven’t read this book, don’t be like me and wait 12 years. Pick it up and laugh. You won’t regret it. 

The World’s Worst Assistant by Sona Movsesian (3 out of 5 stars)

I don’t know what I was expecting with a book titled The World’s Worst Assistant, but I’ve always been a fan of Conan O’Brien and, more recently, his podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” and Sona Movsesian is obviously a huge part of Conan’s world, particularly his podcast. It’s just frustrating that, as a struggling writer, I spent years crafting my original novel, getting it beta tested, etc., and then when it’s finally published, it sells a fraction of this “memoir” full of life hacks on how to do the least amount of work possible at your job. Also, the book is full of filler, and if you think I’m exaggerating, the “author” comes right out and tells you it’s filler by purposefully making the font of the text larger in one section to get it to book-length.

It’s telling that the best part of this book is the Foreword penned by O’Brien himself, but to Sona’s credit, she admits that right out of the gate, telling her readers that the book will be a letdown from there, and she isn’t completely wrong. The funniest parts of this book are visual: the cartoons and photographs scattered throughout. My favorite was the series of photographs taken from the documentary Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop where Sona is eating something in literally every photograph, usually with a face full of rapturous pleasure. I give her points for her self-awareness and self-deprecation, two characteristics she obviously learned from her boss and mentor.

The funniest part of the book that was written (in other words, not visual) was her recounting the four worst dates she ever went on—and all were with the same guy, though, IMO, the last date wasn’t anywhere near as bad as the first three. It makes you wonder why this dude earned a second date let alone three more, but again, Sona is self-aware enough to know what a terrible decision this was. The next funniest text of the book was a group of real email exchanges between Conan and Sona, but of course, Conan has all the best lines. Sorry Sona, but you’re no match for Conan’s Harvard-trained wit.

So, to recommend this book or not? If you’re a huge fan of Conan’s podcast, particularly his banter with Sona, I suppose it’s worth a read, but if you’re only a casual fan, I would skip it, though I can’t imagine a casual fan of Conan and his world would consider picking up this book. However, I did read a review of someone saying they felt bad for Sona’s boss, “whoever he is.” I sure hope the reviewer was kidding.

Carrie by Stephen King (4 out of 5 stars)

This is the rare example of the movie being better than the book. This is King’s first novel, and it shows. Not only is it not as polished as the rest of his oeuvre (yes, I just used the word “oeuvre”), but he fills the story with excerpts from various newspapers, magazines, and books, which serves to not only interrupt the narrative but give away the ending. I realize everyone knows the ending to this story by now, but imagine if this book just came out, and a few pages in, there’s a magazine excerpt that essentially says (SPOILER ALERT!), “Let me explain how everyone dies at the end.” This removes the suspense of the story, but it does add an extra layer of tragedy: the inevitability that almost everyone in the book is doomed. I admit this is an original way to write a novel, but it makes you wish King had just trusted his story enough to tell it straight.

If you take out all the various newspaper/magazine clippings, the book would be half as long, and it’s short enough as it is. The copy I read is less than 200 pages, nowhere near the length of King’s later epics like It. (I actually enjoyed that aspect since I tend to run out of patience with a book when it hits the 400-page mark.) I also found Carrie herself less sympathetic in the book versus the movie. There are many asides in the book of how much she hates her classmates, and I don’t remember that being in the movie, though I could be wrong. (It’s been years since I’ve seen it.) The reason I’m still giving this book 4 stars is because the story of a troubled, bullied girl with a religious zealot of a mother who gets bloody revenge on her classmates at their prom using telekinesis is such a brilliant idea, and of course, King would go on to have a legendary career full of them.

Life Itself by Roger Ebert (3 out of 5 stars)

I really wanted to love this book. After all, Roger Ebert is not only my favorite film critic (as is most people’s) but one of my favorite writers of all time. Alas, when writing an autobiography, one is limited by the subject, and truth be told, before he became a famous critic, Ebert’s life wasn’t all that exciting. I’m afraid I have to agree with most negative reviews of this book that the first half is extremely difficult to get through. Ebert goes into such insane detail of his early life, it’s almost impressive. Who remembers the name of their college roommate’s cousin’s dog? (I’m only slightly exaggerating here.) There is so much intricate minutiae of the people he met and places he visited in the first several decades of his life, it’s downright awe-inspiring. On the plus side, what a memory! For everyone else, however, it’s incredibly boring. Let’s put it this way: If you were ever curious as to the exact contents of his apartment when he was studying abroad in South Africa, you’re in luck. (Here, I am not exaggerating.) To read this book is to suffer an endless listing of proper nouns: names of people and places I’m never going to meet or visit. There were a few times I had to ask myself, “Should I be taking notes?”

