Dead Calm, Bone Dry is a Directors' Choice Finalist

What if you were forced to sail with pirates?

Captured and tried for piracy.

Then, sentenced to hang.

Would you trade your body to the crew of the Flying Dutchman to save your soul?

Ricky did.

Some dead men do tell tales.

And there is stolen treasure in this pirate story.

Last winter, Ricky Bradshaw was another gangly freshman hoping to fit in - or at least not get picked on - and maybe catch the attention of Becky Nance, a girl in his biology class. Except, sometimes, Ricky "zones out" in class because he has absence seizures. If you've never heard of absence seizures, that's okay. A lot of people haven't. Ricky's teachers are a lot of those people.

And that's what happened to Ricky last Christmas Eve: He had an episode and ended up in pirate land. When Dead Calm, Bone Dry begins, Ricky is on his way to be tried for piracy. In the ship's brig, he is about to learn that some things are worse than being unpopular in high school. Much worse. Like sailing to...well, we best let Ricky tell the account. It is his story, after all.

Written for the General Market (G) (I): contains no sexual dialogue or strong language.

"Avast ye privateers and teen pirates! This book be a lubbers popular young adult book fer lads and boys ages, 10, 11, 12, 14, - oops I skipped 13 - 13, 15. Thems all the ages I kin count to. Yer will dance the hempen jig when ya set sail with this clean teen fiction series where tha poop deck be swabbed clean of all freebooters and scallywags. Jack Sparrow be a son of a biscuit eater if'n he don' enjoy this popular chapter books fer boys ages 10-12, 9-12 and thems that be in grades 7, 8, 10 - oops I skipped 9 - 9, 11, and...thems all the grades I know. Shiver me timbers; this be one fine popular action adventure, fantasy fiction series of books for boys who do not - er - don't like to read. Unless you be a boy who likes to read - in which case it be blimey, blow the man down good. Somes say this be a popular collection of new release books for girls. You decide." (Jolly Roger)