Mikey Brooks's Blog, page 3

T. Man’s Northern Woods blog hop

Today I’m part of a special blog event hosted by T. Man, a 10-year-old author and homeschooler. When T. Man was only 8, he partnered with his older brother, M. Man, on a special homeschool writing project that resulted in their first published book, Tony the Phony and Cursed Mansion . This year, T. Man went solo and just finished the second book in the series, Tony the Phony and the Northern Woods. Written in the engaging style of a Choose Your Own Adventure™, each book is available for .99 on Amazon.
But today T. Man has chosen to share his new book with his readers in its entirety in a special interactive virtual event. Seven different bloggers are hosting sections of the story. The fun begins on T. Man’s blog. At the end of each page YOU have to decide how the story will go. Each choice will lead you to a new blog. You have the possibility of landing on any of four endings. Of course, when you finish you can always go back to the beginning and start again. Choose wisely!
Permalink to the start of the story on T. Man’s blog: http://wp.me/p2bspO-7dLink to Tony the Phony and Cursed Mansion: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JQLMK6G/Link to Tony the Phony and the Northern Woods: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AL2AFYM


“Quick, shine the flashlight on the bats!” Tony commanded.“Okay, then you chuck rocks at them,” said Ed. “What do you think I’m doing?” Ed swung his flashlight like a baseball bat and knocked one out of the air. “Do you think we can climb up?”“It’s worth a try.”Just then another bat lunged at Ed but Tony threw a rock at it and it fell to the floor.They scrambled like billy goats up to the top, dodging bats. “We made it. Let’s run!” yelled Ed.So they ran and ran until they saw the lights of a football game. “Let’s find the paramedics and bring them back to the plane,” said Tony.“Yeah,” said Ed.The two boys jumped the fence, but before they found the paramedics, they ran into the pilot. He was on crutches. Their mouths dropped open. “How’d you get here?” Ed asked.“The local airport saw us go down on their radar and sent a rescue squad. They’ve been looking for you all evening.”“But how are you okay?” asked Tony.“It wasn’t a heart attack. I just have to lay off my wife’s chili. We better call the cops and tell them that you’re here.”While they waited for the cops to show up, the pilot reached in his pocket and pulled out two bronze medals. “Thanks for trying to help me. I hereby give you these medals of bravery.”“Thanks!” they said together.When the police car pulled into the parking lot, the officer said, “I’m glad you boys are all right. For now. I’ve got a surprise for you.”Then the back door opened and Tony’s mom stepped out.The End

NEW RELEASE!

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that I have finally published my first chapter book. So often I get parents asking for books to help bridge the gap between my picture books and middle-grade. Well… here it is! Museum Adventures: The Maya Mystery , is a time-traveling adventure that can be described as The Magic Tree House meets A Night at the Museum.
Synopsis:
Eight-year-old Nick and ten-year-old Katie didn’t sign up to go on an adventure. They didn’t ask to be nearly killed by a jaguar, or hunt for ingredients under a volcano. They most certainly did not ask to be sacrificed by some crazy high priest at the top of a Mayan temple. But that is just what they got when they volunteered to help pack up boxes in the basement of their grandfather’s museum …well sort of.
Grandpa had warned them not to go into the Special Collections room. He had said the room was too dangerous. Nick and Katie probably should have listened. Behind that forbidden door they found a time machine—a time machine cleverly disguised as a stone obelisk. As soon as they touched it, they are whisked back to the time of ancient Maya. Nick and Katie need to solve the mystery of how to get home or they just might be stuck in a time without electronics and indoor plumbing forever!
Kindle | Paperback

Middle-grade eBook Sale

I'm excited about this promotion because it's geared to one of my favorite audiences: middle-grade readers! I love middle-grade books. Of course you all know that. Below you will find some awesome deals on some of the best middle-grade books to read. All of them are discounted to either $0.99 or FREE. 

The Multi-Author Middle-Grade Book Promotion starts January 4, 2016 and ends January 7, 2016.

