Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Ernie Haase & Signature Sound came to our church, First Evangelical Free Church in Rockford, IL for their Christmas concert earlier in December. If you get a chance to see them in the future, I highly recommend them!

Video on Publishers Weekly Blog

When the Lights Go Out video is on a  Publishers Weekly Blog! Scroll to the bottom of the link at:

http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/beyondherbook/

 

Did Your Child Receive a Kindle or Nook for Christmas?

If your child received a Kindle or Nook this Christmas, and you're looking for e-books you can trust, please find the following titles, written from a Christian perspective, from author Max Elliot Anderson. These mysteries and adventures are written especially for young readers 8 – 13.

KINDLE

- Lost Island Smugglers
- North Woods Poachers
- When The Lights Go Out
- Barney And The Runaway
- Newspaper Caper
Link -
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/182-9647255-0106915?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=max+elliot+anderson&x=12&y=16

NOOK

- When The Lights Go Out
- Newspaper Caper
- North Woods Poachers
- Lost Island Smugglers
Link -
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/max-elliot-anderson?keyword=max+elliot+anderson&store=ebook

A Preview Of The 1st Chapter from Lost Island Smugglers & Captain Jack's Treasure

Now you can sample the first chapter from Lost Island Smugglers
and
Captain Jack's Treasure.

Follow this link: http://portyonderpress.com/MaxElliotAnderson.aspx


The make great gifts for young readers.
Video - Lost Island Smugglers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUTyzOwEJLg&feature

Video - Captain Jack's Treasure http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khOJMw-faws&feature  


Subscribe to this blog by going to the bottom of the current pages. Under Subscribe To Books for Boys, there is a pull down menu with several options.

Give A Gift Of Reading This Christmas

Subscribe to this blog by going to the bottom of the current pages. Under Subscribe To Books for Boys, there is a pull down menu with several options.

This year, why not give a gift of reading to your children or grandchildren who are ages 8 - 13? Mysteries & adventures that teach great life's lessons by Max Elliot Anderson

Barney and the Runaway 0984559841

North Woods Poachers 1936695057

Newspaper Caper 193669526X

When the Lights go Out 1936695472

Captain Jack's Treasure 1935600141

Lost Island Smugglers  1935600028

Book trailer videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/Maxbooks100#p/u

Merry Christmas!

Books for kids...you can trust.

Nearly 60 pages of reviews - http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

A true Christmas story for kids about giving

A true story to download and read to your children this Christmas.
It never fails. Each Christmas, kids can hardly wait until it's time to open presents. Well, this story is something I'd encourage families to read around the tree this year, before the wrapping paper is ripped off of the packages at your house. It's a true story that happened when I was around seven or eight years old. The story is published at this link: http://www.christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/middle_anderson.html

I hope you enjoy it.

Max

Give Adventure Books To Kids This Christmas

Make sure to sign up to follow this blog.

For Christmas this year, you have lots of choices for gifts to give to your children or grandchildren. I hope you'll consider one or more of my adventures & mysteries for readers 8 - 13. Parents, teachers, grandparents and others report that children have a difficult time puting these exciting books down.

Available Now

Lost Island Smugglers - Sam Cooper had just moved to Harper's Inlet when he met Tony. Tony's father owned a marina. Sam, Tony, and Tyler took scuba lessons together. Tony got them in for free. After they completed the course, the boys decided to try out their new skills in the real world...the ocean. The only problem was, no one had permission. While Tony's father was away on a buying trip, the boys took one of the rental sailboats out for their diving adventure. Everything went well until the biggest storm Tony had ever seen blew up from out of nowhere, and the boys found themselves stranded on Lost Island. But, if they thought the worst had happened, they were wrong. The boys discovered a secret hideout that was used by men in high powered speedboats. Sam and his friends knew the men were up to something, only they didn't know what. They had to find a way to stop them, but how? And, even if they did, the boys could never tell anyone about it. Join Sam Cooper, Tony, and Tyler on their scary scuba, ocean, island adventure. 1935600028

