EL CENTRO, Calif., Dec. 9, 2009 — Any child or teen who has ever felt awkward or left out has probably fantasized about being a hero, complete with super powers — and maybe even a bike that can fly. Thinking back on his boyhood fantasies and his experiences of being an awkward teen trying to deal with the issues that come along with a new school and city motivated author Darren Simon to write “The Last Guardian and the Reject Bike: The Gateway Chronicles Book One” (published by iUniverse).
Chuck Smelton is a thirteen-year-old kid with real problems. He’s scared of the dark, he can’t hit a baseball to save his life, he’s struggling to adjust to his new school and he’s angry with his dad for moving the family to the city. Mix in the fact that the local bullies and even his teammates refer to him as “Chub” because he is rather pudgy — and you have a kid who is going through a rough patch. To make matters worse, his dad brings home a gift for Chuck one day, the ugliest hunk-of-junk bike, a true reject from the ’60s — the worst-looking bike Chuck has ever seen. That’s when strange things start to occur.
For one thing, the bike seems to be watching him. Then, it shows up unexpectedly at his school. And Chuck can’t touch it without feeling like lightning has shot through his body. Couple those experiences with some strange dreams about a giant knight with steam rising from his nostrils and a beautiful princess, and Chuck finds his life — really the entire world, for that matter — in danger unless he can find the hero within himself.
“‘The Last Guardian and the Reject Bike’ is the story of one boy’s dream of becoming a hero and how a gift of a hunk-of-junk bike gives him the chance to make that dream come true,” explains Simon, who teaches writing and composition at the Imperial Valley College and also writes for a local human interest magazine. “It has always been my dream to inspire young people to read by writing stories they would find fun, humorous and exciting — the kinds of stories I enjoyed as a child and still enjoy. This book is the first in an initial three-part series that will help me fulfill my dream.”
About the Author
First-time published author Darren Simon has always dreamed of writing children’s fiction to inspire young people to read. A newspaper journalist for 14 years, Simon has a Bachelors degree in journalism, a Masters in English, and currently enjoys writing for the Imperial Valley Women’s Magazine, a human interest magazine which features both men and women who have a positive impact in the region. A full time senior public affairs representative for the San Diego County Water Authority, Simon resides in southern California with his wife and two sons.
“The Last Guardian and the Reject Bike: The Gateway Chronicles Book One”
Available from: http://www.iUniverse.com, http://www.bn.com, and http://www.amazon.com.
September 2009 – 6 x 9 – 304 pages
Paperback – ISBN: 9781440155857 – $18.95
Dust Jacket Hardcover – ISBN: 9781440155888 – $28.95
iUniverse offers a variety of publishing services to help individuals publish, market and sell fiction, poetry and nonfiction books. The company utilizes print-on-demand technology, and is one of the largest self-publishing companies in the U.S. iUniverse is based in Bloomington, Indiana.
Contact: Jeannie Dunn
Personal Media Publicist
Phone: 402-532-7285
Fax: 1-866-634-8415
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