"Strange Country Day" by Charles Curtis

SUPER MIDDLE GRADE MONDAYS
GUEST POST and GIVEAWAY

Strange Country Day

by Charles Curtis

Welcome to this week's Super Middle Grade Mondays Book Blitz presented by Tantrum Books/Month9books and Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours!

Today, we get up close and personal with Charles Curtis, author of Strange Country Day from Tantrum Books. Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of the post for your chance to win a copy of the book!

Description

Alexander Graham Ptuiac, the son of an inventor, wants to play for the school’s football team. During tryouts, and under the watchful eye of the team’s coach, he suddenly manifests mysterious superhuman powers. Alexander makes the team, but not before the some ill-intended adults take notice, putting his life in danger.

Alex struggles to suppress and control his strange new abilities, worried about exposing his secret and being kicked off the football team. Then he befriends Dex, a diminutive classmate who can somehow jump as high as ten feet in the air. Seems Alex isn’t the only one at school with a secret.

As the school year unfolds, Alex will find himself the target of bullies, holding hands with his first crush and discovering the shocking truth about himself and his parents.

Praise for the Book

"The only thing stranger than Strange Country Day, are the kids sitting next to you in class. Meet the next generation of mutant superheroes. When you attend this school, you're signing up for a whirlwind of mystery and mayhem. This story captures both the turbulence and confusion of being 13, and dealing with superhuman powers ... a wicked combination. Strange Country Day certainly lives up to its name." ~ DJ MacHale, author of Pendragon and The SYLO Chronicles

"High energy, high-cool adventure! If only all schools were this strange and exciting - but how many of us would survive?" ~ Greg Bear, Hugo- and Nebula-award winning author of Moving Mars and Darwin's Radio

"Great book for the kids!" ~ Roshni

" ... this is an enjoyable read and I think kids (especially boys) ages 8+ will enjoy Alex and his strange adventure." ~ Tonja Drecker

"Great book for my teenage son!" ~ Jason

Guest Post by the Author

Write What You Know

As a young 8th grade writer who published his first story in my school’s literary magazine, I was always encouraged to write what I know.

So when I sat down to write Strange Country Day, I immediately knew my protagonist, Alexander Graham Ptuiac, would be a tall, skinny sports-loving new kid just starting middle school and trying to fit in. That’s because, at the age of 12, I was a tall, skinny sports-loving new kid just starting middle school and trying to fit in.

Alex’s first day of school starts out with a bang: During 7th grade orientation, he’s pulled into a room with his classmates for a ritual known as "Fresh Meet Friday". When the event turns into a riot involving the older 9th graders, Alex discovers he has previously unknown superhero-like powers that propel him to punch the ringleader in the nose.

Unfortunately, my first day of middle school wasn’t nearly as mind-blowing as Alex’s, but I did draw a little bit from experience. I attended a private school where I was one of many new kids faced with making friends with a whole new group of students, many of whom already knew each other. Luckily, there were no hazing rituals I was forced to participate in (unluckily, I didn’t have comic book-like powers, either), but in Strange Country Day, I tried to capture that same nervousness I felt about walking into a – well – strange environment, trying to fit in and attempting to adjust to an increased workload and new schedule.

In the past few years, I’ve often joked about how my interests in those days – I visited a comic book shop once a week to pick up my stack and played the card game Magic: The Gathering every day at lunch – are suddenly trendy now and lamented about how I would have been much happier if I’d been a middle schooler in 2015. But I realize now just how influential both were on my creativity and imagination.

The other huge influence? Sports, of course. I spent countless nights in front of the television (I promise, Mom and Dad, it was after my homework was done ... most of the time) or at one of the many New York stadiums/arenas, taking in any and all Mets, Giants, Knicks or Rangers games I could watch. I always wish I could go back in time and tell my middle school self that one day I’d find myself in the press box at those very same arenas and stadiums. Middle School Charles would be blown away.

