about the book
Michael Vey is just fourteen years old—small for his age and plagued by Tourette’s syndrome. He doesn’t bark or swear like some Tourette’s sufferers; he just blinks a lot and gulps when he gets nervous. Still, it is enough for his schoolmates to make fun of him, and he is bullied constantly…like when brutish Jack traps Michael upside down in his locker. Once rescued by the janitor, Michael is sent to the principal’s office where he ends up with four weeks of detention! Life stinks.
When Jack and his cohorts decide to “pants” Michael in front of his secret crush, cute cheerleader Taylor, Michael loses control. With a surge of electricity, he knocks the bullies out. I forgot to mention that Michael has a secret power—one he has been desperate to keep hidden.
It turns out Taylor has her own power. She can read people’s minds and reboot their memories. She and Michael, curious about the origin of their amazing abilities, enlist their hyper-intellectual classmate Ostin to help them find some answers.
But their poking around reveals the kids’ whereabouts to the creepy Dr. Hatch, who has his own plans for international mayhem using the seventeen kids who survived the malfunction of his machine when they were infants. The seventeen teens all have jaw-dropping electromagnetic powers.
He has the other fifteen electric teens—now will he capture the final two?
about the author
Richard Paul Evans is a pretty amazing guy. He often told his daughters that he loved them, but then he decided to write a story to make his point better. So he penned The Christmas Box and gave it to them for Christmas, He also made twenty copies to hand out to relatives and friends…and these twenty copies were passed around. Pretty soon Richard had orders from local book stores for “his book!”
A year later, the book was on the New York Times Best Seller List, and Richard had a $4.2 million deal from a publisher! Since then, he has written more than twenty books that have been published all around the world; four have been made into movies. In 1997 he started an organization called Christmas Box International, which is devoted to building shelters and providing services for abused and neglected children. So far 16,000 children have received help.
Not bad for a little kid who grew up taunted and teased about his Tourette’s syndrome. Richard’s symptoms are much like his character’s, mainly blinks and tics. Richard’s son, Michael, who also has Tourette’s, suffers from more severe symptoms. Richard created the Michael Vey character for his son. Richard believes that the power is not really in the electricity, but in a person’s inner strength.
Richard lives in Salt Lake City with his wife Keri and their five children. He is an advertising executive, an award-winning animator for American and Japanese publications, an acclaimed speaker, and a graduate of the University of Utah.
Sources:
Author website
Author biography: Amazon
Author biography: Wikipedia
Author interview: The Blaze
Also by Richard Paul Evans:
Michael Vey : Hunt for Jade Dragon (Michael Vey, Book 4). Mercury Ink. 2014.
Michael Vey : Battle of the Ampere (Michael Vey, Book 3). Mercury Ink. 2013.
Michael Vey : Rise of the Elgen (Michael Vey, Book 2). Mercury Ink. 2012.
read more!
Michael Vey : Rise of the Elgen (Book 2) by Richard Paul Evans
Michael Vey, born with Tourette’s syndrome and special electromagnetic powers, joins his techno-genius best friend Ostin and an alliance of other rescued glow teenagers to form the Electroclan. In a brutal battle in the jungles of Peru against powerful foes, Michael learns of evil Elgen’s plan to “restructure” the world.
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Ankarad, nicknamed Harry, is kidnapped by King Corlath of the Hillfolk, because he recognizes that she possesses magical powers. Destined to become a warrior, Harry is chosen to carry the fabled Blue Sword. But is her magic strong enough to defeat Thurra, their archenemy, and save the Hills from being overrun by Dark Magic?
Virals (Book 1) by Kathy & Brendan Reichs
Tory moves to a secluded island with her dad and is thrilled to make new friends with a group of fellow science geeks. When they rescue a wolf pup from an abandoned top-secret lab, they are exposed to a rare experimental canine parvovirus that alters their DNA. Now with enhanced canine senses and reflexes, the kids tackle solving a decade’s old murder.