A ten year old goes up against bumbling horse thieves in this award-winning, comic-adventure novel for kids ages 9-12. A great readaloud for the whole family.
Ten year old Homer Easton is a 'home alone' Internet entrepreneur whose separated parents are preoccupied with enjoying their mid-life crises. Catered to by an assortment of hired professionals, Homer's only true friend is Bluestone Belle, a blue-eyed albino mare.
When evil rancher Damien Crawford and company steal the horse and ship her to the slaughterhouse, Homer and his wacky entourage race against time to rescue Blue.
As the unstoppable boy closes in, Crawford and his men make the mistake of kidnapping him too. They don't know the real meaning of trouble until they find themselves up against this piston on two short legs, his madcap team, and a pair of warring, but determined, parents!
A joyous, heartwarming romp for kids and grownups alike, Saving Bluestone Belle demonstrates how righting a wrong can make even the least likely a hero. Animal lovers of all ages will be touched by the underlying animal rights theme.
Attention Hollywood! This Disney-style novel is also available as a feature-length family film script and has the potential for a book series with movie and merchandise tie-ins.
EXCERPT
The Prologue from Saving Bluestone Belle.
In the Beginning . . .
At birth, Homer Easton was not much bigger than a drowned rat, and only a tiny bit cuter. But fortunately, size and good looks are no measure of genius, for upon arriving home from the hospital, he struggled to utter his very first word, opening and closing his mouth like a blowfish.
"Say 'Mama,'" his mother coached, gently rocking the precocious one in her arms. "Ma-ma, Ma-ma," she pronounced, exaggerating the vowels for his benefit.
Looking straight into her eyes, Homer gurgled, "Giddyap!" Then he flung his little arm out as far as he could, struck a key on the nearby laptop, and logged on to the Internet.
It didn't take a fortune-teller to predict that by age nine, Homer would be running a thriving Internet business selling horse equipment and that his parents, Mort and Rona, would worry because he spent too much time by himself.
Rona forever urged her son, "Go out and play." The boy would wrinkle up his nose, sarcastically mutter, "Right," and glom onto the computer screen like a magnet to metal. The fact of the matter was, he had no one to play with; normal children shunned him and his parents could not provide him with a brother or sister, no matter how much they wanted to or how hard they tried.
Believing in the importance of a balanced life, Homer's parents hired professionals to guide every aspect of his physical and psychological development. As a matter of fact, the boy was so well provided for, Rona had nothing to do. Shopping expeditions, museum tours, and lunch with the ladies bored her. Secretly, she yearned to be the King Kong of sales. Mort was bored too, with his perfect home in Bel Air, his perfect career as a lawyer and, most of all, his perfect wife.
First they bickered endlessly, blaming each other for their frustrations. Then they separated--Rona to become the saleswoman of her dreams, and Mort to explore the freedom of the single life.
Soon after Homer’s father left them, the boy's horse, Benny Two Shoes, dropped to his knees while grazing, then sank to the ground, dead. The veterinarian said the cause of death was an 'an-your-ism,' but Homer knew better. Benny died of a broken heart because their neighbors moved away, taking with them his darling Ebony, a black filly.
Hard hit by the departure of his father and the death of his horse, Homer took to wearing a Lone Ranger outfit. The bane of his numerous caretakers who came and went, he spent ever more time by himself. He was the loneliest boy in the world until his father sent him a new 'best friend'--a snow white mare with clear blue eyes.
He named her Bluestone Belle.
PROFESSIONAL REVIEWS
You'll Laugh out Loud!
Amazon review by Texas elementary school teacher Linda Hunnicutt.
"This is a delightful book. From the first page you get the exciting feel of being Homer, a smart 10 year old entrepreneur who sees every challenge as just something to overcome on the way to his goal: saving his beloved Bluestone Belle. There is a wacky cast of characters who range from the quirky adults whose job is tending Homer, his well-meaning but clueless parents, to the thrillingly rough villains. I read it to a group of wildly enthusiastic 4th graders. They loved the cover, and kept looking at it to guess what might come next: a meeting with a lion? a shark attack? We laughed a lot as we read, and the fresh modern vocabulary gave many opportunities to discuss idioms, new technology, and figurative language. They learned new words and phrases. The situations Homer encounters brought up discussions about loneliness, wealth, independence, loyalty, and characters who grow and change. It was perfect for asking "What would you do?" My own teenage daughter enjoyed the book too. I recommend it highly."
Saving Blue and Our Youth
Amazon review by educational psychologist Nancy Lester.
"Saving Bluestone Belle is recommended for ages 9 to 12; however, this 70 year old found herself unable to put the book down until she finished it. What fun and excitement! Vivid descriptions make this book an enjoyable experience. You feel like you are there. Teachers and parents will find the hero, Homer, a good role model for young people to take control of their lives, no matter what their circumstances. Homer demonstrates that you don't need admiring peers or perfect parents to be successful. All you need is passion and wise persistence. Homer uses his wits instead of brawn and aggression. For a children's book to sell, adults have to enjoy it, too. I see 'Bluestone' as a novel that kids and parents can enjoy together. Also it will appeal to boys who normally are not interested in reading fiction."
Nancy Lester, M.A. in Counseling
Classic Family Adventure
Amazon review by Richard Blake, a prolific reviewer on Amazon.
"Young Homer Easton’s world crumbled around him when his parents divorced and his horse Benny Two Shoes died. Homer vicariously lived a life through the “Lone Ranger.” A whiz at computers, Homer set up an online company to sell Western paraphernalia.
For his tenth birthday his father presented Homer with a magnificent white horse to replace Benny Two Shoes. The horse was repossessed due to a misunderstanding at the bank. Two desperado type characters loaded Bluestone Belle into their truck and hauled her away.
The story revolves around Homer, Dr. Willoughby, his psychiatrist, Joe, his personal trainer, and Maria, the family maid, and their efforts to save Bluestone Belle from a band of criminals.
Narrow escapes, thrilling chases, and death defying risks keep the reader in suspense throughout this fast paced adventure story, for kids, ages 9-12. The characters are zany and loveable. Maria’s frequent use of Spanish phrases gives the story an added dimension.
The illustrations by Mike Bilz are clever and expressive. The author has demonstrated an uncanny sense of understanding of this age group in her choice of vocabulary in both the narrative and in the dialog of her characters.
Young readers will identify with Homer’s sense of loneliness as his parents choose career and freedom instead of fulfilling parental roles. Romantic innuendos give promise to reconciliation when Homer is kidnapped while attempting to save Bluestone Belle.
This dramatic adventure story is an excellent choice for the classroom, for family night reading, and holds potential for an award winning family film. An excellent read for the whole family."
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