Jeremy Gentle fell flat on his face at therapy. That was normal since he had cerebral palsy. But his new superpower wasn’t normal. Then, things got weirder when his best friend Dan Elanga got a different superpower. But Dan was still blind.
Kayla Verdera and Aubrey Wilcosky, two girls in their middle-school special ed class, discovered they too had new superpowers. Kayla was mute and needed a walker. Aubrey lost two legs and used crutches. But they were as powerful as the boys. What should the four friends do?
Four disabled seventh graders with superpowers take a vacation at Coaster World. They need a break from fighting criminals. Ever since the beginning of the school year when they acquired their unusual abilities, they’ve been training and using those powers to fight crime in their town.
Little do they know, the arch-villain they recently defeated also loves coasters and is vacationing at Coaster World. Worse, the villain wants revenge. Nothing less than turning these teens to a life of crime will satisfy.
Can Jeremy, Dan, Kayla, and Aubrey withstand the villain’s attacks? Or will they become Super Villains?
You can only find out by listening to Villain’s Vacation.
The Secret Supers are bored out of their minds during summer vacation–until they go to Space Camp. They learn all about the space program, try out moon gravity and zero-g simulations, and practice docking with the International Space Station.
But that’s the easy part. The villains they defeated in the past are back with a diabolical plot that renders the middle schoolers’ superpowers ineffective.
Jeremy, Aubrey, Dan, and Kayla face the biggest challenge of their lives. Even if they escape the villains’ clutches, will they survive?
Summertime and the writing is easy – NOT! In this blog post, I’ll tell you about my writing struggles with Secret Supers in Space and what I’ll do about it.
Plus, I’ll give you some new reviews I’ve written and about my writing.
Plus, plus, I’ll give away some free books.
Let’s get started!
Summertime Book: Secret Supers in Space
This book continues the Secret Supers disabled superheroes series. It started with:
Now I’m working on the third novel in the series: Secret Supers in Space.
What’s it about?
What my next book is all about
Secret Supers in Space covers the Secret Supers trip to Space Camp – and beyond.
Here’s what Space Camp is like:
Space Camp video
Now we come to my first struggle: I have to learn all about Space Camp to write this book. It’s a real camp with a real agenda for real kids. I didn’t want to get anything wrong.
I have no trouble exaggerating or compressing facts but I want to faithfully give the space camp experience.
The problem is, I can research or I can write. I can’t do both. I must research before I write so I have the facts in mind.
Jeremy has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around. He is in a special education class with Dan, who is blind, Kayla, who was mute and used a walker, and Audrey, who lost her legs and uses crutches. One afternoon, when conducting experiments in his laboratory, Jeremy accidentally gives himself superpowers. Specifically, he gains the ability of telekinesis, which he can use to help himself walk, cause his wheelchair to travel at much higher speeds, and even fly.
Not wanting to keep this discovery to himself, Jeremy tells his 3 friends about it and gives each of them superpowers as well. But now that they have superpowers, what should they do? Following the words of Uncle Ben of Spiderman, they decide they must use their powers for good, beginning by trying to solve a case of a stolen car, and keep their identities a secret, modeling their costumes on the Incredibles.
This book was a fun story that placed individuals with disabilities front and center in the story. While the superpowers allow them to do things they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise, it is what they choose to do with their powers that makes all the difference. Also, even with their superpowers, their initial disabilities aren’t erased, which I think is important. I liked to development of the characters and how they interacted and supported each other; I only wish the book had been longer so I could have spent more time with them. I am glad that there’s a sequel already published, and I look forward to reading/listening to it.
As for the audiobook edition of this book, the narrator, Luke Castle, did a fair job. Some of the voices he chose for a few characters I did not care for, but that comes down to personal preference more than anything else. His pacing was good, and the energy he put into the narration was evident. Despite disliking a few of the voices, I would still listen to the sequel given the opportunity.
This was my first exposure to L.G. Estrella and I definitely want more! The author creates humorous and ironic juxtapositions of characters and roles: Timmy, the dread, dark necromancer, who’s reluctant to kill. Katie, the whiz-bang apprentice who’s 10 and cute as a button and hates being called a kid, and is protected by invisible ninja rats.
Then we meet the bureaucrat who’s 6′ 6″ (two meters) skinny, and loves paperwork. But he can magically retrieve any paperwork at any time. As well as other things.
Finally, there’s the woodland elf who’s a pyromaniac because her magical power is creating fire.
I assure you, you will enjoy this romp
“So what?” you ask. Reading, which I do a lot of, distracts me from writing. Another struggle.
