Da Count - Brave Writers DIY

Does the following tag line catch your interest?

What if John Hughes Wrote Comic Books?

That, and a preview of the novel "Brave Men Run" on Paula Berinstein's The Writing Show certainly caught mine. The author, Matthew Wayne Selznick, read the first chapter of the novel on Paula's podcast, and I was hooked. I just had to find out what happened next!

I just finished listening to the podcast of Brave Men Run and was completely blown away by Selznick's novel of the Sovereign Era. The book takes place at about the same time that I was an awkward and frustrated teenager, when Ronald Reagan was President of the United States and movies like The Breakfast Club were in theatres.

Selznick easily takes the reader back to that time, place and experience, offering up the sights, sounds, smells and feelings of being a teenager. Of course, his main character isn't just the standard outcast teenager. Nate Charters was born a bit different, with odd animal-like features and interesting enhanced abilities.

Combining the things I used to love in comic books and the things I always enjoyed in a good John Hughes movie, Selznick creates a universe and characters that are real and genuine and live on in your heart long after you've finished the book. And I got a huge kick out of several subtle references he made to Peter Parker and Spider-man, like when Nate's girl friend quotes Mary-Jane by saying: "Face it Tiger, you just hit the jackpot."

I strongly encourage anyone who has ever been a teenager to listen to this podcast or read this book. You don't need to like super-heroes or science fiction, either, because while there are speculative elements in the story, they are mere elements -- the characters Selznick has created are either people we've known, or people we've been. If you were a teenager in the 80's or get excited wanting to view a classic John Hughes teen angst film, you're likely to enjoy this tale even more.

Admittedly, I first was turned off by the cover that Selznick used. Personally, it didn't attract me as a reader, despite the fact that the premise of the story was intriguing to me. So, big deal. The cover doesn't do justice to the incredible tale that Selznick spins. How often can the cover of a book properly do that anyway?

You can purchase one of 4 different versions of the book (print, e-book or audiobook) on Selznick's website Brave Men Run or purchase the print edition on Amazon. You can also subscribe to the podcast there or at Podiobooks.com.

So, if you haven't already guessed, what I'm counting this week is the fact that Matthew Wayne Selznick, a pioneer do-it-yourselfer, took the time and made the effort to write and make available to the world, this wonderful, exciting novel.

Kudos Matt! Excellent job. And I can't wait to read more of your work . . .