Doug Dillon's Blog, page 148

Classroom Teacher Writes Teen Paranormal & Historical Thriller

 

The St. Augustine Trilogy, Book I - Sliding Beneath the Surface for young adults and reading classes.

Doug Dillon’s many years of working with teens, teaching history and experiencing the paranormal make for a very realistic and exciting book.

See the book trailer below, created by a fan.

A new resident of America’s oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida, fifteen-year-old Jeff Golden suddenly finds himself up to his eyeballs in frightening paranormal experiences. At the end of his rope in trying to figure out what is happening to him, Jeff decides to rely on his girlfriend Carla Rodriguez, and Lobo, an old Native American shaman, for help.

Despite this guidance, things get even worse. Jeff’s spine-tingling encounters increase in number and intensity at an alarming rate, scaring him even more. Eventually, he makes the startling discovery that unresolved circumstances involving a bloody event directly out of Florida’s distant past threatens his sanity and possibly his life.

Overwhelmed by forces he cannot understand or control, Jeff’s world radically shifts again from frightening to downright terrifying. In desperation, and on Lobo’s advice, he leaps headlong into the unknown in order to save himself. What Jeff discovers though is that he has entered a level of reality he is completely unprepared to handle while unwittingly dragging Carla with him.

Like all the books in THE ST. AUGUSTINE TRILOGY, the premise for Sliding Beneath the Surface is simply this: You create your own reality.

Click here to see the reviews for sliding on Amazon.com.

Click on the article title below to see how this book is now being used in reading classrooms.

Reading Motivation that Worked

Click here for the book Doug and his wife wrote about their actual paranormal experiences.

 

 

 

 

 

Main Characters of the St. Augustine Trilogy

The action in this young adult, paranormal, historical, mildly romantic, soft science fiction series erupts all around four main characters: Jeff Golden, Carla Rodriguez, Lobo and Lyle, the homeless guy.

The purpose of this post is to offer readers of The St. Augustine Trilogy a snapshot view of each character as they appear in the beginning as Book I, Sliding Beneath the Surface opens. The characters are revealed in more depth with each book, especially Jeff, as tells this entire three-part tale from his own unique perspective. It is Jeff’s growth over time and his understanding of that growth that is a vital trilogy thread.

And now, here they are:

Jeff

Jeff Golden . . .

• is 15-years-old, an only child, very smart, white, tall, blond-haired (short), blue-eyed and bulky.

• goes to St. Augustine High School.

• moved to St. Augustine, Florida with his mother from Orlando a couple of months before the story in Book I of the trilogy begins. That house was just down the street from where Carla and Lobo live.

• didn’t want to move to St. Augustine and away from his friends.

• starts out not liking St. Augustine and all the tourists who flood the city for its history and architecture.

• and his mom really didn’t have a choice in the matter of moving. They were in a bad financial situation and didn’t have a choice. Jeff’s deceased grandfather’s house in St. Augustine was available so they moved in.

• comes to St. Augustine a city boy who has never even gone fishing before.

• still feels the deep pain from his father’s suicide even though it happened when he was in middle school. His father’s compulsive gambling led to that suicide. The gambling debts his dad incurred had already depleted the family’s resources, but the suicide led to increased financial instability for Jeff and his mom.

• doesn’t get along with his mom very much. After his dad’s death, she became very depressed and began drinking heavily.

The St. Augustine
National Cemetery

• then started hanging with the wrong crowd, failing in school and resisting/manipulating adults in general.

• stopped reading and studying after his dad died.

• is headstrong and quick to anger. Emotional control is not one of his attributes.

• developed a victim-type attitude that all of his problems are because of the bad hand life has dealt him. And whatever happens to him is always somebody else’s fault.

• initially had no beliefs in anything paranormal.

• has no plans for college or for when he gets out of high school.

• has a love interest in Carla.

Carla

Carla Rodriguez . . .

• is 15-years-old, very smart, brown-eyed, brown-haired (long), African American and Hispanic, short, slender, curvaceous and attractive.

• is mature, emotionally strong and very responsible.

• goes to St. Augustine High School and takes some AP classes.

• has lived with her grandmother ever since her parents were killed in a plane crash down in the Yucatan. They were University of Florida archaeologists, well known and well respected not only in St. Augustine but throughout Florida as well. Carla often went with them on digs all over the world.

 

The Bridge of Lions

lives right next door to Lobo’s peninsula on Matanzas Bay

• has a sister in the military.

• loves reading, studying and research.

• loves St. Augustine, its history, architecture, people and even the tourists who visit the place.

The Castillo de San Marcos

• wants everyone to like St. Augustine as much as she does.

• loves to fish.

• comes from a stable family background.

• knows a lot of people in St. Augustine.

• is tough and won’t let anybody push her around, but she is also very kind-hearted and compassionate.

• knows that the paranormal exists, has seen it in action and has been involved in paranormal events.

• wants to get her doctorate and become an archaeologist like her parents.

• has a love interest in Jeff.

Lobo

Lobo . . .

• is a deeply mysterious character who is like an onion that contains endless layers. Only slowly do those layers reveal glimpses of his true identity.

