FREE Sample Chapter From BIG RIG RUSTLERS

Welcome to the third sample chapter from one of my action-adventures & mysteries, written especially for boys 8 – 13. Girls like them too. Each Monday, from now through November 12, I’ll post a different sample chapter from one of the books.

Now, in case you think this next installment is going to be some dried up, old western story, you’re in for a big surprise. BIG RIG RUSTLERS is a modern story with satellite radios, a police helicopter, and a band of high-tech rustlers.

Todd and Amanda live with their parents in a Midwestern city. The children are invited to visit their uncle, aunt, and cousin Drew, on their Wyoming ranch over spring break. Todd learns, in a unique way, why stealing is wrong. He decides to choose a new path for his life because of his uncle’s example. A band of high-tech cattle rustlers are caught, revealing that Todd was wrong about Travis, a shadowy character. Read about the round up, rattlesnake, and rustlers.


So get ready to hold onto your cowboy hat. This one just might buck you right off your horse.

Today’s chapter comes from
BIG RIG RUSTLERS

TEACHERS: You might like to try a writing exercise in your classroom, based on what I do with students in my live classroom presentations. After they read this chapter, have them write 1) What happens next? OR 2) How does the story go from here? OR 3) How do I think the story ends? They can write a paragraph and then those could be read to the rest of the class. Great for homeschool applications also.

I hope you enjoy this part of the story. If you’re interested in the book, it is available on Amazon or directly from me, and I sign all direct ordered copies when you write to:

Max Elliot Anderson

P O Box 4126

Rockford, IL 61110

Books are $10.95 each. Shipping and handling is $5 for up to 3 books, and $10 for 4 or more. Check or money order only.

I hope to see your comments after you've read this chapter.

Chapter 7

Uncle Reid’s plane rolled down a bumpy little road with two ruts in it just the size of the skinny wheels underneath. When they came to a wide grassy area, Todd’s uncle moved the plane into the center of that strip, stopped, checked some dials in front of him, and put his foot on the brake. Then he took a minute to look up into the sky and out both sides of the plane. Todd couldn’t exactly figure out what he was looking for because there sure weren’t any other airplanes for as far as he could see. The engines roared even louder than before. Todd felt the plane struggling to get moving, but the brakes held it back like the leash on old Stony at the park back in the city.
I miss Stony, he thought.
Then Uncle Reid took his foot off the brake and they started rolling, first slowly down the runway, then faster and faster until Todd noticed a queasy feeling in his stomach like the time his dad took him on a roller coaster. He looked out to see a shadow of the plane getting smaller and smaller on the ground below.
“Hey, Todd. Didn’t you say you wanted to see Devil’s Tower?”
“Yes. Could we?”
“I’ll take you over there first.”
The plane soon began flying level as the sun burst in through the windows. Todd couldn’t remember the sky ever looking this blue back home. His uncle had a microphone and headset on. He began talking to someone Todd couldn’t see, using words he didn’t know, and a lot of numbers and letters. Todd figured it must be some kind of pilot talk or something.
“Okay, kids. Devil’s Tower dead ahead.”
Todd strained to spot it, but all he saw were trees, tall grass, and a lot of rocks and dirt. “Where?”
“Out there,” his uncle pointed.
Todd squinted his eyes again, and then, way off in the distance, he thought he did see something. “You mean that little speck way out there?”
“Good eye. That’s it all right.”
“But it’s smaller than I thought.”
His uncle laughed. “That’s because it’s still a few miles away, and we’re up in the air. Don’t worry, it’ll get bigger. I promise.”
In just a few minutes Devil’s Tower began to look like a giant clay model sticking right out of the ground. The monument had a flat, almost round top, but it was the sides that were the most interesting. They looked as if enormous mountain lions had used them for a scratching post. There were straight lines cut right into the sides, all the way around. They stretched from the very, very top all the way to the very, very bottom.
“It’s huge!” Amanda exclaimed.
Uncle Reid began to make a wide, slow turn until they flew around the rock tower in a perfect circle. Todd counted and they circled three times.
“It looks exactly like the model my friend made in geography class. Only this one is much better.”
“The real thing usually is better. Okay, Drew. Wanna take over for me?”
Drew held the control tightly with both hands. Todd noticed that his knuckles started turning white, and little beads of sweat began forming on his cousin’s upper lip. His eyes were locked straight out the front window, and he hardly blinked.
“Remember, son. Relax. Make sure you keep the little plane in this control, here, level.” The plane was now heading away from Devil’s Tower and back toward the ranch. Todd thought Drew was doing a pretty good job.
“That’s fine, Son. Do you want to let your cousins have a turn?”
“Sure.”
“Todd first!” Amanda yelled.
“Okay, you’re up.”
Drew squeezed between the front seats and made room for Todd to come up. After they had changed seats it was Todd’s turn to have white knuckles and sweat on his lip, plus everywhere else.
“This is fun. I didn’t know it could be so easy. Mand, wanna try?”
Then a gust of cross wind made the nose dip slightly so that Todd’s uncle had to grab the control.
“No thank you. That’s all right,” she said.
“You sure?”
“Perfectly!”
Todd flew for about ten minutes. His uncle only had to make a couple of minor adjustments. Then he said, “Okay, I’ll take over from here.”
Todd slithered into the back seat again as his cousin moved up to the front. The plane dropped lower out of the sky until it looked like it wasn’t flying much higher than a tall tree. Todd quickly looked out all the windows to make sure none of those were nearby. His uncle flew past other rock formations, through canyons, over rivers, and rugged hills.
“Where are the animals?” Todd asked.
“Most of them should be over this way.” With that the plane made a steep turn and headed right into the sun. Todd had to cover his eyes for a minute until the plane turned again.
“There they are. Some of them at least,” Uncle Reid announced.
As Todd looked out, he could see hundreds of reddish-colored animals with white patches on some parts of their bodies. “Are those all yours?”
“Sure are. Those and a whole lot more. And that’s what we’re going to do this week. We’ll pack up a bunch of horses, food, and gear, then head out for our spring round up.”
“I can’t wait,” Todd said.
Amanda looked over at him. “I can,” she groaned.
“Hey, wait a minute. What was that?” their uncle asked in an alarmed tone.
“What was what?” Drew asked.
“I’m not sure. I’ll take her in for a better look.” They made another sharp turn, steeper than before. Todd had to look straight up in order to see his sister who was now sitting above his head. The plane leveled off again, then dropped down until Todd thought his feet could touch the ground if he put them out there. They went speeding along a barbed wire fence for several hundred feet. Then Uncle Reid yelled, “There, that!” Again the plane soared into the sky and made a steep turn in the opposite direction. This time Todd was looking straight down at his sister. And his stomach wasn’t feeling too good either.
“I’m sorry for the rough ride, kids. Is everyone okay?”
“Not me,” Todd said in a quivering voice.
“Well, it’s my fault. Sorry. If you’re feeling a little woozy, there’s a bag in the seat pocket in front of you. Feel free to deposit your breakfast in there if you need to.”
It was a good thing he said that, or everyone in the plane would have been wearing Todd’s breakfast. He grabbed a bag and ripped it open just in time to say goodbye to all those good things his aunt had cooked for him.
“We call that giving it the old heave ho,” Drew joked. “Don’t worry. It’s happened to me too. But you get used to flying after a few times. Now you’re a member of the Wyatt Urp Club.”
Todd looked over to his sister and noticed she looked all chalky white. She was staring straight ahead, didn’t blink, and didn’t say a word. He quickly grabbed another bag just in time to put it over her mouth. She made what he did look like a warm up act for the main event. It took her two bags until she was done.
“If we go up again, I think we should eat a smaller breakfast. Then we’ll have less to hurl,” he told her with a twitching smile.
Uncle Reid was intent on studying the landscape. “Look there, Drew. You see it?”
“Yeah. The fence is busted.”
“Cut is more like it. And do you see those tire tracks?”
“Oh yeah, I do. Rustlers you think?
“Rustlers I know.”
Uncle Reid flipped a switch on his radio and called out, “Base, this is Reid Rider, over.”
“Read you Reid Rider, what’s up?”
“That you, Travis?”
“Yes sir.”
“I don’t know what it is, but whenever you have radio watch, we seem to call in repeated rustler reports”
“I know. Got another one?”
“I think so. We’re off in the north fork area, and one of the fences has definitely been split wide open. I see two sets of big tire tracks, and three or four sets of smaller ones.”
“Want me to report it to the sheriff?”
“Affirmative. Get your map out and give him the coordinates.”
“Will do, out.”
“I’d like to give you a longer tour, kids, but we need to get to the ranch.” With that the plane turned again, but not as steep as before, and headed back. Uncle Reid had a serious look on his face. Todd could tell that something was very wrong. In about fifteen minutes the ranch came into view just ahead. The plane made one wide circle around the buildings and lined up with the grassy runway strait ahead of them. Softly the wheels touched the ground, bounced into the air, and touched again. They taxied up in front of the hanger. Todd’s uncle gunned the motors, and the plane turned around in a small circle. Then he switched off both motors and the propellers slowed to a stop. There was still a spinning sound in the front of the plane, but that also soon stopped.
“Okay. Everybody out.”
Drew turned and looked back to Todd. The look on his face said he wanted to tell him something, but he couldn’t. Not just now. Todd wondered why he suddenly seemed so serious. He remembered what Drew had said about Travis. Could he be helping the Rustlers? Todd wondered. Couldn’t be, he thought, He works for my uncle.

