I told my mother - age, 80 plus - about all the books I read while away and she asked, "Have you read any more books about that boy who starts a detective business?" Um? I honestly could not remember the series she was referring to. It had to be a book I lent to her but...
Then she added, "His parents were in the theater. And he called himself something like a solver."
Bing! YES! Mister Max by Cynthia Voigt. And, no, I had not read the second book in the series. But, now I have!!! I am so lucky my mother has a good memory.
Mister Max : The Book of Secrets continues the story of Max Starling, or Mister Max, Solutioneer. The problems Max must solve range from a schoolboy's concerns about the boy's father, to the mayor's problems with arson in the Old City. There is a possible romance, a coded letter from Max's missing parents, and some spatting with his self-proclaimed assistant, Pia Bendiff.
Max's grandmother has some secrets of her own that Max has to unravel as well.
Voigt travels into dangerous territory here, as in, Max finds himself in peril, tied up and blindfolded. And, the coded letter makes his parents' plight all too real. Max and his grandmother have to do something to bring Max's parents home.
Max is an astonishingly perspicacious 12-year-old. He is able to phrase questions and offer solutions in the most convincing and subtle ways. When it comes to his personal life and the people closest to him, he does not see things that clearly. Whew! I was afraid he was going to be a super-teen. I enjoy his stubborn streak and I want to shake him all at the same time. His insistence on being independent, even though he found the money his father hid in their house, is a little maddening. He's lucky his grandmother is so understanding!
I think I will pre-order
Mister Max : The Book of Kings so my mother doesn't have to remind me of the books I want to read.
Mister Max : The book of lost things by Cynthia Voigt was excellent. I loaned it to my mother:
Mother: I am just calling to tell you that I can't put this book down.
Me: Good. What do you think of the librarian grandmother?
Mother: I can't talk right now. I have to finish the book. But thank you for lending it to me.
I am now reading Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. It is hard for me. But I am a grandmother who is not all that into cars, explosions and hit men. Also, a little fantasy-weary right now.
HOWSOMEVER!!! if you are into hot cars, kissing dilemmas, explosions, and creepy-not-entirely-unsympathetic-hit-men types, also tortured young men and sassy know-it-all teen girls, AND a huge magical mystery, you will gobble this book up. Even I, jaded as I am, can see that.
Enough about me. What are you reading?
On Wednesday, I headed off to a meeting with the Summer Staff from PCL, my former hangout. One of these staff people is my successor; two are teen volunteers I have known and loved - and trained - for years; one is my trusty sidekick who is now my successor's trusty sidekick - and the only person there who wasn't at least 30 years younger than I am!!!! Guess which one got sick and couldn't show up. I miss you, Trusty Sidekick.
There is a certain joy only attained when you spend time with people who ALSO read books, lots and lots and LOTS of books, and who ALSO enjoy talking about books. It's like a reunion of the tribe. The BooksRockians together again. So awesome! (Even if they ARE all 30 + years younger than I am.)
But to make this outing even more awesome, I found an ARC of Cynthia Voigt's Mister Max : The Book of Lost Things on the doorstep as I raced out the door. Ooh baby, and no, kind successor, the book is NOT for you.
I started the book and I can foresee trouble at the start. Max's parents are
actors - trouble right there. Max's parents have been offered a job working for a Maharajah in far-off India - nonononono! Don't take that job. At first, Max is not included in this offer. Now, that was the most ominous of the conditions of the job - because the book is about Max. It says so in the title. So, if Max is not invited, then something is amiss. So far, that something has not happened. But it will!! And it will probably involve things that have been mislaid - such as ...children? elephants? bicycles? Stay tuned.
Or buy the book yourself. It's in bookstores on September 10th.
Mister and Missus lived on a farm that they owned,but they wanted a dog, a dog that could watch the farm and help with the chores.So they decided they will get one in the spring.They wanted a Boarder Collie Mongrel,once spring came they got two Boarder Collie puppies a big strong black one, Angus, and a little brown sorrow one, Sadie. Angus grows up to be strong,clever,and brave.Sadie grows up to be well...Sadie isn't a fast learner and she doesn't obey that well either...she might need some work.
What I like about this story is that I love big friendly dogs and I like this book because all this book is about is two sweet dogs who grow up on a farm and this book is about their adventures on the farm.What I don't like about this book is that Mister and Missus aren't that smart.Like when they chose half boarder collie half mongrel,mongrels are mutts so they would have to get a boarder collie or just a boarder collie half some other dogs they wanted.And when Missus sells vegetables Sadie is with her,even though she has to tell everyone she doesn't like people or kids,I would put the dog in the house,not have kids coming up and wanting really badly to pet the dog!The people in here are just really weird...
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It's nearly impossible to support yourself as a writer. Sometimes it helps to explore unexpected sources for inspiration. Like the movies!
Earlier today, I discovered Peter David, the writer who translated the Spiderman, Spiderman 2, and Spiderman 3 screenplays into paperback novels. I really admire and envy writers like David--he turned his passion for Star Trek and comic books into a sustainable career.
Before you go check out Spiderman 3 at the theaters, go check out David's work at Amazon.com.
If you are interested in exploring the novelization business, I interviewed Christa Faust last year about her work on the novelization of the cult film Snakes on a Plane. She gave us some fantastic advice about how to make a living and explore your favorite stories at the same time. Check it out:
"I came into writing novelizations the same way I came into everything I’ve ever done as a writer; through a series of happy accidents... More than one writer I knew had been contacted by former editor Jay Slater from Black Flame (the publisher who was doing tie-in and novelization projects related to New Line properties like Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and Final Destination.)"
