Tag: Secret Supers in Space

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Best September 2022 to December 2022 Content

Produce Your Audiobook Secret Supers in Space

Best September 2022 to December 2022. Hoo boy is this one packed! And it’s all good.

My opinions, of course.

Best September 2022

Lets start with a creepy, real-life picture:

Don’t want creepy science? How about recent astronomy from the James Webb Telescope?

How about a flying bike?

Let’s finish September with some geoscience:

For more, click here: Best of September’s Internet for You

Best September 2022 to October – Now for a classic Dystopia

Classic Book Reviews
Review of 1984

I couldn’t find my review of 1984, but I found a review I agree with.

I read Nineteen Eighty-Four when I was eleven years old. School had just let out for the summer, and my family spent that first Saturday down on Lake Moovalya on the Colorado River. It was my first time out in the sun, and I seriously overdid it, spending all day in the river and getting severely sunburned. The next day I could barely move. My mom told me I was “sun poisoned.” The weather turned ugly, too–we were hit with a howling dust storm, so strong and thick I couldn’t see across the street. I wasn’t going anywhere, so I looked for something to read. Our next-door neighbors’ son had gone off to college and his parents, knowing I was a bookworm, gave me a box of paperbacks, mostly science fiction. And in that collection was a copy of Nineteen Eighty-Four. I don’t know why I picked that particular volume–I could have selected Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot or Andre Norton’s The Sioux Spaceman–but Orwell was what I went with.

Wow. When I finished the book a few hours later, I had never been so bummed in my life. I think maybe being so sick and miserable must have had something to do with it, but the experience of reading about Winston Smith’s futile, hopeless fight against Big Brother was so overwhelming, for years afterwards–until I read Robert Cormier’s I Am the Cheese—Nineteen Eighty-Four was my nominee for most depressing book ever written.

But even though I was thoroughly depressed after reading Nineteen Eighty-Four, I still rate it five stars. The total despair the book engendered in me is a testament to Orwell’s skill as a writer. As with all of Orwell’s work, fiction and non-fiction alike, Nineteen Eighty-Four is well-written–Orwell certainly knew his craft. It also captures perfectly life in the Stalinist Soviet Union. The utter bleakness of life, the omnipotent repression by the government, the controlling of the very language to restrict the ability of the populace to think, and the futility of rebellion, all were features of life in the USSR, and all are portrayed truly and vividly in Nineteen Eighty-Four.Hank Hoeft

Now here are my comments.

Think of them as my review, if you want my perspective.

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Andy Zach

3 years ago

It’s so depressing (I read it at about 17) that I rate it 2 stars, despite being still read seventy years after it was published. Normally I would give it 5 stars for that feat.

Andy Zach

3 years ago

The real horror of the book is that Orwell was describing conditions in Soviet Russia at the time and that nothing has changed in human behavior since then. The same conditions exist in North Korea.

Profile image for Hank Hoeft. Classic Book Reviews

Hank Hoeft

3 years ago

I understand where you’re coming from. And in reading your comment, I realize I need to amend, or add to, my review–I should have included why I rated it five stars.

Andy Zach

3 years ago

Hank, I can make a strong argument to rate it five stars. 1) It’s a historically accurate portrayal of Soviet Russia and current North Korea and Cuba; 2) It provides an ominous warning against socialism and communism; 3) It’s still relevant 70 years after it was published; 4) It is extremely well written with gripping characters.

But ultimately my rating is subjective. I read it twice and hated both experiences.

October 2022 – After My First Book, I Got Exponential Growth – How?

I celebrated my sixth year as a published author in October and looked closely at my experience. Huh. I’ve had exponential growth. So why do I ever complain?

Best September 2022

So, why were my sales growing? I thought of these reasons:

  1. The more books I write, the more books I sell. Seems obvious, right? But now I saw how books would sell each other.
  2. The more formats I have, the more I sell. I publish each book in print, ebook, and audiobook. The audiobook promotions with Audible allowed me to give away free books and get paid for them.
  3. The more events I attended, the more I sold. Again, it’s obvious.

From these conclusions, I decided to promote my audiobooks even more, attend even more events, and write even faster.

What happened next? Sorry to spoil the surprise, but 2020 turned out to be even better. I’ll put that in my next blog post. Get all my posts through my newsletter. Click here.

