LAST YEAR...
Breaking Thru the Fibro Fog:
Scientific Proof Fibromyalgia Is Real
came third in the non-fiction category General Health & Fitness. To find out more about this book, just check the book's website at http://thefibrofog.com
Inside a Hollow Tree came third in the General Fiction category. This is the story of Dalton Hobby, a 14-year old orphan nobody wants. Finally, his caseworker sends Dalton off to an all-boys boarding school in Washington State, where the boy arrives on a rainy day carrying everything he owns in one small yellow suitcase, and a large green garbage bag that he promptly hides in the hollow of a dead tree. As the story unfolds, one by one the various dark and wonderful contents of that garbage bag are revealed, revealing Dalton as the truly extraordinary boy he is.
These two books are both available through the publisher at http://wortleyroadbooks.com
eBook prices are $4.99 and $1.99, respectively, through Amazon.
THIS YEAR...
This year, I entered four books, and three of them then were short-listed:
Black Spoons & Brimstone is the story of Julian Briscoe, a 31 year-old low-life drug dealer who literally wakes up dead after a drug deal gone bad. Stuck in some weird Limbo where time and place have no meaning, he loses himself, falls in love, finds himself, and then is given one 'fools chance' to save the drug-addicted woman he loves from suffering the same Hellish fate he has.
The Raders Favorite review read:
"Julian had a major problem; he was dead. He remembered seeing the gun
pointed at him, and he remembered the sound, the pain and the blood.
When he woke up he wasn’t sure where he was but it sure wasn’t heaven.
Besides, he had never believed in God, heaven or any of that stuff.
Wherever he was, it was cold and he was alone and thirsty. He headed
toward the mountain. He found some odd items in his pockets: a key, a
paper clip, a stamp, a magnet, and a coin. Every time he fell asleep he
would wake up in a different place until he crawled into a cave where he
found a fire and three people. One was a girl named Jennifer. Julian
kept asking himself what was going on. Now he knew his purpose. Julian
is sent on a mission to prevent a girl from becoming an addict. In the
process of his mission he must face his actions and the pain he has
inflicted on others. Julian had no beliefs; at least he didn’t think he
believed in anything. His experience brings about significant changes in
him.
"Black Spoons and Brimstone" by Kevin White offers readers a tale with a unique plot and it is told in a unique way. Julian is the main character and the narrator. The story itself is deep and multidimensional and will leave the reader pondering the meaning of the tale even long after they close the book. In Julian, White has created a realistic character that grows in front of the reader. The ending of this tale took me by surprise. Mr. White, I look forward to reading more of your books."
"Black Spoons and Brimstone" by Kevin White offers readers a tale with a unique plot and it is told in a unique way. Julian is the main character and the narrator. The story itself is deep and multidimensional and will leave the reader pondering the meaning of the tale even long after they close the book. In Julian, White has created a realistic character that grows in front of the reader. The ending of this tale took me by surprise. Mr. White, I look forward to reading more of your books."
This book has been short-listed in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi category and will soon be available as an eBook at amazon.com for $1.99.
The River Riders is the first book in a fantasy trilogy called Miriam's Seed. It has been short-listed in the Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi category. The Readers Favorite Review was:
Rating: 5.0 stars
"The people of the town avoided Zeke; they thought he was crazy or at the least a tramp and that he didn’t smell very good. However, the animals knew better; he always had little treats in his pocket for him. Most of the town’s people just kept hoping he would disappear. The widow woman and her daughter who lived closed to Green Meadow were kind to Zeke and would leave out a bowl of stew or soup each day along with a piece of bread. Miriam questioned her mother as to why she worried so much about a stranger. The widow was grateful to him for he had brought Miriam to her and Ben, her deceased husband. This just made Miriam more curious. Zeke stayed away for a long time but when he did return it was with a warning. Suddenly they were surrounded by danger. Everyone in Apple Grove feared the forest, yet that was where Zeke led them.
Young adult fantasy is one of my favorite genres, especially when it has that special quality that makes it mystical, suspenseful with a touch of danger. Kevin White’s tale quickly captured my attention and held it to the very last page. Zeke and Miriam are both heartwarming characters. Nanna is such a kind and perceptive character in this tale that she demonstrates compassion and mercy where few others in Apple Grove demonstrate anything other than fear, suspicion and cruelty. Kevin White is a name to remember. I will be looking for more books by him."
"The people of the town avoided Zeke; they thought he was crazy or at the least a tramp and that he didn’t smell very good. However, the animals knew better; he always had little treats in his pocket for him. Most of the town’s people just kept hoping he would disappear. The widow woman and her daughter who lived closed to Green Meadow were kind to Zeke and would leave out a bowl of stew or soup each day along with a piece of bread. Miriam questioned her mother as to why she worried so much about a stranger. The widow was grateful to him for he had brought Miriam to her and Ben, her deceased husband. This just made Miriam more curious. Zeke stayed away for a long time but when he did return it was with a warning. Suddenly they were surrounded by danger. Everyone in Apple Grove feared the forest, yet that was where Zeke led them.
Young adult fantasy is one of my favorite genres, especially when it has that special quality that makes it mystical, suspenseful with a touch of danger. Kevin White’s tale quickly captured my attention and held it to the very last page. Zeke and Miriam are both heartwarming characters. Nanna is such a kind and perceptive character in this tale that she demonstrates compassion and mercy where few others in Apple Grove demonstrate anything other than fear, suspicion and cruelty. Kevin White is a name to remember. I will be looking for more books by him."
The River Riders will also soon be available as an eBook through amazon.com, for $1.99; and a printed version will follow soon afterwards.
