Look What I've Got!

This just arrived yesterday. Sometimes I have to go to the PO for a parcel, but the postie who delivered it had carefully placed it under the doormat as he/she has done with others before, bless them! I think it's sweet, though I doubt my neighbour Peter would touch anything of mine, although he IS a book lover with whom I stop to chat about SF/F. ;-)

This came from a publisher with whom I've dealt in the past, though not recently. Always nice, anyway! 

It is a YA thriller and written, I gather, by the author of Thirteen, a book I believe we have in my school's library. The name, Tom Hoyle, is a pseudonym for a school headmaster who presumably doesn't want it to be known that he does this stuff. That's a pity. I can assure the gentleman that his kids would be terribly proud to know that the author of those exciting books they have been reading is working right at their very school. Maybe it's some exclusive private school where this sort of thing isn't approved of by the administration. 

Or maybe he just wants his privacy. I can relate to that. It's one reason why I have never lived close to the schools where I work. But my own students know about my writing. They read it and love it and once there were a couple of girls who offered to distribute fliers! I said no, but it was delightful that they wanted to help. Another student showed me her copy of Girlfriend which had a review of my novel. 

Ah, well, up to him, I guess. I've begun reading it and so far the language seems to be readable and easy enough, no long words or sentences. I always think of reluctant readers. This is one advantage of a teacher writing a book - they know what kids will enjoy and they know how to tell a story in a way that even those who aren't top readers can handle. 

There will be a review here as soon as I finish. Stand by.