"The Action Begins with the First Sentence and Never Stops!"

School Library Journal reviewed Trouble in the Hills and gave it such a great review I'm jumping up and down in my seat!

Here's what they said:

"In this exciting adventure set in the Canadian Rockies, the action begins with the first sentence and never stops. After arguing with his father, high school student Cam Stewart jumps on his bike and pedals quickly up a trail. A reckless ride is his way of handling his anger at his father, whom he feels constantly badgers him. While on this ride, Cam falls over a cliff, landing on a rock jutting out from the mountain. Badly hurt, but still able to move, he tries to get to safer ground. After another error in judgement, he is thrown into a fast-moving waterfall but saved by a young woman who appears to be running away from someone. Becker keeps the plot moving as Cam and Samira struggle to survive the elements, and more. Drug running, human trafficking, and an innocent romance all factor into making this story a hit with teens. Including reluctant readers. Because of its graphic language, this one is meant for older readers who enjoy extreme sports, and survival stories."

Thanks, SLJ!

BTW, if you want to see a sneak preview of the book, check out the live-action trailer on youtube. It was produced by the folks who I work with on the TV Show, Planet Echo, and it really captures the heart-pounding chase scene on which the novel opens.

Live Action Book Trailer Unveil!

Finally, it's done! The trailer for Trouble in the Hills. Live action. Featuring handsome leading men, one stunning leading lady, helicopters, explosions, and---

Oh, just watch it. :)

                                                                          
                

Short Chapters, Perfect Pacing and Lots of Action...

I was so delighted to return from Fireworks School (more on THAT in a later post) to find the Canadian Children's Book Centre's BookNews in my mailbox, with a review of Trouble in the Hills in it. I was even more delighted by the review. It says, in part:

"Filled with non-stop action, the story moves at breakneck speed as Cam faces numereous perilous situations...Short chapters, perfect pacing and lots of action make Helaine Becker's debut YA novel a perfect choice for reluctant boy readers, and once they pick it up, they'll find it impossible to put down until the end."

Thanks CCBC!

Review Round Up

This was a banner week for reviews for my books.

The first review for The Big Green Book of the Big Blue Sea appeared in Booklist. You can see that review here.

There were two reviews for Juba This, Juba That. Read the CM Magazine review here, and the Canadian Children's Book Centre review here.

And Trouble in the Hills received its first review, from CM Magazine. You can read that one here.

What's A QR Code and What's It Doing on My Book #yalit? #publishing

A QR Code is the little cryptic square appearing on consumer goods, posters and in magazine ads. You take a snap of it with your smartphone and voila! It takes you to a website - a video, or an info blurb - about the product.

We decided to be adventurous and add a QR code (two, actually) to my hot-off-the-press novel, Trouble in the Hills. It is an adventure story, after all.

Here's the QR code that appears on the back:

Go ahead, try it! See where it take you....