Author (middle grade/ young adult/ adult fiction)
The Unexpected Travels of Mikey Whipple
(AGES 9-12)
(178 pages)
An awkward, anxiety-ridden boy is tossed into a predicament that requires saving his father. The scariest part is that Mikey Whipple has to travel back in time to do so. To prepare him, his mentor, a junk shop owner named Nebulous, sends him on practice runs to learn courage, self-worth, and the value of friends. It takes a while, but as Mikey comes out of his shell, he grows impatient to lead his first mission. And that means stopping the sabotage of a plane in 1990.
A loner who once lingered at the back of the pack, Mikey assembles a team that includes three newly acquired BFFs. (It seems like a contradiction, but as it turns out, Mikey is good at making friends!) They go to 1990 and mix with the teenage versions of Mikey’s mom and dad as the mission unfolds in a hodgepodge of events—everything from a crazy matchmaking scheme to learning how planes work to confrontations with the miscreant who intends to harm his family. Mikey stumbles along the way, doing the best he can. It’s a lot to ask of a former wimp from a small town in Pennsylvania. But if he fails, he and his family will cease to exist during the next galaxy interaction. Giving it all he’s got, everything seems to go as planned—until it doesn’t. Mikey will have to improvise.
A Word From The Author
I have spent a rewarding professional life gallivanting around the globe (and here in the good ol’ USA) as a writer, music arranger, and creator of theatrical pieces. Other years were spent teaching theater and music to bright young minds in colleges and universities. I’m so fortunate to have had these experiences. But I have always wanted to write fiction. I love to tell stories. So when I reached the golden age of retirement, I jumped headfirst into writing. Finally, I could sit down, type without any deadlines, and follow a dream that had been gnawing at my subconscious for years. So far, I’ve crafted three novels, the first of which will be published in 2024.
Writing has taken me on a journey of self-discovery and scholarship. I’ve learned so many things I didn’t know I needed to know about crafting a novel (and I’m still learning). A bonus: my characters are like real people to me, deserving of my care, depending on me to guide them on their journeys. And I love that they often surprise me.
As a result, I look forward to every day when I polish a manuscript, outline a new manuscript, pour out words that come together to form paragraphs and chapters–or share insights with other writers. It’s fulfilling and enlightening. I hope you enjoy my books, rooting for the good guys, booing the bad ones, and finding companionship with the whole lot.