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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

You will laugh and cry - The Crossroads of Logan Michaels by James M. Roberts

“Sometimes hilarious, sometimes painful, but always gritty and real, The Crossroads of Logan Michaels examines a bright young man’s downward spiral into addiction; the forces that drive him to drinking and drugs, and ultimately the forces that may guide him back out. Thumbs-up for this debut!” – James Frey, best-selling author of A Million Little Pieces, My Friend Leonard, and Bright Shiny Morning

Description:

Published: September 15th, 2018

After growing up heartbroken with an endless series of struggles, Maria Michaels creates a picture-perfect family of her own. But life changes too quickly, and she loses her grip on herself and her two troubled sons. In spite of her desire to give them a better life, they spiral downward on the paths they choose. They must fight through sadness, mistakes and tragedy to find redemption and the love that only a mother can give. Told from a dual perspective of mother and son, we follow the family’s battles with divorce, drugs and depression. You will laugh and cry, and probably want to call your mom to tell her you love her.

EXCERPT

Basketball season was starting and, after my first practice, I was selected to start on our team. I loved the attention. I was the only kid on the team who wanted his parents to show up for the games. The reason was simple: my mom was beautiful and young, and my dad was tough-looking and muscular and looked like a kid. I wanted to show them off.

The season was great, and I was one of the best players in the league. The kids at school would talk to me about the games and about how good I was; it felt amazing to have people counting on me each game. The girls noticed me even though I was barely ten years old but I was very shy when it came to the opposite sex.

Katrina was her name—my first crush. She had beautiful, long, straight blonde hair and a killer smile. In class, I would stare at her out of the corner of my eye. Once I noticed her, I promised myself that I would talk with her someday. I just had to work up the courage. Guess again! Third grade and fourth grade passed and still not a single word!

Was it possible that the girl of my dreams would get away?
I couldn’t believe that two years had gone by, and I still hadn’t even spoken to Katrina.

How was it that my basketball team won the championship two years in a row, I started as the pitcher for the Little League’s National League Rockies, got straight A’s in school, and had tons of friends, but still could not talk to a girl? Hard to believe that even with so much success, I still couldn’t do it. I will work the courage up one day, I thought. After all, I was only eleven.

About the author:
James M. Roberts wanted to prove that you don't need to be a college scholar or a perfect writer to put your heart on paper even when it is hurting the most. James's experiences have inspired him to tell his story in order to reach young readers suffering from insecurity, sadness, and addiction. Not only did James drop out of high school, but he also stumbled into deep depression early in his adolescent life. Although he had been an all-star athlete, he was far from happy. He ended up making regrettable choices in order to feel a sense of belonging and worth, especially following his parents' separation. Through it all, James knew that one day he was going to share his "misery" with the world. He struggled through life's lessons and finally put himself through college to earn a business degree and currently has a successful career in sales. James finished his first rough draft at twenty-five while in college. Five years later he erased all 200,000 words and started from scratch. He currently resides in Woburn, Massachusetts, where he continues to thrive and develop his writing.

Author's Giveaway
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7 comments:

Stephanie LaPlante said...

Sounds like a great book.

Laura said...

I'm curious about the intriguing cover. I wonder how it represents the story inside.

Arf2-D2 said...

I like the upside down tree

Ally Swanson said...

I really like the book cover!! It is so dark, intriguing, and mysterious!! It really draws you in and makes you want to know more!! Looking forward to checking this book out!!

Terri. said...

This sounds like a great read.

Mikhail R said...

Nice cover for a fiction book with appropriate font and textures. The excerpt is interesting. Thanks for sharing. There is no question for the author.

Dan Denman said...

I like the book cover. This sounds like an emotional family story.