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Aching Hope
Losing Austin follows a teen boy with a reputation for being a hothead whose nonverbal older brother mysteriously vanishes during a rainstorm, and he spends years searching for an answer. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I was a high school teacher for many years and so often I’d hear one kid say something nasty or hateful to someone I knew to be his/her friend. I also recall many times kids would shout or scream at their parents or siblings. If they were students I knew well, I’d suggest they make it right with their friend or parent because we never know if we’ll have the opportunity. The unexpected always intervenes in life. This thinking was the seed that begat Losing Austin, and it’s the essential premise of the book. I also worked with nonverbal students and always wondered what they were thinking and what they would say if they could, which provided me with inspiration for the character of Austin.
I found Colton to be an intriguing character. What was your inspiration for this character?
I worked with many kids over the years labeled special education and some required a lot of extra attention on the part of parents and teachers. I also came to know the siblings of these kids and sometimes there was resentment that their brother got all the attention. They knew he needed the attention—even from them—but resented not getting what they needed themselves. These experiences begat Colton, a boy who is forced to be independent from a young age and feels he’s been cheated out of nurturing that should have come to him because his brother is “different” and takes up the lion’s share of his parents’ time. From resentment comes anger, and anger becomes all Colton is in the eyes of teachers, his parents, and other kids. That’s his label and once kids have been labeled, it’s difficult to shed that label.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Losing Austin is about grief; about the way loss fractures a family, leaving jagged edges that don’t quite fit together anymore. It’s about guilt and redemption and desperate, aching hope, the hope Colton feels that Austin is alive and will be found. It’s also about regret, the regret Colton feels for his anger towards Austin and his frantic need for forgiveness. It’s about letting go, about accepting that some people aren’t ours, no matter how much we love them. It’s about redemption and the ability to overcome one’s past. And it’s about the need for parents to love their children equally—no matter that one child might need more of their time—because all children need to be nurtured.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
I have completed my first foray into middle grade territory and that book should be out by April of 2026. I’m also writing the two sequels to my award-winning Forever Boy that will complete the trilogy, and I’ve mapped out a cozy mystery to tackle after those are finished, so I’ll be busy.
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Riddled with guilt, Colton spends every waking moment trying to find Austin. Searching online for similar missing kids, he meets Keilani, a girl from Hawaii whose younger brother vanished the same day as Austin. Internet explorations reveal other kids who also disappeared, always on rainy days. Since none of these kids have been heard from since, alien abduction seems the most likely answer.
Colton endures years of frustrating dead ends and high school graduation beckons. Then something so shocking occurs that the world descends on the Bowman home in the form of media, law enforcement, even Homeland Security, and Colton’s life will never be the same.
Losing Austin
Losing Austin is a deeply emotional, raw, and imaginative coming-of-age story about a troubled boy named Colton whose nonverbal older brother, Austin, mysteriously vanishes during a rainstorm. The book follows Colton’s guilt-ridden journey as he tries to piece together what really happened to his brother, all while battling suspicion from his community, emotional distance from his parents, and his own inner demons. With hints of sci-fi mystery and a big heart, this young adult novel dives into themes of grief, sibling bonds, mental health, and belief in the unbelievable.
What grabbed me most was how real Colton felt. The kid is angry, vulnerable, funny in that painfully honest way, and sometimes downright heartbreaking. His voice in the book was authentic. It doesn’t read like a sanitized version of a teen. He messes up, but when he confesses that he told Austin, “I wish you were dead!” only to have his brother vanish hours later really tugs at the heart. The guilt and regret simmering under Colton’s skin are so raw.
And the ideas behind the book were wild in the best way. I loved how it straddles this hazy space between the possible and the unreal. When Keilani enters the story and says her brother disappeared the same day as Austin she thinks “the rain took them,” it gave me goosebumps. Bowler doesn’t spoon-feed you answers—he lets the mystery sit with you, build inside you and grow its own legs. That slow realization that other nonverbal kids, just like Austin, also disappeared during rainstorms is eerie and clever. Also, the mirror obsession, Austin’s backward drawings, and his love for rainbows felt symbolic without being pretentious. There’s something magical going on beneath the surface, and Bowler trusts readers to feel their way through it.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves character-driven stories with emotional depth and a twist of mystery. Teens, sure. Parents too. Even readers into speculative fiction would dig it. Losing Austin made me emotional, made me angry, and made me believe in the impossible for a second. If you’ve ever loved someone who was hard to understand—or ever felt like the world misunderstood you—this book’s going to resonate with you.
Pages: 213 | ASIN : B0DYZ9FSGV
Confront the Darkness Within
Forever Boy follows two high school students intrigued by a new student whose origins are a mystery and whose demeanor is most unsettling. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
Without giving away any spoilers, I envisioned an orphan boy outside of time and place who wants, more than anything else, what we all want—friends and a family—while at the same time hiding his true self for fear of rejection.