Captain Jack's Treasure - Sam Cooper lives right near the ocean, on the Treasure Coast of Florida. All he's heard about since he moved here are the fabulous treasures that have been found, and those still waiting to be discovered. Sam, Tony, and Tyler are convinced that they will be the ones to dig up the next great find. They meet a crusty sea captain named Jack who's fixing up an impossible looking old tub. What is Captain Jack's mysterious secret? And what is he really planning to do with that boat? This is the second book in the Sam Cooper Adventures. 1935600141


Barney And The Runaway - Mike didn't like the way his parents were always telling him what to do. Along with his dog, Barney, he decides to pretend to run away for a few hours. The plan gets complicated when Mike and Barney hide in a railroad boxcar, fall asleep, and end up in Georgia with a circus in the middle of the night. After his experiences away from home, Mike learns the importance of family, that discipline = love, and that you don't appreciate what you have until its gone. 0984559841

North Woods Poachers - The Washburn families have been coming to the same cabins, on the same lake, catching the same fish, for about as long as Andy can remember. And, he's sick of it. This summer would be different he decided. Only he never imagined how different. In the end, Andy learns the concepts of family tradition and the importance of justice. 1936695057

Newspaper Caper - Tom Stevens was a super salesman. He and his friends delivered newspapers early every morning. Along their route, the boys often saw some pretty strange things. Then one day, they actually became the story in the papers they delivered.

Early in the morning, while it was still dark, the three boys stumbled across some suspicious activity. A tow truck begins to hook up an expensive car in someone's driveway along their paper route, but when the tow truck driver sees the boys, he drives off leaving the car behind. Tom reads in the paper the next morning about a string of car thefts around the area. He begins to see a connection between a local car repair shop and the thefts.
The boys' adventures begin as they take matters into their own hands and investigate the car thefts. They befriend an elderly widow whose car was stolen, and encounter vicious guard dogs and the thieves themselves at the chop-shop. But it's Tom who proves to be the one who carries this mystery to its dangerous conclusion. Will his investigating skills be enough to help him solve the crimes?
193669526X


When The Lights Go Out - Peyton Aldrich's father is an Army colonel, who specializes in Army intelligence. His work is always top secret, which means he can't even discuss it with his own son. Nevertheless, Peyton idolized his father, who believes that after what happened on 9/11, somebody had to help keep the country safe.

Now, Peyton, along with his family, find themselves stationed at a new army base, in the middle of nowhere. After his arrival, Peyton finds two friends, Gill and Dave. Together they decide to train like Rangers, and search for some kind of mission to accomplish on their own. Little did they know that a mission was about to put the boys right in the crosshairs of a dangerous terrorist plot, when a secret weapon would be delivered to the base on its way across the country.
Will the terrorists find out who is trying to expose their evil plan? Will the boys be able to stop them? And what will happen to Peyton's father when the general finds out what the boys did? 1936695472

Terror At Wolf Lake - Coming in late January, 2012.

Legend Of The White Wolf - Coming February 1, 2012

River Rampage - Coming soon. Book #3 in the Sam Cooper Adventure Series.

How To Get Your Books / US & Canada Only

You can order these books at your favorite bookstore.

They are available online from most sources.

You can also order directly from the author and have your books signed by sending a check for $10 for each title, and add a flat fee of $3 for shipping / handling, no matter the quantity of books you order.

Mail to:

Max Elliot Anderson
PO Box 4126
Rockford, IL 61110

Use Your Credit Card

If you'd like to use your credit card, we recommend the following.



Send 2 emails to mander8813@aol.com  


Email # 1


. List the books you are ordering and the name(s) they are to be signed to.


. Include the first half of your credit card number


. Include the expiration date


. Include the mailing address and zip code where you receive your credit card bills. Books will be shipped to this address.


