THE BOOK: The Three of Them
PUBLISHED IN: 2020
THE AUTHOR: Zeke Jarvis
THE EDITOR: Arlo and Christine Young
THE PUBLISHER: Rogue Phoenix Press
SUMMARY: Harper, Krista, and James share two things in common. They all have disabilities, and they all have paranormal abilities. Both of those things leave the three separated from their peers but closer to each other. When a malevolent force within their high school begins to threaten them and the other students, they have to discover the nature and source of this force’s power and keep their classmates safe all while handling their studies and keeping their parents from getting suspicious. In the end, the three of them will discover whether their courage, friendship, and intelligence will be enough to save the day or if saving the school from the force and the bullies in the school is even possible.
THE BACK STORY: My daughter has hemiplegic cerebral palsy, and she likes to read. Unfortunately, when we looked for representation of CP in young adult books, there’s very little, and not all of it is good. Being an author, I decided that I could help to change that. Hopefully, this book helps to increase quality representation and normalize disabled characters in YA lit.
WHY THIS TITLE?: I wanted to give a sense of unity and support but also to give a sense of how these three characters could be “under the microscope”, could be scrutinized by the larger group of high school students. Hopefully, the title strikes the right balance between those two.
WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO READ IT? If you want to support a move to be more inclusive of characters with disabilities, or if you want a book that balances entertainment with an exploration of some of the day-to-day struggles of people with disabilities, then check it out.
REVIEW COMMENTS:
“But in addition to the page-turning paranormal plot line, one of the most endearing qualities of this novel is its attention to the embodiment of its protagonists, both in terms of their powers and limitations. Jarvis is keen to depict his characters’ frustrations and adaptations.” – Teresa Milbrodt, author of Work Opportunities and The Patron Saint of Unattractive People
AUTHOR PROFILE: Zeke Jarvis is a Professor of English at Eureka College. He lives in Normal, IL with his wife and daughter. He enjoys cooking (and eating, of course). He’s had three previous collections of short prose published, and his play, Meeting, was produced in spring of 2019. The play challenged viewers’ assumptions and values by running the same script twice, once with a heterosexual couple and the second time with a gay couple, leading viewers to examine their own reactions.
AUTHOR COMMENTS: Again, my hope is that this book will give a voice and face to people with disabilities, particularly in young adult fiction, where there is often a heavy focus on issues of identity and self-awareness.
SAMPLE CHAPTER:
“I can’t just turn invisible and walk through walls,” Krista said. “I have to get into somewhere first and I have to turn invisible off-camera in case someone sees the tape.”
“Okay,” Harper said.
“In addition to those logistical issues, there’s no guarantee that either the teachers or principal would know any more than we do.” He took a bite of his pizza and looked away.
“Okay,” Harper said again. She crossed her arms.
James pushed the food in his mouth to one cheek and said, “In fact, Harper, given your talents, you likely are more aware of the problem.”
Krista raised her eyebrows and pointed at James, nodding. Harper just sighed. “Fine,” she said. “I guess all we can do is sit back and wait for the murders to start.”
“Oh God,” Krista said. She looked away, watching one of the popular tables. There was Jenna, but instead of talking to her friends about either boys or make-up, Jenna was just quietly eating her lunch and watching Krista. Krista smiled and waved. Before Jenna had a chance to wave back, Krista turned towards Harper. “Don’t look over now, but is Jenna up to something?”
Harper looked down at her sandwich. She was quiet for a moment, then said, “This is weird.”
She was quiet again, so Krista said, “What is it?”
“Her thoughts are like, I don’t know. They feel different than how most people think.”
James cleared his throat. “In all fairness, you might say that about me.”
“No,” Harper said, “This is different. It’s like trying to listen to a different language.”
“I knew it,” Krista said. “She’s a damn demon.”
“Don’t be an ass,” Harper said.
Krista shrugged and put a Dorito in her mouth. “You’re the one who thought something weird or creepy was going on.”
Harper looked over at Jenna, briefly, then back at the table. There was a blankness to Jenna’s face that creeped Harper out. The usual snobbery and low level of hatred wasn’t there. It was like the feeling you get when you’re alone with a portrait and the eyes seem to follow you wherever you go.
“Do you think she’s the cause or the effect?” James asked.
“What?” Harper asked.
“Of the so-called creepiness,” he said. “Is she causing it or is she the product of it?”
Harper hadn’t even considered the question, but leave it to James to think of it. “I can’t say yet. I’ve never felt something like this before.”
Krista said, “Who would’ve thought someday we’d actually be interested in what was going through Jenna’s mind?”
“If it’s still hers,” James said.
Krista dumped the rest of the Doritos from the bag into her right hand. “Well, it’s not like she was going to use it.”
Harper crumpled up an empty baggie. “Don’t try to laugh it off too much. We don’t know what this could be the start of.”
James said, “Maybe you should try some of the others at Jenna’s table to see if they’re also abnormal.” He then finished his pizza.
“Abnormal?” Harper asked.
Harper sighed and focused. Krista wiped her hands on a napkin, and James drank his water. After a minute or two, Harper said, “The rest are normal. Jenny is worried that her mom will find her pot stash, Tina is sad she’s not thinner, and Ethan is thinking about how to hide the fact that he’s gay?”
“Ethan’s gay?” James said.
“God, James,” Krista said. “Well, at least we know that it’s just Jenna.”
Harper took a bite of her sandwich. She wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about it being just Jenna. “Even if that’s true, what do we do?”
James separated his trash from his recyclables. “Continued observation is the next step. We need to know what she can do.”
Krista said, “Crap, that’s a scary thought. Who knows how much power she might have?”
“And how do we find out?” Harper asked. “Obviously we can’t ask her.”
James put his recyclables back in his lunch bag. “It would be a mistake to confront her directly at this point.”
Krista looked over at Jenna again. She was still looking and with the same expression on her face. “Let’s figure it out beforeshe eats my face or something.”
James said, “Your muscle would be more satisfying to eat than your skin.”
“Might depend on how she’s cooked, James,” Harper said.
“Knock it off,” Krista said. “She’s not staring at either of you.”
“All right,” Harper said. “We’ll all brainstorm tonight and compare ideas tomorrow.”
WHERE ELSE TO BUY IT: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086Z47QQ1,
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The Three of Them – Kindle edition by Jarvis, Zeke. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Three of Them. |
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-three-of-them-zeke-jarvis/1136839496?ean=2940163065042
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Harper, Krista, and James share two things in common. They all have disabilities, and they all have paranormal abilities. Both of those things leave the three separated from their peers but closer to each other. When a malevolent force within their high school begins to threaten them and the… |
PRICE: 99 cents electronic copy, 9.99 print
CONTACT THE AUTHOR: ecjarvis@hotmail.com, @zekjar, https://www.facebook.com/zeke.jarvis.5
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