See you next Monday with a brand new chapter!

Next free Chapter

I hope you’ve been enjoying the chapters already from SECRET OF ABBOTT’S CAVE and LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF so far.

The next chapter will come from BIG RIG RUSTLERS.

Now, in case you think this is going to be some dried up, old western story, you’re in for a big surprise. BIG RIG RUSTLERS is a modern story with satellite radios, a police helicopter, and a band of high-tech rustlers.

So get ready to hold onto your cowboy hat. This one just might buck you right off your horse.

See you on Monday!

Legend of the White Wolf

Welcome to the second sample chapter from one of my action-adventures & mysteries, written especially for boys 8 – 13. Girls like them too. Each Monday, from now through November 12, I’ll post a different sample chapter from one of the books.

They didn’t call him a liar; they just couldn’t believe his story. Brian Fisher was determined to prove it was true even though it involved the risk to his own safety. His rescue of a wolf pup, from a steel trap, results in a mysterious relationship with surprising results. The story is set in the lower elevations near Yellowstone

Today’s chapter comes from
LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF




TEACHERS: You might like to try a writing exercise in your classroom, based on what I do with students in my live classroom presentations. After they read this chapter, have them write 1) What happens next? OR 2) How does the story go from here? OR 3) How do I think the story ends? They can write a paragraph and then those could be read to the rest of the class. Great for homeschool applications also.

I hope you enjoy this part of the story. If you’re interested in the book, it is available on Amazon or directly from me, and I sign all direct ordered copies when you write to:

Max Elliot Anderson

P O Box 4126

Rockford, IL 61110

Books are $10.95 each. Shipping and handling is $5 for up to 3 books, and $10 for 4 or more. Check or money order only.

I hope to see your comments after you've read this chapter.

“We gotta get out of here,” Tommy warned.
“No. I’m not leaving him.”
“Throw him in a cage with the others,” a deep voice ordered.
“Brian. Now!” Tommy said in a growled whisper.
“You go. I’m staying.”
“But…”
“Go home as fast as you can. Tell your parents to call my Dad. Tell him about the collar. He’ll know what to do.”
Tommy hesitated even as it sounded like the men were right outside the truck now.
“Go!” Brian whispered.
Tommy slipped out of the back, let the canvas down, and dropped to the ground. Now Brian was all alone…except for those men and the sleeping wolves. He hurried in between cages stacked near the front. There he found a place where he could crouch down and hide under another tarp. Just as he made it to the floor, the tarp at the back went up and flashlights made him squint. He felt sick all over. When he poked his head out from the corner, he saw that the men wore helmets with night vision for their hunt.
“That’s it for tonight, boys. You can go back to the van and get out of here. We’ll take this load to the usual place.”
“It’s gonna be fun to watch that white one die,” another voice said.
Tears streamed down Brian’s face as he cried silently. Three of the men lifted a wolf into the truck where three other men had already climbed in. They took the gray wolf, opened a cage, and dumped him in like a sack of bones. The wolf hit the floor with a sickening thud.
“Nothing but a bunch of worthless wolves anyway,” another man said.
Brian wanted to rush out and fight them, but he knew he’d be no match for that many men. He wished he could open all the cages and let the wolves go, but they were unconscious. Still, he couldn’t leave his friend. Just then one of the wolves groaned. Brian turned to see him as the truck started.
“What am I going to do?” he whispered. The truck began backing up. It turned around in the road, and headed out of the forest.
The cages bounced around with every bump in the dirt road. Brian did, too. He was afraid they might all come crashing down on him. He reached up into Snowball’s cage and his hand found the wolf’s big head. He began scratching the ears. Snowball let out a low groan.
“It’s gonna be okay, boy. I’ll take care of you. Don’t worry.” He felt the truck bounce back onto the blacktop road. From there the ride wasn’t so bumpy. The corners still scared him, but he felt safer…for now.
Brian had ridden most of these roads with his father, but from the back of the truck, in the dark, he had no idea where they were. He was also getting tired. Glancing at his watch he whispered, “Two o’clock! No wonder.” He slumped down onto the tarp and fell asleep as the truck roared down the road.
Brian wasn’t sure how long he’d slept, but he felt the truck slowing down. Then it turned onto another bumpy road. When he looked at his watch, he saw that his nap had only lasted for about ten minutes. By now some of the wolves were beginning to wake up, and they were not happy. He heard them snarl and growl. A few whimpered. He moved away from the cages, just to be safe.
“I’m gonna get you guys out of here,” he whispered.
Just then one of them began to howl. The sound was the most pitiful thing Brian had ever heard.
One of the men inside the truck pounded on the top of the cab and yelled, “Shut up back there!”
It made Brian’s mouth go dry. He moved to the back of the truck, lifted the canvas flap, and looked out, but there was nothing but trees in all directions.
“Where are we?” he whispered.
Then the truck’s horn blew as they turned onto another road. Brian stretched his head around the back of the truck and looked toward the front. He saw an open gate where two men stood. He ducked down inside again, and then raised up to peer out over the back of the truck. As they passed through, the gates were closed. He could hear dogs barking and that made some of the wolves growl even louder.
The truck came to a jolting stop, which made the cages slam together. Several of the wolves cried out.
“I told you to shut up back there!” a man warned as he pounded on the side of the truck with something.
The back flap opened and Brian heard another motor driving up. Headlights shined in as a forklift moved into position to remove the first cage. Brian knew it wouldn’t be long until they found him. He looked around and noticed that the canvas covering the back of the truck had a place on the other side where he thought he could squeeze through.
After the forklift took the first cage, he climbed the other side of the truck and pushed his way out. Just as he crawled onto the top of the truck, the forklift was back. He crouched down and waited until another cage was taken out. Then he climbed down to the ground.
“How many did we get tonight?” a man asked.
“Ten or twelve, I think.”
“That’s a good night if you ask me. Let’s get them cremated as soon as we can.”
Cremated? Brian thought. He was able to sneak away from the truck and hide near a dumpster. From there he looked up to see sparks shooting out of a tall smokestack. He crawled along the ground until he found a dirty window. He spit on the glass and wiped it with his shirt. That’s when he saw several men inside. Next to them were a few of the cages with wolves inside.
The forklift drove in where they were, and the lights shined out the window. Brian ducked down. When he looked back in, one of the men opened a heavy metal door to what looked like a big furnace.
“What in the world,” he whispered as his heart began pounding harder.
“Hey,” a man said with a laugh. “Are wolves good to eat?”
“I don’t know,” another answered. “Why?”
“I just thought, since we’re gonna cook ‘em…why not eat ‘em at the same time?”
“You mean like wolf burgers?” another asked.
“Why not?”
The leader walked up to the group. “Look,” he said. “There isn’t anything lower on this earth than a rotten wolf. We burn up the evidence, and go out and find more. There’ll be no talk about eating any of them.”
Right now I’m looking at something lower than a wolf, Brian thought. Then he saw the forklift truck bring in a cage with a pure, white wolf inside.
“Snowball,’ he said right out loud. The men couldn’t hear him over the sound of the lift truck. He stood to his feet and gritted his teeth. “I gotta do something,” he whispered. Slowly he moved toward a door near where he’d been hiding. When he tried it…it was locked. He went back to the window and looked in.
“Which one you wanna fry first?” a man asked.
“Doesn’t matter to me, only we’d better hurry up before they all wake up.”
“How about that white one over there?” a man said as he pointed right at Snowball’s cage.
“Go for it.”
“NO!” Brian screamed before he could stop himself.
All of the men turned toward the window and looked straight at him. Brian’s legs gave out and he fell to the ground.
“Get him!” the leader ordered.
I hope Tommy makes it in time, Brian thought.