• is a reclusive Native American shaman but his actual tribal origins are murky

• appears to be in his 60s.

• is big (6’4”), muscular, and has long, steel-grey hair that he usually gathers with a leather strap at the base of his neck.

• wears shirts with the sleeves ripped off.

• often seems impervious to cold weather.

• is sharp featured with a prominent but thin nose, and dark, deep-set eyes that glitter and flash in the most unusual way.

• carves wood for a living and sells it in St. Augustine, Jacksonville and Savannah.

• lives next door to Carla and her grandma on a small peninsula jutting out into Matanzas Bay. His home, an historic one dating back to the time of the Spanish, is where much of the plot develops.

• knew Carla’s parents and grandparents before she was born.

• likes to be called by his last name only, which is Lobo. The name on his mailbox says, R. Lobo.

• is a tough, abrupt, controlling, no nonsense type of guy.

• has paranormal abilities beyond comprehension.

• believes there are no coincidences

• believes there are endless numbers of realities other than the one humanity knows.

• believes that you create your own ultimate reality (The trilogy premise).

Lyle

Lyle, the Homeless Guy . . .

• only makes one quick appearance in Book I of The St. Augustine Trilogy and then becomes a major character in Books II & III.

• is  white and in his 50s but looks a lot older.

• has a long grey beard and grey eyes.

• always wears a red baseball cap that he believes brings him luck.

• often carries his “stuff” in large yard bags.

• is an alcoholic who likes to drink beer hidden in a paper bag while he’s sitting St. Augustine’s central plaza.

• is a nervous person, fearful of many things but he’s especially scarred of the police.

• had an accident long ago that left him somewhat brain damaged.

• begs for money from people in St. Augustine’s central plaza.

• used to be a prosperous business man in St. Augustine.

• used to have a family.

 

Here’s the trailer for Book I, Sliding Beneath the Surface.

To see how The St. Augustine Trilogy is being used in secondary school reading classrooms, click here.

 

 

 

 

Teen Paranormal & Historical Mystery

Book I of The St. Augustine Trilogy - Sliding Beneath the Surface for young adults

A new resident of America’s oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida, fifteen-year-old Jeff Golden suddenly finds himself up to his eyeballs in frightening paranormal experiences. At the end of his rope in trying to figure out what is happening to him, Jeff decides to rely on his girlfriend Carla Rodriguez, and Lobo, an old Native American shaman, for help.

Despite this guidance, things get even worse. Jeff’s spine-tingling encounters increase in number and intensity at an alarming rate, scaring him even more. Eventually, he makes the startling discovery that unresolved circumstances involving a bloody event directly out of Florida’s distant past threatens his sanity and possibly his life.

Overwhelmed by forces he cannot understand or control, Jeff’s world radically shifts again from frightening to downright terrifying. In desperation, and on Lobo’s advice, he leaps headlong into the unknown in order to save himself. What Jeff discovers though is that he has entered a level of reality he is completely unprepared to handle while unwittingly dragging Carla with him.

Like all the books in THE ST. AUGUSTINE TRILOGY, the premise for Sliding Beneath the Surface is simply this: You create your own reality.

Click here to see the reviews for sliding on Amazon.com.

Click on the article title below to see how this book is now being used in reading classrooms.

Reading Motivation that Worked

 

Teen Books Explore St. Augustine, Florida History

The St. Augustine Trilogy - Young Adult series – paranormal & historical – reading classroom use.

These books  fictionalize, but accurately represents, events that happened in America’s oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida. These events are listed below under the name of each book.

This posting is mostly intended for secondary level reading and language arts teachers who are using, or are considering using, The St. Augustine Trilogy in their classrooms. At the end of the article are helpful links to point those teachers in additional directions.

Book I, Sliding Beneath the Surface

• The expulsion of the Seminoles from Florida by the United States government

• Slavery in Florida.

• The re-enslavement of the Seminole black allies after the Native America expulsion

• The Second Seminole War in Florida (1835-1842)

• The Dade battle that began the Second Seminole War, the worst defeat of the U.S. Army by a Native America population before Custer.

• The imprisonment of Seminole leaders in St. Augustine’s old Spanish fort, the Castillo de San Marcos

• Race relations in St. Augustine in 1964

Book II, Stepping Off a Cliff

• The rounding up of Native American resistance leaders in the U.S. during the 1870s and 1880s

• The imprisonment of rounded up Native American resistance leaders in St. Augustine’s Castillo de San Marcos

• The great William Wing Loring funeral of 1887 in St. Augustine where hundreds of uniformed Civil War veterans marched arm-in-arm, from both the North and the South

• Henry Flagler and the building of his beautiful hotels in St. Augustine

• The Florida earthquakes of 1879 and 1886

• St. Augustine in 1885

• The St. Augustine monster (yes, there really was one)

Book III, Targeting Orion’s Children

• The now extinct Native American populations of St. Augustine and Florida before the arrival of the Spanish

• The Spanish conquest of Florida

• The use of Native American and slave labor by the Spanish in St. Augustine to build the Castillo de San Marcos

• The near execution of a suspected pirate in early St. Augustine

• The English siege of St. Augustine in 1702

• The destruction of the old Spanish lighthouse in St. Augustine

• The vandalism of the newer St. Augustine lighthouse

The Dade Battle

• The placing of a Civil Rights memorial in St. Augustine’s Constitution Plaza

• The African American fort, Fort Mose, and it free inhabitants who protected the city of St. Augustine

Links for Further Information on Using the Trilogy in the Classroom

Click here for “A Book Series for the Reading Classroom.”

