JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Aug. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Most authors who slave over a first novel for years want the world to know exactly who they are. This may be especially true for those who have had their efforts lauded by publishing industry experts. Not so Mister E., the author of Cooper Peru and the Curse of Kings, the anonymous middle school parent behind the stunning debut novel.
Critical praise for the manuscript, a project never intended for publication, saved it from being retired to a desk drawer. On a whim, the author ran his first draft through a powerful, AI-driven book analysis tool. To his amazement, it outscored every popular book the service had featured for comparison.
Thinking the score a fluke, he engaged an expert with 10 years of experience in the NY publishing industry, including duties on Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games, to evaluate the manuscript. She spent 5 weeks scrutinizing the draft. When her exhaustive analysis was complete, a report arrived declaring Peru "perfect MG (voice, characters, writing, everything)." The editor added, "You've created a wonderful setting, memorable characters, refreshing story elements, super exciting plot… I especially love how humorous the story is, with great moments that readers will really find funny...All in all, just a fantastic read."
(MG = the middle grade book category. Arguably, the Harry Potter series started as MG before evolving to YA as Harry matured.)
Still not willing to believe he'd written something extraordinary in his first attempt, he sent an updated draft out to another professional editing service. This time, he instructed them to be tough in their evaluation and brutally honest in their assessment of its viability. He then sat back and braced for the destruction of his ego. But the unexpected happened.
10 days later, a thorough analysis arrived, complete with suggestions for tweaks and a heap of unmitigated praise:
"This was an absolutely fantastic read! It was extremely well-written and entertaining, both in terms of plot and the phrasing and language used…this is definitely a book in which the writing can stand toe-to-toe with the Potter series." After some suggestions for adjustments, the editor closed with, "If you can make the tweaks I suggest above, and have a final proofread polish done, you will have yourself an absolutely wonderful masterwork here."
Mind blown, he decided to let his pet project out into the world. But only to students at his kids' middle school and, for the moment, only through a single neighborhood bookstore.
Building a vivid magical world and delivering a compelling, flawed and original hero isn't easy. But the author slipped something extra into Cooper Peru and The Curse of Kings. It's a unique layer that will be invisible to some readers. The pop culture references embedded throughout seem to be an appreciative nod to influential touchstones in the author's life.
We're talking about a writer whose acknowledgments include Andre the Giant, Tiffani Amber Thiessen and the Bigfoot who fought Steve Austin.
Like most enduring the awkward preteen years, Cooper Peru, with the help of classmate/ bully Randy Kramps, has become keenly aware of his physical deficiencies. When odd figures appear from the woods behind school, it's Cooper's glaring defect that becomes the catalyst propelling him to royalty, risk and reward in a strange new world.
To get your copy and explore the mysterious author's exploits, you'll need to find the oldest bookstore in Jacksonville...and you'll need a Julia Landon College Prep student ID.
SOURCE Mister E.
Share this article