Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets Miss Congeniality, |
 | I'm excited to share that I'll have a short story in another Snowy Wings YA anthology, coming out this fall! MAGIC UNDER THE BIG TOP is a circus anthology edited by author Mary Fan for @snowywingspub! This anthology is circus-themed, and my short story involves Parker and friends from my Secret Psychics series. The anthology has stories of all genres-- something for everyone! AND LOOK AT THAT COVER! AHHH! I love it so much! Cover Design by Najla Qamber Cover Photo by @wendywildradio Book Description: Gentlefolk and children of all ages, welcome to the greatest show on earth... and beyond! Dive into this multi-genre collection of short stories inspired by the circus from Snowy Wings Publishing. A princess who moonlights as a trapeze artist. A teen aerialist who switches places with her lookalike friend to attend circus camp. A boy who visits the childhood circus of his ailing grandfather. An artist who moves into a madcap house with a bunch of circus artists. And more... |
George is here!
I'm super excited to share that THE WORST VILLAIN EVER is now available everywhere books are sold! It's in paperback and ebook.
If you love fun, light-hearted stories with a sweet character and a feel-good message, this is a great book for for you, no matter your age.
"A lighthearted and entertaining play on the title’s double meaning.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Humorous and heartfelt, The Worst Villain Ever is a novel in which a boy learns a compelling lesson about accepting himself as he is.” – Foreword Reviews
If you love fun, light-hearted stories with a sweet character and a feel-good message, this is a great book for for you, no matter your age.
"A lighthearted and entertaining play on the title’s double meaning.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Humorous and heartfelt, The Worst Villain Ever is a novel in which a boy learns a compelling lesson about accepting himself as he is.” – Foreword Reviews
A little about the book:
Any villain worth his lockpick will tell you it’s bad to be good, but George can’t quite hide his horrifying niceness. To improve his class ranking in villain school, he accepts an impossible assignment to defeat the greatest superhero ever...who has a big problem of his own.
I'd love to hear what you think! And if you enjoy the story, I hope you'll tell a friend to check it out, too!
Any villain worth his lockpick will tell you it’s bad to be good, but George can’t quite hide his horrifying niceness. To improve his class ranking in villain school, he accepts an impossible assignment to defeat the greatest superhero ever...who has a big problem of his own.
I'd love to hear what you think! And if you enjoy the story, I hope you'll tell a friend to check it out, too!
| IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Books-a-Million | Goodreads Did you know that bookstores can order books for you if it's not on the shelves? Most also ship. There are now three indie bookstores in my local area: The Twig Book Shop Nowhere Bookshop Cibolo Chicks Bookstore Or search for your local indie: bookshop.org/pages/store_locator | Genre: middle grade superhero/supervillain comedy Ages: 8-12 years (grade 3-6) Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing Date of Release: October 18, 2022 Cover: Design by Qamber Kids, with illustrator Oh Lenic Interior: Qamber Designs, by Nada Qamber Don't forget, if your library doesn't have a copy, you can request that they carry it, too! |
Thank you so much for all the support! Y'all are the best!
-Amy
SALE ALERT: U.S. Kindle readers, grab SHORTCUTS while you can! 1 day only!
About the book:
Parker can sense strong emotions in others. And the new girl, Mia, is super sad—and secretive. When a pre-cognitive buddy says Mia's pain will lead to their discovery by dangerous people, Parker tries to help Mia. That’s harder than expected, especially when Parker’s gift backfires in a big way.
Link: https://amazon.com/Shortcuts-Secret.../dp/B08YDLC9F5/
#kindledeals #KindleUnlimited #ebook #ebooksale #uppermiddlegrade #mgbooks #paranormal #uppermg #secretpsychicseries #snowywingspub
About the book:
Parker can sense strong emotions in others. And the new girl, Mia, is super sad—and secretive. When a pre-cognitive buddy says Mia's pain will lead to their discovery by dangerous people, Parker tries to help Mia. That’s harder than expected, especially when Parker’s gift backfires in a big way.