. Include your phone number


Email # 2


. Include the second half of your credit card number


. List the CVV number – What’s a CVV number? http://www.cvvnumber.com  




Some of these books are also available for your Kindle and Nook

Finally - We also have a few copies of
- Big Rig Rustlers
- Mountain Cabin Mystery

It Could Have Been SO Much Worse

After the service at Moody Church, we had a wonderful after thanksgiving dinner in Chicago yesterday with our son, his wife, and extended family. Finally, it was time to return to Rockford for my wife, our daughter, and son-in-law. We drove my wife's car because it's better on gas. At around 7:30 PM, on I- 90, I noticed two trucks up ahead on the side of the road. As I signaled and moved away to the next lane, suddenly, with no warning, an entire re-tread from an 18 wheeler lay in the center of my lane.
I've heard many horror stories of people who swerved to avoid a collision like that, resulting in death or serious injuries, and with only about 2 seconds anyway, I chose to take it head on. What a sickening sound. The front of the car rose up, and the huge chunk of rubber rolled under the car and out the back.
Right away we smelled smoke, the fan belt came off, and the temp gauge shot up. But rather than to stop, and since we were so close to our daughter's house in Rockford, we kept driving and made it there.


Later this morning, before the tow truck arrived, I went over and took a few pictures. The damage was a lot less than I thought when we'd looked at it in the dark the night before. So we have another big thing to be thankful for. Then I just got a call with the estimate, and that part won't be as painful as it could have been either.

Christmas Campfire Companion

Note From the Publisher: I've given this collection a PG or PG13 rating for some of the "cowboy language. "




My friend, and agent, Terry Burns, assembled an excellent group of writers, and Port Yonder Press has produced a great new book I wanted you to know about.

Christmas Campfire Companion

"Fourteen of America's top western writers publishing today have contributed delightful Christmas stories to this collection, fourteen saddle-hardened writers who reached down to give a glimpse of their sensitive side. Each story is a gift, and each a take on Christmas . . . a western Christmas. I'm honored to have a small part in it." Terry Burns



Livia Reasoner (Livia J. Washburn) has been writing award-winning, critically acclaimed Western, mystery, romance, and historical novels for more than twenty-five years.


Troy D. Smith has published eight books and more than fifty short stories and magazine articles and was a 2001 winner of the Spur Award, the western writer's equivalent of the academy award.


Frank Roderus is a well-published author of over 300 books, twice received the most prestigious award
a western writer can receive, the Spur Award.


Tim Champlin (pseudonym of John Michael Champlin) is the author of 30 historical novels over the past 30 years as well as 35 short stories and non-fiction articles.


Larry D. Sweazy won the WWA Spur award for Best Short Fiction in 2005, and was nominated for a Derringer award in 2007 and has published over 50 non-fiction articles and short stories.

Robert Vaughan sold his first book when he was 19 years old, and, under his own name and several pseudonyms, he has sold more than 400 books, including approximately 200 Westerns. He has hit the NY Times, Publishers’ Weekly, and USA Today bestseller lists numerous times, and is the recipient of the Spur Award (SURVIVAL, writing as K.C. McKenna).


Douglas Hirt won the Colorado Authors’ League Top Hand Award. His 1998 book, BRANDISH, and 1999 DEADWOOD, were finalists for the SPUR award given by the Western Writers of America.He is short story writer, and the author of thirty-two novels and one book of nonfiction.


Dusty Richards is the author of a hundred western novels under his name and pseudonyms. He’s won two Spur Awards, one for a novel called “The Horse Creek Incident” and the other a short story on Amazon.com, “The Comanche Moon.” He also received the Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center’s Wrangler award for his book, “The Sundown Chaser.”


Kerry Newcomb was born in Connecticut but had the good fortune to be raised in Texas. Newcomb is a New York Times bestselling author with over forty novels to his credit. He has been published in several countries.


Matthew P. Mayo’s short stories appear in a variety of anthologies, and have been finalists in both Western Writers of America Spur Awards and Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Awards. He also contributes to several popular series of Western and adventure novels and has a number of non-fiction books.