Click here for the details on the first high school reading program to use a class set of books in the classroom.

Click here to see some of the St. Augustine locations featured in the trilogy.

Pirate reenactors in the streets

 

Click here for more information about Book I, Sliding Beneath the Surface.

Click here to see review of Book I on Amazon.com.

The St. Augustine Monster

 

Click here for more information about Book II, Stepping Off a Cliff.

Click here for more information about Book III, Targeting Ori

Spooky Teen Book Series in 7-12 Reading Classes

The St. Augustine Trilogy - young adult paranormal & historical.

Motivating students to read and sharpening their comprehension skills isn’t an easy job for reading and language arts teachers. That’s why I’ve been so gratified to see a trend by some fellow educators in using my book series, The St. Augustine Trilogy, in their classrooms.

Kathy Snyder – the first teacher to use the trilogy in a high school classroom

Recently, I was astounded to see how well Book I of the trilogy was being used in a reading program at a high school near where I live in Central Florida. I actually spent the day there with that teacher and all of her students after they read the book. These were kids who all failed the state reading exam. What a great time I had. If you want to see the specifics on that particular project and my visit, you’ll find a link to further information at the end of this post.

Since I find myself increasingly in touch with middle and high school teachers about using the trilogy in their classrooms, I decided to write this post to provide further details that might be of interest to a wide spectrum of educators. And to be perfectly honest, this method of communication affords me the opportunity to make sure I’ve covered all the multilayered aspects I’ve woven into all three books.

There are some useful links listed at the bottom of this article but rest assured that I welcome any questions about what I have  presented here. Just go to the Contact section of this website and send me an email.

Trilogy Description

Told in his own words, this paranormal/historical series is a very personal account of fifteen-year-old Jeff Golden’s explosive coming of age in America’s oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida. Join Jeff and his girlfriend Carla as they experience mind-blowing events that threaten to destroy their very existence. Follow the two teens as Lobo, the Native American shaman, tries to protect them from powerful forces beyond understanding. Be there when Jeff and Carla discover the depths of reality as well as their own powers to reshape what they find.

Jeff

 

Important Aspects of This Series

These three books:

• Are full of excitement, mystery and suspense

• Surprise readers with lots of unexpected twists and turns

• Use the paranormal and soft science fiction to stimulate interest and to develop within readers a sense of wonder about the nature of existence

• Present interesting chapter titles in the fore matter of the book to stimulate student interest in reading further.

• Are told in the first person by the primary character, Jeff Golden, in order to give readers an intimate sense of being part of the action

• Have a limited cast of major characters who become a team, thus allowing readers to more closely identify with them

Carla

• Contain a key female supporting character, Carla, Jeff’s girlfriend. This inclusion makes certain that the series appeals to both boys and girls and it provides a mild romantic relationship. There is no graphic sex described and no indirect references to such.

• Have a little mild but occasional swearing in them, mostly by Jeff. But this inclusion is done for two purposes. One is to provide a sense of real life conversation. The other is to look at the nature of cursing by it being a topic of debate between Jeff and Carla.

• Quickly allow readers, especially boys, to identify with Jeff because of his dysfunctional family background and the turmoil he exhibits as he faces very dangerous situations.

• Quickly allow readers, especially girls, to identify with Carla because of her intelligence, abilities, feistiness and strength of character no matter what she has to face.

Lobo – the Native American Shaman

• Offer a multicultural approach. Jeff is white, Carla is African American and Hispanic, and Lobo, the mysterious shaman is Native American (the 4 major ethnic groups that built St. Augustine over time).

• Takes at look at homelessness and it causes through Lyle the Homeless Guy, a major character in Books II and III.

Lyle the Homeless Guy

• Clearly expresses the trilogy’s premise that “You create your own reality.” This allows for tracking of character growth over time, especially for Jeff, who has a tendency towards blaming everyone and every hard knock he receives as the causes for his unhappiness.

• Leads readers towards examining their own decision-making abilities as Jeff and Carla face some extraordinary choices.

• Gets readers to consider their responsibilities for others as Jeff and Carla find that the decisions they make go way beyond themselves.

• Helps to stimulate student interest in the past through the fictionalization of actual events straight out St. Augustine, Florida and U.S. history. At the end of each book, Author Notes give readers a quick glimpse of the truth behind some of the events depicted.

• Gives students a vivid sense of place by using St. Augustine, Florida as the setting. Since that city is the oldest and most haunted in the United States, the portrayal options are infinite.

St. Augustine, Florida at Christmas

• Put readers right in the middle of current day St. Augustine events such as The Spanish Night Watch Parade, The Blessing of the Fleet, The Nights of Lights, 4th of July celebration.

OK, there you have it. Below, as promised, are some links other informational blog posts that you might find useful:

Click here for the details on the first high school reading program to use a class set of books in the classroom.

