I am pleased to have Author Linda Wood Rondeau on my blog for a guest post!
“I’m not a strict genre writer,” the author says. Linda Wood Rondeau’s fiction blends elements of romance, suspense, and faith. Retired from a career in human services, Linda’s writing journey began later in life, proving that it is never too late to follow one's passion. Linda’s novels have been praised for their rich character development and emotional depth. She has received numerous awards for her contributions to Christian fiction, including the prestigious Selah Award. Besides writing, Linda enjoys speaking to groups on various topics.
She resides in Hagerstown, Maryland, with her very patient husband, and is involved in her local church and community.
Note: GLICK: My Favorite Alien is written under L.W. Rondeau but can be found wherever books are sold.
The Story Behind GLICK: My Favorite Alien
“It’s got to be an alien, Grandma. Gotta be an alien.”
This was the response from my then-six-year-old grandson when I asked him, “What should Grandma write?”
He was quite adamant.
“Well, Jamal. Grandma finally delivered. It only took twenty-two years.”
I don’t know if it’s because he was the first grandchild, but we do have a special bond. He’d come to stay with us for a week during the summer. An avid reader, I’d take him to the library to check out some reading material, and he’d devour seven books in two days. Sometimes we’d have some very grown-up discussions.
As an adult, Jamal still loves science fiction. In fact, a couple of years ago, he, his father, my husband and I, and sometimes a few others, formed a Time-Travel marathon, where we’d get together and view classic time-travel movies.
Though I wrote a first draft soon after his request, the book just didn’t come together, and I struggled with the concept. I kept putting it away and then revisited it a few years later. I couldn’t let the idea die. I’d make a promise.
When young Jamal reviewed the first draft, he didn’t want me to name the alien GLICK, because that was the name of a teacher he admired. So I tried to make the alien a hero and lovable. I also wanted the book to highlight the importance of acceptance, kindness, compassion, and equality.
Finally, after more than two decades, I wrote the final draft using the first-person point of view of the twelve-year-old orphan child. It clicked. This had to be Jeremy’s story … about an alien who taught him the true meaning of friendship.
After losing his parents, Jeremy must live with an elderly aunt and uncle he's never met and move from a populated area to the small town of Ellis Grove, Indiana.
Kids have to deal with bullies, and I wanted the story to demonstrate some means of positively dealing with a troubled bully. Jeremy’s aunt signs him up to enter a skateboard contest, an area where Jeremy excels. But the bully has won the junior championship for the past two years and sees Jeremy as too much of a threat. Consequently, his torments escalate, trying to force Jeremy to drop out of the contest.
To demonstrate diversity, my three main human characters not only represent different races, but each also struggles with physical challenges. I included dialogue between Glick and the Earth children to show how disability can be a gift.
GLICK, an acronym given to him by the three Earth children, is a gatherer of lore and intergalactic cultural knowledge. Who wouldn’t love a cosmic librarian? He becomes stranded when his teleportation device is damaged as he prevents the bully from doing serious harm to Jeremy.
The children band together to try to help GLICK repair his teleportation device so he can return home. Meanwhile, GLICK’s friendship with the children evolves, more so with Jeremy. Earth holds other dangers for GLICK since he is a little klutzy and gets himself into trouble, trouble compounded by cultural differences and expectations. In fact, the last time GLICK’s people visited Earth was in 1950.
All my other books are traditionally published. While I did receive some interest from a publisher who specializes in fantasy and science fiction, I opted to self-publish the book. I had a promise to fulfill.
This is my first middle-grade book. But I hope, not my last. I have other promises to fulfill for other adult grandchildren. Sammy, the Seven-Legged Spider, and The Quad Squad (a group of 8-year-olds who solve mysteries.
Here's about her book!
Diversity, bullying, and friendship are portrayed in this light-hearted story about a group of kids encountering an alien who, due to a transportation glitch, has landed in the small town of Ellis Grove, Indiana. Set in 1990, orphaned, twelve-year-old Jeremy Bannister is concerned about an upcoming skateboard contest and the constant bullying by last year’s winner, who tries to force Jeremy to withdraw. While Jeremy and his friends try to help GLICK, he helps Jeremy understand that friendship can be forged through unlikely circumstances, even with a bully.
Make sure to follow Linda on Social Media:
Website/Social Media Links: www.lindarondeau.com
Facebook: personal page: https://www.facebook.com/lindarondeau
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/lindawoodrondeau/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlindawoodrondeau/
Substack: https://substack.com/@lindarondeau183473?