Watch for the Next Chapter

On Monday, October 8, watch for a new chapter. This one will come from

Legend

of the

White Wolf.

See you on Monday.

Max Elliot Anderson

Film & Writing Interview

Keep watching for a new chapter, from a different book, each Monday through November 12. But I also thought you might be interested in the following interview. http://israelwayne.blogspot.com/2007/10/max-elliot-anderson-interview.html It covers some of my earlier film production. In particular, the questions were about Pilgrim's Progress. This was the first feature film for Liam Neeson.

Max Elliot Anderson

Secret of Abbott's Cave

Welcome to the first sample chapter from one of my action-adventures & mysteries, written especially for boys 8 – 13. Girls like them too. Each Monday, from now through November 12, I’ll post a different sample chapter from one of the books.


A detective, a police scanner, and a cave offered possibilities for danger and excitement. Who are the real heroes in America? Randy and his friends go cave exploring, discover the hidden loot from a bank robbery, and learn they aren't heroes at all.

Today’s chapter comes from SECRET OF ABBOTT’S CAVE. The story takes place in Virginia where a group of boys have pooled their money to buy a police scanner. They never imagined the adventure this would bring into their lives.

I hope you enjoy this part of the story. If you’re interested in the book, it is available on Amazon or directly from me, and I sign all direct ordered copies when you write to:

Max Elliot Anderson

P O Box 4126

Rockford, IL 61110



Books are $10.95 each. Shipping and handling is $5 for up to 3 books, and $10 for 4 or more. Check or money order only.

I hope to see your comments after you've read a chapter.


Chapter 7

By four-fifteen three bikes lay sprawled in Randy’s back yard.
Rufus went out in the shed earlier with Randy, but when the others arrived, Rufus left.
“How come your dog doesn’t stay around any more when we come over?” Stewart asked.
“I’ve always told you Rufus acts like he understands English. I think it has something to do with the first club meeting we had.”
“Why, what happened?” Jeff asked.
“Don’t you remember? We voted to make him our bomb-sniffing dog.”
Rufus wasn’t the brightest puppy in the litter. Randy always thought his dog was a few biscuits short of a full box. But every time the boys came over for their weekly meeting, Rufus ran recklessly off in the opposite direction. At least he had enough sense to know he didn’t care to get close to anything that might blow him into next week.
From inside the shed the boys chattered like they always did. Randy already had the scanner on with the sound turned up full blast. But so far they only heard that annoying static.
Stewart looked over at the scanner, then he looked up toward the ceiling of the shed and shouted, “Come on full moon, don’t let me down.”
Everyone laughed. They continued packing their sleeping bags, backpacks, and supplies.
“Where are we going to sleep?” Hal asked.
“It isn’t supposed to be very cold tonight so I thought we could make a campsite out by the woods not too far from the cave. That way we can start exploring first thing in the morning,” Jeff said.
Hal and Stewart started packing two ends of the same rope into their backpacks. It looked a little like a couple of people eating one strand of spaghetti at the same time. When they get to the middle there was going to be trouble. Finally Hal gave one last tug on the rope and the other half of it started coming out of Stewart’s bag.
“Hey,” Stewart complained, as only Stewart knew how, “what do you think you’re doing?”
They looked at the rope both were trying to pack and started laughing.
“It’s a good thing we aren’t getting ready to go sky diving,” Randy joked. “Because I wouldn’t want you two anywhere near my parachute.”
“Hurry up you guys,” Jeff insisted. “My dad’s going to be here any minute with his truck to take us to the farm. You’d better be ready or we’ll have to leave without you.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Stewart shot back.
They were down to just a few more things to pack. Randy tried to make sure everyone had equal weight to carry. Then he said, “There isn’t anything happening around here. I’m going to switch to the state police channel. I looked it up last night.”
“So much for our full moon,” Stewart grumbled.
The static pattern changed a little after Randy tuned in the state police. It seemed like nothing was going to happen there either. But then, all of a sudden they heard it.
First there were several tone sounds like an alert of some kind. All four sets of eyes turned immediately to that sound.
“What was that?” Stewart asked.
“Shhh!” the others went at the same time.
Dispatcher: "Adam 52, Adam 53. 10-93, alarm at Dominion State Bank."
Adam 52: "10-4."
Adam 53: "10-4."
Dispatcher: “2Sam20, did you copy the traffic on the alarm?
2Sam20: "10-4, I’m 10-35 now.”
At that moment four mouths dropped open at the Hilton Park Road Detective Club.
“I don’t think I like this,” Stewart growled.
“Like it? I love it!” Jeff screamed.
Dispatcher: "2Adam 52 and 53."
Adam 52: "10-4,
Adam 53: "10-4".
Then the alert tone sounded again like before.
Dispatcher: " All units, valid alarm, left west bound from the bank lot in a blue, older model sedan, no plate information, 2 white males, with ski masks, armed with shotguns, suspect #1, 5'10" med build, wearing blue pants and black shirt, suspect #2 6"2", slender, wearing white shirt and jeans.
“Wow!” Hal said in a whisper.
“You said it,” Randy answered.
Adam 53: "10-23 will get further."
Dispatcher: "copy, 52?"
Adam 52: "10-4."
Dispatcher: "FBI and King 16 will be in route."
“Guys,” Jeff exclaimed, “this is big, I’m telling you…really big!”
Adam 52: "10-35.”
“It all happened so fast I didn’t have a chance to get the police radio codes I printed out. But one thing I heard didn’t need any code. She said the FBI,” Randy gasped in a trembling voice, “The F…B… I!”
Adam 53: “53 to station.”
Dispatcher: “Go ahead.”
Adam 52: I’ve got a 10-57 blue sedan over here at 19th Street West and Jefferson. Doors are open, no suspects.
Another tone came screaming over the scanner.
Dispatcher: “All units be advised, suspects have abandoned vehicle. Alert all jurisdictions, suspects are in another vehicle, headed for the Interstate.”
“They got away?” Stewart asked. “They got away.” He whispered.
“That means they could be anywhere,” Randy said.
“Yeah and I don’t think it’s such a great idea…us sleeping out in the dark on a farm someplace with bank robbers on the loose,” Stewart grumbled.
“That’s stupid,” Jeff said. “My uncle’s farm is in the middle of nowhere.”
“My point exactly,” Stewart said, folding his arms in defiance.
“By morning they’ll probably be a thousand miles away from this place,” Jeff assured.
Just then they heard the loud roar of an engine as someone pulled up outside the shed. Stewart ran in a corner and hid behind some boxes.
“What is wrong with you?” Jeff asked. “You’re shaking like a paint can in a hardware store’s mixing machine.”
“It’s the robbers. I know it is,” Stewart wailed. “You heard it. They’ve got shotguns.”
“So what?” Hal demanded.
“You don’t even have to aim a shot gun. When one of those things goes off it can hit everything in sight,” Stewart sputtered.
The door to the shed slowly opened. The grinding of the old rusty hinges only added to Stewart’s worries. All eyes were glued to those worn, weathered boards. All eyes, that is except Stewart’s. His were closed so tight it would take dynamite to get them open.