The one thing that truly separates me from Alex? With the help of those aforementioned powers, he ends up joining his school’s football team as a quarterback. Despite my love for the game of football, I didn’t have half the athleticism to even begin to think about playing on the gridiron.

But hey, adults – especially authors – are allowed to reimagine their pasts too, right?

About the Author

Charles Curtis is a writer and journalist based in New York City. He has reported and written for publications including NJ.com (where he is currently the site’s sports buzz reporter), The Daily, ESPN.com, ESPN the Magazine, Bleacher Report, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Charles has covered the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, golf, tennis and NASCAR. He has also written about television, film and pop culture.

In addition, Curtis has also written, produced and was featured in videos for ESPN.com and The Daily. He has made radio appearances on stations including 92.9 The Ticket in Bangor, Maine, WLIE 540 AM in Long Island and on morning shows across Canada via the CBC.

Giveaway

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"Fag" by Krissy Bells

NEW RELEASE and GIVEAWAY

Fag

by Krissy Bells

Fag is the latest release by Krissy Bells. You can read my interview with the author in a previous blog post about her book A Special Love.

This book blast and giveaway is brought to you by Goddess Fish Promotions. Please be sure to visit the other participating blogs as well.

Description

Aaron Garrett is many things in life: he is a son, a friend, a student, and caring boyfriend to his lovely girlfriend Leigh Ann. In these roles, he is kind, hardworking, smart, loving, dedicated, and considerate. At Jefferson High School, he is a leader, a football star, and well-respected by his peers. Aaron’s life is perfectly on track, he is pursuing a college scholarship and hopeful for the future, except for just one thing: Aaron Garrett is gay.

When a former child star from Aaron’s small Southern town saturates the national media after making homophobic comments, Aaron’s life is turned upside down as supporters rally around the sentiments. Social media attention begins to swell nationally and locally until it begins to eat away at every part of Aaron’s existence.

Excerpt

Principal Bernard began to speak. “Students, if I can have your attention, please. I’m sure you likely noticed that Mr. Reynolds is not here today. Some of you may even have heard rumors regarding his absence. Unfortunately, Mr. Reynolds came in this morning to find his classroom vandalized.”

Aaron and his classmates began surveying the room, searching for a hint as to what vandalism the principal was referring to.

“I’m not in the mood to play guessing games, so I will inform you that profane language was found written on the blackboard. It is obvious that it was left deliberately and with intention. Mr. Reynolds was very disheartened as he is a dedicated instructor and prides himself on the rapport he has built with his students.”

As Principal Bernard spoke, Aaron eyed the chalkboard. In the far corner, he noticed a light outline of letters. It was the dusty evidence of the word that had been wiped away. He squinted in an effort to make out the faintly visible letters. He finally was able to read a capital F-A-G, FAG. The chalkboard said “FAG.” Aaron was disgusted and sad at the same time. Mr. Reynolds was a fair and altogether good teacher. Aaron couldn’t take his eyes off the word. Beside it, at the edge of the chalkboard, was a laminated poster Mr. Reynolds had taped up. The poster displayed a quote by Candice Stine: “There is nothing better in this world than seeing a student succeed and knowing that you helped. That’s a teacher’s passion.”

Review

There are no reviews as yet for this NEW RELEASE.

About the Author

Krissy Bells was born and raised in the Detroit metro area. A former school secretary, she now spends her days as a stay-at-home mom. She is passionate about her family and friends, her Dachshund named Harry, and anything topped with cheese or chocolate.

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"The Dark Pool" by J. E. Fishman

INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

The Dark Pool

by J. E. Fishman

Joel Fishman joins me today to introduce his latest book, The Dark Pool. You can also read my 5-BD review and enter the giveaway to win one of two paperback copies of the book. Enjoy!

Description

This market's a KILLER.

Three men's lives on a knife's edge...

Shoog Clay: The nation's winningest inner-city high school football coach resists pressure to move up to the college level because his kids in the Bronx mean everything to him. But more powerful people won't take no for an answer.