Best of November to December 2022

Cover Reveal for My New Book! The second book I wrote and published in a year! This one also made a trilogy of my Secret Supers series:

Best September 2022 Interesting Links
Secret Supers – click for free audiobook.
Best September 2022 Villain's Vacation cover What is it like?
Villain’s Vacation click to get yours

First, disabled seventh graders get superpowers.

Then they fight crime. Then go on vacation to a coaster park–where their worst enemy awaits, seeking revenge.

What happens next?

Best September 2022 Secret Supers in Space

The Secret Supers are bored out of their minds during summer vacation-until they go to Space Camp. They learn all about the space program, try out moon gravity and zero-g simulations, and practice docking with the International Space Station.

But that’s the easy part. The villains they defeated in the past are back with a diabolical plot that renders the middle schoolers’ superpowers ineffective. Jeremy, Aubrey, Dan, and Kayla face the biggest challenge of their lives. Even if they escape the villains’ clutches, will they survive?

Find out in Secret Supers in Space! Click to get your copy!

Best of September 2022 to December – What Can Top Two New Books?

Free gifts! I gave away twenty-five free literary gifts from December 1 to December 25! Enjoy them below. Don’t forget to get more free stuff from me by clicking here.

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Your Nineteenth Literary Gift of 25 Gifts

Produce Your Audiobook Secret Supers in Space

Your Nineteenth Literary Gift of 25 Gifts to Christmas. Come along as we ride at Coaster World, where the Secret Supers are enjoying their summer vacation from seventh grade. It’s a good thing the part can accommodate four disabled teens. This excerpt is from my Villain’s Vacation novel.

Let me know what you think by clicking here or emailing me at [email protected]. As always, everyone who responds with a comment or email will get a free book from me.

My past gifts to you are here:

If you want to keep track of all my blog posts and get free books you can subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here.

Your Nineteenth Literary Gift: From Secret Supers in Space

Your NIneteenth Literary Gift

 The Secret Supers met at the rocket launch field after lunch. Only Dancer wore his orange-and-black uniform, complete with a black mask. We discovered wearing the uniform under our coveralls was too hot in the Alabama sun. Even the coveralls were discarded for shorts and T-shirts for this occasion.

“You ready, Dancer?” I held him in my lap on my chair.

Dancer stood and saluted.

“Here we go.” I picked him up and carefully placed him in the rocket payload section. I put my eye up to the tinted porthole in the passenger section and saw Dancer inside, looking back at me.

“Now the phone.” I pushed the phone into the clear tube above the passenger section. It had a round black bulkhead with controls that allowed Dancer to use the phone from his capsule. Then I fitted the nose cone on.

I double-checked the igniters on the three engines that powered the rocket. The nichrome wires were bent and fit into the engine nozzles and held in place by tape.

“We’re all ready, gang. Whoa, feel how heavy this is, Dan.” I handed him the rocket.

“Sure this will fly, Jeremy?” Dan hefted the rocket in his hands.

“Oh, yeah. Those engines pack quite a punch. There’ll be a total of forty newtons of thrust.”

“What’s a newton, Jeremy?”

“That’s a measure of force, Aubrey. Forty newtons is like ninety pounds.”

“So even a one-pound rocket will take off like you hit it with a sledgehammer.” Aubrey whistled. “How high will Dancer  go?”

“According to my simulation program, about one hundred and eighty feet.”

The public address blared: “NEXT ROCKET: DANCER EXPRESS. PLEASE MOUNT IT ON THE LAUNCHER.”

“Here we go! Dan, you mount it. You’re taller, so you can get it on the launch rod.”

Hamster into the Blue

Your Nineteenth Literary Gift

Dan and Aubrey walked over to the launch rack together. The rail had room for six rockets, each with its electrical clips for ignition and a blast deflector. The frame was three feet tall, with three-foot launch rods to guide the rockets after ignition.

Dan lifted the rocket over the launch rod and threaded it through the launch guides. Aubrey attached the alligator clips to the ignitors Jeremy had rigged. Jeremy and Kayla checked everything.

Aubrey peered into the porthole on the rocket.

“Dancer is waving!”

You might want to keep it quiet. Someone might get suspicious.

“Oh, right. Thanks, Kayla.”

“Countdown, rocketeers,” said the launch controller over a loudspeaker. “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1—ignition!”

Six rockets flared on the launching rail and leapt into the blue sky.

As the largest and heaviest rocket, the Dancer Express was the slowest. We could see the rocket reach apogee and arch over. The rocket broke apart with a puff of smoke as the parachute ejected. One rocket part floated on a big orange-and-black parachute, and the other fell to the Earth.