Author web site: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

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

Watch This Blog on Monday!

WATCH THIS BLOG

STARTING ON MONDAY,

OCTOBER 1

I will post a sample chapter from one of my action-adventures or mysteries on Each Monday from October 1 through November 12.

Chapters will come from my 6 published books, NEWSPAPER CAPER, NORTH WOODS POACHERS, MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY, BIG RIG RUSTLERS, SECRET OF ABBOTT'S CAVE & LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF, which are compared by readers and reviewers to Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London.

After you read the chapter, and want to know more, the books may be ordered from Amazon, or you can get them directly from me, and I sign all books ordered directly from:

Max Elliot Anderson
P O Box 4126
Rockford, IL 61110

Books are $10.95 each. Shipping and handling is $5 for up to 3 books, and $10 for 4 or more.
Check or money order only.

See you on Monday with the first chapter!

Max

The Fun Part

Last week I had the opportunity to speak in two schools. My program uses music and sound effects to help awaken the imagination in the students’ minds. It’s always fun to stand in front of them while, with their eyes closed, they listed to a piece of music. These music clips can be sad, funny, scary, or tranquil. Expressions on each face tell the story of what they are seeing in their own minds.

We conclude by reading two chapters from an unpublished manuscript. They are instructed to write a paragraph about what will happen next, how the story will go later on, or how it will end. Those who want to are allowed to read their paragraphs, out loud, to the rest of the class.

The fun part is in hearing back from students after one of these visits. Many are very specific about how the exercises helped them see things differently and to think more creatively.

Earlier this week I received a package with over twenty notes from the students of one of the schools.

That’s the fun part.

Author web site: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

NEWSPAPER CAPER, TERROR AT WOLF LAKE, NORTH WOODS POACHERS, MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY, BIG RIG RUSTLERS, SECRET OF ABBOTT'S CAVE & LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF, are compared by readers and reviewers to Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London.

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

Now, from an author who hated to read...comes books kids hate to put down.

The Dallas Cow...BOYS

Okay, I know that this is supposed to be a blog about books for boys. So I’m stretching it just a little in order to tell you about a fun experience I had this past weekend with the Dallas cow…BOYS.

I got a call several days ago about shooting a post game TV program for the Dallas Cowboys at the game last Sunday night in Chicago. Left the house around noon on Sunday and returned at 2 AM.

We met at the satellite truck at 3:00 to get our instructions, then proceeded to a location right in front of the Cowboys locker room and adjacent to the tunnel they used to go out onto the field. After we set up our two cameras, lights, and sound, we were free to roam around until the beginning of the 4th quarter. So we took an elevator and went up to the press section. Our credentials allowed us to stand in that area, on the second level, on the 50 yard line. Great seats...I mean feets. I stood two booths down from Al Michaels and John Madden. I'd seen John's motor coach downstairs earlier. You might know that he hates to fly.

We headed back to our camera position at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

We shot a 30 minute interview show, after the game, which was sent back to Dallas by satellite. We interviewed Jerry Jones - Cowboys owner, Tony Romo - quarterback, and three other Cowboys players. Of course, they were pretty happy because they had just crushed the Bears.

When we finished, an army of people descended on our position. As soon as we closed up a case, someone grabbed it and ran to a rental truck which sped off to the airport and put everything on the team plane back to Dallas.

It was a long day, but interesting and fun.

Also this past week, I had a 30 minute radio interview which you can find at http://blogtalkradio.com/bookbitesforkids scroll down to my name.

Here is an new online interview http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/09/22/112647.php

Radio Interview on Book Bites for Kids

On Friday I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Suzanne Lieurance with the National Writing for Children Center.

This is a 30 minute blog radio program called Book Bites for Kids.

http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/

You can also go directly to blogtalkradio.com to listen to the interview:

http://blogtalkradio.com/bookbitesforkids

School Visit

On Monday of this week, I had the opportunity to speak to a 5th grade class in Sterling, Illinois. This was a perfect age group for my action-adventure & mystery books for boys.

The visit resulted in a front page story in the local newspaper with a full color photograph. The story continued on a second page. If you'd like to see the story and photos, the following link takes you to a front page story, in the regular newspaper, serving Sterling, Dixon, and Rock Falls, IL. This is the online version of the same papers.






http://www.saukvalley.com/edition/daily_gazette/


Make sure to select September 18 if you try this later than the 18th.

First scroll down to the second half of the front page. Then, in the pulldown menu, select "A04 - Local" for the second part and another picture.

My visit was well timed because there was a Scholastic Book Fair going on at the same time.

Reviews http://www.maxbookreviews.blogspot.com

Author web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com

Now, from an author who hated to read...comes books kids hate to put down.

School Visits

School has started again and one of the most enjoyable experiences for an author of action-adventures and mysteries for kids is having the opportunity to go to their schools and speak.

My first school visit of 2007 took place on Friday. I have another on Monday.

Here’s a link http://maxbooks.9k.com/whats_new.html that gives more information about the program I give.

On Friday, I spent 2 ½ hours with the students. That might seem like a long time, but we cover a lot of ground. And in each school, teachers and administrators make a point to come and tell me afterwards that they are amazed at how the kids were so attentive and participated for such a long time.

I like speaking in schools because it’s an opportunity to interact with the intended audience for my books. And like every school before, when I ask if there are any who don’t like to read, several hands go up. Most of these are boys. Next I ask why, and the responses are always the same. Books are boring. They’d rather be playing video games or playing at the computer…ANYTHING but reading a book. And the list goes on and on.

These are the reasons why I began writing books for boys 8 – 13 because I hated to read when I grew up. My film and video production background plays a big part in the way that I write for kids. Girls like the stories too.

Not only did I hate reading as I grew up, I hated school too. Who would have thought that I’d ever look forward to the school year starting up again?

But I do.

Author web site: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com

NEWSPAPER CAPER, TERROR AT WOLF LAKE, NORTH WOODS POACHERS, MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY, BIG RIG RUSTLERS, SECRET OF ABBOTT'S CAVE & LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF, are compared by readers and reviewers to Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London.

Reviews: http://www.maxbookreviews.blogspot.com

Books for Boys Must be Relevant 9/11

If we expect our boys to enjoy reading, then the books written for them should be relevant to their interests.

Today is the observance of the events from 9/11. In the reports I heard this morning, there were numerous references to sleeper cells. A sleeper cell is a terrorist group, in our own country, that is waiting for the right opportunity to inflict further damage.

My book, Mountain Cabin Mystery, begins innocently enough. Scott and his friends have taken a survival course in order to qualify to go on a mountain hike with guides and others. It doesn’t take long before the boys become separated from the rest of the group in a mountain fog. That is when the real excitement and adventure really begin.