Antwon Meeps: One day Harriet Tubman High School's star running back is a shoe-in for a college scholarship. The next day he's accused of a rape he didn't commit, his life begins unraveling, and he doesn't know how to stop it.

The Mean: This incognito Greenwich hedge fund manager is so rich he keeps a giant sea creature as his pet. But a risky investment threatens to ruin him, and a stubborn high school football coach holds the key to his redemption.

Soon a tragic hanging in the school gymnasium will lay bare a secret force that none of these men understands. In a "dark pool" marketplace, insatiable Wall Street players have wagered everything on certain real-world outcomes. When fortunes hang in the balance, financiers cloaked in anonymity won't hesitate to pay off their claims with the blood of others.

Review

By Lynda Dickson

Antwon Meeps is an 18-year-old high school senior with his whole life ahead of him. He's on the winning High School football team, he has college to look forward to in a few months, and he has a promising football career. When Antwon is wrongly accused of rape, he's helped out of this sticky situation by a man to whom he now owes a favor. It could come at any time or any place, and it could be legal or illegal. Who is his mysterious savior and who will Antwon have to hurt to pay back his debt?

Enter the commodities trader who privately calls himself The Mean because he believes that "at some point the price of everything reverts to its average - its mean". What is The Mean's "dark pool" investment and how does it impact on Antwon Meeps and his coach Shoog Clay? Who's betting on whom and for what reason? And are they manipulating lives to get what they want?

All of these questions will be answered in this thrilling new book by J. E. Fishman. You won't be able to stop turning the pages in your search for the answers. Keep an eye out for the strange creature in the giant water tank. Perhaps a bit of symbolism about the dangers lurking in the "dark pool"?

Although I'm not interested in football or the money market, I found this book to be thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. So don't be put off by the subject matter. This book is full of twists and turns and will keep you guessing until the end. I look forward to reading more books by this talented author.

Interview with the Author

Hi Joel, thanks for joining me today to discuss your new book The Dark Pool.

Which writers have influenced you the most?

I feel that I’ve been more influenced by specific books than particular authors, at least with regard to my work writing stand-alone thrillers. There have been any number of occasions when I couldn’t put a book down and thought: I’d like to tell a story that powerful. Such books have included The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty, The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone, Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, Sophie’s Choice and The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron, any number of works by Saul Bellow and Philip Roth, The World According to Garp by John Irving, The Godfather by Mario Puzo – so many others. I’m working on a series of police procedurals now, and I’d say they’re most influenced by the work of Evan Hunter writing as Ed McBain and by Joseph Wambaugh.

What age group do you recommend your book for?

I would recommend this book to grown-ups.

What sparked the idea for this book?

Among all the outrage about the financial collapse, it struck me that there was this huge gap between people working in the financial world and the man on the street who is often inadvertently affected by the actions of traders, hedge fund managers, and the like. I was wondering how one might close that gap with storytelling when I came across dark pools, which are these kinds of secret trading platforms. When people’s actions are hidden from society, you no longer have the disinfectant of daylight, and it’s that much easier to lose your moral compass. That seemed like a pretty good environment for a financial thriller.

Which comes first? The character's story or the idea for the novel?

It comes whence it comes. In my first stand-alone thriller, Primacy, and in the new book, The Dark Pool, it began with the idea or premise. In my mystery, Cadaver Blues, it began with the character. In the next stand-alone thriller, it also begins with a character, in that case a real-life one, Typhoid Mary.

What was the hardest part to writing this book?

Beginning is always the hardest part. The abyss of the blank page.

How do you hope this book affects its readers?

Two ways. First, I want people to find turning the pages irresistible. Then I want them to become more thoughtful about the unintended consequences of all our actions.

How long did it take you to write this book?

About six months.

What is your writing routine?

I report to an office every day. I use an outline. But then I ignore the outline when a better idea hits me.

