Thursday. July 2, 2026

I have two adorable girls, now aged 7 and 9. Both of them enjoy reading (thankfully), but getting them to let go of the glowing rectangle in their hands and focus on something else is harder than ever now, especially when school's out until September.

If you have a teenager, grandchild, or niece/nephew in your life, you know the kind of knee-jerk reaction I'm talking about. 

"Read a book?  That's sooooo boring."

To be fair, though, both my kids have learned a tremendous amount from some of the apps and YouTube videos they watch.  For example, their working vocabularies and general world knowledge far exceeded mine at their age.  They get a lot of valuable insights about math and other subjects taught at school.

But much of what's there is mindless garbage that does nothing but reinforce dopamine hits and short attention spans.   

One might argue, "Well, you're just getting old—you're resisting changing with the times."  

I don't agree.  

It's summer, for heaven's sake!  Since when is going outside, getting fresh air and enjoying the sights and smells of nature "old fashioned"?

And what better way to do it than to take a book along?  Not a heavy, 400-page classic that might be assigned reading at school, but something fast, thin, and impossible to put down.

That's a perfect description of my sci-fi thriller, Wild Child.  It's about two teenagers, Kyle and Briana, who discover a magical substance that seems to heal all wounds and give a person superpowers.

That book provide the best of both worlds.  I have never met a person over 12 who can read more than a couple of pages of Wild Child and then stop - it's the kind of story that takes off like a rocket and keeps you nailed to the book until you reach the very end.  The dopamine hits are plenty.

But it's also packed with difficult, stressful decisions that teens face every single day, such as giving in to peer pressure, substance abuse, and questioning authority.

It starts with Kyle's resistance to "wild" Briana's challenge to race him in a swim across a sleepy, deserted lake.  He's afraid a speedboat might come along and that the driver might not see them…and it turns out his fears were justified.

And the tough decisions continue:

Should Kyle give in to Brianna's pressure to drink the "green water," too?
When her injuries return, should he take her to a hospital?   Or give in and take her back to her magic water?

Should Kyle lie to his father about what's going on to protect Briana?

Should Kyle trust what the government agents are telling them?

How far do you go to please the person you love?

I was surprised by how well Wild Child was received when teachers used it in lessons with 12–15-year-olds. The students' response was more enthusiastic and energetic than I had expected. Especially because this happened in a stifling classroom environment, where teens' engagement is notoriously low.

If you've read the book yourself, these are the kind of issues that you can casually bring up with a young reader and ask their opinion about…which can result in very insightful discussion and lighthearted guidance from you.

Remember the "good old days" when you didn't carry around a device 24/7 that you had to worry about getting wet at the beach, dropping on the concrete, running out of power, or being snatched out of your hand by a thief?

You can toss a paperback into your bag, get it covered in sand, and it still works perfectly. No chargers required.

If you want to give a young person in your life a break from the glare this summer—and maybe spark a great conversation in the process—the new print edition of Wild Child is officially available.

You can get the paperback from whichever storefront you prefer:

👉 Order on Amazon (link for US customers only)

👉 Order via Books-A-Million (US customers only)

👉 If you live outside the US, to get the fastest local delivery and avoid international import fees, simply open your preferred local Amazon storefront and search for "Wild Child Mike Wells" and you'll find the paperback option.

I hope you're having a great summer and are managing to stay cool!

Bye for now,

Mike

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Stand-Alone Novels

Outback Diamonds (LM&M #16)

Marilyn's Secret Liptstick (LM&M #17)

Mortal Silence (LM&M #18)

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(Click on the photos for full synopses)

International Crime Thriller - Lust, Money & Murder (Series)
The deeper she goes, the more she risks becoming a criminal herself.

Crime/Psychological Thriller
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Crime Thriller - The Drive-By Wife
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Crime Thriller - The List
She doesn't forget. She doesn't forgive.

Crime Thriller/Serial Murders - With Mother's Approval
A mother's love is eternal. For some, it's lethal.

Romantic Suspense - Forbidden (Series)
Temptation has its price.

New Adult Sci-Fi Adventure - Wild Child (Series)
You don't choose the green water...the green water chooses you.

Horror/Black Comedy
Babies always know...and they don't forget.

Technothriller - The Tesla Secret
Unlocking Tesla’s free energy secret could power the world...or end their lives.

Technothriller - Blind Scorpion
He could walk away a hero...but for which country?

YA Sci-Fi Romance - The Mysterious Disappearance of Kurt Kramer 
Lost in between worlds, will his heart lead him home?

Romantic Comedy - Secrets of the Elusive Lover
He plays the field, but she changes the game.

Coming of Age Suspense - The Wrong Side of the Tracks
First love in the teenage hell known as high school.

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