The boys encounter several hair-raising incidents until they stumble upon what they think is a deserted mountain cabin. The only problem is, they also see smoke coming from the chimney. Before they know what’s happening, they become swept up in a terrorist sleeper cell that is just about to mount an attack on the city of Denver.

You’ll have to read Mountain Cabin Mystery in order to find out what happens, but here are just a few excerpts from reviews for this book.

This summertime trip into the mountains to learn outdoor survival skills is only the backdrop to a rollicking adventure that climbs up your spine and hangs by its fingertips from the cliff of your skull. Thomas Fortenberry – MIDWEST Book Review

How refreshing it is to find a mystery story written for 8 - 12 year olds that is relevant to modern times and yet retains an old-fashioned flavor. My eight-year-old read it through twice in one day, and I must admit I found it held my own attention and even elicited several chuckles along the way - Reviewed By: Jean Hall - Eclectic Homeschool Online

The dialog crackles with wit and smart repartees and the emphasis is on action. The reader is apt to read the entire book at one setting as the mystery unfolds. Even reluctant readers won’t be able to put this book down - Ram Subramanian for Curled up with a good kid's book

Max Elliot Anderson’s books are destined to become classics along with such greats as Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Anderson is a talented writer; his books should be available in every local and middle school library. I am privileged to be on this author’s list of reviewers and look forward eagerly to his next adventure - Beverly J Scott

You can read the full length reviews for this and my other books at http://www.maxbookreviews.blogspot.com

Author web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com

Now, from an author who hated to read...comes books kids hate to put down.

Books for Boys & Reluctant Readers

Okay, I’m sure you have a lot better things to do besides trying to figure out which one is me in the picture. This is my 5th grade class at Wolf Lake School near Muskegon, Michigan. The year was 1956…you do the math.

Oh, I’m the second one from the right in the top row. By the time this picture was taken, I had firmly become a reluctant reader. Back then, there wasn’t the same emphasis on reading as we have now. Yet today, reluctant reader boys continue to be a significant problem.

My point is, it’s important, both in our homes and schools, to identify the reluctant reader as early as possible.

Even back then, I would read about things that interested me. The problem was, no book ever did. When it came time to do a book report, I’d read the first chapter, something from the middle, and the last chapter. Then I’d talk to my friends and ask leading questions about one or more characters. From there I could write a report that must have seemed like I’d read every page. Remember, kids can be clever.

As a child, I hated large blocks of type on a page. I always lost my place, and was easily distracted. Some books seemed to take for…EVER to get to the point. I really hated all those details.

So, those elements have been eliminated from my action-adventure and mystery books for boys. My books are fast-paced with lots of humor and dialog, and each chapter is short. I continue to hear from boys, and their parents, about how my books have made a breakthrough for the very first time. To me, that’s pretty exciting.

I just became aware of a site called Bookclubforboys that might also interest you. http://www.bookclub4boys.com/keepyourboyreading.htm There are ideas to help get boys reading. Maybe a book club for boys in your area or school would work.

If you have a reluctant reader, try my books. If you do, you’re likely in for a big surprise.

Author web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

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

A reviewer writes about why these books work for boys

From time to time, a review surfaces that gets to the heart of why I write books for boys.

Such is the case of a multi-book review by Troy Parish. His review covers:

North Woods Poachers, Big Rig Rustlers, Mountain Cabin Mystery,

Secret of Abbott's Cave

But Troy goes further by explaining how my books are different, and why they appeal to boys.

You can read his reviews at http://boysbehavior.thehomeschoolorganizer.com/Books_for_Boys.html

I always appreciate it when someone, I’ve never met, reads my books and gets it...the reasons why they appeal to boys. After all, that’s why I began writing books for boys in the first place.

Thank you Troy

Author web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

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

What I think about books for boys is not important...

It’s true that I chose to write books for boys. This has proven to be a much more difficult pathway to the marketplace than I had anticipated. That’s primarily because the market favors books for girls…at the moment that is.

So, when readers, and their parents, write to tell me how my books have affected members of their families, it gives me hope for a broader market to emerge in the future.

A father wrote to tell me how his son had stayed up, well after lights out, to finish one of my books. It was one of those flashlights under the blanket reports. His son just couldn’t wait to see how the book, with its cliffhanger chapter endings, would finally end. This dad asked me, “How do you discipline something like that?” Good question.

But the following is something I read a couple of days ago. It comes from the August 9 blog entry by Chris Ward. Her blog is located at http://www.parentingisntforpansies.blogspot.com/

“In the past few years the boys and I have discovered a wonderful way to pass a few hours. We grab a new book and sit down for a good ol' family read aloud event. Sometimes we pop popcorn, sometimes we sit around the living room or family room, and sometimes we climb on our bed, formally known as 'The People Magnet'. But we always do it together and we always enjoy it…

“…Others want to encourage us to read series like the 'Little House' books, but the boys just aren't that interested. *sigh* Perhaps I can enjoy them again with Laura! Meanwhile, we are always on the look out for good books.

“One series I've had my eye out for have been the books for boys written by Max Elliot Anderson. I've looked for them everywhere hoping to snag some that were within my budget. After all, books written for boys in that critical 8 - 12 or 13 age range are hard to come by. I'd heard about them from the author himself and have read a few reviews so they were on the top of my list. I even looked for them at the library and, while they said they would be ordered, didn't ever find them available. So I asked the library to order them. Several times. Finally, last week, we got a few with more to come soon. I love our library!

“In our very unbiased opinion, these books are fun! Just plain good ol' fun reads. The boys in these books are real 12 year olds and they have a good time together. And they choose to do what is right, not what is easiest. My boys can't get enough. And they can't listen quietly either. If we decide to read them after Laura has gone to bed, we must either read in the living room or the basement - as far away from her room as we can get. The rolling laughter that comes during each read, and the discussions about what happened and how it might have come out differently if Tom, Jimmy, Eddy, Scott, Amanda, Todd and Matt had chosen to not do the right thing bring up lots of opportunity for them to repeat over and over again their favorite lines. (Note: No longer can you ask in our house 'what is it about?' when referring to a book without getting an smart aleck answer quoting the page length instead of the content. LOL) We can't wait to get the rest and meet more fun tweeners. I'm sure they'll be just as fun as the first few.

“So, we're always on the lookout for good books for older boys. If you know of any, please feel free to suggest them. I'll periodically let you know what we've been reading and how we like them. Meanwhile, I think I'll read ahead a few pages to see what happens next in "The Newspaper Caper". Shhhhhhhh! Don't tell the boys!!!"

Thank you, Chris, for such a wonderful account of one family where my Christian, action-adventures & mysteries, written especially for boys, are having such a positive impact.

Author web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

Nearly 50 pages of reviews http://www.maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

posted by max @ 9:25 AM 0 comments

The Myth About Boys

Below is a link to that TIME Magazine article referenced in my previous post.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1647452,00.html

Max Elliot Anderson

Author web site: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

Reviews http://www.maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

If You're Interested In Books For Boys

If you have an interest in books for boys, make sure to get a copy of the August 6, 2007 issue of Time Magazine. It has a cover story, THE MYTH ABOUT BOYS. It contains an article, The Boys Are All Right, by David Von Drehle. He suggests that maybe boys are doing better now because we’re paying more attention to them. And that our worries about them may actually be paying off.

I would expand on this to say that writing action-adventures and mysteries, especially for boys, is also something that will pay off.

About six years ago, I sensed the need for more books for boys. It’s true, as the article points out, that boys are much the same today as they’ve always been. Boys crave adventure, they love a challenge, and they live for excitement. All of these elements, and more, are carefully woven into every book I write for boys.

Since life moves in cycles, I’m looking forward to connecting with publishers who understand this principle and choose to publish the kinds of books that boys will read.