“Oh no! The recovery cord broke!” I cried as I looked through my binoculars.

Oh No!

Your Nineteenth Literary Gift

“Is Dancer in danger?”

“No, Aubrey, the payload tube is coming down slowly with the parachute. He should be okay. But the engine tube broke away from the parachute and is falling. Watch out, team!”

“Stay clear, everyone! Falling rocket,” the launch controller announced.

“I’ll go get it, Jeremy.” Aubrey ran to pick up the fallen rocket part.

“Uh-oh.”

What’s up, Jeremy?

“The wind’s picking up, Kayla. He’s worried about recovering Dancer,” Dan frowned, putting his hand on his head.

It’s not too high, only about a hundred feet to go.

“But it’s blowing right into the woods!” I began driving my wheelchair over the grass to the woods. I bumped crazily, but I didn’t care. Dan and Kayla followed. Kayla hung on to his arm.

Aubrey ran back with the engine tube and caught up to them. “I got it. Now let’s get Dancer.” She put the tube in the rocket holder I had rigged on the back of my wheelchair.

We followed the drifting rocket right into the woods. Then we lost sight of it in the trees.

“I’ll find it!”Aubrey ran ahead of us.

Help is Coming!

Your Nineteenth Literary Gift

“I’m so worried we’ll lose Dancer,” I said.

Don’t worry. We’re the Secret Supers. We can find him.

“Thanks for reminding me, Kayla. You’re right. I’m my fillings are falling out on this rough ground.” I unbuckled my seatbelt and floated into the air.

“Whoa, Jeremy. I know we’ve got to find Dancer, but there are people behind us coming into the woods.”

“Thanks, Dan. At least I can make my wheelchair smoother.” I floated back into my seat, and the whole chair lifted a couple inches off the ground. “Tell me if anyone can see me and I’ll let it down.”

“Will do.”

“I see the rocket!” They heard Aubrey’s voice several hundred feet ahead of them.

“We’ll just stay ahead of the other people.” I floated Dan and Kayla in the air beside me,and we zoomed through the woods.

Ooh! This is like the chase through the woods in Endor.

“What’s Endor?”

That’s a scene in Star Wars, Return of the Jedi.

“I’ve got to catch up with all these movies I’ve never seen.”

Oops. Sorry, Dan.

“No problem. I’ve been blind since birth, and I’ve missed a lot of the movies you guys know. Now we can watch it together, and I can watch it through your eyes.”

Let’s make that a date!

“There’s Aubrey,” I said. We slowed down next to a large pine and settled in the fragrant needles beneath it. Fifty feet up, we saw the parachute and the payload section snagged in a branch.

Your Nineteenth Literary Gift Concludes

What do you think of your latest gift? Let me know right here. Don’t forget I’ll give you a free book after I get your email.

If you like Secret Supers in Space you can subscribe to my newsletter here to see all my blog posts and get free books every month. Or you can just stay at my blog, checking back every day until Christmas.

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Your Tenth Literary Gift – More from My New Book!

Aubrey Wilcosky
Your Tenth Literary Gift Your Ninth Literary Gift Your Eighth Literary Gift Secret Supers in Space

Enjoy Your Tenth Literary Gift – More from My New Book! I am author Andy Zach and I just self-published Secret Supers in Space here. You get an autographed copy directly from me with free shipping. You can also buy it and the ebook on Amazon by clicking here.

If you want a free ebook to review, click here.

Let me know what you think by clicking here or emailing me at [email protected]. As always, everyone who responds with a comment or email will get a free book from me.

My past gifts to you are here:

If you want to keep track of all my blog posts and get free books you can subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here.

Today, I’ll give you the opening few pages of Secret Supers in Space.

Your Tenth Literary Gift: Chapter  1 – Space Camp

Your Tenth Literary Gift Jeremy Gentle
Jeremy, seventh-grade superhero

“What are you doing, Jeremy?”

Startled, I looked up from my computer and turned around in my wheelchair. My best friend, Dan, had slipped silently into my lab. I still thought of it that way, but we’d made it into the Secret Supers clubhouse almost a year ago. Dan’s round, brown face smiled down at me while his tall, wide frame loomed behind me. His dark glasses hid his blind eyes.

“I didn’t hear you come down the elevator.”

“I took the stairs. Your mom made cookies, so I came over. I could smell them from my house.”

