Alex' chair was his one prized possession. A few years ago, when he'd had a cool social worker, he'd managed to get a super-sturdy chair built like the one a famous guy named Aaron used for his incredible stunts. Alex had only been seven when he'd seen on the news how fourteen-year-old Aaron mastered the world's first backflip in a wheelchair. It had amazed and empowered Alex to see someone with spina bifida like him accomplishing something so spectacular.His caseworker at the time, a lady named Sandy Quigley, had convinced the county to pay for his special chair on the grounds that it would be nearly indestructible and would not need to be replaced or repaired often. Alex had been so ecstatic he didn't even feel guilty for spinning Sandy into thinking he really needed something like that.
~~~
Spinner
Spinner has been awarded the Literary Classics Seal of Approval. Spinner has been awarded 1st Place in the Young Adult category at the Hollywood Book Festival.
By Michael J. Bowler
OMG! It's Horror, Paranormal, Urban Fiction...and Scary Great! And I couldn't wait to finish this book... If you're willing to admit you read books for teens, then go for this one... Better yet, get it for a teen you know who loves horror at its finest, and a paranormal skill that I guarantee you will have never seen or read anywhere else. By the end of the book, you will have discovered a secret which seems to imply that this could be a series--make that with an unbelievable, triumphant, group of super-heroes that will amaze and surprise each and every reader...
What is so surprising about them? Well, this group of teenagers, still in school, are unable to read, for one... They are all in special education classes and referred to as "dummies" by most of the other students... But each one also has a special gift, they have become close, loyal friends and use the skills that they have to fight injustice, especially in helping to protect Alex, a boy who has been in a wheelchair since he was young...
Ms. Ashley had been loved by her students. She had created special little methods of teaching so that the children could individually learn at his own pace and not feel intimidated... Now she was dead...
Murdered...by cats...one in particular who was extremely large and seemed to stare right at Alex...
Only thing was that Alex had been asleep, dreaming, as Ms. Ashley was being surrounded...
It traumatized Alex as much as it had when he had dreamed of his parents death many years ago... Now he had lost another loved one who was willing to care for her students unconditionally....
The mention of Ms. Ashley pushed aside all the joy he felt at receiving Roy's gift, and flooded his heart and soul with bloodied images of her demise in his dream. He shivered, seeing once more the fact of that huge, grinning cat.
"Yeah, let's get going." Suddenly, he wanted desperately to get to school. But he feared it, too, because deep down he knew his teacher wouldn't be there today, or any of the days to come.
Briefly, an overview of Alex's life--he is an orphan living in a group home with a wicked house mother, Jane Walters, who had become aware of Alex's gift of spinning. She had been purposely creating situations of abuse for the other boys and then forceing Alex to heal them. This is done by the injured individual describing when and what pain he has and Alex picturing that in his mind. He then "takes" it into his own body. Yes, it does hurt him for awhile, but then his body reverts to normal. Jane is in the midst of documenting what he does and has begun negotiations to sell Alex for $1M dollars!
But things got even worse when Alex places a necklace they'd found around his neck! What had he done?
In the meantime, Alex's best friend, Roy has picked him up and headed toward school. He shares with the class about his dream and predicts a sub will be coming... When Gwyneth Paltrow joined the cast of Glee, I thought she was a little too "loose" in her student interaction, so she was the perfect substitute to play Ms. Ashley's replacement, Ms. Garrett, Ms. G. And the majority of the boys' tongues were hanging out, given the way she had come dressed for her first day. Immediately I...Alex and Roy...didn't trust her, wondering what was going to happen!
Of course, when I love a book like this one, I want to keep on telling you all about the very cool stuff that is coming... You know, like, why have cats turned wild? Who is Ms. G and why is she acting as she is, especially with, later, Alex? Did she have something to do with Ms. Ashley's murder? And who is willing to pay $1M for Alex? Fortunately, the author has created a series of promotional memes and allowed me to share them!
The best thing, though, is that the friendship which has developed since Alex has spun the boys in one way or another, had forged so tightly that they are all willing to die for him...
