I've been writing stories almost since I was able to pick up a jumbo crayon and put words on paper. I love what I do and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to share these tales with my readers.

My work is typically classified as young adult literature, if only because the stories are clean and most of the characters are young. There's more to it than that, though.

Every book I've ever personally loved has been what I'd call ageless. That is, it contains something that can touch the heart of a child while he's still too young and raw to appreciate subtlety, but there's also something in it that he can still feed on when he's old and gray, although perhaps not the same things. It's my aspiration to write stories like that.

In fact, the majority of my readers are adults who want to read something that will uplift them and make them feel glad to be alive that day. We all need beautiful stories, and without them we suffer.

If you'd like to know more about me or my work, please visit my official author's website at www.williamwoodall.org

Website: http://www.williamwoodall.org

http://www.williamwoodall.org

abuse    adventure    alcoholism    animals    appalachia    arkansas    battens disease    beast fable    beauty    books for boys    children    christian    christian fiction    clean    curse    fable    fairy tale    fantasy    fiction    florida    folk tale    fountain of youth    france    french    futuristic    genetics    girl    glenwood    humor    inspirational    ireland    juvenile    louisiana    magic    middle grade    miracle    moon    mutant    natchitoches    native american    ozarks    paranormal    plague    poverty    prophet    runaway    sacrifice    saint    science    science fiction    scifi    series    short story    shreveport    single parent    southern    space    sulphur springs    survival    tampa    teen    tennessee    terraforming    texarkana    texas    wales    werewolf    werewolves    wisdom    witch    wolfe city    young adult   

Adam Bolander
Latest book: The Slayer and the Sphinx: Book 1. Published on June 8, 2012. (4.20 from 5 reviews)
View their blog.

• The Slayer and the Sphinx: Book 1 on Aug. 11, 2012
  
  The Slayer and the Sphinx is one of those books which keeps surprising you. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading, but when the main character almost immediately got embroiled in a fight with a homeless girl for no apparent reason, I became intrigued. Turns out she was a monster in disguise, and he was sworn to hunt down and destroy such things. The likable and realistic characters are a large part of what makes this story work so well. I think Porter (the main character) is sometimes unintentionally funny when he doesn't really mean to be, partly because he has such a theatrical streak at times. But he's also noble of heart, and I think that combination is part of what makes him so endearing. Sarah, the other main character, sometimes acts like a spoiled rich girl (which, of course, she is), but then other times she shows a level of compassion and curiosity about the world which we don't normally associate with that type of girl. Those kinds of internal contrasts make both main characters fascinating as individuals. There were a lot of other things to like about this book; plenty of action, some good sword-play, interesting storyline, and vivid descriptive language. I read it straight through in one sitting and really would have liked to go on to Book Two immediately if it hadn't been way past bedtime already. As for the bad? Well, not much, really. I thought the use of Elvish language in one chapter detracted from the story a bit at that point. Most of us have had the experience of standing awkwardly while other people hold a conversation in a foreign language we don't understand, and that's what that particular scene reminded me of. There were a few other minor issues like that, but nothing which kept me from enjoying the story. I would consider the book to be in the young adult category, but I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who likes a good action-adventure story of the modern-fantasy type. It won't disappoint you!
  
• Benny and the Bank Robber on Aug. 11, 2012
  
  I enjoyed this story very much, and finished it in one sitting. It reminded me a little bit of Tom Sawyer, or maybe The Sugar Creek Gang. I think it would be something especially suitable for a middle-grader between about ten and twelve years old. The story is mostly simple and straightforward, without many complexities, which is appropriate for that age group. I liked the cougar-face chapter headings; that was an especially nice touch. I also liked that it had a happy and satisfying ending. I think Jeremy was actually my favorite character, maybe because he seemed the most complex and interesting, and changed the most over the course of the book. There were a few things I thought could have been improved, of course, but they were minor. I would have liked to see a bit more action at times, and perhaps a little less description, especially near the beginning of the book, and also I thought certain characters like the boatman on the river used a little too much dialect. But as I said, those were minor things and on the whole I really enjoyed the story very much. I would recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a Christian adventure series for children.