Ben Savitch, reporter for The Astonished Eye—America’s famous tabloid journal—finds himself in Elderton, Illinois, the town where he was born. After years of chasing fame, this is the last place he expected to be searching for the elusive exclusive that would put his name on the map. But a UFO landing has been reported in the area, and Savitch intends to be the one to track it down. However, a strange kind of magic is at work in Elderton. Savitch soon meets Almo Parrish, the last surviving Munchkin (or is he?), Chandler Quinn, builder of just about anything (including a TV hero!) and Vida Proust, who seems to be dead (only no one wants to tell her). They all have something to teach Savitch about being human, if only he will take the time to listen--before it’s too late. Tracy Knight takes the story of one man’s search for his identity and blends it into a tale of fantasy, mystery and science fiction, with all the charm of a modern American fable.

Fantasy, Mystery, Drama, Sci-Fi,,Sci-fi,Drama

Ben Savitch, cynical tabloid reporter, returns to Elderton, Illinois, where he lived with his family until age 4, to investigate the reported crash of a UFO. He fantasizes that if he can write a great tabloid story, he can achieve at least a speck of the respect and fame that has eluded him.

Rural Midwest USA

No

Internal Journey/Rebirth,,Quest

Philosophical Questions, Happy Ending, Meaningful Message, Twist,,Happy Ending,Meaningful Message

Information not completed

Name: Ben Savitch

Age: 40

Gender: Male

Role: Protagonist

Key Traits: Insecure, Blunt, Charming, Complex, Desperate, Engaging,Educated,Blunt,Sarcastic,Confident,Engaging

Name: Jeffrey Sprague

Age: 12

Gender: Male

Role: Emotional

Key Traits: Modest, Empathetic,Funny,Insecure

Name: Audrey Gayle

Age: 40

Gender: Female

Role: emotional

Key Traits: Empathetic, Beautiful, Confident, Engaging, Faithful, Gracious,Heartthrob,Flexible,Gracious,Honorable

Name: Chandler Quinn

Age: 70

Gender: Male

Role: logical

Key Traits: Empathetic, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Funny, Adventurous, Educated,Funny,Educated,Honorable,Visionary

Born and raised in rural Illinois, Tracy Knight is a clinical psychologist and university professor. He is the author of the novel The Astonished Eye, a Western novel, Beneath a Whiskey Sky, and the short story collection Trace Elements. His nonfiction, primarily focusing on psychological topics, has included a chapter in the Writer's Digest book Writing Horror and a column for Mystery Scene magazine. Tracy and his wife Sharon live in west-central Illinois.

Age: 18-34,13-17,35-54,55+

Target Gender: Universal

Information not completed

Status: Yes: with a Publisher

Publisher: PS Publishing (republished by Five Star & Stark House Press)

Year Published: 2001

Yes

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