My first 7 books have already provided some of the marketing data that a publisher might need in order to make an informed decision. Nearly 50 pages of, often enthusiastic, reviews are available at http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

The May/June issue of Homeschooling Today Magazine (late, but just out last week) contains a two-page, four-color feature article about my books in which two boys, ages 10 and 12, provide the reviews.

THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS has been a best seller for several months. All it tells us is that boys are different and we need to feed that difference. My published books, and the 28 additional completed manuscripts, also feed this difference.

It is critical to understand that boys are consumed today with TV, computers, video games, and other pursuits, because these things reach out and grab their attention. Because of the way they are constructed, my action-adventure & mystery books for boys do the same thing in print. And we all know the incredible value that comes from getting boys to read.

When it comes to reading, boys want something different. My books for boys are intended to provide that difference.

After all…I was a boy once myself. In addition, I grew up hating to read. Now I write books for boys that I would have enjoyed as a boy, and girls love them too.

Author web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/Reviews http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Now, from an author who hated to read...comes books kids hate to put down.

Books for boys that are different

Different? Different how?

Most publishers are still looking for books that will sell primarily to girls. Why is this? It’s because girls are traditionally more avid readers than boys.

But will boys read books if they are written primarily for them. The answer is, YES.

My background is in the production of dramatic films, video programs, and television commercials. This gives me a visual background that I, in turn, bring to the pages of my action-adventures and mysteries.

I’m a guy, so I know that what a guy wants in a book is action and adventure. Don’t bore me with a lot of facts and endless details. That’s the way I approach each new story.

The challenge is in finding publishers who are ready for something new. Not only am I not writing for girls, I don’t write in a traditional series either. Each of my 35 manuscripts have completely different characters, settings, and plots. And it’s the readers and their parents who have appreciated this. You can find nearly 50 pages of reviews at http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

I am only one voice, but isn’t it time for something fresh and new relative to books for boys? I think THE DANGEROUYS BOOK FOR BOYS did an excellent job in demonstrating how and why boys are different. Right now the book is # 11 on Amazon. It stands to reason that what boys want in their own books is something different as well.

Kids tell me that reading one of my books is like being in an exciting or scary movie.

Max

Author's web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/
Reviews http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

How To Choose Books For Boys

(This photo is from one of my many school visits each year)



Every year, something like 200,000 new books are published. In 5 short years, that's a million new books!

While it’s true that most of these are not books for boys, it is still a difficult task to wade through all that are available, in order to find something that will interest your young reader.
One of the best ways to make your selection is by reading what others have said about a book.

In the case of my books for boys, you can do this by going to amazon.com. There you’ll read a handful of reviews for each of my books. You can compare reviews for other books in this same way.

As you search deeper, you are likely going to find other, independent comments for titles that interest you. But this process, going title by title on the Internet, takes time.

Or, to make it even more simple, I’ve assembled nearly 50 pages of reviews for you, all in one place, about my books for boys. This link takes you to my Review Blog: http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/

If you’re looking for books for boys, books that will capture the imagination and hold the interest of boys, then you’ve come to the right place. Books for boys are the only I write. My action-adventures and mysteries have resulted in stacks of letter and emails from teachers, parents, and children, both boys and girls.

Max Elliot Anderson
Author

Author web site: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

Now, from an author who hated to read...comes books kids hate to put down.

Boys and the Boy Crisis

The following entry comes from a newsletter by Glenn Sacks. My books for boys are being promoted with fliers that are included in the registration packets at the Boys and the Boy Crisis conference this weekend in Washington, DC. Anyone who is concerned about books for boys, and who lives close to DC, might want to attend.

Max Elliot Anderson
Author of books for boys

Boys and the Boy Crisis--Third National Men's Equality Congress, July 13-14 in Washington, DC
Boys and the Boy Crisis, the Third National Men's Equality Congress, will be held July 13-14 in Washington, DC. The speakers list is great--perhaps the best I've ever seen at a conference. Speakers include:
1) Matt O'Connor--leader of the English fathers' group Fathers 4 Justice. O'Connor has done more than anybody to raise awareness of the terrible social problem of children being separated from their fathers after divorce or separation.
2) Christina Hoff Sommers--author of the books The War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men and Who Stole Feminism?. In The War Against Boys, Sommers asserts, "It's a bad time to be a boy in America," and takes a hard look at the boy crisis and the misguided policies which have helped create it. Who Stole Feminism? is a devastating expose of the way feminists have disseminated misinformation about men and gender issues via the media and academia, and helped poison our popular culture against men.
3) Warren Farrell--the intellectual wellspring of the men's movement, and the author of Father & Child Reunion, the Myth of Male Power, and others. Farrell is also an expert on shared parenting--to watch Warren speak, click on Warren Farrell's Case for Shared Parenting (Video).
4) Paul Nathanson and Katherine Young, co-authors of Spreading Misandry: The Teaching of Contempt for Men in Popular Culture and Legalizing Misandry: From Public Shame to Systemic Discrimination Against Men.
5) Stephen Baskerville--president of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children and author of the soon-to-be released book Taken into Custody: The War Against Fatherhood, Marriage, and the Family.
6) Glenn Sacks--men's and fathers' issues columnist, commentator, talk show host and blogger.
To register for the conference, click here.
There will also be three 2+ hour pre-conference workshops, one conducted by Matt O'Connor, one by Warren Farrell, and one by Glenn Sacks. The workshops will start Friday morning and conclude prior to the conference opening that evening.
These workshops will allow the speakers to go into greater detail and allow participants to spend more time with our speakers. The pricing for early registrants will be $33 for each workshop. Attending these workshops is extra and separate from the conference. People can choose to go to none, one, two or all three.
To sign up for 'early bird' prices for these workshops and/or to register for the conference, click here.
The mover and shaker behind these conferences is Tom Golden, LCSW, a Washington, DC-area men's activist. Golden does an excellent job--both of the previous conferences he's held were well-attended and well-organized.

Additional information about Max Elliot Anderson

Author web site: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com
Reviews http://www.maxbookreviews.blogspot.com
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/06/prweb532684.htm

The Greatest Compliment

I write books for boys.

That is the purpose behind this blog. In recent weeks, THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS has probably done more for my cause than anything else. It has caused people to realize that boys, and their interests, are simply different from girls. Not better, not worse, just different.

This has been the premise that started me down the road as an author of books for boys back in late 2001. My action-adventures and mysteries are designed to pull them in, hook them, and not let go until the story is finished.

Now, you might think that the greatest compliment I could imagine might come from a prestigious magazine, newspaper, or powerful organization. Those are nice, but there is one that goes even higher.

There is nothing like receiving a note or email from a young reader, especially a boy who didn’t like to read, telling me that one of my books was the first he’d ever read all the way through. Parents tell me this as well. I’ve even had wives say something like, “After my son got so excited over your book, my husband, unbeknownst to me, picked up the book, to see what all the fuss was about. He told me it was the first book he’d ever read all the way through too.”

I’ve found it interesting to see how some of my most important review and interview opportunities have come about. In several cases, the editor has had a son who wasn’t very excited about reading. That son became sort of the gatekeeper in deciding if there was any value to what I had written. It’s never happened where one of those boys held his nose and said the book, no matter which of my titles he chose, was no good. Quite the contrary, several have asked to see all 7 of the published books, after reading the first. And each of my books have completely different characters, setting, and plot.

Earlier this year, I signed with an agent. He is diligently searching for the best fit between my books and publishers who have come to see that there is a vast market for action-adventures and mysteries written especially for boys 8 and up.

July is a big month for my work.

A feature article has been written in a prominent homeschool magazine. The most enjoyable aspect of this was that two boys read all of my books and wrote their reviews. Great!

