After causing a devastating accident, foster kid Goon is
sentenced to a mysterious detention center where he battles crushing guilt, a
ruthless bully, and a Cat-3 hurricane as he tries to prove that he deserves a
second chance - but he must prove it to himself first.
Goon
by Glenn Erick Miller
Genre: YA Fiction
When super-sized foster kid Goon causes a devastating
accident, he’s sentenced to an experimental detention center in rural Florida.
There, despite his efforts to go unnoticed, his size and sensitivity make Goon
a perfect mark for the resident bully.
Assigned to work at the stables, he connects with the
rescued horses and his co-worker Trudy, who is entangled in the center’s
mysterious past. After Goon suffers a brutal attack, he must confront his
tormentor, a raging hurricane, and his own crushing guilt.
Goon dreams of being reunited with his younger brother and
tries to prove to anyone who will listen that he deserves a second chance.
But first, he must prove it to himself.
Praise for Goon:
“Goon will break
your heart into a million pieces and then put it back together again.” - Mary
Sullivan Walsh, author of High and Dear Blue Sky
“Stunning and poignant, Goon captivates with empathy and
love the heart of a character that could easily be misunderstood. Glenn Erick
Miller writes poetically and beautifully, and many teen readers will relate.” -
Linda Oatman High, author of One Amazing Elephant
“A powerfully written tale of redemption… One of the best
young adult novels I’ve read in a long time.” - Tim Cummings, Author of The
Lightning People Play and Alice the Cat
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Glenn Erick Miller’s novel, “Camper Girl” (Fitzroy Books,
2020) is the winner of multiple awards including First Place in the Eric Hoffer
Book Awards and Bronze Medals in the Florida Book Awards and Moonbeam
Children's Book Awards. It is now available as an audiobook. He is also the
author of a picture book, “Red’s First Snow” (Corn Crib Publishing, 2020), and
his writing has earned a First-Place Rising Kite award from Florida SCBWI and a
Pushcart Prize nomination.
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GUEST POST
Can you, for those who don't know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
While in college, I volunteered as a tutor in a local school. I loved the experience and have been working in the field since. Over the years, I’ve been a youth program coordinator, an adult education instructor, and a college professor. I’m inspired by the people with whom I get to work. Their stories have made their way into my fiction in multiple ways.
Though I’d written a lot before this, it was working with young people that really sparked a sense of purpose in my writing. As a young reader, I was drawn to “Johnny Tremain,” “Catcher in the Rye,” and the Matt Christopher books about kids playing sports. I related to those characters as they struggled to fit in and faced numerous challenges.
When I began my career in education, my writing naturally gravitated toward similar tales. I saw myself in the students I taught and counseled—their awkwardness and angst were so familiar to me. So, my past, present, and future all kind of came together in a moment when I said, “Yes! These are the kind of stories I want to write!”
What is something unique/quirky about you?
I am one of eight children. The oldest is my sister. She’s followed by seven boys! I’m #6 of 8.
What are some of your pet peeves?
I don’t like clutter. I’m not a neat freak, but when there’s a lot of ‘stuff’ around me, I find it difficult to relax or focus. Also, the older I get, the more sensitive I am to noise. I prefer silence most of the time, whether I’m in the car or writing.
Where were you born/grew up at?
I was born in Clinton, NY, a small village in Central New York. It’s in the Mohawk Valley, along the historic Erie Canal. I spent my first 40 years in the area, attending colleges a few hours away and working in nearby cities. Every summer, my family would go camping in the Adirondacks just to the north. We didn’t have a lot of money, so camping was our vacation. I didn’t leave the state until I was eighteen, always worked through college breaks, and didn’t go to Disney World until I had kids of my own. I didn’t really know any better—it was just how life was for us, and I’m so grateful for having grown up with a strong work ethic and close family connections.
If you knew you'd die tomorrow, how would you spend your last day?
Ooh, that’s a depressing question, but an easy one to answer. I would definitely want to be with my wife and kids. We’d play board games and cook and take the dogs for walks.
What kind of world ruler would you be?
Being part of a big family, I learned the importance of sharing early on. We didn’t have a big house or much money, but we got along well because we had to. So, if I was a world leader, I’m sure I’d be pretty liberal. I’d tax the rich and make sure everyone had food, safe housing, excellent schools, good-paying jobs, and green spaces to visit. I’d travel around the country and meet a lot of people. I’m a really good listener! That part would be a blast.
What do you do to unwind and relax?
I don’t usually look forward to exercising, but I always end up feeling relaxed after a walk or a bike ride. I also read a lot. When I’m not reading, I enjoy watching sports and movies. I also enjoy playing some piano and guitar, though I’m a little rusty at the moment.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Though I’ve enjoyed writing since elementary school, it wasn’t until I got a short story published that I really felt like a writer. That validation from a respectable publication really boosted my confidence. I deal with imposter syndrome to this day, but that feeling is lessening with time and practice.
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
I’m a visual writer, and I often listen to movie soundtracks when I write. So, I can imagine both my YA novels (“Camper Girl” and “Goon”) as movies. I think each of them have strong visual qualities that would translate well to the screen. I haven’t thought about what actors would play what roles, but I can clearly picture the aesthetic, from clothing to interior spaces to landscapes. In the extremely unlikely situation that this happens, I’d love to be a part of the process.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
For a college art project, we had to blindly choose from the Medicine Cards deck. I drew the turtle card, and I’ve thought of that as my spirit animal ever since. Similarly to the famous fable, I believe in the benefits of slow and steady work. It’s how I prefer to tackle a writing project. Persistence pays off. To play on the analogy a bit more, I feel akin to turtles in that they have a shell to ensure self-preservation. From a young age, I’ve found that I have to withdraw from others in order to find peace. I definitely have introvert energy, and my “shell” is useful when I get overwhelmed with the noise of the world.
I encourage everyone to try this out. Connecting with an animal, even if you don’t believe in the spiritual aspect of it very much, can be really helpful as a guide toward self-understanding. Any type of personal introspection (like the Myers-Briggs surveys) is a great way to learn about how we as individuals best work in society. Understanding ourselves helps us when we have to make important life decisions about things like careers or working through a challenging time.