Click here to see the historic events featured in each book.

Click here to see some of the St. Augustine locations featured in the trilogy.

Click here for more information about Book I, Sliding Beneath the Surface.

Click here to see reviews of Book I on Amazon.com.

Click here for more information about Book II, Stepping Off a Cliff.

Click here for more information about Book III, Targeting Orion’s Children.

Florida’s St. Augustine – Setting for Teen Books

The St. Augustine Trilogy - Young Adult series – paranormal & historical – reading classroom use.

These books make the most out  the location in the United States to place readers in the most interesting and vivid setting possible. St. Augustine, as America’s oldest and most haunted city, fits this description perfectly. Listed below are the specific sites in the city and nearby areas portrayed in the plots of each book.

The Castillo de San Marcos

This posting is intended mostly for secondary level reading and language arts teachers who are using, or are considering using, The St. Augustine Trilogy in their classrooms. At the end of the article are helpful links to point those teachers in additional directions.

Book I, Sliding Beneath the Surface

• The old Spanish fort, the Castillo de San Marcos

• The Abbot Tract neighborhood

The St. Augustine Cathedral Bassilica

• The St. Augustine Cathedral

• The Bridge of Lions

• Florida’s National Guard Headquarters

• The St. Augustine National Cemetery

• The historic Seminole Wars pyramids in the St. Augustine National Cemetery

• The Athena Restaurant

• Constitution Plaza

• St. George Street

• Matanzas Bay

• Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum

• The St. John’s County Public Library

• The Santa Maria Restaurant

• The City Gate

Book II, Stepping Off a Cliff

• The Vilano Beach Bridge

• Potter’s Wax Museum

• Flagler College ( The former Ponce de Leon Hotel)

• St. Augustine City Hall and the Lightner Museum (The former Hotel Alcazar)

The Bridge of Lions

• The St. Augustine Historical Society’s Research Library

• San Marco Avenue and its stores

• Matanzas Bay and the Matanzas River

• The St. Augustine Inlet

• The Castillo de San Marcos

• Government House

The Civil Right memorial in Constitution Plaza

• Maria Sanchez Creek and Lake

Book III, Targeting Orion’s Children

• The St. Augustine Lighthouse

• The Castillo de San Marcos

• Gypsy Cab Company Restaurant

• The Civil Rights memorial in Constitution Plaza

• Matanzas Bay and the Matanzas River

• The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park

• Fort Mose Park (location of the former African American fort)

• The Oldest House Museum

• St. George Street

• The City Gate

• The old city fortifications beyond the Castillo

King Street viewed from Flagler College

• The Atlantic Ocean freshwater boil near Crescent Beach, Florida

OK, there you have it. Below, as promised, are some links other informational blog posts that you might find useful:

 

Click here for “A Book Series for the Reading Classroom.”

The St. Augustine Lighthouse

 

Click here for the details on the first high school reading program to use a class set of books in the classroom.

Click here to see the historic events featured in each book.

Click here for more information about Book I, Sliding Beneath the Surface.

Matanzas Bay Looking at downtown St. Augustine

Click here to see review of Book I on Amazon.com.

Click here for more information about Book II, Stepping Off a Cliff.

Click here for more information about Book III, Targeting Orion’s Children.

 

Reading Teacher Sparks Student Interest

Kathy Snyder

High school students who fail a state reading test can be hard to motivate, but teacher Kathy Snyder in Florida found a way, right at the end of the school year.

Her brilliant work in using a young adult novel I had written got her kids involved in reading that was nothing short of astounding. I visited with those students, all of them, and was amazed at how deeply involved they were with the book, how much they truly understood it and how beautifully receptive they were to my visit.

As an old history teacher who has worked full time with high risk kids, my experience of collaborating with such an exceptional teacher and seeing the excellent results firsthand was the highlight of both my educational and literary careers. And I don’t say that lightly.

Kathy and I are now working on a teacher guide for using my book, Sliding Beneath the Surface so that if other educators want to do what she did, they will have the benefit of all her guidance.

Below, you will find a letter to all educators from Kathy about her successful project so you can hear it from her directly. And if you would like to delve even more deeply into this model effort, there are a series of links at the bottom of this article that will allow you to do so.

A  Message From Kathy Snyder

One morning at school when I started my computer I saw an e-mail from author, Doug Dillon, inviting me to read and review a young adult book he had written.

Since I love to read and was looking for a book to use with my 11 and 12th grade intensive reading class, I agreed to read and review Sliding Beneath the Surface. I enjoyed the book and further felt that my students would enjoy it as well. So, in addition to writing a review for Amazon I also obtained a class set to use with my students.

The story takes place in St. Augustine, and although my school was located in Central Florida, I knew that many of my students either had never been out of our county or had come from out of state and would not be familiar with St. Augustine or its history. Since the story deals with the history of St. Augustine it was important to “front load” to prepare them to read the book.

The Castillo de San Marcos in
St. Augustine, Florida

I was able to find information on the “web” and Mr. Dillon graciously sent me a CD with the book’s promotional trailer and photos of places in St. Augustine that were mentioned in the book. This was invaluable and I know this may have been the “make or break” element in this experience.

