I wish I had a hammock beneath a shady tree in the backyard or a secret fort to which I could retreat. I’m not sure which of them I’ll develop, but I have a pretty good lead on a fascinating nonfiction adventure and an idea for a humorous fictional tale that’s loosely based on my own so-bad-its-good luck while I was there.įavorite place to read a book: Oh, I wish I had a cool answer for this. I visited Rocky Mountain National Park a week ago and came home with a dozen different ideas. I like to tell young writers about the bizarre ideas I get at the most unexpected times-like suddenly imagining the cashier turning into a giant spider while I’m waiting in line at a fast-food restaurant.

My mind always seems to be on high alert for the next setup, the next scenario that could maybe one day become a story. That answer kind of feels like cheating, but I don’t know how else to say it. Will you solve the case?Īuthor I draw inspiration from: Anything and everything. By using deductive reasoning, you’ll get closer to the truth with each turn of the page. Gather clues, navigate puzzles, crack secret codes, and make choices that affect what happens next.

Dig into this mystery, and uncover a slate of shady suspects. Old Central School is closing for good because it’s said to be haunted! Yet Irene Gorter, a student at Old Central, doesn’t believe it’s true-and she’s hiring you to prove it. Do you have what it takes to traverse the road of yellow brick? Or will this dangerous route and its surprising challenges lead to your doom? Can You Survive the Wonderful Wizard of Oz? adapts the classic novel into a Choose Your Path book, putting readers in control of the action. Use your knowledge and courage to survive such perils as tiger-bears, winged monkeys, and angry trees. You’ve been swept away from home by a deadly tornado, and you find yourself in the Land of Oz-a magical world of monsters, witches, and talking animals.

Author of Can You Survive the Wonderful Wizard of Oz? and The Ghost of Old Central School

The Empty Cabin by Deb Mercier