How did you get your book published?

I met my publisher at ThrillerFest, the International Thriller Writers conference in New York, and we hit it off.

What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?

Hold yourself to a high standard.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I read, of course. Play tennis. Travel. I love to go to restaurants, live theater, and movies with my wife and daughter.

What does your family think of your writing?

It’s too adult for my eleven-year-old daughter, so I won’t let her read it, but she loves the idea that I’m a writer. My wife is among my biggest fans and biggest critics, which is as it should be. My parents have always been unconditionally supportive.

Please tell us a bit about your childhood.

I grew up in an upper-middle-class family in a suburb of Long Island. Nothing spectacular ever happened to me, but I was touched by tragedy when my mother died. I was twelve years old at the time, and all these years later I’m still not sure I’ve ever fully understood the impact of that upon me.

Did you enjoy school?

I enjoyed learning and achieving some things. School in general was an uneven experience.

Did you like reading?

I’ve always been a big reader, fiction and nonfiction, and I always read eclectically. I rarely delved into a single writer and read everything he or she wrote. I had this sense there was just too much out there to end up in that kind of rut.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I could remember, but it took me half a lifetime to get around to it.

Did your childhood experiences influence your writing?

That seems like something for others to judge. Generally I would say it’s impossible not to be influenced by the totality of one’s experiences.

What was your favorite book growing up?

As a kid my favorite books by far were Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. I recall being on vacation when I finished the last book. I intentionally slowed down and set the book aside frequently because I didn’t want it to end.

Who were your favorite authors?

In high school I read a lot of science fiction – Ray Bradbury, Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, like that. In college I was swept away by Nineteenth Century stuff – Dickens, the Brontë sisters, Henry James and Herman Melville. Later I got into more contemporary American novelists.

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

I’m early in my career, but so far the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many people, I think, appreciate not only the page-turning plots, but also that my work includes bigger themes. Of course, I’d love to hear more from my readers. If you’re moved to comment on the work, it usually means that the work moved you in some way.

What can we look forward to from you in the future?

I’m working on a series of police procedurals set in New York right now, to be followed by a new book in the Phu Goldberg series, and then another stand-alone thriller.

Thank you so much for talking to me today. I think you'll be happy to hear I couldn't put your book down. I wish you every success with your writing.

About the Author

J. E. Fishman grew up on Long Island, N.Y., and received a bachelor's degree in English literature from Tufts University in Boston. A long-time resident of New York City and Westchester County, he now lives mostly in the Brandywine Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, America's mushroom farming capital and the backdrop to his novel Cadaver Blues (StoneGate Ink, Oct. 2012). Cadaver Blues is a wisecracking mystery that follows debt man Phuoc Goldberg as he becomes seduced by the beautiful niece of a man who has disappeared and whose house is slated for foreclosure. Before long, Phu isn't just looking for cash relief, but for cadavers.

J. E. Fishman is also the author of Primacy: A Thriller, which Kirkus Reviews called "more fun than a barrel of overgrown monkeys" and Publishers Weekly called "an appealing debut thriller." Fishman's most recent book, The Dark Pool (StoneGate Ink, Jan. 2013), is a financial thriller inspired by the corruption of Wall Street and its effect on the common man. In The Dark Pool, strange and tragic events begin occurring around high school football coach Shoog Clay and his star player, Antwon Meeps. Together they eventually discover a secret marketplace where investors bet on the coach's marketing prospects (his Q Score). Those who are bullish on Clay want him to succeed, no matter who gets hurt. Those who are bearish on him will stop at nothing to see him fail - even if it means killing him.

When he isn't writing fiction or blogging, Fishman - a former Doubleday editor, literary agent, and ghostwriter - works as an entrepreneur. He divides his time between Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, and New York City.

Giveaway

Thanks to Joel's fantastic publicity team at Shelton Interactive, we have two paperback copies of The Dark Pool to give away. Please enter the giveaway below.

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