We were in a testing period at the time and I needed some activities that students could complete independently as they were going to be in and out all week due to the testing schedule. I let the students break out their “smart phones” and do some research on various topics introduced in the book. This created interest as well as sustained it in the book as they encountered these ideas in their reading.

Mysterious pyramids in
St. Augustine, Florida

I had been teaching for 31 years (I am since retired) and had never had a group of students so interested in a story before this. I had to lock the books away in the back closet when I was out or on days we couldn’t read.

The biggest surprise to me was how the students started asking about the author and expressed interest in meeting him. A visit from Doug Dillon was arranged, and the response was enthusiastic. Students were knocking on my door during lunch hoping to meet Mr. Dillon before their class met.

A sample of student work

At this point most classes had finished the book and a culminating activity completed prior to the visit was displayed around the room. The students proudly pointed out their efforts to Mr. Dillon when he came to each class and were anxious to introduce themselves to him.

This was my last year of teaching. I had been a reading coach for 8 years and opted to return to the classroom for the last 4 years. It is a decision I will never regret but I knew it was time to retire. I am very glad that this last year was a rewarding one in terms of the success of my students. They had a very enriching reading experience in the last half of that year and I am grateful for that. Nothing can make a reading teacher happier than to see students excited about a book. I am glad I answered that email.

Reading Motivation that Worked (The initial article about this project right after its completion)

A Book Series for the Reading Classroom (The multiple themes and threads that make the series of value)

The St. Augustine Trilogy and America’s Oldest City (The setting for the series in St. Augustine, Florida and how that provides a fascinating backdrop for action)

The St. Augustine Trilogy & Historic Events (Specifies the actual historic events that happened in America’s oldest city that are woven into the series)

Sliding Beneath the Surface book trailer (Fan created)

Quotes From Sliding Beneath the Surface Book Reviews 

Book reviews for Sliding Beneath the Surface on Amazon.com  (includes reviews from reading and language arts teachers)

 

Sample Photo Galleries – Historic St. Augustine, Florida

The Castillo de San Marcos (The old Spanish fort)

Historic Cemeteries

The St. Augustine Cathedral Basilica

Spanish Soldiers of the 18th Century

Cannon Firing

St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museume

The Dade Battle Reenactment, Part II (The trigger that started the Second Seminole War)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preview Teen Paranormal & Historical Thriller

Book I of The St. Augustine Trilogy - Sliding Beneath the Surface for young adults

A new resident of America’s oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida, fifteen-year-old Jeff Golden suddenly finds himself up to his eyeballs in frightening paranormal experiences. At the end of his rope in trying to figure out what is happening to him, Jeff decides to rely on his girlfriend Carla Rodriguez, and Lobo, an old Native American shaman, for help.

Despite this guidance, things get even worse. Jeff’s spine-tingling encounters increase in number and intensity at an alarming rate, scaring him even more. Eventually, he makes the startling discovery that unresolved circumstances involving a bloody event directly out of Florida’s distant past threatens his sanity and possibly his life.

Overwhelmed by forces he cannot understand or control, Jeff’s world radically shifts again from frightening to downright terrifying. In desperation, and on Lobo’s advice, he leaps headlong into the unknown in order to save himself. What Jeff discovers though is that he has entered a level of reality he is completely unprepared to handle while unwittingly dragging Carla with him.

Like all the books in THE ST. AUGUSTINE TRILOGY, the premise for Sliding Beneath the Surface is simply this: You create your own reality.

Click here to see the reviews for sliding on Amazon.com.

Click on the article title below to see how this book is now being used in reading classrooms.

Reading Motivation that Worked

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teen Book Goes Viral in Reading Classroom

Sliding Beneath the surface, Book I of The St. Augustine Trilogy – paranormal & historical.

Motivating some teens to read is a tough job, to say the least.

The kids I’m talking about here are often the ones who fail statewide assessment tests and end up in reading classes. Exasperated parents and teachers everywhere live with this situation on a continuous basis.

Having taught for many years in grades 7 – 12, I experienced the frustration of trying to get certain students to read anything.

These days though, I come at the problem from a writer’s viewpoint—a writer of teen fiction. And I’m sending out this post because I recently participated in a very rewarding experiment that showed how it is definitely possible to interest even the most reluctant teens to read.

In fact, I’m still basking in the warm glow of what happened.

It all started near the end of the 2012-2013 school year with one very smart and extremely dedicated teacher by the name of Kathy Snyder. At the time, Kathy taught intensive reading to 11th and 12th graders at a high school near where I live in Central Florida.

After reading and reviewing the first book in my young adult series titled, The St. Augustine Trilogy, she contacted me.

Kathy felt very confident that the book, Sliding Beneath the Surface, would interest her students and she hoped to use it in all of her classes.

This was her final year in teaching and she wanted to make one more big push to motivate her kids before retiring.

Well, she did that and a lot more.

Once we got a class set of books ordered, Kathy and I decided to make her classroom use of my work a full-blown teacher/author project.

I would donate my time and book resources to help her and she would write up a study guide as well a detailed report about the project’s results.

We were both excited about the possibilities and couldn’t wait to get started.