Link: https://amazon.com/Shortcuts-Secret.../dp/B08YDLC9F5/
#kindledeals #KindleUnlimited #ebook #ebooksale #uppermiddlegrade #mgbooks #paranormal #uppermg #secretpsychicseries #snowywingspub
 | I have some exciting news to share about my upcoming middle grade supervillain story, The Worst Villain Ever! First, reviews are starting to roll in. I'm delighted that Kirkus Reviews described The Worst Villain Ever as: A lighthearted and entertaining play on the title's double meaning." |
Yay! ALSO, The Worst Villain is now available on NetGalley for the month of September! If you are a book reviewer, a librarian, or book seller, please click on the button below to request your copy! If you have colleagues who may be interested, please feel free to share this NetGalley link as well: http://netgal.ly/EaENAP
About the book:
Any villain worth his lockpick will tell you it’s bad to be good, but George can’t quite hide his horrifying niceness. To improve his class ranking in villain school, he accepts an impossible assignment to defeat the greatest superhero ever...who has a big problem of his own.
Any villain worth his lockpick will tell you it’s bad to be good, but George can’t quite hide his horrifying niceness. To improve his class ranking in villain school, he accepts an impossible assignment to defeat the greatest superhero ever...who has a big problem of his own.
 Title: The Worst Villain Ever Release date: October 18th, 2022 Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing Ages: 8-12 and up Cover: Qamber Designs | Links: IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Books-a-Million | Goodreads Indie bookstores can order and ship! Three in my area: The Twig Book Shop , Nowhere Bookshop, Cibolo Chicks Bookstore |
Thanks for all of your support! I'm so excited about this book and can't wait to share it with you!!
-- Amy
-- Amy
The Worst Villain Ever will be available on October 18th! It will be on NetGalley in September and ebook ARCs are available now! Message me if you're a book reviewer, book seller, librarian, or educator who shares about books! In the meantime, I'm so excited to share the book trailer for The Worst Villain Ever!
Pre-orders are up NOW! If you see the old November release date on your favorite book seller's platform, don't worry-- your book will still be available on October 18th. It just takes some websites longer to update.
You can find the links of your favorite places to buy books online here:
IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Books-a-Million |
Did you know that local indie bookstores can order books for you if it's not on the shelves? Most also ship. There are now three in my local area:
The Twig Book Shop Nowhere Bookshop Cibolo Chicks Bookstore
Or search for your local indie: bookshop.org/pages/store_locator
And you can add it to your list on Goodreads, too!
Note: The ebook will only be available on Kindle, at least at first, as it will be in Kindle Unlimited, but paperbacks will be available online anywhere books are sold. Pricing may vary based on distributer discounts.
You can find the links of your favorite places to buy books online here:
IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Books-a-Million |
Did you know that local indie bookstores can order books for you if it's not on the shelves? Most also ship. There are now three in my local area:
The Twig Book Shop Nowhere Bookshop Cibolo Chicks Bookstore
Or search for your local indie: bookshop.org/pages/store_locator
And you can add it to your list on Goodreads, too!
Note: The ebook will only be available on Kindle, at least at first, as it will be in Kindle Unlimited, but paperbacks will be available online anywhere books are sold. Pricing may vary based on distributer discounts.
Pre-orders are so helpful to authors, but another way you can support this book without any cost to you is by requesting it from your local library! You can tell them it:
About the book:
When eleven-year-old George Pruwell is finally admitted to the Academy of Villainy and Wrongdoing, he has big plans of making his family proud, especially his older brother Alex. Unfortunately, unlike his brother, George is anything but villainous. To secure a slot in the school's best class roster and prove himself worthy of his family's wonderfully wicked name, he takes on a nearly impossible assignment: defeat Captain Perfectus, the world's greatest superhero.
Now, George has to figure out how one too-nice-villain-in-training can defeat the most impressive superhero of all time. Alex offers his help, but George isn’t so sure he wants to use his big brother's methods. And when Captain Perfectus turns out to have some seriously big problems of his own, George must choose whether to follow his instincts and help the superhero or crush him and become the most villainous Pruwell ever.
- is a great fit for chapter book readers ready for the next level
- celebrates kindness without being didactic
- has silly footnotes for all ages to enjoy
- is fun, fast, and funny
About the book:
When eleven-year-old George Pruwell is finally admitted to the Academy of Villainy and Wrongdoing, he has big plans of making his family proud, especially his older brother Alex. Unfortunately, unlike his brother, George is anything but villainous. To secure a slot in the school's best class roster and prove himself worthy of his family's wonderfully wicked name, he takes on a nearly impossible assignment: defeat Captain Perfectus, the world's greatest superhero.
