Brian Clopper

Eleven-year-old Max Edgars would rather be anywhere but his grandmother's creepy old house this summer . . . especially when the creek floods and dark magic rises from its depths. His grandmother is becoming unhinged. With the spooky basement, oppressive household rules, and cryptic warnings to steer clear of the locked-tight storage under the garage, Max's one escape is playing out back in the gentle creek. But the flood soon puts an end to that. Only when he braves the basement and forbidden garage does Max begin to understand his grandmother's past and her hidden loss. And only then does the true menace of the chaotic creek water rise to the surface . . . Can Max trust magical strangers and brave an underwater journey to unlock the mysteries of Arcana Creek? This is a standalone dark fantasy tale suitable for readers 10 and up.

For the past six months, rookie world mage Randall Flood has been hunting down and capturing anything that stinks of magic and stashing it within the pages of a spellbook named Chuck. But is there more to his breakneck missions than meets the eye? The talkative tome claims Randall's predecessor, Mitch, is to blame for magic's reappearance. The previous wizard had banished most anything magical and hoarded the remaining spells and mystic weapons for himself. Now, as magic resurfaces with greater frequency, Randall doubts the wisdom of capturing the arcane and socking it away in the spellbook. An encounter with an attractive and crafty witch through an enchanted dating app upends his wizardly purpose and sets him on a path to halt a magical disaster. Randall must decide whether to save the world using his tried-and-true spellbook or through another mystical avenue that is unusual and untested. Brian Clopper lends his trademark wit and talent for concocting clever magical mash-ups to a new fantasy novel that explores the archetype of sorcerer as earthly protector in a dynamic new light.

Ocean City, Maryland, 1988. While most thirteen-year-old boys are spending the summer soaking up the sun and chasing cute girls up and down the Boardwalk, Reece Narrows is staying with his aunt in her bayside trailer while his mom wastes away in the hospital. As if the situation isn't bad enough, his antagonistic older cousin just loves making trouble for him. Laney hurls insults his way at every turn as well as refusing to take him along on her expeditions to find the Maiden in the Marsh, a local legend she's determined to prove exists. But there's more. A newfound paranormal gift thrusts Reece into dire circumstances with a gaggle of eclectic ghosts haunting the coast. Through it all, he must keep his spirits up and find a way to save the decent souls that brand him their reluctant protector. Brian Clopper once again dips into 1980s nerd nostalgia like his previous novel, The Powers That Flee. This time, he puts a fresh spin on the supernatural genre.