From $5.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook  * iTunes

All Jacob wants is to make the basketball team. All the Lorkon want is to control the magical powers Jacob doesn't know he possesses.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle

Twelve-year-old Steven never wondered where the Loch Ness monster or Big Foot came from until he found a stone box with a dangerous secret--one people are willing to kill for!From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

More than anything, Benjamin Ravenspell wants a pet, but when he buys a mouse named Amber, he gets more than he bargained for.
From $0.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes

Cassandra's ordinary life is riddled with hilarious and sometimes heart-breaking mishaps as she guides herself through the world of pre-teens on the brink of adulthood.From $2.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

Part Neanderthal, but raised as a human, Arken Freeth finds that he doesn't fit in either world as he struggles to survive.From $3.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

An eleven-year-old girl discovers she has the power to grant any living thing its one true wish.
From $3.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

When a malnourished horse shows up as a rescue at the farm where she volunteers, Jacinda, a bullied girl, takes it on as a project horse, and the mare's sweet nature inspires her to spread kindness around to make a positive difference in the world.From $0.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

Jenni Kershaw and her eighth grade science class take a field trip they will never forget. Dragons and goblins and spirits, oh my!From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes

When Colin suddenly learns he has magic, he discovers that Atlantis is real, and that his new mermaid friend, Alleya, is in trouble. From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes

Bed bugs, burglars, and a missing mother. For Doodle, it’s just part of a day’s work. A laugh-out-loud mystery for dog lovers of all ages.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

To save her brother, the banshee Seven must save Atlantis.From $1.99 to $0.99
Kindle

One girl with a nightmare to live through; one ghost with a dream to live. With so much to lose, can anything be gained?
From $3.49 to FREE
Kindle

Enter a world of myth and magic as young English boy Thomas Farrell seeks to discover the identity of his late father, and why he left him a strange glass orb containing a serpent...From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle

When eating dog kibble on a dare gives 10-year-old Tawny special powers, her life nearly goes to the dogs!From $5.49 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

Twins Justin and Janine discover a mysterious egg ... can they protect the hatchling while lost in Montana's Absaroka wilderness?
$3.99 to $0.99
Kindle

Daniel doesn't think there's anything worse than spending a week at Camp Bigfoot . . . until he loses his prized possession: a pencil that brings his drawings to life.


From $4.99 to $0.99
Nook * Kobo

Laughing and Learning Little Life LessonsFrom $3.99 to FREE
Kindle

When a blast from the past shows up and makes her BFF go nutburgers, Ginnie is torn between helping her friend and getting some very important questions answered.
From $3.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

Harry Potter and The Hobbit rolled into one captivating and humorous epic fantasy series that will have kids begging for more.From $0.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

Winner of the Mom's Choice Award honoring excellence in media for children. Classic fantasy adventure - quirky, funny, sinister, and action-packedFrom $3.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes

To save his friends from a dystopian future Earth, Nikolas leads them to a fantastic Moon in the past. But what happens when the fantastic becomes fatal?
From $3.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

Explore the magical history of Kendra Kandlestar's world in this collection of bonus tales from the Land of Een.From $4.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * iTunes

DREAMS: Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes

What's worse than stumbling upon the dead body of the Cat Lady? Being accused of her murder. Sarah Cole and her friends take it upon themselves to catch the Cat Lady Killer.
From $2.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook

When Turik finds a special egg his Grandfather is kidnapped and he must balance his power for good with the strength of the evil that wishes to consume him.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle

Felicity, an ordinary sparrow learns that she can do extraordinary things!From $3.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

When a group of crazed ninjas take over their school, the Smartboys fight back. And it all happens on a day when Monkey has the worst case of flatulence imaginable.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo

George, the magical basset hound, is on the trail of the mysterious ghosty haunting his Packmate, Tillie.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle

The legend of the little red hen, as told by the acorn that smacked her in the head. NO ONE IS TOO SMALL TO CHANGE THE WORLD!From $2.99 to FREE
Kindle

Carter's life changes when an old man entrusts him with a book of magical spells, one of which grants the power to raise people from the dead.
From $0.99 to FREE
Kindle

Ever wonder what it would be like to be pulled into your computer? Sarah is about to find out.From $2.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes

It takes more than a school trip to change Christy's life. It takes murder.From $2.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes

When a savage pirate and a corrupt businessman join forces to steal the treasure for themselves, Christopher and his crew get caught up in pirate chases, time travel, and an underground network of spies!
From $0.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes

Semi-autobiographical adventures from a 20th Century Northern California outdoorsmanFrom $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes

The future looks bleak unless eighteen-year-old Lance and his young New Camelot Earth Warriors can save the planet from catastrophic climate change.