Luckily, the book picks up, as expected, when he gets to the more celebrated part of his life: becoming a world-famous film critic and hosting At the Movies with his late, great sparring partner, Gene Siskel. Their show was appointment viewing for me growing up in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. While everyone else was goofing off with friends or going on dates Saturday nights, I was rushing home from church (after a brief pit stop at Taco Bell for dinner) to catch their show. But again, disappointment hit when I discovered how much (or, more accurately, how little) is written about this part of his life. In a book spanning over 400 pages, Ebert devotes 12 measly pages to Siskel. (He wrote more pages for a Robert Mitchum interview.) What an insult! Was it intentional? I hope not. I know these guys had a love-hate relationship, but if I was primarily known for being the cohost of a T.V. show, I would spend more than one chapter out of 55 writing about it. Also, the chapter begins on page 312 with only 100 pages left in the book. Again, was this an oversight? Maybe the next chapter, titled “Jugular,” explains the lack of Siskel content, since this chapter lists a few insults Siskel lodged at Ebert’s weight. Sample line (while handing Ebert his cell phone): “Phone for you, Rog. Your shoes are calling.” And while I’m complaining, I could have done without the chapters devoted to interviewing Mitchum, Lee Marvin, John Wayne, Werner Herzog, and Woody Allen. (Is this an autobiography or a compilation?)

There are a few surprises I learned. For example, Ebert never intended to become a film critic. His original goal was to become a newspaper columnist and then, “naturally,” a novelist. (Does this mean I beat Ebert at his own game? I kid.) Also, his life seems to have been shaped by sheer luck more than anything else, and Ebert himself would probably be the first to admit this. He became the film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times simply because the former critic decided to retire early, and her editor happened to be his friend.

Overall though, the word that kept coming to my mind while reading Life Itself was “disappointment.” I don’t mean to dump on Ebert, as he has passed on as well, but you’d be better served seeing the documentary based on this book or even reading one of his many, many brilliant reviews. A writer must tell the truth, and my truth is that this book is probably not worth your time. If, after reading my review, you feel you MUST still read it, I would skip to the chapters on Siskel and the talk shows and then read the last few chapters where Ebert contemplates life and the meaning of it all following his illness. There. I just saved you hundreds of pages reciting proper nouns of people and places.

P.S.: I agree with the critic who found it odd that there’s an “About the Author” section at the end of this book, considering it’s an autobiography, but I’ll do the reviewer one better: Ebert himself is an entry in the Index of his own autobiography. Shouldn’t this entry point to every single page in the book?

Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio (5 out of 5 stars)

This book was a joy to read. (Patton Oswalt’s affirmation on the back cover is right: “This memoir will put you in the best mood.”) I flew through it in a week, and that is high praise for me since it usually takes me much longer to read a book, but I couldn’t wait to revisit all the inside stories of one of my favorite movies of all time. If you’re as much of a Karate Kid fan as I am, this book is a MUST READ. You’ll learn all the interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits, including the first times Macchio met Pat Morita and Elisabeth Shue (she’s called “Lisa” by everyone in the book), how Daniel managed to catch that fly with his chopsticks in an era before CGI, how the famous crane kick came to be (the original incarnation was basically impossible to perform without clunky wires), and the creation of the immensely popular Netflix series Cobra Kai. As a local “Lawn Guy Land” boy myself, I appreciated all the Long Island shout-outs, including Macchio riding the Babylon LIRR train to his first audition for the movie (a train I used to take all the time) and LI’s own Golf N Stuff, Adventureland in Farmingdale, a place I basically grew up in and return to every summer with my kids. Still, you don’t have to be from New York to appreciate this tale of a scrappy young actor (well, he WAS in his 20s) overcoming the odds just like his iconic character and not only winning this role but staying humble, positive, and drug-free throughout his entire career. He’s even still married to the same woman he’s been with since the mid-‘80s. Whatta guy! If I had to nitpick something, I would’ve omitted all the asides when Macchio writes, “As I’ll explain in the next chapter…” or, “As I wrote in the last chapter…,” but that’s the editor in me, since I’m literally an editor in New York City. Also, there were a few pages where all the text was completely bold for some reason, but that’s a printing error and not Macchio’s fault. Other than that, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Take a trip back to the ‘80s and read it. Miyagi-do forever!