At this point in my post, I think I need to give you a little background information on my book series. In that way, you can get a better feel for what attracted Kathy to it:

1. It’s called The St. Augustine Trilogy because St. Augustine, Florida is the physical location for the plot.

Why? Because the place is the oldest and most haunted city in the United States–prime territory for great spooky stories and teaching kids a little history along the way. Yup, social studies was my game at one time.

2. I created the trilogy with at-risk youth in mind because I spent the last 10 years of my career as an educator working full time helping such kids and their families.

So many of those young people had huge “victim” mentalities and blamed others for their problems that I wanted to do what I could as a writer to counteract those thought processes. That’s why the trilogy premise is this: You Create Your Own Reality.

Fifteen-year-old Jeff Golden, the main character, is a composite of the many at-risk kids I worked with over the years. And it is his growth over time in taking responsibility for himself and others that is a primary thread throughout the trilogy.

3. Each character, Jeff, his girlfriend Carla and old Lobo represent the three main cultures that built the city of St. Augustine: Jeff is white, Carla is African American and Hispanic, and Lobo is Native American.

4. I use the paranormal as a hook to pull kids into the plot. My real life experiences with such things as described in my nonfiction book, An Explosion of Being: An American Family’s Journey into the Psychic, are the prime material for developing the more exciting, unusual and spooky events in the book.

Now back to the project itself.

Kathy did a fantastic job of introducing her students to St. Augustine and its history way ahead of time.

In doing so, she really paved the way for those kids to feel comfortable as they encountered things that might be unfamiliar.

As part of this process, I sent her a CD packed full of photos—St. Augustine locations, historical reenactments, the cover for each book of the trilogy, my picture, etc.

Then using the book trailer (see below) to introduce the project, Kathy launched into a full schedule of students rotating the reading of Sliding Beneath the Surface aloud in class.

The details of what she did will be forthcoming. If you wish to be on a mailing list to receive that information when it is ready in September, just email me by using the contact button on this website.

Here’s the book trailer created by Cheri Crump, a fan.

Day-by-day, Kathy explained to me via email how increasingly interested her students were becoming in the book and how many of them even wanted to read ahead. Students who rarely paid attention, or rarely spoke at all, did the opposite as their readings continued. Other teachers reported how those same kids were talking about their literary adventure outside of the reading classroom.

Needless to say, Kathy was thrilled. Her hard work was really paying off. Then in an email about halfway into the project, she asked if I could come visit her students once they finished the book.

And since her school isn’t very far from where I live, and it would be fascinating to participate in the project firsthand, I agreed to spend the day at her school.

What a great time I had! And Kathy did too.

Those kids—those non-readers—were so attentive and knowledgeable about the book I found it hard to believe I was in an intensive reading classroom. When I asked them questions about the plot and characters, they had the answers—things even Kathy didn’t  know they had absorbed.

Lots of kids greeted me as they came into the room at change of class, some even giving me a hug—including a few of the guys! In high school? I was stunned.

And around the room, Kathy had attached 100 pictures to the walls, one from each of  the students. Their assignment was to pick a chapter in the book they liked and a line or two from that chapter.

They were then instructed to write that information on a piece of paper and illustrate the meaning of the chapter/sentences by drawing some kind of picture. And they did beautiful work. I’ve included some of those drawings here because I think they are so important.

When I got home that evening, I had an email from Kathy, thanking me for working with her students. But it was her final comment that really got to me.

This is what she said, “This day was the best one of my entire teaching career.”

Those words really hit me because  as an educator and a writer, I too felt that day with Kathy’s kids was the best one of both my careers. How tremendously rewarding.

At the end of the school year, Kathy packaged all of those pictures and sent them to me. What a treasure.

Along with the pictures, Kathy sent me thank you notes from some of the kids. Here are some excerpts from those priceless, and often telling, messages:

I really enjoyed your book and can’t wait for the others.
I love your book. Write more.
I hope you continue to write your stories. I love how many details you include. They made me picture my old house.
I hope we meet again someday.
Thank you for being the first author I’ve ever met and the most  interesting too.
Yesterday that you were here the period went by fast.
I was really pleased how your book turned out.
Your book was full of suspense that made me want to keep reading.
I wanna get back in touch. Email me at . . .
I have to say that the book was very entertaining. It felt like I was really in the story . . . it sent chills down my spine.
You have a very interesting book and I think that St. Augustine would be a very nice place to live . . . or the Keys. (Don’t you love it?)

And finally, I close out this unusually long posting with a message to the teacher who made all this possible:

Kathy, I want to thank you publicly for giving your students and me so much in so very many ways. Yes, your students seemed to like my book, but it was you who made it all fit together in a truly viable package.

Your obvious love for those kids, your unrelenting drive to get them resources and your professional skills were so apparent during all the time we worked together. It was a pleasure being your colleague even if it was for a short time.

I know you will enjoy your retirement greatly but I sure wish you were still out there doing such great things with young people.

 

Further Links for Reading and Language Arts Teachers About Using This Book in the Classroom

A Book Series for the Reading Classroom

The multiple themes and threads that make the series of value.

The St. Augustine Trilogy and America’s Oldest City

The setting for the series in St. Augustine, Florida and how that provides a fascinating backdrop for action.

