I do smile
more in person. I hate pictures.Thanks, I had a G R E A T time
Mike
I'll leave this up for awhile. If you want to ask me questions we didn't have time for at your school, click the "Ask Author" link over in the left margin. It might take me a day or two to answer your question but I will!
- What I look like
- About the Author (me) How I became a writer and author
- Inspiration for the Stories Just where do those ideas come from?
- About books 1, 2 & 3 A short description of each book so far.
- Characters All about the characters
- Study Guide for Teachers and Parents For books 1 & 2. Simple stories on the surface, but lessons to discuss and explore under the surface.
- "The Test" a fun test to take if you are a writer or would like to be one. Find out how original your story ideas are.
- Tips on Descriptions Some short tips on writing descriptions. It's a list I look at to keep me on my toes.
- Author in the Classroom Outline
This is me, right here
I do smile
more in person. I hate pictures.
My book (just released) is "The Book of Second Chances." It was fun to write and is a classic fantasy adventure with wizards, strange creatures, magic, adventure and mystery. The story takes place on the world of Gabendoor, someplace out there in the universe in another dimension in time. The hero and heroine, 12 year old stepbrother and stepsister, travel to Gabendoor in their sleep using magic wristbands. I invented the term "dream-slipping" which means to travel in your sleep.
There is lots of information in the other sections of this web site, but I wanted to provide you some information here, to make it easy to find, and to give you some links you might be interested in.
Mike
Now A Bit About Me (they call it an "about the author" section.)
I live in Stillwater Minnesota. I've been writing all my life. In grade school I had a spiral notebook that I always had with me. I just jotted down thoughts and never really tried a story. In high school English, I had to write my first story. I wasn't the greatest English student for the other work and got C's and D's. When I got the assignment to write a story, I got very excited and worked very hard on it. I was shocked when I got the paper back with a big "F" on it. To find out what happened, and more about me, click here.
The story started in an unusual way. I was helping my wife baby-sit at a friend’s home and I brought along a pencil and paper to play with ideas for a new story. Writing the “old fashion” way brought memories of how I wrote years ago. I thought about how I wished I had pursued a serious writing carrier instead of dropping that first writing class. I was glad for this second chance to write. After thinking a bit more, I realized the chance was always there. The secret all along was to do what I was doing –simply write. It didn't take magic.
Here is what is says on the back cover of the book: "If you were twelve years old, in a wheelchair and found a magic Book of Second Chances, what would you do? Use it to save a distant world or use it to walk again? That's the choice Windslow and Hillary face when they dream-slip to the land of Gabendoor each night and battle the evil Fistlock and his shadow beasties -- like the Trundle-wraith that lurks under beds or the annoying Tellagain that makes old men repeat the same story over and over.
With an assortment of odd companions and three colorful wizards, Hillary and Windslow struggle to solve the book's mysteries and make the choices that face them every day and every night.
To read a version that's a bit more expanded, click here.
You've already heard the names for the heroine, Hillary, and Windslow. Fistlock is the bad guy. Not a character, but a creature, the hippograph (not a hippogriff) has been popular. It's a miniature hippo, with dragonfly wings. It eats broccoli which ferments and creates gas to help give some lift. To land, the hippograph needs to let out some of that gas -whew...! To see more characters like the Forge-Twiddlers and their wacky inventions. Click here for Forge-Twiddlers. Click here for characters. Here for everything.
For teachers and book clubs, I have two versions of a study guide; student version and facilitator version. The facilitator version has some answers, and suggested activities for readers. You can view them by clicking here. You can also download them.
That's all for now. If you have a question or comment, please feel free to email me. Just click here.