Call me George Washington. I cannot tell a lie… “The Crooked Man” was not originally intended to be “part one of a series.” In having written a second book already (editing it as we speak), a few people have pointed out plot points that were either too vague (blink and you miss it) or not as correct as they should be.

To that end, I am preparing an updated version (which is also an excuse to use some cool new cover art) that enhances a few story details without changing the actual story. Anyone who’s purchased a book can download the updated edition for free simply by going back to where ever they got it from to begin with (not yet, but soon).

A summary of these changes are as follows, four in particular:

• It wasn’t clear to a few people that Spooky died at the age of seven but that the events in the story took place four years later (when he was eleven) simply by mentioning ONCE ONLY that he was in the sixth grade. My bad; I am evil and must be destroyed.
• Spooky was home-schooled for a year (mostly by his late mother) but soon wanted to go back to be with kids his own age. While Spooky is good with facts, he’s not so good with math. In other words, he’s a good student but not a great one, and with his birthday now firmly set to September 13th, he’s not a good enough student to be in the sixth grade as an eleven year old. The text has been corrected to read “the fifth grade.” This also plays into a future Spooky story where he starts middle school the following year. I, myself, was in a junior high system and was in elementary school through the sixth grade.
• A word on “Spooky-Vision,” or what superhero and fantasy books call “aura sight.” Spooky is still learning about his physiology as well as in the process of discovering why it is unique. He cannot keep his aura sight “on” permanently, which is why there are several passages indicating that he narrows his vision to reactivate it. A few passages in the second chapter have clarified this.
• Spooky’s thoughts and motivations have been clarified a bit throughout his adventure taking on the Crooked Man and his minions. The action was originally written very roughly, and it has been pointed out to me (thanks, Brett!) that while -I- know why the character does what he does, it may not have been communicated as effectively as it should have been (again with the evil and the destruction).

Can’t wait for everyone to see the updated edition (but especially the new cover!)