Batman ’89 by Sam Hamm and Joe Quinones (5 out of 5 stars)

Batman ’89 is the Batman 3 we deserved, not those terrible Joel Schumacher films we got, where Tommy Lee Jones tried to out-mug mid-’90s, peak Jim Carrey (an impossible task). Tim Burton’s Batman was my favorite movie growing up, and I was always disappointed that we never got to see Billy Dee Williams’ Harvey Dent become Two Face, so seeing this graphic novel come out (compiling six previous comics) was a dream come true. The story is penned by Sam Hamm, the screenwriter of the first Batman and story writer of Batman Returns, and it does not disappoint. In fact, I’d say it was better and far deeper than I was expecting, having Two Face represent the “two sides of Gotham”: the poor side mostly populated by black and brown people like Dent himself and the rich/white side that certain Gothamites claim Dent sold his soul to. The moral complexity of the characters and dark themes even made me think of Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. On top of this, Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman makes a delicious return (remember, she had “one life left” at the end of Batman Returns) and erases the kitty litter memory of Halle Berry’s atrocious Catwoman movie. We also get the Burton-verse version of Robin, who was originally supposed to be played by Marlon Wayans. This may be the first time I haven’t thought of Robin as a corny character. My only complaint (and without giving too much away) is that there is a two-page sequence towards the end involving Two Face’s fate, and I can’t for the life of me make heads or tails of it (no pun intended). I’ve read it from top to bottom and from left to right, but either way, the sequence of events in the panels doesn’t make sense. (Maybe my book is missing a page?) It left a sour taste in my mouth because it’s such an important scene, but it wasn’t enough to not make me love this stroll down 1989. Flipping through the pages, I could hear Danny Elfman’s famous score in my mind. You will, too. (Final note: Using the image of an old VHS tape as the inside front and back covers was an ingenious touch.)

Armada by Ernest Cline (3 out of 5 stars)

Armada by Ernest Cline should’ve been titled Pop-Culture Reference: The Book. Almost every page has a reference to pop culture of some kind, the most egregious example for me being when the main character asks two different characters how they managed to defeat the aliens in a particular skirmish, and instead of explaining their battle strategy, they each answered in turn, “It takes two to make a thing go right,” and then, “It takes two to make it out of sight.” I literally rolled my eyes at that point. Look, I love a good pop-culture reference as much as the next guy, especially ones from the ‘80s (my first novel Danger Peak is filled with them), but when every character speaks the same way—the main character, his friends, his boss, his would-be girlfriend, his father, even his mother—they all start to sound like the same person, which, in a way, is what they are, because that person is Ernest Cline himself. Somewhat more irritatingly, sometimes Cline gets the pop-culture references wrong, like when one character sings the Brady Bunch theme song, and he starts, “This is the story…” Even I know the song begins, “Here’s the story…,” and I’m not a fan of that show.

I didn’t mind all the references in Cline’s debut novel Ready Player One (and, to a lesser extent, its sequel, Ready Player Two) because they were an intrinsic part of the plot: treasure seekers were competing in an Easter egg hunt, and all the clues were related to pop culture of the last few decades of the 20th Century. In other words, the references made sense. In Armada, they just seem lazy, as if Cline threw a dart at a board filled with random references to the ‘70s and ‘80s (and occasionally ‘90s) whenever he needed someone to make an analogy to something.

As for this book’s plot, it’s The Last Starfighter. Seriously. A teenaged arcade game ace (along with several others) are recruited to fight an alien menace using the skills they acquired playing their favorite video games. At least Cline is savvy enough to mention this movie as an inspiration, along with Flight of the Navigator, Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and even Guardians of the Galaxy. (The main character listens to a mix tape filled with old rock songs left behind by his departed parent.)