Now, George has to figure out how one too-nice-villain-in-training can defeat the most impressive superhero of all time. Alex offers his help, but George isn’t so sure he wants to use his big brother's methods. And when Captain Perfectus turns out to have some seriously big problems of his own, George must choose whether to follow his instincts and help the superhero or crush him and become the most villainous Pruwell ever.
I'm excited to share that The Worst Villain Ever will be available sooner than expected! Snowy Wings Publishing will now be publishing The Worst Villain Ever on October 18, 2022!
I can't wait for y'all to meet George!
In celebration of a sooner arrival date, here's a little sneak peek:
Chapter 1: The Letter
George Pruwell peered out from his second-story window, wearing his Mastermind Magnifying Goggles. With those bad boys on, he could see the yellow centers of Mrs. Wutherford’s daisies all the way across the street. But George was far less interested in the daisies than in what would hopefully be his first successful villainous trick.
He zeroed in on the sidewalk and saw nothing. Excellent. He’d hidden the Trip ’Em Stakes on either side of the cement and made sure the wire stretching between them was invisible. He’d perfected an invisible tripwire using Gloss Over-It[1] to make sure he followed rule number one of high villainy: Don’t get caught.
The thought of someone tripping and landing in a glorious spill of flailing limbs and scattered papers should have made George smile with anticipation. Any self-respecting villain would be rubbing his hands together in glee. Perhaps even cackling maniacally. Instead, George felt like he had swallowed a dozen white mice from a mad scientist’s laboratory.
Chewing a thumbnail, he turned his gaze north. Mike Jones was coasting down the sidewalk on his skateboard, as he did every evening. George seriously wished someone else had been a handier victim, but Mike passed this spot like clockwork. Mike always waved at George when they saw each other, even though they had never actually spoken.
George squirmed. Maybe he should just hit the terminate button on his handmade Tripwire Remote. It would wind up the tripwire into one of the hidden Trip ’Em Stakes, clearing the sidewalk in seconds. He could always try tomorrow.
But it would be the third cancelled trick this week, and he so wanted to see one of his tricks finally work. He needed one to work.
Mike’s black skateboard had giant red wheels that flashed as they spun. It was a sweet board, especially for a Regular Public Citizen, or “RPC,” as they were known among villains. George’s skateboard was better, with jets in the back for quick escapes if―no, when!―he became a villain-in-training. He was sure his acceptance letter from the Academy of Villainy and Wrongdoing would come any day now―he was eleven, for villainy’s sake―but landing at least one solid trick would make him feel better about his odds.
As Mike approached the tripwire, George leaned forward.
Everything looked perfect―so perfect, in fact, that George broke out in a sweat. Mike really might go flying when his skateboard came to a sudden and complete stop.
Oh man, George thought. I hope he doesn’t get hurt! Mike wasn’t a bad guy, after all.
Technically, that was George’s job—being a bad guy. He wasn’t very good at it. No doubt Alex, his big brother, would have found a way to not only successfully trip Mike, but to pick his pockets while he was flying through the air. Alex wouldn’t be feeling anxious right now.
Pressing the magnifying button next to his left eye, George zeroed in closer. Mike was singing along to some song, earbuds barely visible through his hair. Pulling back on the zoom, George counted down as Mike approached the trap.
As he got closer and closer, George’s finger hovered over the terminate button.
Mike was almost there. He would hit the wire for sure.
With a huff, George pressed the button to stop the trick and then sagged against the window. He’d chickened out. Again.
But the red light on the remote didn’t flash. The wire wasn’t moving. Oh no…
Jerking back to his feet, he smacked the goggles to his face and forced himself to watch, grimacing in anticipation.
But right as Mike was about to cross the trap, a man in a black ski mask burst out from Mrs. Wutherford’s house, carrying a laptop. He was running full-out with Mrs. Wutherford screaming behind him, “Stop! Thief!”
Mike screeched his board to a halt, and the thief bolted in front of him. The thief hit the hidden wire and went sailing through the air before falling on his face. The laptop went flying harmlessly into the grass. George smacked his hand against his forehead.
