About
Late-blooming author who has written and self-published an illustrated children's book, Derek the Daredevil, and a mystery-thriller novel, Lazarus Man: Resurrection. Spalding began writing stories about his neighborhood friends when he was twelve. His poetry and nonfiction were published in regional and national magazines while he was in college. He has written technical manuals, installation instructions, promotional materials, national advertisements, news releases, and training programs for numerous clients, including two Fortune 100 companies. These are his first published books. Second jobs he has held down to support his writing habit include marketing executive, ad agency account exec, Schwan Man, and caregiver for individuals with disabilities. Spalding is a single father with one son, Derek. He lives in Saint Joseph, Missouri.
Description
<p><strong><em>A tragic warrior lost in two worlds... Which one will he choose?</em></strong></p><p>The war in Iraq ended for Freddie when an IED explosion left his mind and body shattered. Once a skilled gamer as well as a capable soldier, he's now a broken warrior, emerging from a medically induced coma to discover he's inhabiting two separate realities.</p><p>The first is his waking world of pain, family trials, and remorse—and slow rehabilitation through the tender care of Becky, his physical therapist. The second is a dark fantasy realm of quests, demons, and magic, which Freddie enters when he sleeps. The lines soon blur for Freddie, not just caught between two worlds, but lost within himself.</p><p>Is he Lieutenant Freddie Williams, a leader of men, a proud officer in the US Army who has suffered such egregious injury and loss? Or is he Frederick, Prince of Stormwind, who must make sense of his horrific visions in order to save his embattled kingdom from the monstrous Horde, his only solace the beautiful gardener, Rebecca, whose gentle words calm the storms in his soul.</p><p>In the conscious world, the severely wounded vet faces a strangely similar and equally perilous mission to that of the prince—a journey along a dark road, haunted by demons of guilt and memory. Can he let patient, loving Becky into his damaged and shuttered heart? It may be his only way back from Hell.</p>
Story Behind The Book
My son, Derek Neil Spalding, provided the inspiration for this story more than twenty years ago, when he was two years old. I took him to a local carnival, and we rode the double ferris wheel. We stopped at the very top while people on the ground got off the ride and others got on. I was looking around, admiring the view, when I felt the seat beneath us start to shake. I turned my head and saw that Derek was not only standing up on the seat, he was jumping up and down! I grabbed him and said, “Sit down, Derek, you little daredevil!” I immediately thought to myself, Derek the Daredevil. That sounds like a great title for a children's book...