Robert J. Randisi is the author of more than 540 books in the Western, Private Eye, Men’s Adventure, and Horror genres under a number of pen names. As J.R. Roberts he is the creator and author of the long running series “The Gunsmith.” He also wrote and created the Tracker, Angel Eyes, Bounty Hunter, Mountain Jack Pike.


Rod Miller is author of Things a Cowboy Sees and Other Poems, published by Port Yonder Press. Other recent work includes a historical novel, The Assassination of Governor Boggs as besides poetry and fiction, he writes nonfiction, magazine articles, book reviews, and essays.


James Reasoner has been a professional writer for more than thirty years. In that time, he has authored several hundred novels and short stories in numerous genres. Best known for his Westerns, historical novels, and war novels, he is also the author of two mystery novels that have achieved cult followings, TEXAS WIND and DUST DEVILS. Writing under his own name and various pseudonyms, his novels have garnered praise from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and the Los Angeles Times, as well as appearing on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.


"They even allowed me to hang out with them in this collection:"


Terry Burns writes Christian fiction with a western theme and has over 40 books in print, including 10 novels. He has a two-book set from Port Yonder Press, included in The Sagebrush Collection. These contain the best of his short stories and a Young Adult book, Beyond the Smoke, won the Will Rogers Medallion in 2009.


How long has it been since you read stories from such well know authors? Well, that's too long.

Find it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Campfire-Companion-Robert-Randisi/dp/1935600087/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322234201&sr=1-1

Too Late For Turkeys?

No one would suggest that turkeys are the smartest birds in the world. But then, it wasn't too long ago that I realized they really can fly if they want to, so who knows? I'd found them on my roof one morning, and up in a tree in my back yard the next.

Then this bunch wandered into my yard again yesterday. On a good day, we might see more than 60 of them pass by in flocks of various numbers. But this rafter of birds ambled across the yard at a slower than usual pace. I warned them that Thanksgiving was today. Then the biggest of them all tried to remind me, through his gobbling, how close the founding fathers came to naming the turkey as our national bird. Whew, that was a close one.

Anyway, I warned them that it'd be a good idea if they headed into the woods and hid out for the day.

That's when two of them got all puffed up. I'm sure I heard a few vulgar turkey words before they turned around, walked across the road and into the woods like I told them. That's when I called out to them, "There's a reason why they call it Turkey Day, and it's not because you get an award!"

Life Lessons from Grandparents

Life Lessons from Grandparents: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Volume 1)

This new book has just been released from Write Integrity Press.
Book Description

Grandparents, whether intentionally or not, have great influence over the lives of their grandchildren. Those who take the calling seriously are perhaps one of God’s greatest blessings here on earth. The stories featured within these pages reveal many of the lessons our grandparents have taught us. May their legacy continue to live on, and may their Life Lessons touch you as much as they’ve touched each one of us.


Recently I participated in a new book that has just been released, Life Lessons from Grandparents: A Trip Down Memory Lane. My story is called Owen and Hanna. It's about my grandparents who lived on a farm in the middle of Nebraska. These two remarkable people left lasting impressions on me.


VIDEO - https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2754615904196


AMAZON - http://www.amazon.com/Life-Lessons-Grandparents-Trip-Memory/dp/0983948542/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321666868&sr=8-1


Max Elliot Anderson

Radio Interview

Here's the link for a blog radio interview that was done recently about my books for readers 8 - 13, especially boys.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/christian-devotions/2011/11/08/christian-devotions-speak-up-with-max-elliot-anderson

Barney and the Runaway is featured in this interview.

Special Christmas Book Announcement

FROM: Chicken Soup for the Soul
Publishing, LLC

Dear Max

Your premium Christmas gift book is back in stock!

Last year, your Christmas story appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Gift of Christmas, which was sold exclusively at Walmart. We are happy to announce that Walmart will be carrying the book again this Christmas, although in a slightly different “finish,” not quite as fancy as last year. The list price of the book will be $17.95 this year instead of last year’s price of $19.95.

