Detours and Designs - Softcover

Fazio, Matt; Malacki, Josh

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1611532825 ISBN 13: 9781611532821

Publisher: Torchflame Books, 2018

Synopsis

Any other eleven-year-old kid might flip past a hand-drawn picture if they found it in a textbook. But not Drew Daley. When he discovers a detailed drawing tucked away in his science book, his entire life changes. He finds himself seeing everything differently and caring about things in a way he never did before. Drew becomes determined to find the artist, but with the list of names inside the front cover of his book as his only clue, the search isn't an easy one. He encounters overbearing teachers and bullies, broken windows and promises, and even death and destruction.

On top of all that, Drew has to navigate through fifth grade, where he's learning some important life lessons: Lies can be more common than the truth, people aren't always who they seem, and the most complex problems rarely have "right" answers. Through it all, the drawing gives Drew peace of mind and direction. But how far is he willing to go to uncover the identity of the artist?

About this title

About the Author:

Josh Malacki lives in Pittsburgh, PA, and received a BA in English from Robert Morris University. He is left-handed. His hair is brown. He is terrible at writing third-person author bios, as you likely figured out, or at least suspected, when he told you he was left-handed, or certainly no later than when he informed you of his hair color (brown). Nevertheless, he promises you that Detours and Designs is a lot better than this bio. Although Josh's poetry and short fiction have appeared in a handful of publications, he is best known for his fifth-grade D.A.R.E. essay, which won first place in a landslide. Detours and Designs is his first novel.
 
Matt Fazio is not a bestselling author, but he hopes to be one someday. He teaches Composition and Communication courses at various universities in the Pittsburgh area and is a marketer for an accounting and consulting firm. When he isn't writing, teaching, or marketing, he's likely researching fantasy baseball stats (2012 League Champion), playing songs on guitar (exclusively early 2000s pop punk), or quoting Willy Wonka (the Gene Wilder version, of course). He received a BA in English Studies from Robert Morris University, an MA in English Literature from Slippery Rock University, and a PhD in Rhetoric from Duquesne University. Matt lives in Pittsburgh, PA, with his wife, Erica, and two daughters, Thea and Josie.

Review:

"...an exceptionally well-written novel about the passage from childhood and its certainties into the uncertain and often perilous terrain of becoming a young adult ... Drew comes through in awesome and thoughtful fashion just about every time, and it's quite marvelous to see him coming of age ... I'd be delighted to see a sequel to this story. Detours and Designs is most highly recommended." 
 
-- Jack Magnus, Readers' Favorite
 
 
 
"...a story that brings to life the inquisitiveness of a young mind, the courage of innocence, and an adventure that will delight young readers."
 
-- Ruffina Oserio, Readers' Favorite
 
 
"The diverse personalities created by the authors are real and believable. They are able to capture all of the emotions and peer pressure that preteens go through on a daily basis ...  Detours and Designs moves along at a great pace, with never a dull moment ... This story was so well written that it was tough to put down. Everything was so vividly described that I felt like I was right there beside Drew and his friends, who learn many tough lessons about the consequences of telling lies, cheating, and errors in judgement ... I was totally engrossed. Hook, line, and sinker. What a great adventure! Bravo!" 
 
-- Stephen Fisher, Readers' Favorite

About this edition

• Publisher: Torchflame Books
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1611532825
• ISBN 13: 9781611532821
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 262