Cover Reaveal: The Scarecrow

Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY at the bottom of this post!

Ready for a look at the book?
"Pure evil rises once again in Albia…

Three years have passed since Baron Reen’s trial. A terrible accident on the island of his exile has transformed him into a nightmarish scarecrow creature with dark, mysterious powers. Staging his own suicide, Reen breaks free of his prison and, with the help of the former queen Sofira, embarks on a ruthless quest for vengeance against his worst enemy, the woman responsible for the overthrow of his schemes and his own ruination: Brynne Sullyan.
Sullyan is tasked with investigating Reen’s suicide. The missing body and a series of disasters in Port Loxton—a vicious murder, a brutal ambush, and a devastating fire—raise suspicions in her mind. She probes deeper, determined to uncover the truth, unsuspecting of the evil that’s about to be unleashed…"
And now for the big reveal!!! *********

HOW THE COVER WAS CREATED
I really love how this cover turned out. I feel it is one of my best covers. I thought I'd share with you a few of the steps in creating this. First I started with a really rough sketch, just trying to get the feel for the shape of the painting. Then I created a finer sketch that I then presented to Cas for approval. This is what she got:
  After Cas approved the sketch I moved on with the painting process. We chatted back and forth about the colors I should use. I wanted have Sofira's robe be red but we almost ended up having it be green. One other thing you might notice, in the original drawing I had the torches flaming. Cas thought, which I agreed with, that red embers would create a better lighting effect. You'll also notice I hadn't quiet decided how I was going to pull off the Scarecrow's face at this point. Also Sofira's necklace was too light. So we changed that up to be a little more on the heavy side. I like pointing out the changes because no artist is going to be able to get it right the first time. I try to get all my changes made in the sketch where it's easier to make changes. Next I started painting. While I don't have individual layers to show the next picture shows the colors being laid out under the sketch. 


You can see some of the slight changes that I made during the paining process. Sometimes things look a little different once you start adding color, shadows, and highlights. We didn't make any changes once the paining was done except we did play around with the Scarecrow's eyes a bit, trying to make them more sinister. In the end this is what we came up with:



 
Cas lives in the lovely county of Hampshire, southern UK, where she was born. On leaving school she trained for two years before qualifying as horse-riding instructor. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, Italy, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They enjoy returning whenever they can. Cas supports many animal charities and owns two rescue dogs. She has a large collection of cacti and loves gardening. She is also a folk singer/songwriter and is currently writing and recording nine folk-style songs to accompany each of her fantasy books. You can listen to and download all the songs from her website: www.caspeace.com
See the video of her performing live at the King’s Envoy book launch here: http://www.caspeace.com/cas-peace/the-wheel-will-turnFind out more at her website: www.caspeace.com


Social Media links:Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/caspeacewithntn?profile_view_source=header_icon_navFacebook: (Cas Peace): https://www.facebook.com/cas.peace  (Artesans of Albia): https://www.facebook.com/artesansofalbia/?ref=hlTwitter: https://www.facebook.com/artesansofalbia/?ref=hlBlog: http://peacewrites.blogspot.co.uk/Website: http://www.caspeace.com/

And now for a wonderful endorsement. “Cas Peace's Artesans of Albia trilogy immediately sweeps you away:  the drama starts with King's Envoy, continues unabated in King's Champion, and climaxes in King's Artesan, yet each volume is complete, satisfying.  The Artesan series  propels you into a world so deftly written that you see, feel, touch, and even smell each twist and turn. These nesting novels are evocative, hauntingly real. Smart. Powerful. Compelling. The trilogy teems with finely drawn characters, heroes and villains and societies worth knowing; with stories so organic and yet iconic you know you've found another home—in Albia. Start reading now. I, for one, can't wait to find out what will happen next.”Janet Morris: The Sacred Band of Stepsons; the Dream Dancer series; I, the Sun; Outpassage.


