WHEELS by Michelle L. Levigne
Natalie was the little girl across the street who adored Tommy and planned to marry him when they grew up. In the wake of Tommy's broken back and the disintegration of his family, Natalie's family left town.
She never thought she would see him again, until she was assigned to cover the Mission's handicap awareness campaign -- led by Tommy. He didn't seem to recognize her, and she didn't want to embarrass him by bringing up the past, but she had to warn him before the past found Tommy in the shape of his estranged father.
Just when was the right time, in the middle of the campaign and threats from petty criminals who were blackmailing one of Tommy's friends?
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A story addict since an early exposure to Dr. Seuss, award-winning author of over 30 novels and novellas, Michelle Levigne has been creating her own stories, heroes and adventures since junior high. She ventures into many sub-genres of science fiction, paranormal, romance and fantasy, including Greek mythology, Narnia spin-offs and her futuristic universe, the Commonwealth.
A story addict since an early exposure to Dr. Seuss, award-winning author of over 30 novels and novellas, Michelle Levigne has been creating her own stories, heroes and adventures since junior high. She ventures into many sub-genres of science fiction, paranormal, romance and fantasy, including Greek mythology, Narnia spin-offs and her futuristic universe, the Commonwealth.
Michelle writes something for everyone! After all, since she likes to read all over the board, why not WRITE all over the board?
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WIN - EVERYBODY who leaves a comment or question AND their email address today will receive a PDF copy of the script for "MacGyver" that is the foundation for this novel. And proves that writers never throw away anything!
Come celebrate, chat about the series, ask questions ...We're also celebrating over on Facebook as well - Here's the Facebook link :Stop by and say hi!
WIN - EVERYBODY who leaves a comment or question AND their email address today will receive a PDF copy of the script for "MacGyver" that is the foundation for this novel. And proves that writers never throw away anything!
Come celebrate, chat about the series, ask questions ...We're also celebrating over on Facebook as well - Here's the Facebook link :Stop by and say hi!
Super congrats on the new release Michelle! Love that cover! And love the story behind this book! Please tell our readers how this story can to be.
ReplyDeleteAnd for those not familiar with your Tabor Heights Series, can you tell us more about it and how the books connect? What are your future plans for the series?
And tell us what's up next for Michelle Levigne - you're such a busy author with so many different genres and series going all at the same time, I don't know how you keep everything straight!
Have a wonderful cyber launch party today here and over on Facebook. And here's to WHEELS being your biggest seller yet!
Welcome to the Cyber Launch Party for WHEELS, the 4th book in Year 2 of the Tabor Heights series. I just got home from church, so I'm settling in to do laundry, watch the Indians (finally!) whup Oakland, and chat with those who stop by. Don't forget to check in at the Cyber Launch Party on Facebook as well.
ReplyDeleteEverybody sends me their email address through the message function of Facebook -- and everybody who posts a comment or question and includes their email address here on the blog -- will receive a PDF copy of the original script that I came **that** close to selling to "MacGyver," and serves as the foundation for the story of WHEELS.
Basically, the script "Wheels" and the book WHEELS have a few things in common: A wiseguy, wheelchair-bound comedian, a Handicap Awareness campaign, and some troublemakers who threaten a friend of either Tommy in WHEELS or MacGyver in "Wheels."
So ... questions, anybody? Let's start chatting!
How does WHEELS fit into the Tabor Heights series? Well, in Year 1 was the book THE MISSION, focusing on the long-awaited expansion of the Mission, run by Tabor Christian Church -- including major renovations for handicap accessibility. A new head custodian came to town, Paul Hunter, and his growing relationship with Claire Donnelly is the main romance of the book.
ReplyDeleteAnybody who has visited Tabor Heights in other books has either heard about or "met" Tommy Donnelly, Claire's younger brother, who works with the children, is confined to a wheelchair thanks to a broken back in childhood, and does comedy on the side. Well, WHEELS is Tommy's story. Readers learn more about the accident that put him in the wheelchair, and the disintegration of the Donnelly family in the wake of his accident.
Readers also get to meet Natalie, the little girl who lived across the street and adored Tommy, even planning that they would be married someday. The fallout from Tommy's accident affected Natalie's family too, to the point that her father left their church, then moved the family out of the state. Natalie never thought she'd ever see Tommy again. As a reporter for "America's Voice," she traveled around the country, and developed a habit of noting handicap accessibility issues. When the Mission organizes a Handicap Awareness campaign, Natalie hears about it through her friendship with Dani Paul (FIRESONG) and is assigned to cover the event. That brings her to Tabor, and right into Tommy's path.
The script "Wheels" that I almost sold to "MacGyver" is the basis for the last one-third of the book, and all takes place in ONE day.
When I originally sent the script in, the story team said they liked it, and if I wanted to revise it and re-submit it, they would be glad to look at it. They couldn't tell me outright to rewrite it, because that could be taken as a commitment to buy the script -- or so it was explained to me by people more "in the know" in Hollywood. So I rewrote the script, sent it back ... and waited ... and waited. When they finally rejected it, they suggested that the story was so good, I should revise it and expand it into a feature-length screenplay.
Which I did. And that also sat and sat, and I couldn't really figure out what didn't feel right. In that script, I changed MacGyver's role to a newspaper reporter -- made the reporter a girl -- and tossed in a cute little kid who is endangered by the nasty people running around, trying to blackmail the hero and his friends.
When I started putting together the Tabor Heights stories, I created the Mission and pulled the "Wheels" screenplay out of storage, creating Claire and Tommy to help run the Mission, and then having Paul and Sammy Hunter show up later, to fall in love with Claire and get married. And a "year" later ... the events of "Wheels" finally take place in the back one-third of WHEELS.
Anything that confuses you? ASK questions please!!!
Happy release! How many books will be in the series?
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Right now, the count is at 20 -- 12 in Year 1, and 8 contracted for Year 2. WHEELS is the 4th book in Year 2. I've already turned in Book 5, A Box of Promises.
DeleteThanks for being the first to comment/include your email. The PDF of the screenplay will be heading out shortly!
What fun! I intrigued by your range of writing. Would love to have seen a MacGyver program written by you. And my email? writers.author@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteScript is on its way! Thanks for visiting. Any questions about the book? Tabor?
DeleteIt's going on 11 -- the historical feature on Selfridges is almost over -- it's been a long day. But that doesn't mean the party is over. If you have questions, if you want the PDF, please leave your email address, or send me a message if you prefer. My gmail address is: MichelleLevigne@gmail.com. I'll be back to check the blog and Facebook page in the morning. Thanks for coming!!
ReplyDelete