Mrs. Wutherford kept the masked man on the ground by hitting him repeatedly with her watering can, and Mike was calling someone on his phone—probably the police.
The police!
George hit the retract button again and again. The police would no doubt be here in a heartbeat. No matter what, they could not find that tripwire. Remember rule number one! If the button didn’t work, he’d have to find some excuse to run out there, and he was terrible at lying.
A patrol car pulled up. George squeaked, “Come on! Come on!” He hit the remote on the table.
The remote’s red light suddenly lit up, and he let out a long whoosh of air. His secret was safe. The red light meant the wire had spooled into the hidden casing. Both stakes were safely hidden under the leaves. He’d collect his trap later, when the coast was clear.
George was caught between deepest relief and hugest despair. When the police car arrived, two officers stepped out: a big guy and a woman with mirrored sunglasses. Fumbling in his rush, George jammed on his Eavesdropping Ears and aimed his amplifier toward Mike and the police officers. The big guy spoke first.
“What’s going on here, young man?”
“Dude, that guy just came running out of the house, and like, tripped on the sidewalk or something.”
“Is anyone hurt?”
The police officers and Mike looked over at the slouching burglar being cuffed by the cop’s partner. Mrs. Wutherford seemed to be shouting words that not even criminals should hear.
Mike laughed. “Maybe just the crook.”
“Thank you for your time, then.”
George sighed with relief. No one even looked near his trap device. That was good news. But the only other thing he could be thankful for was that his family would never know he had yet another failure in his villainy résumé.
Not only had he not taken down a good guy, he’d accidentally taken down a bad guy! Talk about horrible luck. And even worse, if he were honest with himself, George had to admit he was glad Mike was safe and Mrs. Wutherford had gotten her laptop back. If he found out, Alex would never, ever let him live that one down.
[1] Gloss-Over-It: Sold at The Thrifty Villain store and website. The product description reads, “A unique blend of chemicals that refract light to make small objects almost unnoticeable. A priceless addition for villains who must pay attention to prices.”
I can't wait for y'all to meet George!
In celebration of a sooner arrival date, here's a little sneak peek:
Chapter 1: The Letter
George Pruwell peered out from his second-story window, wearing his Mastermind Magnifying Goggles. With those bad boys on, he could see the yellow centers of Mrs. Wutherford’s daisies all the way across the street. But George was far less interested in the daisies than in what would hopefully be his first successful villainous trick.
He zeroed in on the sidewalk and saw nothing. Excellent. He’d hidden the Trip ’Em Stakes on either side of the cement and made sure the wire stretching between them was invisible. He’d perfected an invisible tripwire using Gloss Over-It[1] to make sure he followed rule number one of high villainy: Don’t get caught.
The thought of someone tripping and landing in a glorious spill of flailing limbs and scattered papers should have made George smile with anticipation. Any self-respecting villain would be rubbing his hands together in glee. Perhaps even cackling maniacally. Instead, George felt like he had swallowed a dozen white mice from a mad scientist’s laboratory.
Chewing a thumbnail, he turned his gaze north. Mike Jones was coasting down the sidewalk on his skateboard, as he did every evening. George seriously wished someone else had been a handier victim, but Mike passed this spot like clockwork. Mike always waved at George when they saw each other, even though they had never actually spoken.
George squirmed. Maybe he should just hit the terminate button on his handmade Tripwire Remote. It would wind up the tripwire into one of the hidden Trip ’Em Stakes, clearing the sidewalk in seconds. He could always try tomorrow.
But it would be the third cancelled trick this week, and he so wanted to see one of his tricks finally work. He needed one to work.
Mike’s black skateboard had giant red wheels that flashed as they spun. It was a sweet board, especially for a Regular Public Citizen, or “RPC,” as they were known among villains. George’s skateboard was better, with jets in the back for quick escapes if―no, when!―he became a villain-in-training. He was sure his acceptance letter from the Academy of Villainy and Wrongdoing would come any day now―he was eleven, for villainy’s sake―but landing at least one solid trick would make him feel better about his odds.
As Mike approached the tripwire, George leaned forward.
Everything looked perfect―so perfect, in fact, that George broke out in a sweat. Mike really might go flying when his skateboard came to a sudden and complete stop.
Oh man, George thought. I hope he doesn’t get hurt! Mike wasn’t a bad guy, after all.
