Swim The Fly

I’m working on an interview with a review site with a series of questions primarily focused upon my 2011 Middle Grade novel SINKING DEEPER!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the questions asks me – “If I were throwing a literary dinner party, which six authors or characters would you invite?”

Now, I’m not going to spoil the surprise by answering that question right here – but I will tell you that one of the authors that I said I’d invite would be Don Calame – the author of SWIM THE FLY.

I read this book a few months ago and I meant to write a review on it. I actually had the book sitting here on my desk for several months as a reminder. The book still might be here, but it’s hard to find anything on my desk right now because that would involve finding my desk.

Which can be hard some days.

I’m not saying that I’m disorganized, mind you. Just a little messy.

I picked up SWIM THE FLY, because one reviewer had compared my novel SINKING DEEPER to SWIM THE FLY. So right off the bat I was intrigued.

I absolutely loved SWIM THE FLY – yet I know that some people might have some misgivings over handing it to a fourteen year old boy.

Why?

Because of smut.

It has fart jokes.

It has poop jokes.

It has jokes involving an unexpected tentpole in the main character’s denim jeans.

The book’s plot is heavily dependent upon the protagonist’s ambition to see an actual live naked girl before the end of the summer.

I know, I know. Some of you are horrified.

But some of you don’t remember what it was like to be a fourteen year old boy. The fact is we have smutty minds at that age. Our hormones are kicking into overdrive and we are just finding out about things like hygiene, sex drive and self control. We think fart jokes are the epitome of fine humour. We lock ourselves in the bathroom with Victoria Secret catalogues, any chance we can get.

We make muscles in the mirror.

We don’t stop doing any of this as we get older, mind you. We just get a little cooler about, is all.

So – when you bring a book that has that proper degree of tasteless smut and place it in the hands of a reluctant male reader – you are going to give that fella a reason to start turning the pages. Some people will tell you that we are offending the minds of teenagers if we risk the risque – but let me tell you that most teenage boys still think fart jokes are awfully cool.

So, I want to thank that reviewer who compared SINKING DEEPER to SWIM THE FLY. They are two different books and have two very distinct voices – and I don’t believe I hit some of the deep resounding smut-jokes that Calame’s book does – but just the same I had a hell of an enjoyable reading the book and I would recommend it to any of you folks dealing with reluctant readers.

Finally, let me throw a link to a Youtube video of Don Calame’s trailer for SWIM THE FLY. It has to be one of the funniest book trailers I have ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdPvP3ASB6g

This still isn’t a review, you understand. It’s just pointing out the fact that I believe if you enjoyed Don Calame’s SWIM THE FLY than you might want to give SINKING DEEPER a try.

So let’s end this blog entry with a commercial break.

You can buy my book at Amazon.ca http://www.amazon.com/Sinking-Deeper-Questionable-Possibly-Decision/dp/155109777X

You can buy my book at Chapters. http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Sinking-Deeper-My-Questionable-Possibly-Steve-Vernon/9781551097770-item.html

You can buy my book at Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Sinking-Deeper-Questionable-Possibly-Decision/dp/155109777X

And if you ask me, I think you ought to buy my book!

Yours in storytelling,

Steve Vernon