Bash and the Pirate Pig

The delightfully illustrated cover is enough to entice you to pick up the book.

Then there’s this great opening line:  “For stupid reasons that weren’t my fault, I was tried, convicted, and sentenced to a summer with my wacko cousin Bash on the Farm of Doom.”

Burton W. Cole’s middle-grade novel shows children the great big beautiful playground God has created for them outdoors, containing cousins, weird friends, and other living creatures. Through Bash and his “farmin’ and fishin’” book, Raymond (aka Beamer) builds, explores, and learns to care about much more than himself.

Both boys and girls ages 8 to 11 can relate to the characters and enjoy the fun of their antics. And as an adult, I was reminded that kids often labeled “mischievous” are merely adventurous. There’s goodness in those pranksters and stunt performers.

This is a book the whole family can appreciate, and it may nudge the kids out of their virtual worlds and into the real one. Find it on Amazon and in Christian bookstores, as well as in others.

Please take a look at what author Leigh DeLozier has to say about Bash and the Pirate Pig at Writing Stars.

I’m Keeping My Eye on the Prize

The prize being my debut novel published in 2014. By then, I hope Bird Face will have received some positive reviews. But I won’t be crushed by any negative ones, because I believe in this book; and some very talented editors selected by my publisher have helped make it as good as it is. When I hold a copy in my hand for the first time, I’ll know I have a story that will mean something to someone somewhere. What I hope is that it will mean something to a lot of someones. But even if it helps only one girl like Wendy or Alice or Tookie or Gayle (or consoles one adult reader who was like one of them),  the years of work I put into it were well spent.

Please don’t be afraid that it’s a sad story. It’s not. I promise you’ll laugh a lot, even if you’re the sensitive type, as I am. Here’s what readers can look forward to:

Almost-fourteen-year-old Wendy Robichaud doesn’t care one bit about being popular like her perfect-looking classmates Tookie and the Sticks—until Brainiac bully John-Monster schemes against her, and someone leaves anonymous sticky-note messages for her all over school. It would be great if they were from David, Wendy’s first crush, but nobody’s talking. Even her best friend, Jennifer, is hiding something.

At the end of eighth grade, Wendy doesn’t have much time to play detective. She juggles divorced parents, cares for abandoned puppies, and tries out for the high school track team. When she grabs her big chance to prove her artistic talent in the Spring Program, John-Monster ramps up his efforts to spoil her dreams, and Jennifer only makes matters worse.

As Wendy uncovers secrets about everyone around her, will Jennifer still be there to support her, or will Wendy face the summer alone?

Using humor and offering hope, this story for ages 10 to 14 (grades 5-8) delicately addresses serious issues of bullying, eating disorders, and teen suicide.

I’m holding off writing a sequel to Bird Face, which takes place during Wendy’s first year of high school, because I’m eager to find out which of the characters YOU, the readers, would like to see featured in the next book of a series. More about this later…

Favorite Opening Lines plus a chance to win Lauren Oliver’s Delirium!