Something Happened on Election Day by Greg Logsted

Wind it up… keep winding…listen to the strange music…keep winding…wait for that Jack to jump out of his box, getting closer…any second now…click…boing…presto! Here’s my Jack in the box. Here’s my very first blog ever!

Hard to believe, isn’t it? It seems like everyone blogs about something even if it’s just about that new shirt they bought at the mall. So I’m a bit behind the blogging masses. I’m also a little nervous too, but that doesn’t really matter. I’m safely hidden behind my computer monitor. It’s the best mask I’ve ever worn. My name’s Greg Logsted, and Pamela Harty has graciously offered me this space to plug my very first book. Thank you, Pamela.

My first book, the YA novel SOMETHING HAPPENED, is being published by Simon & Schuster Pulse and it’s due to arrive in a bookstore near you on November 4, 2008. Yes, that’s right – Election Day. I’m reasonably certain that the election will greatly overshadow my release date but it does give me the opportunity to put these two thoughts together: SOMETHING HAPPENED and ELECTION DAY. Now just think…something happened on Election Day, and then repeat it over and over again until it gets hopelessly stuck in your head. Something happened on Election Day, something happened on Election Day…

Now the original title for SOMETHING HAPPENED was supposed to be Sock Puppets in Love. Sock Puppets in Love on Election Day just doesn’t seem to have the same earwig quality to it, does it? So change is good, isn’t it? Now why does that sound familiar? Anyhow, I really did like the original title; unfortunately it didn’t reflect the content of the book. The whole sock puppets theme sounds very whimsical, almost comical, which created a problem considering that this is basically a serious novel.

SOMETHING HAPPENED is the story of thirteen-year-old Billy Romero five months after his dad’s unexpected death. Billy struggles to make sense of the loss of his father. His friends expect him to move on but he just can’t. His mother is struggling with work and the loss of her husband leaving Billy basically on his own. No one seems to understand how alone he feels…except his new English teacher, the young and beautiful Miss Gate. She offers him the support and friendship he craves. It’s a little weird but it’s also kind of exciting that someone like Miss Gate wants to hang out with him. But the closer they get, the more Billy wonders what kind of friendship this really is.

I have absolutely no idea how my novel is going to affect the election. My suspicion is that it’s not going to affect it at all. But it sure would be nice to see a copy of my book under Barack Obama’s and John McCain’s arms as they walk into their hometown voting booths. Do you think that’s possible? Hey, you never know. That’s what I always say before buying a lottery ticket. You never know, except…sometimes you do.

All I can say is: a kiss is just a kiss but remember this – SOMETHING HAPPENED on Election Day.