Check out all the great blogs that are a part of this event by following along on the Facebook page.https://www.facebook.com/events/574422796042590/ 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gravediggers

I just finished another great read by Cindy M. Hogan. This time it was Gravediggers, a story about a 17-year-old boy name Billy who works digging graves the old fashioned way—with a shovel and lots of elbow grease. It’s a murder mystery filled with suspense, conspiracy, trials of friendship, teen-romance, tons of good southern humor, and most of all: relatable-believable-EMOTION! Cindy M. Hogan has this ability to capture the teenage voice is such a way you become the character—it’s rather brilliant and one day I hope to have just a little bit of that in my own writing. This is what makes all of her books so captivating; the characters have such real, raw emotions that they can’t help but leap from the page and turn to life before your eyes. 
This book would make a great film! (Anyone know any filmmakers?)
I’d love to see Billy’s story continue. He had such aspirations that I’d like to see them fulfilled. Any chance we could get a sequel, Cindy? Maybe see him solving more mysteries before he becomes an FBI agent? I can always tell when I have finished a good book when I long to keep reading after the last page. This book certainly left me that way, wanting to know more, see more, experience MORE. Note: there isn’t anything lacking in this book so the more I am referring to is me wanting another book with these fantastic characters—even the setting was its own character!  Awesome job, Cindy! I’ll enjoy my sleep until the next book you release.
Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Billy thinks his father s murder will never be solved until he stumbles across an old ammo box while digging a grave in his small-town Tennessee cemetery.
What he finds leads him to question everything he knows, and his search for answers will uncover more than he bargained for: lies, secrets, and conspiracies and behind them all, a dangerous truth.
Link: http://www.amazon.com/Gravediggers-Cindy-M-Hogan/dp/0985131845/

Fires of Invention

This is one of those books that I was looking forward to for a very long time. I remember when the author, J. Scott Savage, first explained the premise to me after it was picked up by his publisher, Shadow Mountain. He told me then that he felt it was his best book so far. To him I have to say, yes, yes, it is! As many of you already know I am a HUGE fan of J. Scott Savage, not just his amazing books, but the amazing guy behind the books. He has been instrumental in not only my own writing career but I dare say hundreds of writers (young and old) and has become truly a great personal friend. Okay, enough man-gushing about Savage, let’s talk about his book: Mysteries of Cove: Fires of Invention.
There are few books that when I read them they inspire me to create art. Fires of Invention is one of them—which is rather ironic because in the world of Cove creating anything (art included) is against the law. That’s just one of the fun things I loved about this book. Another is that Savage has really embraced the idea of steampunk. While this isn’t set in a altered Victorian era it screams steampunk. The whole world of Cove is a giant machine and all its citizens are greasy gears working to make society flourish. Again and again this idea of cogs and gears is brought up and so intertwined in the belief system of the characters that it becomes real.

The one thing Savage has always done well in his books is create well-developed, relatable, realistic, lovable characters. His main character in this story is no exception! Middle-grade readers and beyond will connect with Trenton immediately. He is smart, determined, considerate, and brave. He is also filled with wonderful flaws which throughout the book you see him transform into strengths. It’s truly a story about accepting who you are not matter the costs and I like that a lot. I won’t go into too much detail about the building of the mechanical dragon or the other intense and brilliant moments in the book—you’ll just have to read it for yourself. This has been one of the best books I have read this year! The ending took me by surprise and I cannot wait for the next installment! Bravo, Savage!!
Summary of Fires of Invention: Trenton Colman is a creative thirteen-year-old boy with a knack for all things mechanical. But his talents are viewed with suspicion in Cove, a steam-powered city built inside a mountain. In Cove, creativity is a crime and invention is a curse word.
Kallista Babbage is a repair technician and daughter of the notorious Leo Babbage, whose father died in an explosion an event the leaders of Cove point to as an example of the danger of creativity.
Working together, Trenton and Kallista learn that Leo Babbage was developing a secret project before he perished. Following clues he left behind, they begin to assemble a strange machine that is unlikely anything they’ve ever seen before. They soon discover that what they are building may threaten every truth their city is founded on and quite possibly their very lives.

