It’s Finally Here! Release Day for THE BIG SWITCH: VARNEY AND CEDRIC
I’m thrilled to share that my first middle grade novel, an identity-swapping tale called THE BIG SWITCH: VARNEY AND CEDRIC, has its official publication date today, March 26!
As most of you know, Varney and Cedric is a departure from the contemporary realistic young adult and adult romantic mysteries I write. It was such fun to explore writing a fantasy with boy protagonists for a whole different age group.
To tell you a bit about the story, it’s a warm, funny, and heartfelt tale about longing to belong and finding a place where you genuinely fit. Varney is a kid vampire who hates the taste of blood. He suffers from an acute case of V.A.D., Vampire Adjustment Disorder, and fervently wishes he could be a human boy. Cedric, on the other hand, is all too human, an unhappy middle school bully with a miserable human life who admires vampires. When a friendly witch gives the boys a chance to trade places on a trial basis, the two readily agree. The catch? They can’t tell anyone about the switch, or it will immediately end. They have just 30 days to decide whether to make the switch permanent. As you can guess, lots of complications ensue.
When readers ask me where I get my ideas for my novels, I often say they’re from something I’ve experienced, witnessed, or someone has shared with me. In this case, I have no idea where Varney and Cedric’s story came from. These characters popped into my mind and wouldn’t leave!
I’m especially grateful to my grandson Milo who read the story and loved it so much that he actually made a video to thank me for writing it. His encouragement made me very determined to find a publisher, and I’m grateful to Nightingale Books for giving me the opportunity to share Varney and Cedric’s story with others.
So far, I’ve been excited about the response. Reader’s Favorite gave THE BIG SWITCH: VARNEY AND CEDRIC a 5-Star Rating and called it a “fantasy that takes a playful idea and turns it into something surprisingly thoughtful…Very highly recommended.”
If by any chance you have children or grandchildren who are middle grade readers in your life, I’d love for you to take a look at Varney and Cedric’s story. It might even engage you as an adult. My hope is that readers of all ages will enjoy THE BIG SWITCH as much as I enjoyed writing it!
As an early reader of THE BIG SWITCH, I’m very excited about this Book Birthday! Big congratulations, dear Lynne! The cover is intriguing as is the entire premise and this exemplary novel. I can’t wait to read the novel again and post a review. I have many friends with grandchildren the right age. I know they will enjoy the humor in this new MG mystery!
Thank you so much, Beth. I loved writing this novel, and I so appreciate your wonderful support and encouragement. Can’t wait to see you at Malice!
Sorry I misspelled your name!
Congrats on the new release! I love the premise of this new book–
Thanks so much, Lori! This was a lot of fun to write!
Eek! What if one wanted it to be permanent, the other didn’t but being a teenage boy forgot about terminating before the deadline! This sounds like a super book, Lynn!
Well, now you have me worried, Kathy! You’ll have to take a look and let me know what you think! Excited to see you at Malice!
What a cute idea! I wish you much success with this!
Thank you so much, Kaye! I appreciate you and can’t wait to read your mystery at the rehab center!
Lynn, what a great premise..a darling idea for a book. Congratulations! Looking forward to visiting with you at Malice.
Thanks so much, Nancy! Excited to see you at Malice!
Lynn, I love your story premise. It reminds me a bit of a British TV show I gobbled up a while back called DOC MARTIN, about a brilliant surgeon on the spectrum who faints at the sight of blood. Best of luck in your whole new writer world ( ;
Thanks so much, Pam! You are always so encouraging and thoughtful to other authors. I really appreciate you!