Another review is scheduled for a newspaper chain with papers in several states.

My agent will be meeting with a number of acquisition editors at one of the largest book trade shows in the country. With 28 finished manuscripts for boys, we’re hopeful to begin making some of those connections.

I was invited to supply fliers for the registration packets at the Boys and the Boy Crisis conference in Washington DC July 13 – 14.

If you’d like to read a just released interview: http://storiesforchildren.tripod.com/id139.html
This is a current press release on PRWeb that connects my adventures to THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/06/prweb532684.htm
Author web site: http://www.maxbooks.9k.com

Now, from an author who hated to read...comes books kids hate to put down.

Books Boys LOVE to Read

There is a reason why boys love reading books by Max Elliot Anderson. The books are real, telling stories that could easily happen. His books are based on fact, and, in some cases, news accounts.

Such is the case, recently, for two of his published books, NORTH WOODS POACHERS and MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY. The first book is set in a remote area in Northern Canada. It tells the story of international wildlife smugglers, using high-tech methods which earn the thieves millions of dollars.

On June 10, 2007, a published article, by The Associated Press, reports that organized crime syndicates are heavily involved in the illegal poaching and sale of wildlife. The report estimates that this activity accounts for tens of billions of dollars.

Mr. Anderson also wrote the book, MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY. In this story, three boys become separated from their mountain climbing group, in a dense fog. It’s a wild story that becomes even more desperate when the boys stumble upon a terrorist cell, hiding in an abandoned mountain cabin. The boys discover that the terrorists have plans to attack the city of Denver.

Anderson’s stories grab the reader early, and don’t let go until the very end of the book. Readers are unanimous in their responses.

“Anderson does a great job of keeping the action going at a fast pace, probably knowing fully well that the average young reader would rather be working the controls of a video game console than plough through printed text. At the end of each chapter, he typically introduces a twist or an exciting plot turn that makes this a one-sit read.”

“When I finished reading it I wanted to read it again. It's better than Nancy Drew mystery stories. The characters were so real that it seemed as if I was there as an onlooker - not just reading a book.”

“Max Elliot Anderson has woven another great tale of adventure, ingenuity, fun and danger. How the boys solve this mystery, with the ingenious creativity of CJ's technical mind, is both clever and quite believable. This one will keep the reader on the edge of the seat, eagerly turning the next page.”

“Anderson really knows how to put the excitement into his books for kids. This story is so easy to read and so compelling that the kids forget they don't like to read and just keep on turning the pages to find out what happens next.”

“Max Elliot Anderson’s books are destined to become classics along with such greats as Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Anderson is a talented writer; his books should be available in every local and middle school library.”

“In a world of TV and media coverage where violence and crime seem to win the day, Mountain Cabin Mystery is a refreshing, thrilling story that also concentrates on the values that ensure a meaningful and peaceful life – yes, with plenty of mystery and adventure!”

“Three friends, Scott, Al, and Benji, get accepted to a wilderness training camp in the Rockies. But this summertime trip into the mountains to learn outdoor survival skills is only the backdrop to a rollicking adventure that climbs up your spine and hangs by its fingertips from the cliff of your skull.”

Max Elliot Anderson’s exciting action-adventures and mysteries explode right out of today’s headlines.

NEWSPAPER CAPER, TERROR AT WOLF LAKE, NORTH WOODS POACHERS, MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY, BIG RIG RUSTLERS, SECRET OF ABBOTT'S CAVE & LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF, are compared by readers and reviewers to Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London.

If there is a boy in your family, or in your circle of friends, he needs these action-adventures and mysteries.

http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/
Reviews http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/
mander8813@aol.com

More Dangerous Books for Boys

More Dangerous Books for Boys

A lot has been written in recent days about The Dangerous Book for Boys. I’m fascinated by all the excitement, and encouraged at the same time.

Some of the aspects being promoted about the book include how to tie various knots, to make paper airplanes, or even to build a sort of go-kart. The book promotes adventure in the lives of boys. This sense of adventure has been a goal of mine as I’ve written action-adventures and mysteries especially for boys 8 – 13. Why do I write books for boys? Because there simply aren’t enough of them. I’m just now working on manuscript # 35. To date, 7 of my books for boys are published.

Here they are:

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. Readers will like the humor, attack dogs, car thieves, and the chop shop Tom and the others uncover. This story reminds us of how important friendship is.

TERROR AT WOLF LAKE
Eddy Thompson was known for one thing and one thing only. Eddy was a cheater. He cheated on anything, anytime, anywhere, until something happened up at Wolf Lake. It wasn’t the brutal cold. It wasn’t when he fell through the ice. It wasn’t even when two scary men arrived at their remote cabin. What happened would change Eddy’s life…forever.

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. The story is filled with excitement, danger, humor, and drama. In the end, Andy learns the concepts of family tradition, and that it is important to follow the rules. Readers will enjoy the gigantic, jet-powered floatplane, computers, home made radio transmitter, and naturally, no one will ever forget Big Wally. He’s a fish of course.

MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY
Scott and his friends had dreamed and prepared for their first wilderness camping adventure. When they become separated from their group in a mountain fog, trouble begins. There was that bear, the decrepit suspension bridge over a bottomless gorge, the sheer cliff in the dark, those terrorists in the remote cabin, the Army, the helicopter ride, and…

BIG-RIG RUSTLERS
Todd and Amanda live with their parents in a Midwestern city. The children are invited to visit their uncle, aunt, and Cousin Drew, on their Wyoming ranch over spring break. Todd learns, in a unique way, why stealing is wrong. A band of high-tech cattle rustlers are caught, revealing that Todd was also wrong about Travis, a shadowy character.
Read about the round up, rattlesnake, and rustlers.

THE SECRET OF ABBOTT'S CAVE
Who are the real heroes in America? Randy and his friends pooled their resources to go cave exploring, discovered the hidden loot from a bank robbery, and learned they weren't heroes at all.

LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF
They didn’t call him a liar; they just couldn’t believe his story. Brian Fisher was determined to prove it was true even though it involved the risk to his own safety. His rescue of a wolf pup from a steel trap results in a mysterious relationship with surprising results. The story is set in the lower elevations near Yellowstone

If there is a boy in your family, or in your circle of friends, he needs one of these action-adventures or mysteries.

Max Elliot Anderson
http://www.maxbooks.9k.com
mander8813@aol.com

The Dangerous Book for Boys

As I write this post, THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS ranks # 3 on Amazon. This is very encouraging to me, since all of my action-adventures & mysteries are written especially for boys 8 – 13. Still, even girls and adults like them as well.

It is reported of THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR BOYS, that this one book may help lift the entire Collins publishing division.

Earlier I have reported on what seems to be a growing awareness that there is a need for good reading material for boys. For far too long, the majority of books for young readers have been slanted toward girls, since they represent the largest numbers of readers. But has this become a self-perpetuating cycle? I think so.

My research has brought me in contact with a number of people who also recognize there is a need in this area. I’ve learned new terms such as the “lace curtain” and the feminization of our culture and education system.

Yesterday I had the privilege to speak to a combined gathering of students from two schools in the Beloit, Janesville, Wisconsin area. When I asked if there was anyone who didn’t like to read, the majority of hands that were raised immediately, were boys.

Clearly it is time for publishers to begin releasing the kinds of books that will hook and hold the interest of boys. My twenty-eight available manuscripts of action-adventures and mysteries would be a good place to start.

2007 Boys and the Boy Crisis

In late 2001, when I decided to begin writing books for boys, I had no idea what was ahead. All I knew was that there appeared to be a need for action-adventures and mysteries that were crafted especially for boys 8 and up.

Now, nearly six years later, the magnitude of the problems that boys face in education is becoming more evident. I’m encountering terms like The Lace Curtain, The Feminization of Education and our culture, and the like.