If I sound so down on this book, why the relatively high 3-star rating? Well, the alien battle scenes, when Cline gets around to them, are really fun and vividly written. Also, I thought it was quite original (and logical) to have the human fighters pilot drones to attack the alien armada, so that no humans were actually inside the ships. This added to the fun of the battle scenes, because you know there weren’t as many casualties when a ship blew up. I guess Cline took a cue from the old G.I. Joe cartoon where multiple vehicles would explode, but no one ever died. (Uh-oh, I made a pop-culture reference!)

TLDR: This book is strictly for die-hard Cline fans—and fans of incessant pop-culture namedropping.

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: My Latest (and Longest?) Podcast Interview

P.P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Déjà View Is Getting Some Old-School Press!

Extry! Extry! It’s hot off the presses, ma’am! And it’ll line your birdcage tomorrow!

People who follow my social media channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and A Series of Tubes) will already know this, but since most in WordPress Land don’t, I decided to do a little write-up about how Déjà View is getting written up—in newspapers, that is. Yes, they’re still around! And they’re wonderful! (coming from a former newspaperman myself) Unlike my first novel, Danger Peak, my new one is actually getting some ink—real ink! (not digital) Specifically, there was an announcement about my book’s publication in the October 18th edition of South Bay’s Neighbor, my local newspaper. I was also interviewed by Michaela Medeck for the October 26th issue of The Islip Bulletin, another newspaper here on Lawn Guy Land (translation for those not in the know: Long Island). Truth be told, I actually pitched these papers a mention of Danger Peak when it was first published over a year ago, but they ultimately passed, despite some initial interest. I suppose when Danger Peak won multiple literary awards, including being featured on an electronic billboard in Times Square earlier this year, and my second novel came out, they realized I was serious about this whole writing thing. Here are the articles:

South Bay’s Neighbor (“Turn” to page 8) The Islip Bulletin

You’ll need to register with the website to read the full article in The Islip Bulletin, but I’m also attaching photos of both articles below.

from South Bay’s Neighborfrom The Islip Bulletin

There was a printing mishap with The Islip Bulletin, and photo credit should’ve been given to Nicole Esposito Photography. As you can see from the above photo, the credit was missing from the article, as well as my middle name (for some reason), but both omissions were corrected online.

You can also read a press release from my publisher about the recent press attention here:

Déjà View on Wheatmark Blog

That’s all for today. See you next week, folks. Same Perone time, same Perone channel.

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: Book Reviews! (but Not of My Books)

P.P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Déjà View Is Now Available as an eBook!

Here is another short and sweet blog. I just wanted to announce that my latest (and greatest?) novel, Déjà View, is now available as an eBook, specifically on Amazon Kindle. Here is the link:

Amazon

It will also become available digitally at Barnes & Noble.com, Google Play, Apple eBooks, and all the other fine places you read your books electronically in a few weeks. For some reason, Amazon always gets the jump on these guys. Maybe that’s why they’re taking over the world? (for better and worse) So for all you readers out there who really hate paper (or just love trees), today is the day to get your hands on a copy of my newest novel—just figuratively, of course, because you won’t actually be holding it in your hand, unless you count your e-reading device as my book.

That’s all for today. I’ll have more updates from the world of Déjà View soon. See you on the flippity-floppy. (I realize no one says that anymore, but I’m old-school, after all.)

MTP

P.S.: Next week’s blog: Déjà View Is Getting Some Old-School Press!

P.P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon (including Kindle!) and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Déjà View Is Now Available on Barnes & Noble.com!

courtesy Barnes & Noble (duh)

I’ll make this short and sweet: Déjà View is now available on Barnes & Noble.com! You probably already knew this if you read the headline, unless you’re some crazy fool who skips the headline to dive headfirst into the content of the article. Seinfeld voice: “Who are these people??” If, for some reason, you don’t trust Amazon (and I honestly can’t blame ya), you can pick up a copy of my new book from B&N at the link below:

Déjà View on Barnes & Noble

That’s about all I’ve got for today, folks. Why the new blog and not simply an update to my old one? First of all, as Stephanie Tanner (and Jar Jar Binks) might say, “How rude!” Secondly, most people don’t go back to read old blogs once I post them, which is fairly understandable. (Ain’t nobody got time for that!) So by posting a new blog, this informs everyone on my email list (all three of you), as well as the rest of the WordPress community and the Internet at large that, yes, my new book is finally available at B&N. Does that answer your question??? Sorry, it’s been an incredibly busy, stressful week. Hope everyone enjoys the weekend! What are y’all reading? I have a book I can recommend!