“You mean, you could smell them from my mom’s thoughts?”

“And your’s and your dad’s. You were all excited, so I couldn’t help myself from taking a sniff from your mom’s nose. I didn’t snoop any further than that.”

“I know you respect everyone’s privacy with your mindreading power.”

“Except maybe yours. You did permit me to read yours anytime. But I haven’t read your mind about what you’re concentrating on. C’mon, tell your old friend Dan.”

“Don’t tell anyone. I want to surprise the Secret Supers.”

“Of course not. Now I’m dying to know!”

“I’m applying to Space Camp.”

“What’s Space Camp? I can hear the capital letters in your voice.”

I spun my wheelchair around to face him. “What’s Space Camp? It’s the greatest camp there is! We’re all bored out of our minds now that August has started and we want to do something. Space Camp teaches you all about our space program. You learn about astronauts and rockets. You go on a centrifuge and experience zero-g and moon gravity.

Dan Elanga Stops By

Your Tenth Literary Gift Your Sixth Literary Gift Love These Superheroes
Dan Elanga – He can read minds and sensory impressions.

“Sounds fun and cool. I can see them accepting you, Jeremy, but how about the rest of us? I guess Kayla would make it, but Aubrey and I are just average students.”

“As far as I can tell, there are no qualifications, just an interest in space and rocketry.”

“I sure got more interested in space after our adventure chasing the villain in a rocket at the coaster park this summer. What about the money?” Dan sat down in the chair so I didn’t have to look up at him.

“Mom and Dad have been saving the royalties from Secret Supers and Villain’s Vacation for you, Kayla, and Aubrey, and you can use that for the camp.”

“Well, count me in!” Dan’s huge hand engulfed mine. I felt like a little kid—which I was. I didn’t usually think about how small I was until Dan was right next to me. Or Aubrey, who was also Dan’s size.

“I just thought of a problem.” Dan frowned, his brows hitting his dark glasses. “What about my parents? And Kayla’s and Aubrey’s?”

Kayla Verdera

Your Tenth Literary Gift Your Sixth Literary Gift Kayla Verdera - Love These Superheroes
Kayla Verdera

“Mom and Dad have already been in touch with them ever since our royalties from the books have been coming in. They all agreed to divide them.  Everyone’s just waiting on me to tell all the Secret Supers.”

“Now I know, so we might as well let Kayla and Aubrey know.”

I glanced at my screen clock. “Ten thirty. I can call Kayla, but Aubrey’s at her summer baseball practice.” I speed-dialed Kayla.

“You don’t have to put her on speakerphone. I can read her mind.”

I laughed. “You read my mind. I was ready to do that.”

Hello, Jeremy. Kayla’s voice sounded in my mind. Kayla had spinal meningitis and could no longer talk or walk without a walker. I felt sad when I heard her high mental voice, sounding just as she used to talk before losing it.

“Hi, Kayla. I’ve got big news for you and Aubrey: the Secret Supers are going to Space Camp!”

Sounds like fun. I assume it’s all paid for and our parents are on board?

 “Right. I researched it, then my parents contacted yours, Dan’s, and Aubrey’s, and everyone agreed. Just now, I applied and got approval. We’ll be gone for a week.”

When?

The Last to Find Out

“The last week in August, just before Labor Day.”

Now I have something to look forward to, instead of another sweltering day. How long does it last?

“A week. We arrive on the last Sunday of the month and leave on Friday.”

Is Dan there?

“Yeah, I’m here Kayla.” Dan leaned over my shoulder.

“How’d you know, Kayla? Dan snuck up on me as I was applying to the camp online. Are you mind reading now as well as sending thoughts?”

No, just sending, like always. I just know you, Jeremy. You don’t give up secrets until you have to. I figured Dan would be there. He sees you about every day. Say, where is this Space Camp?

“Huntsville, Alabama. We’re driving down there the day before in our big van. It’ll take us about twelve hours, dad said.”

Aubrey Wilkosky

Your Tenth Literary Gift

I suppose you want me to tell Aubrey. I’ll give her the message to come over to our Secret Supers room, and we’ll all surprise her when she comes in.

“Great idea, Kayla!” I grinned.

Dan’s head snapped up from the phone and then he leaned back down. “You can tell her now. Her practice was canceled because of a thunderstorm. Boy, is she grumpy!”

“Baseball’s the love of her life,” I said. “A new adventure will cheer her up.”

