April 2011- Book Club Selection - JAKE WEST: The Keeper of the Stones by M.J. WEBB

The April 2011, Bloggers Unite Book Club selection is JAKE WEST: The Keeper of the Stones by M.J. WEBB. This is the first book in YA Fantasy series and JAKE WEST: The Keeper of the Stones is a great read for young adults and "older" adults to enjoy. To read more about this title and the author, please visit M.J. WEBB's website.

About JAKE WEST: The Keeper of the Stones

When fifteen year old Jake West and his best friend, Ben Brooker, help Jake's grandfather clear his attic of the junk he's collected from his years of traveling, the boys discover an old chest containing a beautifully carved wooden box. The box contains a set of five mysterious stones and, when they erupt to emit a bright beam of light, it sparks an epic journey which will lead Jake into a dangerous world and to the discovery of some strange family secrets. The future of our world and countless others now lies in the hands of a fifteen year old boy. If he can't protect the stones . . . .

About the author, M.J. WEBB

I was looking through a children’s book club magazine one day, trying to take full advantage of the introductory offer to purchase some reading material for my two little munchkins, when I found myself thinking, ‘Hey, you know what? I could write a book.’

The more I thought about it, the more the idea gripped me and I raced for a pen to write down a concept that had been in the back of my mind for some time.

Thus began a writing process that continued unabated for the next six months. I found myself snatching a precious hour here and there, going in early for work, working through dinner hours, using up holidays and sulking like a child if I couldn’t get my fix and work on my ‘project’. The story grew beyond the original concept and pretty soon I realized that I had an epic on my hands..... But I still didn’t know if it was any good.

My family were the first to read it. My mother’s and my wife reported enthusiastically that it was good... But they were bound to, weren’t they?

I sent it out electronically to several readers I didn’t know, including five teenagers who would represent my target audience. To my immense satisfaction, they all reported positively and could also see the potential in the storyline and characters. Publishers are wary of new authors though, particularly in the current economic climate. We all think we are the next big thing. And in the fantasy genre, they are even less likely to give new writers a chance. So, I decided to back myself, because I believe this is a genuinely good read that people will enjoy and that it contains characters with which kids will identify.

I hope you enjoy it. And that if you do, you will recommend it to others. For that is how a ripple on the ocean that I’d like to sail on, will begin."