Puck is a not-yet illustrated picture book for the pre-teen audience, that has been short-listed in the Children-Preteen category. The Readers Favorite Review was:
Rating: 5.0 stars
"Kevin and Kathy were concerned about their three year old son. Something just wasn’t right with him, and hadn’t been since he was born, despite what his doctor said. It was after Luke’s doctor finally decided something was wrong that Luke started enduring test after test, seeing a lot of different doctors to try and find out why Luke didn’t talk, always had the same expression on his face, and didn’t seem interested in anything. It was when a child psychiatrist diagnosed Luke with Autism that Kathy and Kevin’s hearts were broken for their son, knowing that there was no cure, no medicine Luke could take, and nothing they could do. It was devastating. Kevin walked with his son often, and one day while walking with his now seven year-old Luke, they came upon a hockey rink, and started watching the game. This day changed Luke’s life because of the interest he started showing in the game. What happened in the following days, months and years in Luke’s life was amazing.
This is a heartwarming story told by a father about the life of his autistic son. In reading a few books on autism, I am amazed at how some things mean nothing to an autistic child, and then they are drawn to other things just as Luke is so mesmerized with hockey and the puck. Luke is blessed to have parents that love and support him. I was in tears as Kevin White told of spending valuable time with Luke, and how his wife Kathy was always there to love and praise him for his accomplishments. This is a wonderful book that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I encourage everyone to read it. It will warm your heart to see a family breaking through the barriers of their son’s handicap and bringing meaning to his life."
"Kevin and Kathy were concerned about their three year old son. Something just wasn’t right with him, and hadn’t been since he was born, despite what his doctor said. It was after Luke’s doctor finally decided something was wrong that Luke started enduring test after test, seeing a lot of different doctors to try and find out why Luke didn’t talk, always had the same expression on his face, and didn’t seem interested in anything. It was when a child psychiatrist diagnosed Luke with Autism that Kathy and Kevin’s hearts were broken for their son, knowing that there was no cure, no medicine Luke could take, and nothing they could do. It was devastating. Kevin walked with his son often, and one day while walking with his now seven year-old Luke, they came upon a hockey rink, and started watching the game. This day changed Luke’s life because of the interest he started showing in the game. What happened in the following days, months and years in Luke’s life was amazing.
This is a heartwarming story told by a father about the life of his autistic son. In reading a few books on autism, I am amazed at how some things mean nothing to an autistic child, and then they are drawn to other things just as Luke is so mesmerized with hockey and the puck. Luke is blessed to have parents that love and support him. I was in tears as Kevin White told of spending valuable time with Luke, and how his wife Kathy was always there to love and praise him for his accomplishments. This is a wonderful book that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I encourage everyone to read it. It will warm your heart to see a family breaking through the barriers of their son’s handicap and bringing meaning to his life."
This book is pending illustrations and, I hope, will be published within the next 6 months.
The fourth book I entered, called The Boy with the Horn, is a children's picture book that is not yet illustrated. Its Readers Favorite review was extremely positive too, even though it wasn't short-listed (maybe the absence of pictures hurt it). The reviewer wrote:
Rating: 5.0 stars
"Daniel Frost loves lots of things typical of a 12 year old boy. Hockey and his little brother are at the top of his list. Daniel is a special highlight at the games as he cheers his team on with a long blue horn which he blows in response to everything that happens on the ice. Michael, Daniel's brother, is an excellent player who wins awards every year. It makes Daniel proud! Not everybody understands or appreciates the joy a Down's Syndrome child sees in the world around him--or the loud sound his horn makes. When an intolerant opposing team parent tries to make him stop, he rebels but in complete innocence. The team has something special in store for their biggest fan, Daniel, and it will bring tears to the reader's eyes at the depth of love.
People can be so cruel and rude sometimes. This book could very well be written by somebody who witnessed the story happen. It is real, especially to anybody who has been around a beautiful Down's Syndrome child. What a great way to share the treasure with the rest of the world! This book would be a fantastic asset to libraries, reading groups, classrooms and personal collections. Written with tenderness and respect, Kevin White's "The Boy with the Horn" is well-written and hard to put down. It will be exciting to see the illustrations when they are finished. Add pictures to this book and you will have a book you can keep for yourself or give away as a gift!"
"Daniel Frost loves lots of things typical of a 12 year old boy. Hockey and his little brother are at the top of his list. Daniel is a special highlight at the games as he cheers his team on with a long blue horn which he blows in response to everything that happens on the ice. Michael, Daniel's brother, is an excellent player who wins awards every year. It makes Daniel proud! Not everybody understands or appreciates the joy a Down's Syndrome child sees in the world around him--or the loud sound his horn makes. When an intolerant opposing team parent tries to make him stop, he rebels but in complete innocence. The team has something special in store for their biggest fan, Daniel, and it will bring tears to the reader's eyes at the depth of love.
People can be so cruel and rude sometimes. This book could very well be written by somebody who witnessed the story happen. It is real, especially to anybody who has been around a beautiful Down's Syndrome child. What a great way to share the treasure with the rest of the world! This book would be a fantastic asset to libraries, reading groups, classrooms and personal collections. Written with tenderness and respect, Kevin White's "The Boy with the Horn" is well-written and hard to put down. It will be exciting to see the illustrations when they are finished. Add pictures to this book and you will have a book you can keep for yourself or give away as a gift!"
ANYWAY...
I just wanted to share my exciting news. And if you want to purchase my books, they are both available, as eBooks (both books; $4.99 and $1.99, respectively) and printed (Breaking Thru only; ($19.95) at
and
Proceeds from the sales of these books are being donated to the American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association (AFSA) and the Kids Help Phone.and
Kevin
Aesome Kevin. How very exciting for you!
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