My friend Mikey is a fabulous illustrator and author. He's celebrating the release of his brand new middle grade novel, "The Dream Keeper", and it sounds AMAZING. I can't wait to read it!
Oz, Wonderland, and Dreams
I have always been interested in hidden worlds. Ever since I was little
I used to believe that the gateways to these worlds were closer than we
thought. One day while exploring the woods that surrounded our farm in Missouri
I found the remains of an ancient house that had been blown away in a tornado.
The only thing left was a bit of the foundation and a set of stone steps leading
to an invisible door. I often imagined as I stood there that if I just took one
step forward I’d find myself in a dreamland. A place where magic existed and
adventure called.
It wasn’t hard for me to believe in the magic of Oz because I had seen
Dorothy’s house. On occasion I had found numerous rabbit holes leading to
wonderlands. I believed the woods were magic—and they were. Even today I find a
lot of my inspiration from the mysteries hidden there.
I wanted to write something based off the classics I had loved as a
child. What if Oz and Wonderland were the same place? They were both dreamlands
after all. I also wanted a world that wasn’t limited to just a few people to
enter—I wanted everyone to visit it. The ideas planted as a child carried on
and became the inspiration for my book. I had found the way into a hidden
world. It isn’t Oz, or Wonderland, it’s Dreams.
I am excited to announce the release of my middle-grade fantasy THE
DREAM KEEPER. It is an action-packed adventure with a toe in both the real
world and the fantastic. When an evil shifter
takes over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, it falls to 14-year-olds Parker
and Kaelyn to stop him. Their only hope lies with Gladamyr, the Dream Keeper,
but can they trust a Nightmare to save their world?
I encourage you to go check it out. “Dreams: Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland,
but Nightmares call it HOME.”
SYNOPSIS:
Loser—the
most frightening word to ever be uttered in junior high school. Even the
coolest kids are afraid of being associated with it. 14-year-old Parker Bennett
is no exception. He can’t even be himself around his friends for fear they
might not accept who he really is. When circumstances force him to team up with
Kaelyn Clarke, the biggest loser in the ninth grade, Parker has to decide what
is more important; protecting his social status or saving the world. Nightmare
named Fyren has taken over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, with the
intention of controlling mortals, and it falls on Parker, Kaelyn, and Gladamyr
– the Dream Keeper – to stop him. They learn being called a loser is no longer
a fear, when compared to the terror of real nightmares.
EXCERPT FROM BOOK:
Parker was about to assassinate the general of the goblin army. It
wasn’t murder, it was an assignment. He tried to justify what he was about to
do as he jumped from the rooftop and landed just above the battlement wall. It
was the perfect spot to scout the camp. The goblins filling the keep were
everywhere, sharpening blades and axes or gathering weapons for the impending
battle. Parker noticed a large troll in the right hand corner of the space
below, hammering solidly on a sword large enough to split three men into six.
He spotted his target.
The general of the goblin army was a large brute with
golden braids hanging down his chest. He was the one who had ordered the
burning of Parker’s home village. The one who had ordered the death of Parker’s
family and friends. This monster, this villain, was the reason Parker had set
out on his journey to seek vengeance upon the unjust. This was the creature responsible
for Parker swearing allegiance to the Mightercore army, who quickly gave him
the role of assassin-scout.
Parker maneuvered his way down the wall, careful not to
move too fast or his invisibility cloak would lose its power. He placed his
foot in one crevice, then his hand in another. After a few moments of skilled
climbing, Parker found himself precariously positioned just behind the golden
haired brute, leaving only a small distance between him and his foe. In a quick
session tactic, Parker could ignite his blade with the magic of the Mightercore
and his target would be no more. He positioned himself to strike, raising his
sword and whispering the incantation that would release the blade’s power—.
“Parker.”
He ignored whoever was calling his name; they did not
matter. All he saw was the villain before him. The completed spell ignited
Parker’s sword with a blazing haze of blue fire, and he had to act fast.
“Parker!”
The loud call startled him and he swung too late. The
goblin general had already turned and he struck, forcing Parker back against
the rocky battlements. Parker parried the attack and thrust forward with a low
slash. The general sidestepped and lunged forward again. Parker parried and
rolled away from the wall. A lightning spell was the only magic he had left. If
he could find enough time to call out the incantation, he could have the
general radiating electrons from every appendage.
He rolled until he was a good ten feet from his opponent,
then quickly stood. Lifting his hand into the air, he called down the
lightning. The sky filled with a brilliant white light, and the crack of
thunder reverberated off the walls. Parker briefly closed his eyes then opened
them, praying he had hit his target. As the white dust began to clear, he made
out an image before him. He peered at it, his heart thumping.
The screen went black.
“Parker, I’ve called you three times. Now get off that
machine and go do your homework.”
BOOK LINKS:
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1939993032
Paperback Create Space: https://www.createspace.com/4260677
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115262781?ean=9781939993014
About Mikey
Mikey Brooks is a small child masquerading as adult. On occasion you’ll
find him dancing the funky chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to
have never grown up. He is the author/illustrator of several books including BEAN’S DRAGONS, the ABC ADVENTURES series, and author of the middle-grade
fantasy-adventure novel, THE DREAM KEEPER. He spends most of his time playing with his
daughters and working as a freelance illustrator. Mikey has a BS degree in
Creative Writing from Utah State University. He is also one of the hosts of the
Authors’
Think Tank Podcast.
EMAIL:
AUTHOR LINKS:
Website: http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/
Amazon
Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Mikey-Brooks/e/B00B8ICZ4W
WattPad:
http://wattpad.com/MikeyBrooks
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