 Link: http://www.amazon.com/Fires-Invention-Mysteries-Scott-Savage/dp/1629720925/

A Night Divided Stole my Heart

Jennifer A. Nielsen continues to boggle my brain with how awesome her books are. Can this author write a bad book? I don’t think so. A Night Divided is awe inspiring, but it’s more than just a story of hope, family, and friendship; it’s a story about freedom and what humans will do to have it. It makes you question what would you do for your own freedom—what lengths would you go to. It’s beautifully written in a voice that will keep you reading until the last page and falling in love with Gerta and Fritz so much that you’ll see a little of yourself in them. This book seriously had me holding my breath at the end. So be prepared. Also one of my favorite things was all the lovely quotes at the beginning of each chapter, they help with the feel, and in some cases add to the tension. Over all… another amazing read by Jennifer A. Nielsen!
Summary: From NYT bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a stunning thriller about a girl who must escape to freedom after the Berlin Wall divides her family between east and west.

With the rise of the Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city.

But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Then, when she receives a mysterious drawing, Gerta puts two and two together and concludes that her father wants Gerta and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?
Check out the book trailer by clicking here.
Link: http://www.amazon.com/Night-Divided-Jennifer-Nielsen/dp/0545682428/

Making a Cover: The Quill Pen

I recently finished a cover for a super awesome client of mine, Michelle Isenhoff, and I thought it would be fun to show my process in creating the art. Kind of a step by step. Although I don't have ALL the steps I think you'll get the gist of what exactly I do when I digitally paint art for a cover. Before I even start my first step I have to get a feel for the book. Most of the time I just get a couple short sections to read through or just a blurb. Because I don't have a lot of time to sit down a read a whole book this is what I prefer. Michelle decided to make it easy on me and she recorded the book so I could listen in audio--which made it easy for me to read the whole book while working on other things.  It was a win-win. Once I have read the material I start to brood over the book. I like to ponder it for several days and see if I can come up with a really cool image. Then comes step one: I come up with a sketch idea. For Michelle I came up with two and she selected which one she felt best fit the book and competed the most with her genre's market.

This is sketch option 1: (Remember these are rough sketches but you get a sense of the final outcome of the book with it).

Here is sketch option 2: (This is the one Michelle felt best fit for her book)

Next I did a finer sketch. Just adding in a few more details and fixing up some things. This gave Michelle some time to make a few changes in the preliminary stage. She asked that I add glasses to Micah (the MC in this story).

Next I paint. While I didn't manage to hold on to a layer of just the flat layers of paint my first step is to lay down all the colors I will use through the piece. After I lay down the basic colors I start with shadows then highlights. The whole purpose it to find three layers of light (a dark, medium, and light). This one here showcases the painting's back ground and also the main front image of the boy and girl without the final highlights.

Next the fun stuff happens. One of my clients calls this "the fairy dust". It's basically just a brighter layer of color but it does certainly add a magical element to the art.

Finally I add a little more color, definition, and detail and I have the final piece painted.

The final step is to add the typography and finish up the spine and back matter. In the end you have a super fun cover for a super cool middle-grade read.

About the book:If you owned a pen that wrote the future, would you use it? What if the consequences spread like ripples in a pond? What if they raged out of control? What if the pen demanded tribute...in blood?

Thirteen-year-old Micah has found such a pen. One that’s ensnared him in a curse dating back generations. One that’s devastated two families and now threatens his whole New England village. But how can Micah destroy the pen when it offers him his only chance at the future he dreams of?

