Escape From Assland
Today is the day! My new novel, written with my friend Trish Cook, arrives in bookstores and online! We originally called it Escape From Assland, but it was determined that too many retail outlets would be put off by the word "ass" in the title, and so the book became A Really Awesome Mess.
I was going to talk about how great this book is, but every writer thinks their own book is great. In this case, it's safe to say this book has gotten more positive early reviews than anything else I've ever written. So I'll leave it to them to talk about the book, with my thanks!
"I’ll definitely be looking out for more books by Halpin and Cook – they make a brilliant team."
"What I enjoyed most was definitely the humor, which I wasn't really expecting."
"Cook and Halpin manage to provide many laughs in spite of the tough subject matter."
"The characters were so fun and some of the greatest characters I’ve met."
"The basis of the book surrounds the group of unlikely friends who are experiencing self loathing, mental illnesses or issues with social interaction, but yet it rises above the serious diagnosis of each teen in a positive, fun and hysterical light.
I absolutely loved it."
"It's probably the most honest portrayal of teenagers that I have ever read in a
YA novel."
"This book should not be missed."
"A Really Awesome Mess was a great, fulfilling read that made me feel good while reading it."