On July 13 – 14, 2007, The National Men’s Equity Congress will meet again in Washington, DC. This is there third meeting, and the title for this year is:

2007 Boys and the Boy Crisis

You can read more about the conference at http://www.trueequality.com/speakers.php

The new book, Whisker Rubs, by Don Otis, is certainly a step in the right direction.

There is a great need for adventure and action in books for boys. These are the things they LOVE to read about. Once publishers figure out how to market books of this kind for boys…look out!

National Turn Off TV Week

April 23 - 29 is National Trun Off TV Week. You can learn more about this efforrt by going to http://www.tvturnoff.org/ They also have another program called More Reading, Less TV.

So, I’m editing one of my previous posts, which talks about summer reading, to reflect National Turn Off TV Week.

This week, let 'em READ a movie.

Several young readers have reported that reading one of my action-adventures & mysteries is like being in an exciting or scary movie. This comes from my extensive background of dramatic film and video production. My books are first targeted for boys ages 8 - 13. But girls like the books also.

Books are ranked by Accelerated Reader. They can be ordered from Baker & Taylor, and are available on Amazon.com

NEWSPAPER CAPER, TERROR AT WOLF LAKE, NORTH WOODS POACHERS, MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY, BIG RIG RUSTLERS, SECRET OF ABBOTT'S CAVE & LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF, are compared by readers and reviewers to Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London.

So this week, turn off the TV, turn off the computer, and let 'em READ a movie

Max Elliot Anderson
Author
Author http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/ Reviews http://www.maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/ Books for Boys blog http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/
Ranked by Accelerated Reader...Distributed by Baker & Taylor
News release on this subject: http://www.prleap.com/pr/72541/

Speaking in Indiana

Had a great time speaking about my books for boys, to 90 fifth-graders, in an elementary school, in Indiana. It was especially fun since the event fell on Friday the 13th. My schools presentations include music and sound effects, so, I made sure to have some extra spooky music for that day.

Students listened as I read two chapters from an unpublished manuscript, then they did a writing exercise. Students were invited to read their paragraphs out loud.

It is extremely rewarding to have the opportunity to speak to students in the age group that I’m writing for, readers 8 – 13, especially boys.

Several students bought books at the conclusion of the presentation.

My special thanks to Chandler Cox, and Mr. Shively!

This summer, let 'em READ a movie

Young readers, and their parents, have reported that reading one of Max Elliot Anderson’s action-adventures or mysteries is like being in an exciting or scary movie. This comes from his extensive background of dramatic film and video production. Mr. Anderson’s books are written for boys ages 8 – 13, but girls also like his books. His author web site can be found at http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

Summer vacation is almost here, and with it comes the dreaded announcement, “Mom! I’m bored!” This complaint is usually met with computers, video games, DVDs, or television. But these only work for a limited amount of time. Today, children are being robbed of using their imaginations. Even sending them outside to play would be better than the electronic alternatives. Families going on vacation might take a Max Elliot Anderson adventure or mystery along. Parents of reluctant readers can encourage their children to read a chapter a day during the summer.

Mr. Anderson grew up as a reluctant reader. In fact, he hated to read. Years later he began to research why this had happened. Based on his findings, he has crafted mysteries and adventures that young readers find hard to put down. Because he has spent a lifetime in the production of exciting movies, commercials, and television programs, he brings a unique, visual style to his writing. Nearly 50 pages of reviews can be found at http://www.maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/ .

Newspaper Caper, Terror at Wolf Lake, North Woods Poachers, Mountain Cabin Mystery, Big Rig Rustlers, Secret of Abbott’s Cave & Legend of the White Wolf, are compared by readers and reviewers to a modern day Tom Sawyer, The Hardy Boys, Huck Finn, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, or, Scooby-Doo, Lemony Snicket, and adventure author Jack London. Each book has completely different characters, setting, and plot. All contain as much excitement and adventure as any reader, 8 and up, can handle. Some families enjoy reading the books together, out loud, so that everyone in the family can enjoy the fun.

Along with heart-pounding action, humor, and excitement, books by Max Elliot Anderson also provide an opportunity to learn about new things. Each book has been well researched, providing an educational experience, without the reader even realizing it. Books are ranked by Accelerated Reader. They can be ordered from Baker & Taylor and Amazon.com. Books ordered directly from the author will be signed. He can be easily located by searching on Google or Yahoo.

Growing complaints from parents, teachers, and librarians indicate that there aren’t enough good books for boys, with adventure, danger, and excitement. Max Elliot Anderson writes books for boys and girls.

So this summer, parents might try turning off the TV, or the computer, and let 'em READ a movie by Max Elliot Anderson.

Max Elliot Anderson
P O Box 4126
Rockford, IL 61110
(815) 877-1514
Mander8813@aol.com

WHISKER RUBS

I grew up in a family of four boys and three girls. Two of my sisters were the oldest, and one of the things that drove them crazy was a phrase my father often used to explain why my brothers and I acted as we did. His explanation was clear, simple, and succinct, “Boys will be boys.”

Looking back now, I can see how wise he was. And, at the same time, I remember how happy I was to be a boy, growing up in that house, at that time.

Recently I discovered a new book, WHISKER RUBS, Developing the Masculine Identity, by Don S. Otis, published by Living Ink Books. It mirrors some of the things I’ve learned over the past six years. I especially appreciated the introductory material where Don writes personally about the differences in how his father and mother viewed his growing up years. Of particular significance is the way Don feels that his father pushed him outside of his comfort zone, in order to explore all the possibilities in life.

My own son came to such a place in his life. It was one of the most difficult choices he had to make, causing him to stretch far beyond what he believed he could do. Today he is an attorney in a large law firm in Chicago. Still, I often wonder how his life might have turned out, if he hadn’t had a father who encouraged him to try?

Well, “Whisker Rubs” offers to shine a bright light into the darkness on the subject of boys who, today, are struggling with difficulties related to their own masculinity and self-esteem.

Call it inadvertent, or the law of unintended consequences, but there isn’t any doubt. Today, boys have a serious problem. Much of it comes from the fact that there may not be a positive male role model in their lives. Even though they may be doing their best as single parents, moms can only do their part of the job. A boy needs a man in his life, to teach some of life’s most important lessons.

“Whisker Rubs” in no way denigrates women. The book simply points out the importance of both the feminine and the masculine influences necessary as a boy grows into a man.

“Whisker Rubs” is divided into three main sections. In the first, Stages of Bewilderment, Don takes the reader through the same minefield that boys encounter as they grow up. From there, he tackles the consequences in our society after feminism entered the culture. The final section offers the most hope as it explains what men need in order to feel fulfilled.

“Whisker Rubs” is an important book because it doesn’t simply lay out what’s gone wrong for boys and men in our society. Nor does it lay the blame solely on women or the feminist movement. Don also offers answers and solutions.

I appreciate this because, when I set out to write books, especially for boys, I did so with the same knowledge that boys are different, their interests are different, and their emotional needs are different. There is no way we can cram boys and girls into the same mold. My action-adventures & mysteries, written especially for boys 8 – 13, are filled with danger, excitement, and heart-pounding action.

So far, most publishers have told me that they do better, in the market place, with books that appeal to girls. It is my hope that a book like “Whisker Rubs” will be one of many initiatives that will help swing the pendulum back in the opposite direction from where it is today.

“Whisker Rubs” would be excellent for sociology study at the college level, for study in adult Sunday school classes, in counseling, or for reading by parents today.

Max Elliot Anderson
Author of Action-Adventures & Mysteries, especially for boys.
Author web site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/
Books for Boys blog http://booksandboys.blogspot.com/
Nearly 50 pages of reviews http://www.maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/