My Story About Publishing Secret Supers – I covered my years publishing from 2016 to 2023 in my post Who Is Author Andy Zach? But I didn’t cover my Secret Supers series.
My Story About Publishing Secret Supers – How Secret Supers Began
My daughter has cerebral palsy and lives in an electric wheelchair. She lives independently in her own apartment for the past thirteen years.
After I’d published my Life After Life Chronicles, I wanted to try a new genre. She came to me and said, “Hey Dad. Why don’t you write a book about a flying wheelchair?”
That was a good idea, so I wrote Secret Supers. The main character is Jeremy, a seventh-grader with cerebral palsy. He’s a nerd who spends a lot of time in his lab downstairs doing scientific experiments. One experiment gave him a superpower: telekinesis. He could make objects move with his mind, including making his wheelchair fly.
His friends in the special ed class also got superpowers and they decided to fight crime in their town–while in seventh grade.
But enough from me. Here’s a recent review from a reader:
A fun story!
Jeremy has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around. He is in a special education class with Dan, who is blind, Kayla, who was mute and used a walker, and Audrey, who lost her legs and uses crutches. One afternoon, when conducting experiments in his laboratory, Jeremy accidentally gives himself superpowers. Specifically, he gains the ability of telekinesis, which he can use to help himself walk, cause his wheelchair to travel at much higher speeds, and even fly. Not wanting to keep this discovery to himself, Jeremy tells his 3 friends about it and gives each of them superpowers as well. But now that they have superpowers, what should they do? Following the words of Uncle Ben of Spiderman, they decide they must use their powers for good, beginning by trying to solve a case of a stolen car, and keep their identities a secret, modeling their costumes on the Incredibles.
This book was a fun story that placed individuals with disabilities front and center in the story. While the superpowers allow them to do things they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise, it is what they choose to do with their powers that makes all the difference. Also, even with their superpowers, their initial disabilities aren’t erased, which I think is important. I liked to development of the characters and how they interacted and supported each other; I only wish the book had been longer so I could have spent more time with them. I am glad that there’s a sequel already published, and I look forward to reading/listening to it.
My Story About Publishing Secret Supers – Villain’s Vacation
When you write a series, you want each book to be better than the one before it. How could I top four seventh-grade superheroes? In seventh-grade, I loved roller coasters. Why not have an adventure in a coaster park? So, that’s what I created with Villain’s Vacation. My Secret Supers team goes to a coaster park for summer vacation. And their worst enemy is there too, and out for revenge, in Villain’s Vacation.
Here’s a recent review from a reader:
As electrifying as their powers!
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2024
“Villain’s Vacation” by Andy Zach, narrated by Michael Stafford, whisks you on a thrilling ride as four disabled seventh graders with superpowers take on Coaster World. The writing is as electrifying as their powers, keeping you glued to each twist and turn. Stafford’s narration brings each character to life, adding an extra layer of excitement to this action-packed adventure.
My Story About Publishing Secret Supers – Secret Supers in Space
Every trilogy needs at least three books. But what’s better than a coaster park setting? How about outer space? But how will I get them there? There is a space camp in Alabama. Why not send them there? And then . . . my readers will find out how they get to space. So I wrote Secret Supers in Space.
Here’s an audible review from 09-04-24:
Listener received this title free
Great sequel
I was given a free copy for an honest review. The story picks up shortly after the last one ended. The conversations early on give a nice recap of the previous stories. There is action, adventure, comedy, and even a little romance. This book has something for everyone and I recommend giving it a try.
My Story About Publishing Secret Supers – What’s Next?
I have more ideas than time to write–or speed in writing and publishing.
My current project is Magic Arrives. This will be my first fantasy book. All the others are science fiction, with a scientific basis for what happens, even if it isn’t any known science.
So, what’s it about? What if magic came to the Earth and everyone got magical powers? And what if no one knew how they’d work?
That’s the premise of book one. This’ll be a trilogy too–at least.
But what about Secret Supers? I definitely have plans for a fourth book. But how can I make it as interesting as the others? That’s my problem. I’ll accept suggestions here and give you a free ebook in return.
Other projects on the runway are: a devotional on the book of Psalms, another short story collection, a fairy tale, a graphic novel, and a children’s book. Which would you like to see?
Who is Author Andy Zach? – Some Free Audiobooks
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