1) A while back, my son asked me to write a story about him. I said, “Sure!” Then time went by.
I worked on something. Scrapped it. Worked on something else. Scrapped that.
I finally worked on what I thought it would be. Got almost finished, and realized it was not the story he would want, or what I originally envisioned. Also, he had matured quite a bit during that time, and he was reading things at an older level. My originally story was aimed at an elementary school-age kid, and he was reading YA books.
I wanted a story he would enjoy, but not find too “kiddish.” But also, something fun. Something that captured his sense of humor (which is pretty much the same as my sense of humor). And I wanted something that someone in middle school, as well as elementary school, and maybe even high school, could all read and enjoy. Older kids wouldn’t find it too immature, and younger kids wouldn’t find it too complicated or too old for them.
So, there we go. It’s done, and coming out this week – MY BEST ENEMY.
2) Here’s the synopsis:
A fantasy adventure novella for kids of all ages:
Dominic is a typical middle school student.
He loves soccer. Loves videogames. Loves corny jokes and memes. Loves his family
He’s a smart, funny kid, just trying to get through a typical school day, get his homework done, and still have time to ride his bike or kick the soccer ball around with his friends.
He’s not the most popular kid in his school. Not even the most popular kid in his class. He’s just…
Normal.
Except, he’s not.
Dominic is also the protector of other Earths, alternate universes, where he’s sometimes called to help save them from being conquered by the forces of evil. He’s assisted by his best friends – Giraffe and Chicken, two human-sized, talking animals. Whether they’re battling dragons, defeating supervillains, or stopping robot takeovers, it’s all fun and excitement, as long as Dominic can make it back home in time for dinner.
Now, there’s a shadowy presence trying to make its way into Dominic’s universe. Something more powerful and cunning than he’s ever had to deal with before. It may be his greatest threat yet: His best enemy.
It has big plans, and Dominic is in its way.
3) On a more serious note, here’s something I heard recently:
“Yeah, things are tough now. But if we can just get through it, make some sacrifices, it will be better for our country in the long run.”
This is being said by people who, five years ago, talked about how staying at home for a couple of weeks, and wearing a mask in a public place, was too much of a hardship on them. People who basically said, “It’s not my problem if seniors, or anybody with a compromised immune system, are at risk of dying.”
4) What I’m watching:
Finished SUGAR, the Colin Farrell series on Apple. The reveal of who his character is, and his secretive associates, was pretty much on point and felt like a natural “of course” moment.
SUGAR is a good, modern-day P.I. show, with a refreshing main character. It’s nice to see a protagonist that is not snarky, not sarcastic, and is empathetic to every living creature he comes across (usually humans and dogs). This is a character that, whenever possible, will try to avoid a violent situation because he truly does not want to hurt anyone. So, basically, the opposite of Jason Statham.
Also, I love the callbacks to old movies in each episode.
Happy to see they’re filming a season 2. I’m curious where they’ll go with the character.
5) What I’m reading:
Honestly, nothing this week. Not much of anything. Too many chores to take care of, and not enough quiet downtime to read.
I will rectify that this week, though.
That’s your Dispatch for the week.
Slade Grayson is a writer who relies on the kindness of strangers. And readers. And sometimes strange readers. You can buy his books here, or buy him a coffee here.