The St. Augustine Trilogy & Historic Events

Specifies the actual historic events that happened in America’s oldest city that are woven into the series.

Young Adult Ghost Story Fascinates Teens

Sliding Beneath the Surface from The St. Augustine Trilogy- a ghost story that pushes the boundaries of imagination. After reading the description, check out the huge batch of quotes pulled from well over 100 reviews on Amazon.com.

To see the actual reviews on Amazon, click here.

To see the book trailer, click here.

If you are a reading or language arts teacher and want to know more about the use of this book in the middle and high school classroom, see the links at the end of this post.

 

Jeff

Description

A new resident of America’s oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida, fifteen-year-old Jeff Golden suddenly finds himself up to his eyeballs in frightening paranormal experiences. At the end of his rope in trying to figure out what is happening to him, Jeff decides to rely on his girlfriend Carla Rodriguez, and Lobo, an old Native American shaman, for help.

Despite this guidance, things get even worse. Jeff’s spine-tingling encounters increase in number and intensity at an alarming rate, scaring him even more. Eventually, he makes the startling discovery that unresolved circumstances involving a bloody event directly out of Florida’s distant past threatens his sanity and possibly his life.

Overwhelmed by forces he cannot understand or control, Jeff’s world radically shifts again from frightening to downright terrifying. In desperation, and on Lobo’s advice, he leaps headlong into the unknown in order to save himself. What Jeff discovers though is that he has entered a level of reality he is completely unprepared to handle while unwittingly dragging Carla with him.

Like all the books in THE ST. AUGUSTINE TRILOGY, the premise

for Sliding Beneath the Surface is simply this: You create your own reality.

Carla

Sara - Jeff is so clearly a teenage boy that if I didn’t know better I would think that Doug Dillon had only recently left his teenage years behind.

Sunmi - It is actually almost as good as meg cabot’s books. AMAZING!!!!!!

Suzanne - I would definitely let my teens read this book. It is clean, has little swearing, yet has a few small graphic scenes that might scare the Bajibers out of ya :)

Alhanoof - I loved that the book is based on a real battle event and real people that come back as ghosts.

Marissa - I can’t wait for the remainder of the trilogy to find out what’s next for Jeff, Carla and Lobo (Love Lobo – He is awesome!)

Elizabeth - The author has done a great job with the teens—their mannerism, and things they said reminds me of how my teens act.

Cari - It is written like you are really inside a chaotic mind of a teenage boy.

Theresa - This is now a favorite of mine and I plan to have my 12 yr old give this book a try.

Michelle - I found the book haunting

Cynthia - If you enjoy the paranormal genre and history this is a great combination! Enjoy!

Isis - The storyline caught my attention early on and kept it for the remainder of the book, increasing in intensity as we drew toward the conclusion.

Ariel - This book keeps you on your toes every step of the way.

Carrie - Loved this book!! Loved the history, the characters, all of it. Took me no time at all to quickly become engrossed I the world the author created!

Dixie - There are characters you will come to care about and a sense of humor and playfulness and morality woven through the book.

Stina - I’m not a fan of the male perspective, yet this novel changed my mind.

Levina - I found this novel an engaging and fast-paced read since the plot only takes place over two days (same amount of time it took me to finish the book).

Jeni - It is an adventure that will not soon be forgotten, and a great start to the St. Augustine trilogy.

Lobo – The Native American Shaman

Jillian - There are some really exciting moments that lovers of ghost stories will tear through, as well as action scenes that history buffs would appreciate.

Len - It made me feel like I was actually in St. Augustine when I was reading about Jeffrey Golden and following his journey throughout the book.

Lissette - Are you a lover of ya paranormal stories about ghosts, with suspense and a little bit of romance? Definitely you should read this book!!!

Michelle - Amazing read!!! Reading this book not only gave me great entertainment as I was compelled to turn page after page, but I also have a desire to visit this city (st. Augustine) and experience the area myself.

Pam - This is a book was nothing short of extraordinary. Doug pulls you right into the story from the very first chapter and keeps you until the very end.

The Castillo de San Marcos
St. Augustine, Florida

 

Diana - I’ve since passed this on to my children, and for me to do that, knowing how particular they are… well, I was confident they would love the story as much as I did. I would totally recommend this for everyone!

Samatha - Sliding Beneath the Surface leaves you with wanting more,

Dragonmomma -Sliding Beneath the Surface is a story I can’t wait to share with my son (12y). I know he will enjoy it as much as I did and learn something in the process.

Jennifer - Doug Dillon’s use of history and common sense made things open up in a new way! Everything has a new twist to it and I cant wait for more!

Cassie - What I loved most is that this book grabs you in and takes you hostage to tell you a story it makes you want more and it is so unique and one of a kind.

Lynn - Doug Dillon has written a compelling tale that will capture the imagination of the reader, and take them on a journey filled with mystery, danger and intrigue.

Jennifer - It had just the right amount of paranormal, historical fact and action to keep you thoroughly engrossed start to finish.

Samanatha - I enjoyed this book from the first time I opened it.

Jennifer - I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this series.

