On the Bright Side is a hilarious road to guardian angeldom paved with
so much drama and due-paying that it makes middle school look painless.
As if the devil’s food cake at her wake and the white fat pants she’s
stuck wearing for eternity weren’t bad enough, fourteen year-old Gabby is quick
to discover that Cirrus, the main rung of Heaven, is a far cry from the
Pearly Gates. Here, Skyphones and InnerNets are all the rage. Until Gabby finds
out she has to protect Angela, her school nemesis, in order to move up
through the training levels of heaven. Problem is, Angela is now hitting on
Gabby's should-have-been boyfriend. (awkward!)
Instead of protecting Angela, Gabby pranks her (like tripping is a
sin?) at the hopes of cooling off the new couple. At first, they seem harmless
until the school dance sabotage gets completely out of control. Then, her
Celestial Sky Agent, who happens to have anger management issues of his own,
puts Gabby on probation, threatening her eternal future.
S.R.
Johannes is the author of Untraceable (a teen wilderness thriller) and On The
Bright Side ( a tween paranormal).
She
started out writing for her local school paper, winning a state Nutrition essay
contest for “Be a Smart Cookie”, and singing in a local Jazz band. Somewhere
along the way, she earned an MBA in Marketing and embarked on an 18-year
marketing career in Corporate America working as a marketing and communications
consultant.
In
2000, S.R. traded in her expensive suits, way-too high heels, and corporate
lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She started her own
marketing & communications business, www.bilaninc.com, and continues creating
materials for a variety of large profit and nonprofit clients, including Spanx,
Goody Hair Products, Chick Filet, Delta, CARE, and the Boys & Girls Club of
America.
S.R.’s
dream is to publish children’s books and magically imprint the imaginations of
kids. In addition to juggling nap schedules while attending client meetings,
Shelli focuses on her writing. She is a frequent marketing speaker at SCBWI
conferences across the U.S and runs a popular marketing blog, Market My
Words (www.faeriality.blogspot.com) where she provides marketing
advice for authors in the hopes of helping them better market their words.
In
her spare time (yeah right!) and if the kids allow (yeah right!), Shelli
obsesses over movies, reads children’s books (over and over), wishes she could
squeeze in Bikram Yoga sessions, and dreams of sleeping in on the weekends.
She
currently lives in Atlanta with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge
imaginations of their little prince and princess that someday will change the
world.
How to Buy:
TO RECEIVE
AUTHOR NEWS
If you would like
to get periodic author news on an upcoming special edition in Jan or on the
release of future books, please register your email
address here. She does not
expect to send more than one email a month.
Social Media
Praises for On The Bright Side
"S.R.
Johannes delivers a cute paranormal thrill ride for middle graders! Even in
death there is a BRIGHT SIDE!" - Addison Moore, author of the bestselling
Celestra series and soon to be TV show
Clever
and charming, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE is the story of a reluctant guardian angel,
her still-breathing crush, and the frenemy she’s assigned to protect. A great
read! -Suzanne Young, author of A Need So Beautiful, A Want So Wicket (6/12),
and The Program (2013)
“ON
THE BRIGHT SIDE is both hilarious and heart-warming – a tale that’ll have you
hoping that there really *are* spunky and determined angels like Gabby who’ve
got our backs.” - Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, author of Selling Hope & The 13th Sign (2013)
(Feiwel & Friends)
"With
a smart, snappy heroine and a heart-warming crush, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE is a
page-turning new take on guardian angels that left me begging for a
sequel!" - Gretchen McNeil, author of Possess and Ten (9/12) (Balzar + Bray)
Praises for Untraceable
"Grace
is a spunky, independent, nature girl who doesn't need a boy to save her. With
wilderness survival, a juicy love triangle, and more twists and turns than a
roller coaster, this fast-paced novel had me holding my breath until the very
last page—and still begging for more!" -Kimberly
Derting,
author of the The Body
Finder series (Harper Teen) and The Pledge series (S&S)
"This thrilling
story is a dramatic entanglement of mystery, deception and teen
romance. The action flows like a brisk mountain stream interspersed with
rapids, holding suspense to last page." - Kirkus Reviews
2009
Amazon Breakthrough Novel Quarterfinalist (under the original title of Grace
Under Fire) - Judges Reviews:
"This
story starts out with a bang...it reads like the young woman were narrating it
to a friend, and had the ring of a young person's style and intensity. Grace
sees authority people, or at least those she knows, as a bit bumbling, which is
true to age. Authentic representation of youth in action also. Original in
premise and style, and good use of background...Good story!" - Sue
Grafton, author of bestselling Kinsey Milhone series
"This
murder mystery features a teenaged heroine, but she has the self assurance of a
woman twice her age. The prose is very descriptive...and the dialogue is
genuine. The setting of small town North Carolina and the surrounding woods is
appealing. The story moves along at a brisk clip, and it feels as if we already
have some important clues. We look forward to seeing what's in the case file
and what Grace and her motorbike, Luci, will be up to next." - Sue
Monk Kidd, author of Secret Life of Bees
Glad it's out. I've been looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDelete