Highlighting Max Elliot Anderson

Welcome Max Elliot Anderson to the blog. It's great to hear from an author who writes for "reluctant readers", namely young boys. As a mom of a 7 year old boy, I'm in line to order Max's books! Enjoy this up close and personal with this author. You are welcome to leave any comments or questions for Max (or any of the author's highlighted here) and the author will respond.

Title and genre of your book

NORTH WOODS POACHERS
Action-adventure & mystery especially for boys 8 and up.

Why you write in this genre

I grew up before television was in wide use. I clearly remember listening to Saturday morning radio programs which required me to use my imagination. It was quite common to find me, along with my friends, acting out some of the stories we’d make up. We lived in a large, wooded area called Wolf Lake, about ten miles from Muskegon, Michigan. We often hit the door at first light, and didn’t return until dark. Writing my adventures today, seems to take me back to those fun and exciting days, although nothing we ever did even comes close to what happens in my books.

Links to your books site

Author Web Site http://www.maxbooks.9k.com/

Books for Boys bloghttp://booksandboys.blogspot.com/

50 Pages of Reviewshttp://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com/


Synopsis

North Woods Poachers takes cousins Andy and C.J. Washburn on an annual fishing expedition to Canada with their families. Bored by all the fishing, the boys secretly hope to do some exploring on their own this year.

As the families pass through the Canadian border on their way to the cabin they have rented for years and years, they are stopped for the first time ever, because security has been heightened by the border guards on the lookout for animal poachers. The boys' curiosity is aroused. C.J., an electronic gadget genius, hooks up his computer and they find out all they can about animal poachers through the Internet. The first few days at the cabins are relatively quiet, except for two huge, noisy, black floatplanes that roar into the quiet peaceful lake each night after dark and are gone by daylight. The occupants of the nearby village and the boys' parents are under the impression that the owners of these planes must be rich guys wanting privacy. The boys think something fishy is going on and decide to investigate.

Finally allowed to explore after their duty day of fishing with their fathers, Andy and C.J. uncover way more excitement than they bargained for. They find themselves lone witnesses to an international animal poaching ring. As they gather clues (without any thought at all to their or their families' safety) they are chased by men in all terrain vehicles, outsmart big mean guard dogs with seconds to spare, and are almost overtaken in their small two man dingy by powerful sea-doos - in the dark.

Now, if the boys can only get back to warn their parents in time.


Why you wrote the novel

Part of my work is as a professional film cinematographer, and video producer. I had the opportunity to shoot two film projects in and around Dore Lake, in northern Seskatchewan, several years ago. Because of my interest in adventure, I was drawn to this place because of its remote location. Wealthy fishermen came in by floatplanes, stayed a few days to fish, and then returned to their homes by plane.

Then I read a series of articles about the problem of people who buy and sell exotic animals. Many of the animals suffer and die under poor conditions or abuse. The combination of al these elements led me to develop a story around animal poaching in a remote location.

A significant moment for you as you were writing the book (either
personally or professionally)

I’m not a very technical person, so it required a lot of research in order to come up with the electronic wizardry of one of the primary characters. It was fun to read reviews, after the book had been published, and receive compliments on how well I understood technology. I had to smile and think to myself, “If you only knew the true story.”

Why your Fiction Matters.

My fiction matters because I grew up hating to read. My professional work has primarily been in the highly visual world of film, video, and television commercial production. I believed that there had been a reason why I didn’t like to read, even as an adult, so I set out to discover the reasons.

As I began writing, I decided that it would be worth it if one of my books helped just one other reluctant reader to develop an interest and even a love in reading. I’ve heard from countless parents, teachers, and young readers that this has happened.

A list of other books you have written or that will be coming out soon

I’ve completed 36 manuscripts and the following are published:

NEWSPAPER CAPER 0-9729256-4-3Tom Stevens was a super salesman. He and his friends delivered newspapers early every morning. Along their route, the boys often saw some pretty strange things. Then one day they actually became the story. Readers will like the humor, attack dogs, car thieves, and the chop shop Tom and the others uncover. This story reminds us of how important friendship is. It also teaches God isn't just for emergencies. He wants to guide our lives every day.

TERROR AT WOLF LAKE 0-9729256-6-X
Eddy Thompson was known for one thing and one thing only. Eddy was a cheater. He cheated on anything, anytime, anywhere, until something happened up at Wolf Lake. It wasn’t the brutal cold. It wasn’t when he fell through the ice. It wasn’t even when two scary men arrived at their remote cabin. What happened would change Eddy’s life…forever. (currently out of print)

NORTH WOODS POACHERS 0-9729256-8-6
The Washburn families have been coming to the same cabins, on the same lake, catching the same fish, for about as long as Andy can remember. And he's sick of it. This summer would be different he decided. Only he never imagined how different. The story is filled with excitement, danger, humor, and drama. In the end, Andy learns the concepts of family tradition, that God loves justice while He hates injustice, and it is important to follow the rules. Readers will enjoy the gigantic, jet-powered floatplane, computers, home made radio transmitter, and naturally, no one will ever forget Big Wally. He’s a fish of course.

MOUNTAIN CABIN MYSTERY 0-9729256-3-5
Scott and his friends had dreamed and prepared for their first wilderness camping adventure. When they become separated from their group in a mountain fog, trouble begins. There was that bear, the decrepit suspension bridge over a bottomless gorge, the sheer cliff in the dark, those terrorists in the remote cabin, the Army, the helicopter ride, and…
This story reminds us what happens if one of God's lambs is lost.

BIG-RIG RUSTLERS 0-9752880-1-6
Todd and Amanda live with their parents in a Midwestern city. The family doesn’t go to church. The children are invited to visit their uncle, aunt, and cousin Drew, on their Wyoming ranch over spring break. Todd learns, in a unique way, why stealing is wrong. He decides to choose a new path for his life because of his uncle’s Christian example. A band of high-tech cattle rustlers are caught, revealing that Todd was also wrong about Travis, a shadowy character.
Read about the round up, rattlesnake, and rustlers.

THE SECRET OF ABBOTT'S CAVE 0-9752880-0-8
A detective, a police scanner, and a cave offered possibilities for danger and excitement. Who are the real heroes in America? Randy and his friends pooled their resources to go cave exploring, discovered the hidden loot from a bank robbery, and learned they weren't heroes at all.

LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF 0-9752880-3-2
They didn’t call him a liar; they just couldn’t believe his story. Brian Fisher was determined to prove it was true even though it involved the risk to his own safety. His rescue of a wolf pup from a steel trap results in a mysterious relationship with surprising results. The story is set in the lower elevations near Yellowstone