All right, I told her to meet us there. She’s riding her bike straight from practice.

Dan placed his hand on his head like he does when he’s listening telepathically. “Uh, oh, Kayla, you’d better hurry. She’ll beat you here.”

I didn’t think of that. Mom’s busy at work. I can’t interrupt her, and I can’t bike anymore.

I straightened in my wheelchair. “Let me give you a lift—literally.”

Now you’re reading my mind, Jeremy. I was just about to ask you for help. Are you sending your flying car?

“Nope.  Just put on your Secret Supers outfit and I’ll fly you over.”

“I’ll put on mine. It’s here in my backpack.” Dan slid it off his shoulders.

I hadn’t noticed Dan’s backpack.  I turned to my phone. “We’ll make it a full club meeting. This’ll be the first time we’ve worn the new costumes your mom made for us, Kayla.”

The New Supersuits

The Tenth Literary Gift

I modeled mine for Mom. They fit a lot better than the store-bought ones we had, and they’re much sturdier. The old ones were pretty scuffed up.

“Something about fighting ten-foot robots does that.” Dan grinned.

Kayla laughed, in their heads. Ha! Not to mention flying at a hundred miles per hour chasing speedboats and rockets.

 “Are you ready, Kayla? I can picture your front porch in my mind and pick you up there.”

Just about.  Let me get my boots on. There. I’m ready.

I imagined Kayla standing on her front porch. I exerted my telekinesis.

Okay, Jeremy, can you pick me up another fifty feet? Then I’ll be clear of any telephone or power wires between my house and yours.

“Sure.” I pulled her toward my house at a steady rate.

All right, I’m right over your yard, Jeremy. That was something! I felt like a flying superhero. But carrying my walker.

“But no cape.” Dan grinned as he talked into Jeremy’s phone.

Right, Dan. The best superheroes don’t have capes, and we don’t either.  But we do have masks.

The elevator came down. Dan and I greeted Kayla as she got out in her walker. My parents had installed the elevator when I got my first electric wheelchair in first grade.

“Sorry, Kayla, I should have helped you walk like I usually do.”

No problem, Jeremy. You won’t always be around to help me. I still have hope I’ll be able to regain my strength and balance if I keep working at therapy. And your mom gave me a chocolate chip cookie on the way. Kayla pulled out a warm, soft cookie from the purse hanging from her walker.

Aubrey Arrives Bringing Your Tenth Literary Gift

I liked seeing Kayla’s pretty features face-to-face. Her dark eyes were framed by the black mask and her black hair rested on the scarlet tights. Still, she had a handkerchief in her hand. She tended to drool because she couldn’t control her muscles.

“Uh, I’m the only one not in uniform. I’d better change.” A uniform flew out of the cupboard as I rose from my wheelchair and flew into the bathroom.

“You’d better hurry, Jeremy. Aubrey’s coming here at full speed! She’s keeping up with traffic on her bike. She’s using her super strength.” Dan called after me from the other room.

“Ha! Dan, I’m almost as fast as any superhero. Kayla, did you tell Aubrey to wear her uniform?” I yelled from the bathroom as I dressed telekinetically, pulling the tights over my legs twisted by a lifetime of cerebral palsy. It did fit better than the old uniform. Even the boots went on better. I loved the material I selected. It was completely air tight and waterproof. It fit beautifully with the other secret enhancements I’d put in. I wondered when I should tell the others about them.

Of course—

THUMP! THUMP! KA-THUMP!

I don’t need to read minds to know that’s Aubrey. No one else pounds as she does down the stairs.

The door to the clubroom burst open. “TA-DA! I’m here. I came here at the speed of light,  on a bicycle.”

Coming out of the bathroom, I saw Aubrey’s tousled blond hair peeking out of her baseball cap. Sweat beaded her broad forehead. Her black mask and red Secret Supers uniform clashed with her green ball cap.  Instead of black boots, her prosthetic legs went to her knees.

Here Ends Your Tenth Literary Gift

Your Ninth Literary Gift Your Eighth Literary Gift Your

You can get a free copy to review by clicking here right now. Follow the instructions and then you’ll get your free book.

What do you think of your tenth gift? Let me know right here. Don’t forget I’ll give you a free book after I get your email.

If you like Secret Supers in Space, you can subscribe to my newsletter here to see all my blog posts and get free books every month. Or you can just stay at my blog, checking back every day until Christmas.