Indu - This is one of those young adult books that transcend genre and can be read at various levels. It will appeal to all readers who are interested in the genres of paranormal fiction, history, spiritual / philosophic fiction, inspiration, coming of age or simply a well-written story.

The Bridge of Lions
St. Augustine, Florida

Stephanie - Let me start off by saying that this book grasped my attention in a way that caught me off guard.

Dawn- The journey of a lifetime and beyond!

Kathy - I teach Intensive Reading to 11th and 12th graders and am always looking for books that will grab their attention. This book will “hook” them.

Jessica - My students generally dislike reading unless they can relate to the events and characters in the story, and in this first book of a new trilogy, I firmly believe my students will enjoy the adventure that Jeff Golden and his friend Carla take!”

Lisa - Sliding Beneath the Surface is an intriguing story about growing up, dealing with life and the obstacles that are thrown your way. This is a must read for any Middle School student.

Melissa - Dillon had me enthralled from the first chapter. As a native Floridian, I was enrapt in the history and past of St. Augustine. I would highly recommend this to any reader 7th grade and higher.

Sabrina - I started to connect with the characters from the first chapters, wanting to know more about them.

Lisa - The fast-paced nature of the story line will keep readers hooked.”

DuAnne - My middle school students could benefit from the life lessons such as anger management. This is a very engaging book and I believe that all students could benefit from utilizing it as a read aloud or independent read.

Sara - Many of my students are really into paranormal stories right now, and I know that this would be a perfect read for them.

The Second Seminole War in Florida

Evangeline - This would make a great accompaniment to the traditional textbook, and would work perfectly in the English or reading classroom.

Caitlin - As a reading teacher, I will be recommending this book to my students who are 12 and up. I think they would really enjoy this book because it is creepy, always exciting, and it includes the paranormal, which they love. They would also learn about history without even realizing it!

Mysterious pyramids in the
St. Augustine National Cemetery

Oliviajane - Interesting blend of genres. Nice twist and a good mystery. A refreshing change from the usual run of the mill mystery. Students will definitely enjoy it.

Kathleen - Fascinating new story based in my favorite city

Proud Educator - The characters show what a real friendship is and help each other through dangerous situations. I can definitely recommend this book to a teenager or young adult.

ForeverRead - Very engaging and well written. I would HIGHLY recommend this novel to my students and colleagues.

Bruce - It was a good story on emotions and fear making people do and think in ways that are not logical to others.

TeacherAmy - As an eighth grade teacher for over 15 years, I feel that teenagers from all backgrounds would identify with the main characters and be held captive by the adventures of Jeff and Carla. I am passing the book on to my 76-year old mother, who I think will enjoy the read, as well!

Justin - I am a middle school teacher in Florida who teaches local history. I loved the book. I had a few students read the book and they all loved it. This book is a must own for any history lover, Florida resident, teacher, or parent looking for a way to get their kids to read.

Nancy - Being a middle school reading teacher, I can see my students LOVING this book with its great paranormal twist-fits right in with today’s paranormal fascination.

Patti - Doug Dillon does a great job drawing the reader into the story, and I found it hard to put the book down. Once finished, I passed it on to my 15 year old boy who read it in 2 days. As native Floridians, we both appreciated the book for its historical accuracy, as well as its depiction of diverse cultures. We’re both awaiting the other books in the trilogy and enthusiastically recommend this title.

Steve - Read this book and passed it on to any adolescents that you think might need to see that life holds a great deal more mystery, adventure, joy and healing than can be imagined.

Hopkins, age 13 - Dillon keeps you glued to each page until they reach the startling conclusion.

Matanzas Bay looking towards
St. Augustine, Florida

Chuck - I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sliding Beneath the Surface and expect the book will be a best seller.

Diane -The suspense lasts up to the very end and I had a hard time putting it down.

Kristy - Dillon’s writing style is brilliant.

Laura - The characters are great and ready to jump into helping each other. Check this one out if you can.

Kelly - One of the most engrossing parts of the story is the setting, St. Augustine, Florida. The history of the city is expertly woven into the plot, making me learn about a city that I had never given much thought to before.

Thomas - Even though this book was written for young adults I would strongly recommend it to all ages.

Lori - Can’t wait for the next book.

Kitty - It was suspenseful and at times, funny.

Christine - I can say that this is an enlightening book about being able to change our path by changing ourselves.

Mallory - This novel elicits a giant “Wow” from me – author Doug Dillon is one incredible storyteller.

Paul - As I continued on through the book a few chapters, I found that this had become one of my favorites.

Danielle - This is a refreshingly different storyline the author presents.

Kayla - I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next and before I knew it, I was done with the book. Kudos.

Nicole - Who wouldn’t love a book with a history lesson, ghosts, supernatural powers and slipping into different worlds?

  Links for Teachers

Reading Motivation That Worked

The first time this book was used in a Florida high school reading program.

A Book Series for the Reading Classroom

The multiple themes and threads that make the series of value.

The St. Augustine Trilogy and America’s Oldest City

The setting for the series in St. Augustine, Florida and how that provides a fascinating backdrop for action.

The St. Augustine Trilogy & Historic Events

Specifies the actual historic events that happened in America’s oldest city that are woven into the series.