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Finley Flood #1
Mirrors and Glass
Finley Flood age eleven starts to see something very strange happening in the bathroom mirror and from that moment on, his life will never be the same again.
We tag along as he embarks on a fantastic and dangerous adventure into the unknown and mysterious world of The Merrelger in search of his missing grandfather.
His closest friends are enlisted to help out, and each of them undertakes an amazing journey where they learn much more about themselves than they ever thought possible.
Surprises and danger abound as the mystery deepens and they realise that much more is at stake, as they battle to save their own world.
If you could ever get to choose a friend in times like this, then Finley Flood would be top of the list.
We tag along as he embarks on a fantastic and dangerous adventure into the unknown and mysterious world of The Merrelger in search of his missing grandfather.
His closest friends are enlisted to help out, and each of them undertakes an amazing journey where they learn much more about themselves than they ever thought possible.
Surprises and danger abound as the mystery deepens and they realise that much more is at stake, as they battle to save their own world.
If you could ever get to choose a friend in times like this, then Finley Flood would be top of the list.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2013
6 people want to read
About the author
John Cummings
2 books7 followersI am finally fulfilling my lifetime ambition of being a published author. I always wrote but never had time to take it seriously, something I regret. My first novel 'Finley Flood - Mirrors and Glass' was released in November 2013 and is the first in a planned series.
I guess the basic story for the novel was whizzing around in my head for quite some time before finally making into the written word. Initial feedback has been far better than I ever expected and it has really given me the drive to push on and write more.
Finley Flood has really come to life in my head, and now I am developing story lines and scenarios for him almost hourly. I believe he is very sustainable and will be around for some years as we grow up with him.
The thing I have quickly realised is that writing is only half the story. Marketing and selling the novel is an equally big although different challenge, and I find myself at the very foot of a long learning curve.
The second book in the series is well underway and hopefully will be published early 2014.
I guess the basic story for the novel was whizzing around in my head for quite some time before finally making into the written word. Initial feedback has been far better than I ever expected and it has really given me the drive to push on and write more.
Finley Flood has really come to life in my head, and now I am developing story lines and scenarios for him almost hourly. I believe he is very sustainable and will be around for some years as we grow up with him.
The thing I have quickly realised is that writing is only half the story. Marketing and selling the novel is an equally big although different challenge, and I find myself at the very foot of a long learning curve.
The second book in the series is well underway and hopefully will be published early 2014.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 12, 2014
The world of MG/YA fiction can look a little narrow at first glance - it's a place dominated by Mr. Potter, Percy Jackson, Hunger Games, Divergent et al, and yet a little digging can find a lot of gems hidden by these towering giants. The world of indie publishing has exploded, and there's a lot of wheat amongst the chaff - after all, anyone can stick out any old rubbish and put a tempting low price on it - but there's a lot of good stories waiting to be discovered, and its up to us readers to open our eyes a little wider and take a few more chances.
Here's one such chance.
A good book will stand out from its first sentence. Opening lines are what it's all about for me as a reader, you see, and we're straight into the story here: 'Franklin had wrapped the small boy in a warm blanket and was carrying him over his shoulder.' Immediately we have questions: who is the boy? Where are we going? In this very short section, a small boy is blessed in a peculiar lake with a blue crystal in the middle, and then we're into the first chapter, meeting our hero Finley. He is a boy who likes all manner of strange things, and what boy doesn't?
Boys can be an elusive reader to capture, but in Finlay we've got a lead who they may well find appealing. He's not really a bad lad, but he has a habit of finding trouble, whether it's snagging a detention for bringing in a rubber chicken (which should give young readers a good giggle, and it's a rubber chicken that's practically a character on its own) or investigating strange events that are perhaps best left alone...
He's got other, more serious problems as well, which perhaps make him even easier to relate to. George McCarthy, big bully, zeroes in on him, and its scenes like this that will resonate with readers, will swell their chests at the injustice of everyday life in school. They'll also be pleased that Finley has a friend like Robby, unafraid of the bigger boys, telling him that George will get his comeuppance one day. We have foreshadowing here, a favourite technique of mine, giving the reader the sense that we'll be hearing plenty about this bully before the end of the book. There's plenty to get the emotions running. He's got an eye for a girl at school, which affords his friend an opportunity to tease (as any boy would). She's no ordinary girl - Hannah can give the boys a real run for their money. There's some depth to every character we come across, no cardboard cut-outs.