This book contains my story called No Christmas Presents. It's an amazing true story that happened in our family when I was just a small boy.

Over 25 Years in Who's Who

The following recognition has been received for my inclusion in Who's Who in America for over 25 years.

Dear Max Elliot Anderson,

Your outstanding record of achievement has earned you the coveted distinction of being a member of the Marquis Who's Who family for an impressive 25 years.

Congratulations on your extraordinary tenure as a Marquis Who's Who listee and we wish you continued success for many years to come.

North Woods Poachers & Lost Island Smugglers available on NOOK

North Woods Poachers & Lost Island Smugglers available on NOOK http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/max-elliot-anderson?store=ebook

Lost Island Smugglers - VIDEO

North Woods Poachers - VIDEO

Veterans Day 2011

Sometimes it's hard to believe how fast time goes. This Veterans Day is one of those times. These pictures are from 1967 - 1968 when I served in the U.S. Army. I was drafted for two years of service. That's a term that not many think about today, but it meant that your local draft board, through Selective Service, could order you into the military.

My tour of duty sent me to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, for basic training, Washington, and the balance took place in an armored battalion in Germany where I rode around on a tank for several months. I was fortunate not to have been sent to Vietnam, and have the utmost of respect for all who were sent there.

After returning to the states, I rejoined my father's film production and distribution company. And the first assignment was to shoot a film with Venture for Victory. http://17.taylor.edu/athletics/mbasketball/vv.shtml The basketball team we traveled with went to several countries in Asia. Would you believe that one of those countries was VIETNAM? I couldn't believe it. There I was, in a country I had trained to fight in, had feared I'd be sent there, and now, I was really there with nothing more to shoot with than a film camera. If I told you some of the things that happened to me, your hair would stand straight up.


Because of my profound respect for those who serve our country in the military, especially those who fight so the rest of us don't have to, I wrote a book for readers 8 - 13 that military families will love. When the Lights Go Out takes place on a military base where three boys, a secret weapon, and a terrorist plot collide. I hope you'll pick up a copy of this new book today.


In addition, I want to remind us all of the importance of this day...Veterans Day, 11/11/11.


Max Elliot Anderson

When the Lights Go Out video

Watch as a Book is Printed

This video demonstrates how the Expresso Book Machine works. It's fun to see as a book is created while you watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q946sfGLxm4

Christian Fiction Online Magazine - has my column Why Do I Write for Kids?

Christian Fiction Online Magazine - has my monthly column Why Do I Write for Kids? http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/middle_anderson.html

Connect With Me Online

Hi,

If you're here after listening to the radio interview, you can contact me at Mander8813@aol.com

Connect with me on twitter @MaxEAnderson

Connect with me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/#!/max.e.anderson

My Youtube Videos http://www.youtube.com/user/Maxbooks100#p/u

Over 50 pages of reviews http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Author of Books for Boys that girls love reading, too.

And if you didn't hear the radio interview, here's a link http://www.blogtalkradio.com/christian-devotions/2011/11/08/christian-devotions-speak-up-with-max-elliot-anderson

Sometimes You CAN Judge a Book by its Cover.

It's my pleasure to introduce a gifted and talented artist who produces the interior design and covers of the books at Comfort Publishing. His name is Reed Karriker, and Reed has been responsible for the artwork on three of my books now.

ARTIST INTERVIEW

You’ve been at Comfort Publishing for a short time. Could you talk about your work experience prior to that, and some of the projects you’ve been doing since joining Comfort?

Before joining Comfort Publishing, I worked for a travel publication called Where® magazine for 8 ½ years. I came in as a freelance artist to design vector-based maps for them, and after six months or so they hired me full-time to design ads for the magazines. Over the years I worked my way up the design food chain from Ad Designer to Associate Art Director to Art Director, eventually designing covers and editorial content exclusively. Since joining Comfort Publishing, I’ve had the opportunity to do the same sort of work, just in a different way and on a different scale. Designing book covers requires a different skill set in terms of marketability, which gives me an opportunity to tap into my creativity.


