Science Fiction Series

Chrysalis Chronology Series Description

Bob is currently looking for a literary agent who has experience selling multi-genre fiction.

WARNING: If you are not a literary agent, then stop reading, or surprises will be disclosed. Spoiler Alert!

 Synopsis   ~   Parts   ~   Themes   ~    Pentalogy Chart

 Continue reading below...

Bob Miller

Author of The Chrysalis Chronology series

Bob began writing fiction in 2012.
So far he's written:

The Smart Kid. First book in the CC Series
   [See complete series graph here...]
and three short stories.

Before beginning a writing career, Bob Miller was a professional magician. In this role, he has written:
- A book of a walk-around magic tricks he has created
- A book of card tricks
- Individual trick descriptions that have been published in magic magazines
- A users guide for his database software for magicians
- The script for a DVD about his most popular trick
- The script for a children's magic tricks DVD
- A monthly eNewsletter and blog for magicians

Author's Blog...

The Smart Kid Synopsis for Agents:

 Michael Shale doesn't grow.
 He's a 39-year-old man trapped in the body of a twelve-year-old. He suffers from the very real growth disorder with the fictional sounding name 'Syndrome X.' His twin brother, Mark, doesn't suffer from this disease, and is a full-grown man.

 He's hiding from Senator John Perkins who wants to capture him, again, to duplicate Michael's biology for his own greedy agenda as the head of a military development task force.

 His brother Mark is still being held captive in the secret military lab that Michael escaped from.

 So, Michael is forced to pretend to be a student so that he can hide out in elementary and middle schools around the country. Every year or two he moves to a new city to stay ahead of the Senator's search team. But he must also leave a trail of clues so that his brother can find him if he ever escapes from the remote medical facility.

 After an initial chase scene, the first half of the book describes two months in 1979 when Michael is hiding out in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and develops a friendship with a school counselor, Charleen Therry, who is recovering from the death of her husband and child.

 She begins digging into the past of this mysterious child-prodigy and, eventually, uncovers his secrets. With suspicions between them, they develop a tenuous friendship that ultimately brings personal healing to them both.

 For the climax, with the help of his grown twin brother, Mark, Michael and Charleen must set a trap to stop the evil senator from ever bothering Michael again, or die.

 Sandwiched between the first part of the book and the final climax, covering the decades of the 60s and 70s, is the origin story and chase/thriller about Senator Perkins learning of Michael Shale, chasing and incarcerating Michael and Mark, until Michael escapes and begins to hide in elementary schools.

Book length: 110,000 words

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  Description of Each Part of The Smart Kid

 Chapter 1. The Trap at Lincoln
      A chase scene.  (1969)
 Part 1: The Counselor   ( Oct.-Nov. 1979)   45,000 words
   Chapters 2 - 15  
   Starts with the new counselor, Charleen, starting at the school. She investigates the student, Michael, whom she assumes is a child prodigy. Secrets are uncovered, and suspicions arise, from both of them, until Charleen finally believes and starts to heal.
 Part 2: The Senator   (1958-1969)  46,000 words
   Chapters 16 - 32 
   Starts with the Senator learning about Michael, and then capturing him and Mark. Mark helps
Michael escape. Over the next few years Michael eludes capture four times. Ends at point where Senator learns that Michael is hiding in St. Cloud.
 Part 3: The Team  (Two days in 1979)  14,000 words
   Chapters 33 - 36
   Starts where Part 1 ends, Charleen meets Mark, and the three of them plan an attack against
   Senator Perkins. Ends with chase scene and fiery crash over a cliff, when it seems that Michael and Charleen are dead.
 Chapter 37 - post story wrap up
 Chapter 38 - Epilogue
 Chapter 39 - half page lead-in to next book

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Themes in the Smart Kid

  • Over-riding message is the purpose of life is altruism
  • Loss of family
  • Child Abuse
  • Abuse of power
  • Culture of 60s and 70s
  • Disabilities
  • Prejudice
  
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The Smart Kid Genre Categories

• Dramatic Fiction - Part 1 is about the relationship between Charleen, the school counselor, who has lost her husband and child, and a student she knows as Matthew Jansen, who seems to have no parents.
• Science Fiction - "Sci-Fi for women" might be an appropriate title since there is only one chapter (#23) with a heavy science discussion. This book serves as an introduction to the series which becomes more science-filled with each book.
• Thriller - Part 2 is devoted to the Senator capturing Michael as a college student, and then his escape and avoiding capture for 15 years.
  The whole book is filled with surprises and mis-direction.
• Historical Fiction - Part 1 is set in 1979. Part 2 is covers the years 1948 to 1979. The era plays a role like a character with references to values, music, economy and change.
• Women's Fiction - Charleen Therry is the protagonist of Part 1. She progresses from dealing with pain of loss due to a car accident, and jealousy against the other driver, and his son, who is one of her students. Michael helps her to heal, through actions that she is, at first, suspicious of, but finally comes to see as altruistic care from Michael/Matthew.

Testimonials

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