Author Spotlight – Meet Sands Hetherington

For Immediate Release

Author Sands Hetherington is available for Interview.

Contact: Gail Kearns 805-898-2263 Tel; gail@topressandbeyond.com

Fantastic and delightful fun filled new chapter book for kids

Night Buddies and the Pineapple Cheesecake Scare by Sands Hetherington is an after lights-out adventure story that will delight young readers and middle graders who relish roller coaster fantasy and fun, filled with unforgettable characters and an astonishing and inventive collection of magical whatchamacallits.

The book is all about the nighttime adventures of a young boy named John, who is not ready to go to sleep, and his friend, a bright red crocodile named Crosley who turns up under John’s bed.

They sneak out of John’s house using Crosley’s “I-ain’t-here-doodad” which makes them invisible to John’s parents. They then embark on an adventure chasing down enemies and cleaning up one mess after another as they solve the earthshaking mystery: who stole all the pineapple cheesecakes from the only factory in the world that makes them!

John, Crosley, and the amazing get-anything-free card.

The investigation starts out fine but things get a little crazy when Crosley, who is allergic to water, gets wet. Hilarious things happen when Crosley’s allergy to water kicks in, and when they get to the pineapple cheesecake factory and meet Big Foot Mae, the investigation gets more complicated and zany than either of them bargained for.

Night Buddies is an astonishing and inventive adventure with unforgettable cast of characters that will make you laugh and win over your heart. The book has lots of thoughtful, multi-layered twists, giggles, and perils — things kids can relate to and enjoy.

Night Buddies and the
Pineapple Cheesecake Scare
Sands Hetherington
Illustrations by Jessica Love

List $7.99
Paperback 128 pages Also available in Kindle and Nook
Publisher: Dune Buggy Press; One edition (June 1, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0984741712 ISBN-13: 978-0984741717

Available wherever books are sold and online. For more information visit http://www.nightbuddiesadventures.com

The story is filled with well-drawn fascinating characters embellished with some excellent illustrations by Jessica Love. The fonts change with emotion and circumstances, a fact that makes every page a little artwork that keep the child’s eye involved in the book. And just to make sure the youngsters reading this book have the inside information for a mystery, a glossary of ‘Night Buddies Uncommon Words’ is supplied – explaining ‘Jeeks’, ‘Wuff’, ‘Snerk!’ etc. The 128-page book is packed with all-new picture drawings by illustrator Jessica Love.

About the Author

Sands Hetherington credits his son John for being his principal motivator. Sands raised his son as a single parent from the time John was six. He read to him every night during those formative years. He and young John developed the Crosley crocodile character in the series during months of bedtime story give-and-take. Sands majored in history at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and has an M.F.A. in creative writing and an M.A. in English from UNC-Greensboro. He lives in Greensboro.

About the Illustrator

Jessica Love grew up in California, with two artist parents. She studied printmaking and drawing at UC Santa Cruz, then went on to study acting at The Juilliard School in NYC.

Jessica currently resides in Brooklyn, New York, toggling back and forth between her work as an actor and her work as an artist.

What People Are Saying

“This little book is a winner!”
—Grady Harp, Hall of Fame Amazon Reviewer

“Hetherington seems to have the right ingredients for a classic children’s whodunit—talking animals, an unsolved mystery and a brave hero willing to face unforeseen foes…”
—Kirkus

“Stating that Night Buddies and the Pineapple Cheesecake Scare is a creative, imaginative and delightful tale is simply giving it its just desserts. Yerk! Yerk! Yerk!”
— Drew Aquilina, International award-winning cartoonist and author, Green Pieces: Green From the Pond Up

“Night Buddies is a terrific story my second and third-graders would love to have read to them, complete with its colorful dialect. Thanks for the sneak peek!”
— Lorie Thompson, Principal, Haskell Elementary School, Los Angeles Unified School District

“Two unlikely friends-one human and one crocodilian-embark on an adventure to solve a mystery: where did all the pineapple cheesecakes go? Have fun reading this lively story.”
— Diane Witt, Retired Public Elementary School Teacher (30 years), Boulder, Colorado

“Night Buddies is visionary, conceptual, and a forecast of fun for children and schoolteachers alike. Author Sands Hetherington with mastery unveils creativity with purpose, inventions in language, and makes reading fun.”
— Al Carrozza, author of Universal Enzyme

“Don’t miss this wonderful new children’s book, Night Buddies and the Pineapple Cheesecake Scare. Your children will thank you!”
— Kathi Macias, award-winning author of more than 30 books including Special Delivery (Freedom Series)

This fast-paced, warm-hearted story is written in several amusing dialects and will appeal to kids from 8 to 10 or 11. Boys who are reluctant readers will especially enjoy it.”
— P. Joy Webster, school librarian and author of Don’t come here, Julie! chosen as Book of the Year 2010 (Young Adult Science Fiction category)

Quotes from Second, Third and Fourth Graders

“I liked all the things Crosley had, like the I-ain’t-here-doo-dads, whatchamacallits, and the way he laughed: Yerk! Yerk! Yerk!” — Maria B.

“I loved Night Buddies. It was a great book. To tell you the truth, you read better than Mrs. Hunt.” — Mandy W.

“The story was great, and I’m not lying to you. I loved the whole thing.” — Your friend, Rick

“I normally think books are boring, but yours was great!” — Rocky

“I liked the word excelsior. How did you think it up?” — Aaron

“I want one of your books. How much does is cost?” — Jaime

“I thought it was the best story in the world. My favorite part was the part when Crosley started doing the Black Bottom. I really loved it.” — Mary D.

“Night Buddies is a good story. I like it a lot, especially when Crosley looks at the pineapple cheesecakes and starts drooling everywhere and when the salamanders get in the room and can’t get out. Then they start getting sick and some of them throw up.” — Noni M.

“I like when Crosley locked the iguanas in the spider wire.” — Sara T.

“I think if you draw a picture of a pineapple cheesecake, the next morning it will be gone! Oh, next time you go somewhere, like to the publishing building, don’t forget your I.D.gimcrack for a special author!” — Maria B.

Please follow Sands Hetherington’s WOI tour tomorrow at: http://www.sweepingtheusa.org/