Book Tour: Drawn

Description

Drawn

Chris Ledbetter

Caught between the sweltering fall landscape of Wilmington, NC beaches and southern illusions and expectations, all sixteen year-old Cameron Shade thinks about is art. That, and for Farrah Spangled to view him as more than just a friend. Cameron longs to win her heart through art.

After several warm interactions with Farrah, including painting together at the beach, Cameron discovers just how complex Farrah’s life is with her boyfriend and her family. Following a tense run-in with Farrah’s father, she forbids Cameron to ever speak to her again, but Cameron’s convinced there’s more behind the request.

To impress Farrah with a last-ditch effort, Cameron sketches her portrait. But the sketchbook he uses hides a dark secret. Farrah’s now in grave danger because the sketch he drew of her siphons her real-life’s soul into the sketchbook. Cameron now has twenty days to extract Farrah. To save her, he must draw himself into the book. 

If he fails… they both die.

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About the Author

Chris Ledbetter grew up in Durham, NC before moving to Charlottesville, VA in 11th grade. After high school, he attended Hampton University where he promptly "walked-on" to the best drum line in the CIAA. And, without any prior percussion experience. He carried the bass drum for four years, something his back is not very happy about now. 

After a change of heart and major, he enrolled in Old Dominion University and earned his degree in Business Administration. He's worked in various managerial and marketing capacities throughout his life. While teaching high school for six years in Culpeper, VA, he taught business management, business law, marketing, and sports marketing, and also coached football.

He has walked the streets of Los Angeles and New York City, waded in the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and climbed Diamond Head crater on Hawaii and rang in the New Year in Tokyo, Japan. But he dreams of one day visiting Greece and Italy.

He's a proud member of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and a strong supporter of the Need for Diverse Books. As a self-described, young reluctant reader, he writes young adult stories specifically to reach other reluctant readers. As a participant in the prestigious Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program, he was blessed to be mentored by Suzanne Morgan Williams, 2012 SCBWI member of the year. 

He now lives in Wilmington, NC with his family, including three cats.

Connect with Chris:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook 

Guest Post: Death and Cancer

One of my story’s darker themes is death, but more specifically, cancer. A year before the story opens, Cameron’s mother had died of cancer. It’s an open wound for him, as it would be for anyone, especially a young man of sixteen. We all grieve in our own ways and Cameron has tried to move forward, but life continually reminds him of his loss. One of the ways Cameron copes is to have a picture of his mother as the wallpaper on his phone. But, as you see in the story, Cameron still can’t go into his mother’s office in the house. cam’s father copes by listening to music he and she used to listen to.

My mother-in-law died of cancer recently. In fact, I had a dear, family friend, one of my wife’s graduate school professors, and her mentor, who also died of cancer recently. In both cases, death came swift like a tornado that touches down and ravages everything in its path, leaving destruction in its wake. It took less than a year for both to succumb after diagnosis. Cancer sucks. 

While I don’t spend a great deal of time and space on this angle during the story in Drawn, it is ever present. And it creeps up again and again. I also give voice to some of the questions we all have had when one of our loved ones is taken too soon. There’s often a lot of teeth gnashing and hand wringing. And yes, crying. Sometimes yelling. We tend to question life’s meaning and our own purpose. Often, we question our faith. These are some themes I explore, albeit briefly.

Review

In Drawn, by Chris Ledbetter, Cameron has a crush on Farrah. The main problem is that she already has a boyfriend…and she can never seem to remember his name. Hoping to secure her admiration, Cameron sketches her portrait on an ancient-looking sketchbook he inherited from his art mentor, a book that contains obvious warnings not to sketch people in it. Cameron’s world turns upside down when the drawing blinks and smiles up at him.

I have heard of books about people’s drawings coming to life in which the sketches walk around in the real worl. But Drawn takes the idea to a different dimension by making all things drawn into the book come to life in an entire world contained within the book. It was intriguing to learn about this new world in which everything is possible with a stylus and some ink and where humans live immortal lives.

Cameron had a team he played video games with. At first, I wondered why the author was spending so much time on their friendships. But the novel soon revealed that even that friendship played a role in Cameron’s fight to bring Farrah back to the real world.

I enjoyed the appearance of several famous artists in Drawn. It made me smile to see their rivalry. The appearance of mythical creatures was also interesting. It demonstrated the unending possibilities of the world within the sketchbook.

One thing in Cameron and Farrah’s relationship made me wonder. They spent some time apart in which Farrah learns that it is Cameron’s fault she is in danger. Then, when they meet again, they are both very determined never to be separated and to date no matter what. What changed? They were not able to communicate yet Farrah is willing to risk all to be with the one who put her in danger then rescued her from it? Perhaps it is just me, but it did not entirely make sense.

Overall, Drawn is a good story. I would read it again if need be.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Giveaway

Prizes: ​ 

Win one of six ebooks of Drawn or one grand prize of one signed print copy of Drawn, a print copy of Leonardo’s Swans and $30 Amazon gift card (open internationally) Ends June 27.

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Tour Schedule

June 1 -   Essentially Italian - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 2 -   Romorror Fan Girl - review / guest post / giveaway
June 3 -   Inspired in Italy - review / guest post / giveaway
June 4 -   Library of Clean Reads - review / giveaway
June 5 -   The Phantom Paragrapher - review
June 8 -   Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover - review / guest post / giveaway
June 8 -   Bookwyrming Thoughts - book spotlight / author interview
June 10 - Books by Night, Mommy by Day - review / giveaway
June 11 - Vic's Media Room - review
June 11 - Room with Books - review / author interview / giveaway
June 12 - Cheryl's Book Nook - review / giveaway
June 15 - The Autistic Gamer - review
June 15 - Writers and Authors - book spotlight / guest post
June 16 - Kincavel Korner - review /author interview
June 17 - Zerina Blossom's Books - review / guest post
June 18 - Kimber Leigh Writes - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 19 - Dreams Come True Through Reading - review / guest post / giveaway