Whew! I promise you're going to love this... Well, maybe not everybody if you're not into good versus evil, especially when the evil seems to be winning! But one final surprise is to come, which may totally change the dynamic of this thrilling group of teens...Can't wait to find out in the next book...HOW!
OK, if any of this sounds weirdly wonderful...then I have to tell you it is a Must Read... Of course, all the really good stuff can't be discussed at this point, but some very sick action will be taking place! And, yes, I learned to use "sick" in this book in place of my normal coooolllll!
Get It!
GABixlerReviews
Free thinkers don't charge
for advice...
Michael J. Bowler is an award-winning author of eight novels--A Boy and His Dragon, A Matter of Time (Silver Medalist from Reader's Favorite), The Knight Cycle, comprised of five books: Children of the Knight (Gold Award Winner in the 2013 Wishing Shelf Book Awards), Running Through A Dark Place (Bronze Award Winner in 2014 Wishing Shelf Book Awards), There Is No Fear, And The Children Shall Lead, and Once Upon A Time In America, and Spinner.
His horror screenplay, "Healer," was a Semi-Finalist, and his urban fantasy script, "Like A Hero," was a Finalist in the Shriekfest Film Festival and Screenplay Competition.
He grew up in San Rafael, California, and majored in English and Theatre at Santa Clara University. He went on to earn a master's in film production from Loyola Marymount University, a teaching credential in English from LMU, and another master's in Special Education from Cal State University Dominguez Hills.
He partnered with two friends as producer, writer, and/or director on several ultra-low-budget horror films, including "Fatal Images," "Club Dead," and "Things II," the reviews of which are much more fun than the actual movies.
He taught high school in Hawthorne, California for twenty-five years, both in general education and to students with learning disabilities, in subjects ranging from English and Strength Training to Algebra, Biology, and Yearbook.
He has also been a volunteer Big Brother to eight different boys with the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a thirty-year volunteer within the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles.
He has been honored as Probation Volunteer of the Year, YMCA Volunteer of the Year, California Big Brother of the Year, and 2000 National Big Brother of the Year. The "National" honor allowed him and three of his Little Brothers to visit the White House and meet the president in the Oval Office.
He has a YA horror/mystery novel entitled "Spinner" releasing in June, 2015, and is currently working on the sequel.
His goal as a YA author is for teens to experience empowerment and hope; to see themselves in his diverse characters; to read about kids who face real-life challenges; and to see how kids like them can remain decent people in an indecent world.
You can find him at:
www.michaeljbowler.com
FB: michaeljbowlerauthor
Twitter: BradleyWallaceM
Blog: www.sirlancesays.wordpress.com
tumblr: http://michaeljbowler.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/michaelbowler/pins/
Instagram: StuntShark
Murdered...by cats...one in particular who was extremely large and seemed to stare right at Alex...
Only thing was that Alex had been asleep, dreaming, as Ms. Ashley was being surrounded...
It traumatized Alex as much as it had when he had dreamed of his parents death many years ago... Now he had lost another loved one who was willing to care for her students unconditionally....
The mention of Ms. Ashley pushed aside all the joy he felt at receiving Roy's gift, and flooded his heart and soul with bloodied images of her demise in his dream. He shivered, seeing once more the fact of that huge, grinning cat.
"Yeah, let's get going." Suddenly, he wanted desperately to get to school. But he feared it, too, because deep down he knew his teacher wouldn't be there today, or any of the days to come.
~~~
In the meantime, Alex's best friend, Roy has picked him up and headed toward school. He shares with the class about his dream and predicts a sub will be coming... When Gwyneth Paltrow joined the cast of Glee, I thought she was a little too "loose" in her student interaction, so she was the perfect substitute to play Ms. Ashley's replacement, Ms. Garrett, Ms. G. And the majority of the boys' tongues were hanging out, given the way she had come dressed for her first day. Immediately I...Alex and Roy...didn't trust her, wondering what was going to happen!