Fantasy worlds come quick to him, so of course he couldn't have seen that shimmer across the surface of the bathroom mirror, could he? Finley also has a child's curiosity. He experiments with the swirling mirrors, watching them carefully, getting up close, letting his nose peek through the surface. Then finally he can't resist. He has to show off his new trick. What kid wouldn't? Young readers will identify with this urge to be the extra cool kid who can do something no-one else can, even if it might lead to a little bit of trouble.
The chapters here are very short and punchy, a style designed to really drive the story on and get those pages turning quicker. It's a story that doesn't hang around. It builds a picture of its characters and environment with lean description, relying on the actions of the characters to get the story moving rather than heavy exposition (which is a definite bonus in the eyes of this particular reviewer). It isn't long before we're in a whole new world, meeting strange creatures. This is where the real fun begins, as the kids discover that on this side of the mirror they have special powers, and what young reader wouldn't want to have thermal vision? There's some good action scenes that will appeal to boys and are easy to picture in the imagination. There's a sense of peril too - we're not in the safe, mundane world anymore. This is a place of shrieking beasts, and danger at every turn.
The family dynamic works well. There's the scaredy-cat sister who is an annoyance to Finley, and the slightly weary, shouty Mum who's always having to deal with her son's oddness, and Grandpa, a twinkling old fellow with a strong love for the boy, and a bit of a naughty streak as well (notice the smuggling of the rubber chicken).
Perhaps this is a series to get into early on. Get on board, be a fan, and spread the word. Let's support our indie authors and encourage new series like this. Here's hoping the sequel is as strong a book as the opener.
Here's one such chance.
A good book will stand out from its first sentence. Opening lines are what it's all about for me as a reader, you see, and we're straight into the story here: 'Franklin had wrapped the small boy in a warm blanket and was carrying him over his shoulder.' Immediately we have questions: who is the boy? Where are we going? In this very short section, a small boy is blessed in a peculiar lake with a blue crystal in the middle, and then we're into the first chapter, meeting our hero Finley. He is a boy who likes all manner of strange things, and what boy doesn't?
Boys can be an elusive reader to capture, but in Finlay we've got a lead who they may well find appealing. He's not really a bad lad, but he has a habit of finding trouble, whether it's snagging a detention for bringing in a rubber chicken (which should give young readers a good giggle, and it's a rubber chicken that's practically a character on its own) or investigating strange events that are perhaps best left alone...
He's got other, more serious problems as well, which perhaps make him even easier to relate to. George McCarthy, big bully, zeroes in on him, and its scenes like this that will resonate with readers, will swell their chests at the injustice of everyday life in school. They'll also be pleased that Finley has a friend like Robby, unafraid of the bigger boys, telling him that George will get his comeuppance one day. We have foreshadowing here, a favourite technique of mine, giving the reader the sense that we'll be hearing plenty about this bully before the end of the book. There's plenty to get the emotions running. He's got an eye for a girl at school, which affords his friend an opportunity to tease (as any boy would). She's no ordinary girl - Hannah can give the boys a real run for their money. There's some depth to every character we come across, no cardboard cut-outs.
Fantasy worlds come quick to him, so of course he couldn't have seen that shimmer across the surface of the bathroom mirror, could he? Finley also has a child's curiosity. He experiments with the swirling mirrors, watching them carefully, getting up close, letting his nose peek through the surface. Then finally he can't resist. He has to show off his new trick. What kid wouldn't? Young readers will identify with this urge to be the extra cool kid who can do something no-one else can, even if it might lead to a little bit of trouble.
The chapters here are very short and punchy, a style designed to really drive the story on and get those pages turning quicker. It's a story that doesn't hang around. It builds a picture of its characters and environment with lean description, relying on the actions of the characters to get the story moving rather than heavy exposition (which is a definite bonus in the eyes of this particular reviewer). It isn't long before we're in a whole new world, meeting strange creatures. This is where the real fun begins, as the kids discover that on this side of the mirror they have special powers, and what young reader wouldn't want to have thermal vision? There's some good action scenes that will appeal to boys and are easy to picture in the imagination. There's a sense of peril too - we're not in the safe, mundane world anymore. This is a place of shrieking beasts, and danger at every turn.
The family dynamic works well. There's the scaredy-cat sister who is an annoyance to Finley, and the slightly weary, shouty Mum who's always having to deal with her son's oddness, and Grandpa, a twinkling old fellow with a strong love for the boy, and a bit of a naughty streak as well (notice the smuggling of the rubber chicken).
Perhaps this is a series to get into early on. Get on board, be a fan, and spread the word. Let's support our indie authors and encourage new series like this. Here's hoping the sequel is as strong a book as the opener.
Displaying 1 of 1 review