What is Novel Writing Like? Since I’ve written seven of them and I’m busy writing an eighth, it’s high time for me to share my experience with you.
In case you’ve forgotten, here are four of my novels:
Enjoy all four novels in audiobook, paperback, or Kindle format! Click to get yours.
But the one I’m working on is the third one in my disabled superhero series:
Secret Supers cover. Click to get.
Villain’s Vacation cover. Click to get.
Villain’s Vacation ended on July 4th at a coaster park. What could I possibly do for a third novel? Go to summer camp. But what would make it more interesting? Make it a space camp. The Space Camp.
You’ve never heard of Space Camp? Watch the video.
That’s my first step for any novel. Have a premise, a theme. Here are three examples:
Zombie turkeys: the book writes itself.
My Undead Mother-in-law: what’s it like to have zombies in your family.
Paranormal Privateers: Zombie pirates.
What Is Novel Writing Like? My next step to writing a novel.
My next step is from many years ago: high school English 101: write an outline.
Here’s my outline format. I do this in Excel.
Secret Supers in Space outline
I plan out the whole novel, scene by scene. I’m pretty comfortable starting any book. I always introduce my characters. I don’t assume anyone knows anything. My goal is to make any novel readable without the previous novels.
Here’s the opening page:
“What are you doing, Jeremy?”
Startled, Jeremy looked up from his computer. His best friend, Dan Elanga, had slipped silently into their clubhouse, his laboratory, and office, in the basement of his home. His round, brown face smiled from behind him. Dan’s tall, wide frame formed a wall behind Jeremy’s chair. His dark glasses hid his blind eyes.
“I didn’t hear you come down the elevator.”
“I took the stairs. Your mom made cookies, so I came over. I could smell them from my house.”
“You mean, you could smell them from my mom’s thoughts?”
Startled, Jeremy looked up from his computer. His best friend, Dan Elanga, had slipped silently into their clubhouse, his laboratory, and office, in the basement of his home. His round, brown face smiled from behind him. Dan’s tall, wide frame formed a wall behind Jeremy’s chair. His dark glasses hid his blind eyes.
“I didn’t hear you come down the elevator.”
“I took the stairs. Your mom made cookies, so I came over. I could smell them from my house.”
“You mean, you could smell them from my mom’s thoughts?”
And your’s and your dad’s. You were all excited, so I couldn’t help myself from taking a sniff from your mom’s nose. I didn’t snoop any farther than that.”
“I know you respect everyone’s privacy with your mindreading power.”
“Except maybe yours. You did give me permission to read you anytime. But I haven’t read your mind about what you’re concentrating on. C’mon, tell your old friend Dan.”
“Don’t tell anyone. This is a secret. I want to surprise the Secret Supers.”
“Of course not. Now I’m dying to know!”
“I’m applying to Space Camp.”
“What’s Space Camp? I can hear the capital letters in your voice.”
“What’s Space Camp? It’s the greatest camp there is! We’re all bored out of our minds this August and we want to do something. Space Camp teaches you all about our space program. You learn about astronauts and rockets. You go on a centrifuge, and experience zero-G and moon gravity.
The first scene, the first page is most important. You must capture the reader’s interest or go home. I assumed most people didn’t know about space camp, so they’d be curious about it.
I also revealed the Secret Supers’ powers in the first chapter. That’s always fun. In case you don’t know:
Jeremy Erickson – Telekenesis
Dan Elanga – Mind reading
Kayla Verdera – Thought and sensory projection into other minds
Aubrey Wilcosky – Super Strength
What do I do next?
Write each scene. I try to get as clear of a picture of it as possible. That includes:
Location
Characters
Point of view character
Desired effect upon reader
The last is most important. You need a reason for the scene and something you’re going to accomplish. Try to always reveal more about the characters and more about the plot and the conflict. Increase tension and excitement.
You need this clarity so you can concentrate on the important features of the scene.
But there’s more.
What Is Novel Writing Like? What My Biggest Distraction?
My biggest distraction is also an essential part of the process.
It’s research. I don’t know everything I need to know. I knew very little about space camp. Before I could write, I had to learn a lot. I know more now. And as you learn, you must research more.
I learned about SpaceX, NASA, Cape Canaveral, and details about the ISS, the International Space Station.
Part of my research
We’re Not Done! Look out, Villains Ahead!
Jeremy is captured by a robot in Villain’s Vacation
I had so much fun creating and writing about my villains in Villain’s Vacation, I decided to use them again in Secret Supers in Space. They’re up to no good and they’re worse than ever.