...The friends sat in silence, the beer having mellowed them, adding to their already dark,
emotional natures. They needed no words between them to understand the feelings
of the other.
They watched roy's favorite video on YouTube. It was these three church boys singing a song called "Ears in Heaven" that roy had found on the Internet right after his mother died, and that he'd
shared with Alex shortly after they'd met. The blond singer named Patrick had a really high voice that Alex thought angels must sound like, and the song made him wonder if his parents and
Roy's mom might know each other in heaven.
That video, while not really an emo song, had cemented the friendship between Alex and Roy
because both teared up every time they watched it. Roy always joked that Patrick looked like
Alex, but Alex only wished he were that good looking.
They watched the video twice, thinking of their parents and Ms. Ashley. Father Pat always told Alex
that he would see his parents again someday, but he wasn't sure he believed that. He even wondered if Patrick believed the words he sang so beautifully, or if they were just words to him. And he couldn't help noticing Roy stare fixedly at the young boy on screen, as though remembering something else besides his mother. But he refused to spin Roy any more. It was wrong, and he had to control it.
The video ended and Roy pressed the pause button, glancing at Alex with a sad smile. Alex returned it. Yes, that song spoke to both of them in ways most other kids couldn't begin to understand...
~~~
Of course, when I love a book like this one, I want to keep on telling you all about the very cool stuff that is coming... You know, like, why have cats turned wild? Who is Ms. G and why is she acting as she is, especially with, later, Alex? Did she have something to do with Ms. Ashley's murder? And who is willing to pay $1M for Alex? Fortunately, the author has created a series of promotional memes and allowed me to share them!
The best thing, though, is that the friendship which has developed since Alex has spun the boys in one way or another, had forged so tightly that they are all willing to die for him...
Whew! I promise you're going to love this... Well, maybe not everybody if you're not into good versus evil, especially when the evil seems to be winning! But one final surprise is to come, which may totally change the dynamic of this thrilling group of teens...Can't wait to find out in the next book...HOW!
OK, if any of this sounds weirdly wonderful...then I have to tell you it is a Must Read... Of course, all the really good stuff can't be discussed at this point, but some very sick action will be taking place! And, yes, I learned to use "sick" in this book in place of my normal coooolllll!
Get It!
GABixlerReviews
Free thinkers don't charge
for advice...
His horror screenplay, "Healer," was a Semi-Finalist, and his urban fantasy script, "Like A Hero," was a Finalist in the Shriekfest Film Festival and Screenplay Competition.
He grew up in San Rafael, California, and majored in English and Theatre at Santa Clara University. He went on to earn a master's in film production from Loyola Marymount University, a teaching credential in English from LMU, and another master's in Special Education from Cal State University Dominguez Hills.
He partnered with two friends as producer, writer, and/or director on several ultra-low-budget horror films, including "Fatal Images," "Club Dead," and "Things II," the reviews of which are much more fun than the actual movies.
He taught high school in Hawthorne, California for twenty-five years, both in general education and to students with learning disabilities, in subjects ranging from English and Strength Training to Algebra, Biology, and Yearbook.
He has also been a volunteer Big Brother to eight different boys with the Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters program and a thirty-year volunteer within the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles.
He has been honored as Probation Volunteer of the Year, YMCA Volunteer of the Year, California Big Brother of the Year, and 2000 National Big Brother of the Year. The "National" honor allowed him and three of his Little Brothers to visit the White House and meet the president in the Oval Office.
He has a YA horror/mystery novel entitled "Spinner" releasing in June, 2015, and is currently working on the sequel.
His goal as a YA author is for teens to experience empowerment and hope; to see themselves in his diverse characters; to read about kids who face real-life challenges; and to see how kids like them can remain decent people in an indecent world.
You can find him at:
www.michaeljbowler.com
FB: michaeljbowlerauthor
Twitter: BradleyWallaceM
Blog: www.sirlancesays.wordpress.com
tumblr: http://michaeljbowler.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/michaelbowler/pins/
Instagram: StuntShark
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