About this item
Returning to the multiple point-of-view structure that made his debut novel Party so remarkable, author Tom Leveen spins a story of several high school students on the brink, and a school that can't (or won't) see the daily stressors they endure...or grasp the potential consequences of that dismissal.Danny can't get a fair shake from teachers or his parents, or even Cadence, the wide-eyed bundle of energy he's falling in love with. Brady pretends to want to be an NFL quarterback, but really just needs a square meal and a roof over his head. Drea knows only one way to make the pain of neglect go away; Vivi feels under siege by girls who don't like her type; and football star Donte has to quell his affection for the one girl in the entire school he absolutely cannot have while trying to protect Brady from Brady's own worst impulses. That's just the first day. Mercy Rule follows this diverse cast of authentically drawn teens as they ask the question somehow unique to modern American culture: Can you see me? Do you see me? Will you see me? Because if you won't . . . I'll make you.
About the Author
Tom Leveen is the author of eight novels with imprints of Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Abrams. He has also teamed up with Todd McFarlane writing Spawn, the comic book series, and released two independent books: A how-to guide for writers on the subject of dialogue, and a horror novella based on real events.
Currently an early literacy specialist with Phoenix Public Library, Tom has six years of previous library work experience. He also has 22 years of theatre experience as an actor and director, and has been the Artistic Director for two different theatre companies.
Tom wrote his first story in second grade and has been writing and telling stories ever since. His first horror novel, Sick, won the Westchester Fiction Award and the Grand Canyon Reader Award. His novel ZERO was a Best Book of 2013 (American Library Association/Young Adult Library Services Association) .
A frequent guest speaker and teacher, Tom has taught, paneled, and/or keynoted for SCBWI, RWA, Desert Nights Rising Stars, Phoenix ComiCon, AzLA, NCTE, TEDx, People of Color Network, Western New Mexico University, Arizona State University, Arizona Reading Association, Kennesaw State University, multiple schools and conferences throughout Germany, AETA, the Los Angeles Teen Book Fest, and many others.
In addition, apropos of absolutely nothing, Tom:
Finished a marathon (in six and half hours) , earned a blue belt in Tae Kwon Do, co-hosted a public access comedy show, directed 30 plays and acted in 30 more, ran a theatre company out of his backyard, met almost all of his literary heroes except for Stephen King, played in a punk band live in front of actual people (once) , prefers the Hero System but nevertheless runs a warlock minotaur and storm cleric elf when time permits, trained at the Utah Shakespeare Festival Actor Training program for five sessions, was Best Masque & Gavel Member in high school, lettered in Speech, has a rock in one finger from a pretty bad bail on his (now stolen) Tony Hawk, was the safari train driver for the Phoenix Zoo for a short time, worked in the stock room for Forever 21 for an even shorter time, completed a Spartan Sprint with three friends, and spent twenty years earning his Bachelor of Science degree.
So if there's something you want to do, go do it.
