![\"The](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.everywritersresource.com\/selfpublished\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/kingofa.jpg?resize=262%2C387\" "\\"The")
Author<\/h2>\nGary Schwartz<\/p>\n
From mime, to children’s TV performer on the Emmy Award winning Zoobilee Zoo as Bravo Fox, to voice actor creating characters like Heavy Weapon Guy and Demoman on the popular video game, Team Fortress 2, Gary Schwartz has gone from being seen and not heard to heard and not seen. Now he can be read with his debut children’s fantasy novel, The King of Average, winner of the Kirkus Star and it’s April featured book of the month.<\/p>\n
The King of Average is a fantasy adventure of boy, plagued by low self-esteem, traveling in the Realm of Possibility to discover his true self. It\u2019s a Roald Dahl like adventure with the wit and wordplay of \u201cThe Phantom Tollbooth\u201d in the tradition of books like The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and The Narnia books.<\/p>\n
James thinks he\u2019s a typical 11-year-old, which suits him just fine. His father is gone, his mother hates him (she commonly wishes he was never born while on the phone with her friends), and he has no siblings. James, who earns C\u2019s in school, looks rather ordinary (he certainly isn\u2019t handsome). Instead of fighting it, he embraces his mediocrity, declaring himself the best average guy the planet has ever seen. One day in a garden, he meets Mayor Culpa, a talking goat. Following the animal, James finds himself suddenly transported to another world. The chatty creature reveals that he\u2019s a Scapegoat (\u201cAs long as I\u2019m to blame, no one else can be burdened. It\u2019s what I was bred for\u201d). He tells James that he can become the Kingdom of Average\u2019s new ruler. But to claim the crown, the boy must first complete a mission\u2014find the old king and discover why he abdicated the throne. Mayor Culpa, professional optimist Monsieur William Roget, and Roget\u2019s pint-sized pessimist, Kiljoy, join James on his journey.<\/p>\n
They travel from Average to places like Disappointment Bay, Lake Inferior and the Sea of Doubt. There they find a new mission that brings them to the lands above Average: Accusia, Serenity Spa, Eureeka in thee Unattainable Mountains, and as their quest evolves to a search for a Shangri-La where James learns that maybe he\u2019s some truths he wasn\u2019t willing to face before. When they reach the part of the kingdom dubbed Epiphany, James finally grasps who he is\u2014someone extraordinary.<\/p>\n
The King of Average is an exciting and humorous adventure filled with enough wordplay to entertain adults who\u2019ll love reading the adventures aloud to their kids. There a great message in the book based on our universal search for love and acceptance.<\/p>\n
Then it came to him, an idea so intriguing and paradoxical that he had to laugh. What if I was more average than anybody else in the entire world?!<\/p>\n
He was very pleased with himself for coming up with such a wonderful idea. It made him smile as he walked. The more he thought about it, the better he felt. All C\u2019s! That\u2019s average intelligence. Physically, he was average too. When he stood in line at school in order of height, he was always right in the middle. And he was never picked last for team games, like Todd Grant, who couldn\u2019t play very much because he was small and had asthma. Even his name\u2014James. Probably the most common name in the history of the English language. \u201cI bet I could become the most average person who ever lived!\u201d he announced.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when the little bird dove from the wire and headed straight for his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cWraawk! You could!\u201d it cawed.<\/p>\n
James covered his head with his arms as the bird dove at him again squawking, \u201cIt\u2019s possible!\u201d Then it took off like a shot and disappeared.<\/p>\n
Did that bird actually speak? James thought. Maybe it was a mynah bird or something.<\/p>\n
He started back for home but stopped when he spied another strange thing: a gray goat wearing wire-rimmed spectacles and a green tweed vest stood in Mrs. Shubin\u2019s garden, calmly grazing on some pansies. A real live goat! The neighborhood had its share of dogs and cats, but never any farm animals. Especially ones in fancy clothes.<\/p>\n
Not wanting to scare the goat, James edged closer, moving slowly, until he heard it mutter, \u201cOh, me. Oh, dear me. Dear mee-ee-ee!\u201d<\/p>\n
James blinked. Then blinked again\u2014hard. \u201cAre you a real goat, or someone dressed up to look like a goat?\u201d<\/p>\n
The little goat offered its backside to him. Cautiously, James reached down and patted the goat on its bony rump. \u201cYou\u2019re a real goat, all right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGo ahead, kick me!\u201d The goat shook its head, pansy petals flying from his mouth. \u201cIt\u2019s all my fault! We\u2019re doomed! Baaaaa!! Ba-aaaaaa!\u201d It nudged its rump against James\u2019s leg. \u201cGo on! I can take it!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you talking about? What\u2019s your fault? And how can a goat talk, anyway?!\u201d James scanned the yard. \u201cIs someone hiding somewhere doing your voice? A ventriloquist or something? Is this some kind of joke? Hey! Who\u2019s doing this?!\u201d<\/p>\n
The goat looked directly at him. \u201cMy, my, my! Suspicious, aren\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n
James rubbed his eyes. \u201cThis can\u2019t be real.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, but it is, James. It is real,\u201d the goat assured him.<\/p>\n
James couldn\u2019t speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, dear! What a fool I am. How thoughtless of me. Let me introduce myself, I am Mayor Culpa.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cM-Mayor Culpa? Mayor of what?\u201d James asked, finding his voice at last.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an honorary title,\u201d said the goat. \u201cI am the royal mascot of Average. And you are James, an average boy. Am I right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cH-h-how do you know m-m-my name?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
http:\/\/gary-schwartz.com<\/a><\/p>\nBest place to buy your book<\/h2>\n