A writer sees images and words in his head. When you approach an art project for the first time, what are some of the elements that you see, or consider before you begin to paint or draw?


It is very similar for me as an artist. Often when I read a synopsis or cover description, an image of the cover will form in my mind. I consider several elements of the subject matter (central focus, location, mood/tone, plot points) and balance their importance with regard to the composition. I translate what I imagine to the computer/sketch pad and massage the image until it feels successful, as it pertains to the story.

Explain the different steps you took in producing the cover art for When the Lights Go Out.

In books, there is sometimes a key scene where the different parts of the story come together before the climax of the story. These scenes hold a tremendous level of anticipation when read, and similarly when created as an image. When the Lights Go Out had the perfect scene for this: the boys hiding in the bushes, waiting to surprise the bad guys as they attempt to escape. As a cover image, it needed to feel dangerous and almost a little scary, to enhance that anticipation. To do this, I chose the perspective of the boys, with the viewer peering over their shoulders from their hiding place, directly in the path of the oncoming truck. The details in the mid-ground (chain-link fence, army barracks) set the location of the abandoned army base. In order to draw the viewer into the illustration, I used visual cues (the sloping roofs of the barracks, forming a “v” and pulling the eye to the center) and areas of high contrast (orange explosion against the deep blue night sky, bright white lights of the headlights and helicopter spotlights) to create a strong, central focal point. I repeated the orange on the title to really make it stand out against the black and give the cover a nice balance of color. And there you have it.


What would you say was your biggest challenge in creating the artwork for this book cover?

The biggest challenge was pulling together the many different separate components (the boys, bushes, fence, gravel, truck, barracks, explosions, helicopters, sky) and reworking them as a composite image that appears as though it was originally one piece of art.


You've also done cover artwork for additional Comfort Publishing projects. Can you tell us more about those?

Like with When the Lights Go Out, I try to identify and extract that “key scene” for each of them. In the case with Legend of the White Wolf, an element of the story (the painting) provided me with excellent subject matter for the cover. In some cases, location can be the simplest and strongest of images, as with Terror at Wolf Lake.

Authors talk about facing writer’s block, where it seems impossible to go forward with a writing project at times. Does an artist ever experience this sort of creative block? And if so, how do they get past it? What experiences have you had with this?

Artists definitely get creatively “blocked” at times. The key to beating it for me is to remain flexible and don’t lock yourself into something that just isn’t working. For the cover of He Heard Hannah, I tried everything, from a siren to a heart monitor, to an ambulance, even a dispatcher’s headset. All of those things fit the subject matter of the story, but did not have the visual impact to grab a viewer. In the end, I used a portrait of the little girl in the story on the cover, and instantly I knew I’d found my cover image. Not only is she important to the story, her endearing smile is enough to get anyone to stop and take a second look at the book on a store shelf.

How do you know when you've found the best solution for an art project or assignment?


Sometimes there is an “ah ha” moment, when you just know you’ve got it. Most often, though, I collaborate with co-workers and my artist peers. It helps to have someone not directly involved with a creative project point out things you can’t see because you are working so closely with it. Their fresh perspective helps me iron out the things that don’t necessarily work well and tighten up the piece.


Could you tell us about your art training, background, experience, and some of your other work/projects?


I’ve always been an artist. Since I was able to pick up a crayon, I was drawing/coloring in my free time (and even sometimes when I probably shouldn’t have been). I pursued art in school. I eventually matriculated at Appalachian State University from 1997-2001 and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. I wasn’t able to get a design job right off the bat, however. Walmart paid the bills for six months until I was able to find work at a print shop running a small, out-dated printing press. I was horrible at it! From there I worked with a staffing agency that places artists into part-time or freelance positions until I stumbled over a job in Charlotte, NC designing maps for Where® magazine. I spent 8 ½ years designing ads and editorial for magazines and travel books until I was able to find my new position as Art Director at Comfort Publishing. I guess the moral of the story is, you can’t always start off at the top; sometimes you have to work your way there. I try to be charitable with my natural ability as often as I can, so I provide design work for my wife’s elementary school when they need a poster or an award, and annually I paint faces and draw caricatures for Relay for Life.