MTP

P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

AmazonBarnes & Noble

Surprise! Déjà View Is Here!

Yes, my blog pic is the cover again.

For those who listened to my interview on the 1980s Now podcast a few months ago, I told host Will Padilla I was hoping my next novel, Déjà View, would be released just before Christmas. Well, to borrow a phrase from Professor Farnsworth (sorry for the ‘90s reference), Good news, everyone! Déjà View is here and available for purchase at Amazon at the link below:

Amazon

For those who’d rather shop at Barnes & Noble, don’t worry, it’ll be available there in a week or so. (For some reason, they always take longer than Amazon to update their site.) I’ll update this blog or just post another blog when that happens and B&N carries the new book.

I think it’s appropriate that this book is coming out just before Halloween instead of the more festive holidays because of its tone. (There’s even a chapter titled “Halloween.”) It’s definitely more in tune with this most spooky time of year. I imagine kids and grown-up kids (i.e., adults) reading this one around a campfire, snuggling under a blanket, and roasting marshmallows. (Oh, the fire hazard of this imagery!)

And speaking of the “spooky-scary” tone of this book (now that was a ‘00s reference), I’d like to reiterate one more time (let’s be honest; it won’t be the last time) that people should not expect this book to be Danger Peak 2. Aside from the main character having two best friends, this book doesn’t share many similarities with my debut novel. Does this make me nervous? Kinda! (I do keep bringing it up.) This is mostly because Danger Peak was well-received (at least critically) and the people who read it (all eight of you) seemed to like it very much, so please go into this one knowing it’s a departure. In fact, it’s so much of a departure, I subtitled it “A Kid Nightmare.” Those with amazing brains (and who may be obsessed with me and my work—Hi, Mom!) will remember the subtitle of Danger Peak was “A Kid Adventure.” So, in this small way, the two books are linked, but they have radically different tones. Heh, “radical.” Now there’s an ‘80s reference for ya.

Since I’m on the topic of references (for those who are curious), yes, this book also takes place in the late ‘80s—very late, specifically, 1989, the same year as Danger Peak—but it also goes into the early ‘90s, and that’s when all hell breaks loose. You might be thinking, “‘All hell,’ you say? This doesn’t sound like the goofy, kiddie adventure of Danger Peak.” Now you’re catching on! So yes, there are the standard ‘80s references scattered throughout, as is my m.o., but again, they’re not random and pointless (looking at you, Ernest Cline’s Armada), and there aren’t as many this time around. I decided to trust in my developing skills as a novelist and let the story play out, regardless of whether there’s a shoutout to Madonna or not.

For those who don’t know the novel’s plot (in case you haven’t read past blogs), I’ll post the book’s back-cover copy here:

Twelve-year-old Bobby Dalton doesn’t want to grow up. All his life, he has relied on the imaginary games of childhood with his best friends Joe and Max to get him through the tough times. But this all changes when his Seventh-Grade class buries a time capsule to commemorate the end of the 1980s. Now Bobby is seeing visions: doubles of himself, his friends, and others. He calls them “déjà view.” Are these visions real, or has his imagination finally gotten away from him? And if they’re real, what do they want? Bobby needs to figure this all out to survive his childhood…and his life. From the author of the award-winning Danger Peak, Déjà View is a darkly funny coming-of-age dramedy with a sci-fi twist, cranked up to eleven. But even more, it’s at once a pulse-pounding thrill ride and a haunting portrait of paranoia, mental illness, and the unbearable sadness of growing up.

I’ve also updated the Déjà View homepage with the Amazon link here:

Déjà View Homepage

Alright, I think I’ve blathered on enough. Click the link above (or below) to pick up a copy of the book and see for yourself! And feel free to drop me a line after you’ve read it to let me know what you think—but only if you loved it! J/k…kinda.

MTP

P.S.: Déjà View is now available on Amazon (duh):

Amazon

P.P.S.: Currently, Amazon is listing the age range for this book as appropriate for 4-year-olds. Not true! Not only is it 275 pages (with zero illustrations), but there are a few swear words sprinkled in. I would calculate the age range as 12 and up (or 10 and up, if your child can handle mature themes).