Where to buy:http://www.amazon.com/Quill-Pen-Michelle-Isenhoff-ebook/dp/B005XC5O9M/

Last Book of My Summer

As my summer reading comes to a close I can’t help but think about all the fun I had along the way. I visited fantasy worlds, became a spy, became a witch, became a child again lost to an adventure. Books are amazing vehicles that can lead you just about anywhere. Reading is not over for me! I am already building my list of books I want to tear through this fall. I’ll be sure to let you in on some of the books I’ll be reading and the impacts they made on me.
I ended my summer off with a book I have had for a while but never had the opportunity to read until now.   The Clockwork Three, by Matthew Kirbyis a super fun book. It takes place in an altered history during the early 1900’s. While I would classify this as steampunk it’s not as “steampunky” as other books I’ve read. Yes there is mention of a mechanical man and one of the kids works as a clockmaker but that’s about how far this book delves into the steampunk category. It is filled with heart racing moments as kids run for their very lives, but overall it is a story about friendship and the love of family. I love how the author explored the grittier parts of the cities, the tenements, the street urchins, and unlawful practices of child enslavement. It hinted at books like Oliver Twist and August Rush. I also enjoyed the nods he gave to the supernatural with fun character Madame Pomphrey and the magical green violin. Over all I loved the braiding of the three stories of Giuseppe, Hannah, and Fredrick into one and how they all came together to create a fun and moving mystery. I recommend this book to not only middle-grade readers but adults. This movie would make a fun movie.
Summary: Giuseppe is an orphaned street musician from Italy, who was sold by his uncle to work as a slave for an evil padrone in the U.S. But when a mysterious green violin enters his life he begins to imagine a life of freedom. Hannah is a soft-hearted, strong-willed girl from the tenements, who supports her family as a hotel maid when tragedy strikes and her father can no longer work. She learns about a hidden treasure, which she knows will save her family -- if she can find it. And Frederick, the talented and intense clockmaker's apprentice, seeks to learn the truth about his mother while trying to forget the nightmares of the orphanage where she left him. He is determined to build an automaton and enter the clockmakers' guild -- if only he can create a working head. Together, the three discover they have phenomenal power when they team up as friends, and that they can overcome even the darkest of fears.
Link: http://www.amazon.com/Clockwork-Three-Matthew-J-Kirby/dp/0545203376/
Next on my reading list:Wonder, by R. J. Palacio (a MG read) and Storm Moon, by Teri Harmon (a YA about witches!)

The Afterlife Academy

Every now and then I hear about a new book coming out and I can hardly wait to get my hands on a copy. Not only does The Afterlife Academy sound incredibly awesome (read the synopsis below) but the author, Frank L. Cole, is one amazing guy. He never misses an opportunity to make someone else feel special—yeah, he’s one of those guys. Not only is he super nice, but he’s supper funny (as in he tells lots of jokes, not that he’s funny looking). This book is coming just in time for the new school season and it’s ripe for some pre-Halloween fun. A kid pleaser for sure!
Want to meet the author? Frank L. Cole is having TWO incredible book launch parties and everyone is invited to come get a book and have some fun. The first is on Thursday, September 10th at the Jordan Landing Barnes and Noble (7157 Plaza Center Dr, West Jordan, UT, 84084) starting at 6:30 pm. The second is Tuesday, September 15th at The King’s English (1511 1500 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84105) starting at 7:00 pm. 
Synopsis: Walter Prairie knows how to deal with bullies. He just has to beat them to the punch. But he doesn’t see the biggest hit of his life coming when he is struck dead by a bolt of lightning. Before Walter even knows what’s happened, he is sent to a Categorizing office, fast-tracked through the Afterlife Academy, and assigned as a Guardian Agent to protect a High-Level Target.
Walter's HLT, Charlie Dewdle, isn’t exactly the most popular kid in school. He’s what you might call paranormally obsessed. When Charlie finds an ancient book with spells that can be used to open the Gateway for demons to wreak havoc on earth, it’s up to him and Walter to fight an eclectic horde of enemies and protect humankind at all costs.
But saving the world isn’t so easy. Especially when your protector doesn’t know the first thing about the Underworld, bullies like Mo Horvath are trying to hunt you down, pretty and popular Melissa Bittner is suddenly talking to you, and your parents think you’re going crazy.
Link: http://www.amazon.com/Afterlife-Academy-Frank-L-Cole-ebook/dp/B00R04IRCC/