Showing posts with label The Dragon of Lake Superior. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Dragon of Lake Superior. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
The First Batch Is in the House!
Saturday, July 13, 2019
It's Here! Michigan: The Dragon of Lake Superior
On a hike along the shores of Lake Superior, thirteen-year-old Anna Hendrix sees a huge creature rise from the waters, and — to her horror — sink a tour boat. Soon afterward, Jeff Grigg, also thirteen, encounters a similar but smaller creature in the woods around his parents' vacation house.
Unable to resist investigating, both Anna and Jeff venture into the nearby forests. They meet each other at a huge waterfall, where they discover a hidden cave. Inside it, they find a cave painting of a creature that resembles the ones they have seen. Suddenly, in a bizarre twist of time and space, the youngsters are transported to strange, unknown land, vastly different from the Michigan they know. Here, they meet a mysterious but friendly young man who calls himself Skyhawk. He claims to be a member of a civilization that can only be reached by way of the cave.
In this bizarre land, huge monsters roam freely. Skyhawk and his people worship the beasts as gods. But while the people of this land appear welcoming, Anna and Jeff discover they hide a deadly secret. And the two youngsters realize they must somehow find their way back home before the passage between the two worlds closes forever.
#
Each Ameri-Scares novel is based on or inspired by an historical event, folktale, legend, of myth unique to that particular state.
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Follow That Dragon!
So here's the cover of Ameri-Scares Michigan: The Dragon of Lake Superior. There may be an adjustment or two to the colors, but this is pretty much what she's going to look like. Crossroad Press has not announced an official release date yet, but it won't be too long. I will, of course, post updates and any new information as it comes. In the meantime, here's a little something to whet your appetite.
#
On a hike along the shores of Lake Superior, thirteen-year-old Anna Hendrix sees a huge creature rise from the waters and—to her horror—sink a tour boat. Soon afterward, Jeff Griggs, also thirteen, encounters a similar but smaller creature in the woods around his parents' vacation house.
Unable to resist investigating, both Anna and Jeff venture into the nearby forests. They meet each other at a huge waterfall, where they discover a partially hidden cave. Inside it, to their surprise, they find a cave painting of a creature that resembles the ones they have seen. Suddenly, in a bizarre twist of time and space, the youngsters are transported to strange, unknown land, vastly different from the Michigan they know. Here, they meet a strange but friendly young man who calls himself Skyhawk. He claims to be a member of a civilization that can only be reached by way of the cave.
In this strange land, huge monsters roam freely. Skyhawk and his people worship the beasts as gods. But while the people of this land appear friendly, Anna and Jeff discover they hide a deadly secret. And the two youngsters realize they must somehow find their way back home before the passage between the two worlds closes forever.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
The Dragon of Lake Superior
You may read a few excerpts from the novel here:
Excerpt #1 from Michigan: The Dragon of Lake Superior (January 3, 2019)
Excerpt #2 from Michigan: The Dragon of Lake Superior (February 19, 2019)
Excerpt #3 from Michigan: The Dragon of Lake Superior (April 13, 2019)
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Excerpt #3 from Michigan: The Dragon of Lake Superior
#
Jeff started forward but then froze. From off to his right came an earth-shaking thump and a deafening crash. The nearby trees swayed, and leaves rained down on his head. In the black spaces amid the nearby trees, a pair of huge silver orbs appeared. They moved toward him at frightening speed. He realized now he had only seconds to live!The bright eyes blazed like molten metal as they approached. He could now make out a scaly head like a crocodile’s, and a long, snakelike neck weaving toward him through the trees. The thing was huge, all right, but it was nothing like the massive beast he had seen earlier. This had to be one of the young ones.
The head slid up close to him, and he could feel hot breath escaping from its spread jaws. The head was the size of his folks’ living room coffee table, its eyes as big as dinner plates. He wanted to clench his eyes shut, but he could not turn his gaze away. The creature glared at him as if sizing him up. So far, it didn’t seem interested in attacking him.
“Nice Pressie,” he whispered. “Good little Pressie. You can go away now. Okay?”
The creature huffed, and its hot breath swept over him. So hot, Jeff thought, he wondered if these creatures could breathe fire. The head rose high into the tree branches, but the eyes kept glaring down at him.
“If you’re the one I hit on my bike,” he said, “I’m very sorry about that. It was an accident.”
A low, grating growl vibrated from its throat.
“I’m sorry,” Jeff said. This had to be the end. It was going to kill him now. “I’m really sorry.”
The head lowered again, and the growling continued. The eyes remained locked on his. This time, the thing nudged him with its scaly snout. Not hard, but it nearly set him off balance. His heart was pounding so hard he could barely hear anything else.
Then he realized: the creature wasn’t actually growling.
It was more like purring.
Did that mean it didn’t intend to harm him?
Or was it just happy because it was about to eat him?
#
The novel is in copy-edit stage, and will be available from Crossroad Press within the next few months.