Do you have a favorite scene in this story? One that was especially enjoyable to write?
I loved writing the scenes with Isaac and the others filming their movie, harking back to my own experiences making low-budget horror films in my youth, but my favorite sequence is the film festival because this disparate group of teens who, when the book begins, don’t speak to one another, finally become the tight-knit found family that each of them desperately needs.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I’ve always been fascinated by what makes some humans monstrous and others not, and I wanted to explore that theme. Do we choose to become monsters and commit monstrous acts, or is monstrosity somehow thrust upon us against our will and we have no control over it? Growing up, I loved the old Universal horror films of the 1930s and 1940s that often explored this very notion of man/monster, and I wanted my teen characters to confront the darkness within themselves, and within the seemingly ordinary people of their small town.
Can you give us a peek inside the next book in this series? Where will it take readers?
The newfound friend group will be forced to split up in Book 2, but readers will still experience all of their lives, despite the separation.
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Outcast Isaac and popular Stephanie have barely spoken in all their years in school. Now, in the ninth grade, their lives become intertwined with a strange boy from Eastern Europe named Drágan Albescu.
Everything about Drágan is exotic, from his vintage style of dress to his flowing long hair and delicate features. But he’s also shrouded in great mystery.
He reveals that he’s a fashion model, so Stephanie searches his image on the internet and discovers modeling photos dating back to the 1920’s. Then there’s the valise Drágan carries that’s so heavy Isaac can’t lift it.
Drágan also possesses more knowledge and wisdom than all the teachers at school, coupled with the uncanny ability to discern what others long to keep private, a power that particularly frightens Stephanie due to her own dark secrets.
Who is this enigmatic boy who becomes the best friend Isaac ever had? Why do bullies at school suddenly stop their bullying? And what about the dead deer found torn to shreds in the woods?
When Isaac and Stephanie learn the full truth about their new friend, they’ll almost wish they hadn’t.
The Power To Help People
They Know When the Killer Will Strike follows a film crew that finds themselves hunted by a deadly presence, forcing the cast and crew to unravel the mystery before the final cut becomes their last. What inspired you to meld the worlds of Hollywood film-making and serial killer mysteries?
I’ve made or worked on a number of low-budget horror films, so having an unknown killer stalking members of a movie cast and crew seemed a natural extension of my experience (not to mention a fun scenario.)
The character Leo’s supernatural ability adds a unique twist to the narrative. How did you come up with this particular gift, and how do you see it shaping Leo’s journey across the series?
The saying, “The eyes are the windows to the soul” always intrigued me, so I began to imagine someone who had the ability to look into the eyes of another and “see” how and when that person will die. It’s a plot device that could go in many directions, but I chose to give this gift to a decent, extremely shy teen boy who hates looking into other’s eyes anyway. Leo has overcome some of his shyness since Book One, but given his discomfort with seeing people die, I don’t foresee him looking into the eyes of strangers unless it’s by accident. I picture him continuing to use the power to help people in his life who may want his help.
Throughout the book, you sprinkled tantalizing clues. How do you strike a balance between giving enough hints to keep readers engaged while not revealing too much too soon?
I read a fair number of mysteries, and it’s necessary to sprinkle clues and red herrings throughout such books to keep reader engagement. I think the trick is balancing out those moments with engaging character development, and I hope I succeeded in both arenas with this book.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
I have another Film Milieu Thriller story percolating, but I’m currently working on a sequel to my superhero-without-powers novel, Like A Hero, taking my main character and his blended family into thrilling new adventures.
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Cassie’s police officer dad and his detective girlfriend come aboard to thwart the murderer’s plans, but how do they stop someone whose identity remains hidden? With their death date rapidly approaching, Leo encourages the intended victims to turn the tables on their would-be killer, but when the plan goes horribly awry, all bets are off.
They Know When The Killer Will Strike concludes the stories begun in I Know When You’re Going To Die and The Horror Film Killer.
They Know When The Killer Will Strike (A Film Milieu Thriller Book 3)
They Know When the Killer Will Strike by Michael J. Bowler is a compelling amalgamation of the narratives from Book One and Book Two. The ingenious plot follows Leo Cantrell, whose film producer mother seizes upon the riveting real-life escapade of her son and his comrades evading a serial killer, envisioning it as the quintessential material for an enthralling Hollywood horror flick. Enter Cassie Stewart and Donovan Quinn, recent graduates of a performance art school, now assuming the roles of assistant director and script supervisor for this cinematic endeavor. Yet, amidst the creative fervor, an unsettling presence harboring deadly intentions toward the crew emerges. The narrative propels Leo, Cassie, Donovan, and their allies into a high-stakes mission to stop the impending tragedy and unmask the elusive killer before they, too, succumb.