Is there one piece of artwork you’ve done in the past that you are the most proud of, and why?

The first cover of my book-publishing career was a piece I did pro-bono for a struggling young writer. He needed a complete front-to-back cover design in a pinch and I agreed to do it for an artist credit. It was called The Descendant: Mary’s Song, and gave me a chance to really let me creative talent shine. I was very happy with the end result, as was the author. I’m a tactile guy, and being able to hold a book in my hand with my artwork on the cover was a big deal for me.

What are your hopes and dreams for your art in the future?


I’d like to explore animation and movies at some point. I love movies as much as I love books. The ability to escape reality, even for a short time, and find yourself in another world really feeds my creative spirit. I’d like to work with Art Directors and Set Designers to design and create the characters, places and things in the movies I have come to enjoy so much. Also, animation seems to best fit my skill set as an illustrator, and I’d like to try my hand at it to see what I could accomplish.


Many people want to know how they can break into the writing and publishing field. How would you advise young people who are interested in a career in art or illustration?


Stick to your interests and immerse yourself in them. As a boy, I loved to draw and read books. As I grew older, I read more books and magazines, and drew whenever I had a chance. I soon discovered comic books, where art is a significant part of what makes them successful, and absorbed the diverse styles and techniques I found in them. The more I experienced, the more I learned, and I incorporated much of it into my artwork. My personal training is just as important as my professional training, and I am constantly finding new things in books, magazines and movies to expand my creativity and imagination.


Please list the links where people can learn more about you and your work.


Please keep in mind these links are under construction, but I plan on updating them soon!


http://raider171.deviantart.com


http://www.karrikercreative.com


Is there anything else you’d like to share?


Nothing can take the place of experience. No job is too big or too small, too beyond you or too beneath you. Everything you do adds to your character, to who you are. I designed T-shirts in middle school, designed ads and logos in high school; I even applied my creativity to pricing signs I created while working at Walmart. Don’t miss an opportunity to grow as an artist.


And finally, you introduced my wife and me to a cherry-flavored, carbonated soft drink called Cheerwine. We’re hooked. We even brought back three cases to share with our kids, after our visit to your place in North Carolina. Is there a link where readers can find more information about Cheerwine? And could you also tell them what you know about this unique drink?

http://www.cheerwine.com/


I grew up drinking Cheerwine. It is made in Salisbury, NC, close to where I live. My grandfather told me it was served in a little soda shop there, and folks used to come from all over the county to get a taste. It’s best when served in a tall glass of ice, but even better when you chill it, pour it into a glass and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a Cheerwine float. Definitely one of my favorite Southern sweet treats!

LOOK INSIDE feature is enabled

The LOOK INSIDE feature is enabled on my 5 KINDLE editions. Sample a chapter at: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=max+elliot+anderson&x=15&y=19  

Why Do I Write for Kids?

 

Why Do I Write for Kids? My monthly column is up in Christian Fiction Online Magazine http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/middle_anderson.html

Anderson is successful in writing excellent books for boys!,

From Amazon.com
5.0 out of 5 stars
Anderson is successful in writing excellent books for boys!, October 20, 2011

By K.A. Thomas "KitScatt" (USA) This review is from: When The Lights Go Out (Paperback)

As a 6th grade teacher, I am always on the look out for good books for my boys who are reluctant readers. They went nuts over this one. Exciting, quick-paced, with good lessons - Anderson has written a book that middle school boys will gobble up in a night or two! What's even better is he's written even more books, and now my boys are seeking them out. Parents and teachers, if you have a boy who doesn't enjoy reading, try this book out on him. It might ignite a new passion for the written word!

