Asbury, although a haven to shoobies (tourists) in the summer, is a divided coastal town. With the rich half living in the East, and the rest living in the West, most friendships stay within their boundaries. Luckily for a spunky-smart tomboy, a clever billionaire athlete, a gossipy-in-the-know cheerleader, and a wrong side of the tracks technological genius, boundaries are a foreign concept. In fact, Maddie, Cornelious, Carly and Pilot have been Asbury’s strongest quartet for years, despite their vast differences. Nevertheless, after a few weeks of starting high school, the foursome’s friendship is tested.
After a string of burglaries in East Asbury, the gang decides to solve the crime as a reason to make time for each other. The further they investigate, the more they find themselves constantly side-stepping tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum-like policemen, outsmarting local bully JB and his gang of misfits, and dealing with Cornelious’ billionaire father and Governor—who has disapproved of his son’s choice of friends for years. In addition to these obstacles, the foursome must also adapt to their evolving friendship with each other and their peers.
With upperclassmen, teachers, and teammates vying for their attention, the gang must work even harder to root out the red-herrings from the true thief. Aided by Carly’s gossip, Maddie’s boldness, Cornelious’ quick-wit, and Pilot’s knack for technology, the gang soon discovers its edge over the local police department.

Targeted Age Group:: 12 and up

What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
I was inspired to write this book because, and although I LOVE SCI-FY AND PARANORMAL, I wanted to read a book where the main characters were dealing with real-life issues, without the excuse or aid of powers. At the time of writing Asbury High, Twilight was huge and it seemed as if every book started having powers or paranormal happenings. Like I said, that’s cool and I enjoy reading them too, but I wanted a book where the teens had to overcome issues and solve a mystery that was believable. Furthermore, I wanted to make my story have more than one main character, and in this case there are four. Each of my characters (Maddie, Cornelious, Carly and Pilot), are so close with each other, but also have different strengths (and weaknesses), interests, and even home-lives, so they each bring a different perspective to the table.

[Read more…] about Asbury High and the Thief’s Gamble by Kelly Brady Channick