Having thoroughly enjoyed the preceding installments, I found They Know When the Killer Will Strike to be an equally gratifying read. Michael J. Bowler’s narrative effortlessly toggles between moments of camaraderie laden with buoyant humor and the looming shroud of suspense that pervades the tale. The convergence of characters from I Know When You’re Going to Die and The Horror Film Killer is a narrative feat that encapsulates the essence of unity forged through trials. Initially disparate, the two groups eventually find their synergy, albeit after some initial friction, setting the stage for a riveting collaborative effort.
The supernatural element introduced through Leo’s extraordinary gift adds a layer of intrigue to the narrative. His ability to glean hints about imminent murders by peering into the eyes of individuals adds an interesting dimension to his character. Yet, the caveat of not determining the perpetrator’s identity adds a layer of complexity to his role. The enigma of one individual escaping the killer’s grasp further enhances the storyline’s enigmatic allure.
Bowler’s tantalizingly scatters clues throughout the story, keeping readers engaged and eager to uncover the truth. While the unveiling of one of the shadowy figures orchestrating the prologue’s ominous events might align with perceptive readers’ suspicions, the resolution springs forth with an array of unforeseen twists that invigorate the plot.
While I enjoyed They Know When the Killer Will Strike I think that a touch more context about the events surrounding the killer’s sister in Book Two could have been beneficial for readers new to the series. Additionally, the incorporation of certain modern idioms by the young characters, while attempting to capture modern sensibilities, at times deviates from the authenticity of a modern teenager’s perspective.
They Know When the Killer Will Strike is a fantastic addition to the Film Milieu Thriller series, entwining suspense with camaraderie. As the protagonists grapple with imminent danger, readers are bound to be captivated by the inexorable pull of suspense until the final, unforeseen revelations come to fruition.
Pages: 299 | ASIN: B0CB1T6FC9
The Horror Film Killer
The Horror Film Killer marks the second installment in Michael J. Bowler’s enthralling A Film Milieu Thriller series, featuring a fresh set of characters distinct from Book One. Centered around Cassie Stewart, a senior at Performance Arts Academy High School in Southern California’s San Fernando Valley, the narrative follows her collaborative endeavor with best friend Donovan Quinn. Together, they embark on co-writing and co-directing a feature film for their senior project in film class, with aspirations of entering their creation into the prestigious local Shriek Festival, renowned as one of the nation’s oldest and grandest horror film festivals. However, their aspirations are derailed when a sinister figure begins replicating the murders depicted in their script, compelling Cassie and her police officer father to join forces in a race against time to apprehend the killer before more lives are claimed.
I found myself engrossed in this tale, particularly relishing the illuminating glimpses into the behind-the-scenes aspects of film production. The story initially unfolds at a measured pace, acquainting the reader with an ordinary school day and the diverse cast of characters. However, the narrative takes a thrilling turn by the end of the first chapter, captivating readers as the first chilling murder transpires. Despite the sizable ensemble of characters introduced in the early stages, the author skillfully furnishes detailed descriptions for each, enabling readers to seamlessly distinguish and connect with them. An impressive feat of suspense-building ensues, notably evident during Marjory Quinn’s tense night rounds at the hospital. The author adeptly conveys the suspenseful ambiance, deftly surmounting the challenge of conveying tension through the written word without the aid of audio or visual cues present in film. The climactic unmasking of the killer occurs towards the story’s conclusion, followed by a final chapter that offers a glimpse into the characters’ lives as they endeavor to move forward after the tragic events. This additional insight into the students of the film class adds a gratifying dimension to the narrative. It’s worth mentioning that while the story maintains its allure, some readers, including myself, found the choice of third-person present tense a bit unsettling. At times, this stylistic approach may lead to a sense of disconnection and distraction from the unfolding events, pulling one momentarily away from the immersive experience. Looking ahead, They Know When the Killer Will Strike, the third book in the series, promises an exciting convergence of characters from both Book One and Book Two, interweaving their storylines. A preview of this next installment serves as a tantalizing teaser, piquing readers’ curiosity and anticipation for what lies ahead.
The Horror Film Killer delivers an engaging and suspenseful narrative adorned with invaluable insights into the intricate world of film production. While the third-person present tense may prove slightly disconcerting for some readers, the tale compensates with its compelling plot and well-developed cast of characters. Fans of this series will undoubtedly relish the upcoming installment, which promises to reunite familiar faces from previous books and elevate the thrills to new heights.
Pages: 187 | ASIN : B09B1F1FFF
LITERARY TITAN 