Award winning author Andrew Cotto is here to share is book "The Domino Effect" a young adult coming of age story any teen can sink their teeth into.
KBN: How do you promote kids and reading?
AC: I offer Domino at a discounted rate for
teachers and agree to Skype in for any classroom discussions.
KBN: That's a wonderful idea.
KBN: Tell us about your website?
AC: My website has separate pages for my
two novels, my many articles and a column dedicated to a year I spent
living (and writing) in Italy.
KBN: Will you be doing any book tours?
AC: I do regular readings but have yet to
have an official tour for either of my books.
KBN: What are your thoughts on the new
technology for reading a book?
AC: I’m down with any device that makes
reading more accessible. I also love the ability to purchase reading
material instantly and carry a library with you. No, I don’t have
any such device (yet).
KBN: What advice do you have for parents on
getting their kids reading?
AC: A great way to get kids to read is to
find them books about things they like (i.e. sports, dinosaurs,
etc.,).
KBN: Tell us about your book(s) and
illustrations.
AC: I have no illustrations, though I did
have a hand in both of my covers, which I’m very happy with.
KBN: How long did it take you to get this
idea to where it is now?
AC: The idea of Domino took me about five
years to create and actuate into a finished novel (much of that was
waiting for feedback, though). The second book happened much faster.
KBN: What will kids love most about your
book(s)?
AC: As far as kids go, Domino is probably
most appropriate for middle school students, and they’ll
(hopefully) enjoy investing in a likeable, relatable yet wildly
imperfect character who really wrestles with his adolescent
experiences. I believe they will be rooting for him the whole way
(even when he messes up, bad).
KBN: What will parents and teachers love
most about your book(s)?
AC: There’s a lot of important, thematic
ground for teachers to cover, as well as an engaging parent/child
conflict. I wrote this with the idea that it’s one that both
teachers and parents would enjoy and be inspired to share with their
students/children. So far, I've had plenty of validation with
regard to this.
KBN: What's your next project?
AC: I’m working on a noir-ish suspense
novel about celebrity and American culture entitled MARTINIS &
BIKINIS. I wrote it as a novella a few years back and have returned
to it when some ideas came about bulking it up into a novel.
Thanks so much for sharing with us Andrew. Stop over at The Neophyte Writer for tips and advice from Andrew on writing.
Visit Andrew Cotto's sites at:
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Author: Andrew Cotto
Illustrator: John Passineau
Publisher: Brownstone Editions, LLCISBN: 9780615479675
Review:
In his childhood neighborhood Danny Rorro, better known as Domino, faced challenges just like most teenage kids. He had gone to a catholic school and dealt with bullies and scary nuns. Now at a different school, a private school called Hamden Academy, the girl of his dreams for the most part doesn't see him in the light he would prefer. His past and all of his anxieties of being alone and friendless always seem to follow him and leave him feeling sorry for himself.
Time can heal all wounds. A perfect moment at the right time, Danny takes a chance. Instead of giving up he actually goes for it. His prize, Brenda Divine, she is that girl, the one. Finally, the door was opened and Danny walked bravely through it with no fear. He and Brenda, were becoming friends and maybe more. They made plans together and shared stories and secrets. Danny never wanted this to change or end. Not only that, he was becoming a guy all about sports and making friends.
Unfortunately, things do change. No matter what Danny does the bullies are everywhere. One night he'd come back to the dorm to discover his room had been violated by some unseen force. Friendships he thought were secure were starting to unravel from all the social pressures teens face. Between that and the school sports fanatics, Danny finds himself falling down the rabbit hole yet again. Home visits on school breaks weren’t a relief but an extra stress. Danny thought he finally was getting it all together and keeping it that way. Could he hold on to these moments that meant so much to him or would his life unravel? Could he continue to stand tall and be the guy he wanted to be? He just wants to be a guy with friends, sports, a girl and a social life.
Cotto has created a recognizable story that any boy who is having the growing pains of being a teenager can relate too. Boy teens want to be popular, good at sports and most importantly, they want to have someone they cherish and that will cherish them. But like any teen, there are those obstacles that get in the way. Issues with parents, teachers and bullies are always the woven thread that creates the snags that pop up in life. Cotto has poured all the emotion of being a teen into this novel. It's not surprising that he is the winner of the Silver Medal in readers favorite for coming of age YA.
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