Technically, that was George’s job—being a bad guy. He wasn’t very good at it. No doubt Alex, his big brother, would have found a way to not only successfully trip Mike, but to pick his pockets while he was flying through the air. Alex wouldn’t be feeling anxious right now.
Pressing the magnifying button next to his left eye, George zeroed in closer. Mike was singing along to some song, earbuds barely visible through his hair. Pulling back on the zoom, George counted down as Mike approached the trap.
As he got closer and closer, George’s finger hovered over the terminate button.
Mike was almost there. He would hit the wire for sure.
With a huff, George pressed the button to stop the trick and then sagged against the window. He’d chickened out. Again.
But the red light on the remote didn’t flash. The wire wasn’t moving. Oh no…
Jerking back to his feet, he smacked the goggles to his face and forced himself to watch, grimacing in anticipation.
But right as Mike was about to cross the trap, a man in a black ski mask burst out from Mrs. Wutherford’s house, carrying a laptop. He was running full-out with Mrs. Wutherford screaming behind him, “Stop! Thief!”
Mike screeched his board to a halt, and the thief bolted in front of him. The thief hit the hidden wire and went sailing through the air before falling on his face. The laptop went flying harmlessly into the grass. George smacked his hand against his forehead.
Mrs. Wutherford kept the masked man on the ground by hitting him repeatedly with her watering can, and Mike was calling someone on his phone—probably the police.
The police!
George hit the retract button again and again. The police would no doubt be here in a heartbeat. No matter what, they could not find that tripwire. Remember rule number one! If the button didn’t work, he’d have to find some excuse to run out there, and he was terrible at lying.
A patrol car pulled up. George squeaked, “Come on! Come on!” He hit the remote on the table.
The remote’s red light suddenly lit up, and he let out a long whoosh of air. His secret was safe. The red light meant the wire had spooled into the hidden casing. Both stakes were safely hidden under the leaves. He’d collect his trap later, when the coast was clear.
George was caught between deepest relief and hugest despair. When the police car arrived, two officers stepped out: a big guy and a woman with mirrored sunglasses. Fumbling in his rush, George jammed on his Eavesdropping Ears and aimed his amplifier toward Mike and the police officers. The big guy spoke first.
“What’s going on here, young man?”
“Dude, that guy just came running out of the house, and like, tripped on the sidewalk or something.”
“Is anyone hurt?”
The police officers and Mike looked over at the slouching burglar being cuffed by the cop’s partner. Mrs. Wutherford seemed to be shouting words that not even criminals should hear.
Mike laughed. “Maybe just the crook.”
“Thank you for your time, then.”
George sighed with relief. No one even looked near his trap device. That was good news. But the only other thing he could be thankful for was that his family would never know he had yet another failure in his villainy résumé.
Not only had he not taken down a good guy, he’d accidentally taken down a bad guy! Talk about horrible luck. And even worse, if he were honest with himself, George had to admit he was glad Mike was safe and Mrs. Wutherford had gotten her laptop back. If he found out, Alex would never, ever let him live that one down.
[1] Gloss-Over-It: Sold at The Thrifty Villain store and website. The product description reads, “A unique blend of chemicals that refract light to make small objects almost unnoticeable. A priceless addition for villains who must pay attention to prices.”
If you are a book reviewer, librarian, or book seller, please let me know if you'd like an ARC ebook for review!
I hope you'll love George as much as I do! I can't wait for you to meet him!
Love,
Amy
Brief book blub:
When George fears he'll never make a successful villain because he's just too nice, he accepts a nearly impossible assignment to defeat the greatest superhero ever...who has a big problem of his own.
I hope you'll love George as much as I do! I can't wait for you to meet him!
Love,
Amy
Brief book blub:
When George fears he'll never make a successful villain because he's just too nice, he accepts a nearly impossible assignment to defeat the greatest superhero ever...who has a big problem of his own.
Amy Bearce
To young readers, I hope I can offer a smidgen of help & encouragement as you traverse the waters of school, friendships, and life.
For those who are writers or aspiring writers, I will occasionally share thoughts on the writing process. Hope it helps!
For librarians and teachers, I sometimes share resources on books, reading, and writing.
For those who are readers of any ages, I like to share when a book totally floors me. Share the love if you agree.
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