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Excerpt #2 from Michigan: The Dragon of Lake Superior
Jeff looked out at the vast, crater-like gorge. To his surprise, he noticed a movement off to his left. There! A figure moving among the boulders. He realized it was a girl—at least, he thought so, judging by the long, flowing black hair. Her back was to him as she crept toward the path that led to the top of the gorge.
“Hey! You!” he called out.
For a second, she paused but did not turn around. Then she started moving again.
“Wait up, all right? I want to talk to you!”
This time she stopped. Slowly, she turned and gazed at him.
Wow, he thought. She must be a Native American. She had copper-colored skin, high cheekbones, and wide, very dark eyes. She wore blue jeans and a gray, long-sleeved T-shirt. From here, she looked pretty tall. He made his way along the rocky floor of the gorge toward her. She watched him with suspicious eyes. He raised a hand and smiled, hoping she would understand his intentions were friendly.
“Hi,” he said as he came up to her. She was taller than he—by a couple of inches—and she looked strong and muscular. Probably strong enough to pop him a good one if the mood took her. “I’m Jeff. I was just exploring back there.”
She raised one eyebrow but said nothing.
He pointed to the roaring cascade. “Exploring. Cave. Behind waterfall.”
“I heard you the first time,” she said. Suspicion still gleamed in her dark eyes. “You’re not a Yooper, are you.” It wasn’t a question.
“No, I’m from Midland. I’m on vacation here with my parents. So I guess you are a Yooper.”
“Oh, yah.”
“Have you been to this waterfall before?”
“Yah, a good many times.”
”I didn't even know it existed till now.”
“Then what are you doing here?”
“I rode out on my bike this morning, headed down Miner's Castle Road, and I just sort of ended up here.”
“Odd place to just ‘end up.’”
“Speaking of odd—there’s something very weird about that cave. When you go only a little ways inside, it gets quiet—like you’re suddenly far, far away.” Trying to explain seemed awkward. He motioned to her. “It’s easier if I show you. Come with me, how about?”
She hesitated, once again eyeing him with suspicion.
“Hey, it’s not like I’m a serial killer or anything.”
She finally offered him a faint smile. “I know you aren’t. How do you know I’m not?”
Her question took him by surprise. For a second, he could find no words.
She must have found his expression amusing because she laughed. “Now I know you’re not dangerous,” she said. “A little goofy, maybe.”
“Well, thanks a lot,” he said, embarrassed. “What’s your name, anyway?”
“Singing Bird of the Forest.”
“What? Really?”
“No.”
“Huh?”
She gave him a mocking smile. “It’s Anna. Anna Hendricks.”
She seemed to enjoy poking fun at him. He sighed. “I’m Jeff.”
“So you’ve told me.”
“I mean, I’m Jeff Grigg.”
He must sound completely stupid. Why had he become so nervous?
“So, you want to go to the cave and see what I mean?”
“Actually, I do.”
“Okay, then.” He started walking back toward the waterfall. A little of his confidence returned when she fell in behind him. “What about you? How come you’re out here all by yourself?”
“It was something—” She cut herself off. After a moment, she said, “I spend a lot of time by myself. Today, I just decided to come here.”
Jeff stopped and looked back at her. Her gaze shifted away from his.
She was not telling the truth.
#
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Excerpt #1 from Michigan: The Dragon of Lake Superior
#
Jeff sped down the rough road, standing on the bike's pedals as he barreled over roots and rocks. Some of the earthen mounds made ideal ramps for launching his bike—and himself—into the air. Each time, he made a perfect landing on the rear wheel and sped onward. The farther he rode, the denser the trees grew. Soon, the road narrowed, becoming little more than a rugged path through the woods.Ahead, he saw a large, dark mound in the middle of the path. It looked like the perfect jump ramp. He stood on the pedals and pumped them hard to pick up speed. The mound, he realized, appeared almost perfectly oval and rose at least three feet high. It was gray-black in color, with a texture like tree bark.
But it could not be a fallen tree, not shaped like that....
As he hit the mound, he pulled up on the handlebars to lift the front wheel. The bike flew into the air. But then, as if the mound had thrust itself upward, something hit his rear tire and threw him off balance. The bike lurched, and his feet left the pedals. The next thing he knew, the ground was hurtling toward him.
Thud!
He hit the dirt hard, and his breath exploded from his lungs. He saw his bike above him, falling toward him as if in slow motion. It crashed down right on top of him. The end of one handlebar slammed into his stomach. For the first time in his life, he knew what it meant to see stars.
He lay there for what seemed like an hour, struggling to breathe. Once the stars dimmed and his vision returned, he saw his bike lying a few feet away. It looked okay, he thought—until he saw the chain hanging loose from its sprockets.
“Oh, no,” he groaned. If the chain was broken, he had a long way to push his bike.
Taking care not to move too quickly, he sat up. With a sigh of disgust, he brushed the dirt from his arms and legs. When he glanced back the way he had come, every blood cell in his body turned to ice.
“That’s impossible.”
The mound that had caused him to wreck was gone.
Gone.
In its place, he saw a deep depression, roughly oval shaped, at least eight feet long and four feet wide.
“Impossible,” he whispered again.
#
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)