A great book to honor Vererans Day with

your students.

Just Released on KINDLE!

Joining Lost Island Smugglers, Barney and The Runaway, and Newspaper Caper on KINDLE is now
When the Lights Go Out.

Peyton Aldrich's father is an Army colonel, who specializes in Army intelligence. His work is always top secret, which means he can't even discuss it with his own son. Nevertheless, Peyton idolized his father, who believes that after what happened on 9/11, somebody had to help keep the country safe.

Now, Peyton, along with his family, find themselves stationed at a new army base, in the middle of nowhere. After his arrival, Peyton finds two friends, Gill and Dave. Together they decide to train like Rangers, and search for some kind of mission to accomplish on their own. Little did they know that a mission was about to put the boys right in the crosshairs of a dangerous terrorist plot, when a secret weapon would be delivered to the base on its way across the country.

Will the terrorists find out who is trying to expose their evil plan? Will the boys be able to stop them? And what will happen to Peyton's father when the general finds out what the boys did?

Now on KINDLE - Newspaper Caper

Now on KINDLE - Newspaper Caper

http://www.amazon.com/Newspaper-Caper-ebook/dp/B005ZJFLNC/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319647279&sr=1-4

Tom Stevens was a super salesman. He and his friends delivered newspapers early every morning. Along their route, the boys often saw some pretty strange things. Then one day, they actually became the story in the papers they delivered.

Early in the morning, while it was still dark, the three boys stumbled across some suspicious activity. A tow truck begins to hook up an expensive car in someone's driveway along their paper route, but when the tow truck driver sees the boys, he drives off leaving the car behind. Tom reads in the paper the next morning about a string of car thefts around the area. He begins to see a connection between a local car repair shop and the thefts.

The boys' adventures begin as they take matters into their own hands and investigate the car thefts. They befriend an elderly widow whose car was stolen, and encounter vicious guard dogs and the thieves themselves at the chop-shop. But it's Tom who proves to be the one who carries this mystery to its dangerous conclusion. Will his investigating skills be enough to help him solve the crimes?

Also on Kindle, Barney and The Runaway

http://www.amazon.com/Barney-and-The-Runaway-ebook/dp/B004YDVGUM/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319647908&sr=1-3

Mike hated the way his parents were always telling him what to do. Along with his dog, Barney, he decides to teach them a lesson by pretending to run away for a few hours. The plan gets complicated when Mike and Barney hide in a railroad boxcar, fall asleep, and end up in Georgia with a circus in the middle of the night. After his experiences away from home, Mike learns the importance of family, and that you dont appreciate what you have until its gone.

And...Lost Island Smugglers

http://www.amazon.com/ISLAND-SMUGGLERS-Cooper-Adventure-ebook/dp/B004VT3HOC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319647908&sr=1-1

Sam Cooper had just moved to Harper’s Inlet where he met Tony and Tyler. While Tony’s father was away on a buying trip, the boys took one of the rental sailboats out for a diving adventure. Everything went well until the biggest storm Tony had ever seen blew up from out of nowhere, and the boys found themselves stranded on Lost Island. But, if they thought the worst had happened, they were wrong. The boys discovered a secret hideout that was used by men in high powered speedboats. Sam and his friends knew the men were up to something, only they didn’t know what. They had to find a way to stop them, but how? And, even if they did, the boys could never tell anyone about it. Lost Island Smugglers is a story with danger, excitement, and heart-pounding action.

Author Bill Myers reports, "Sam Cooper Adventures are like good, family movies . . . as an ordinary kid finds himself in exciting and extra-ordinary adventures!"

And author Jerry B. Jenkins adds, "Max Elliot Anderson brings a lifetime of dramatic film and video production to the pages of his action adventures and mysteries."

Young readers report that reading one of Anderson’s action-adventures or mysteries is like being in an exciting or scary movie. His Books for Boys blog http://booksandboys.blogspot.com often ranks in the top ten in Google searches.