Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA)
I’m pleased to announce the next level of recognition for Dangerous Straits. The CIBA Clue Book Awards for Suspense/Thrillers recently announced their 2022 Short List and Dangerous Straits made the cut! 🙂 There’s still a long way to go–semifinalists, finalists, winner–but DS made it to the second stage.
Little Mountain, Big Trouble Update
My upcoming Middle-Grade adventure is nearing the finish line! I just sent the manuscript to my editor. After that, the next steps are cover design, formatting, proofreading, and uploading into the publishing system. I’m as excited about this book as I’ve ever been because it’s such a personal story for me. As you may know, I was a volunteer Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern MN for more than twenty years. LMBT stars a Little Brother and Big Brother who go on a seemingly harmless adventure, climbing the highest peak in Minnesota, Eagle Mountain. However, as the title suggests, bad luck, misfortune, and Mother Nature turn what should have been a wonderful day into a life-threatening disaster. It’s a story of character, friendship, personal growth, and discovery.
The story is fictional, but it’s made up of bits and pieces of my experience as a Big Brother combined with what I’ve learned from other Bigs and Littles in the program. I wrote it mainly for kids who can benefit the most from a strong mentoring relationship. But I also wrote it for adults who might be interested in what the Big Brothers Big Sisters program is all about. It’s not a definitive story by any means, but it represents how great of an impact a mentor can have on a child.
Stay tuned for updates and purchasing information.
Reviews
Online reviews of my other books are steadily trickling in. Thank you! I recently passed 150 combined reviews and ratings on Goodreads.com! I am so gratified that the majority of reviewers enjoy my books. My average rating is about 4.3 stars (scale of 1-5), so I must be doing something right. 😛 It’s never too late to post a review, even if you read a book a year or two ago. Just a few sentences of what you liked or didn’t like about the book is all you need to do for a review. Or if you’re reticent about writing a review, leave a star rating instead. Thanks.
2023 Schedule
I’ve already scheduled several events for 2023. Many old friends, some new events. I’ve updated my Events and Appearances page, but check back regularly for cancellations or new additions.