"One of the funniest stories I've ever read." -- Steve Martin

These two hilarious prequel episodes with main characters of THE FIRECRACKER KING take place before the action that sets off the bestselling novel.

Chaz and Jake are an unlikely pair of high school friends. Chaz is two years older than Jake. He was held back in junior high a year and Jake had been advanced a year in grammar school. In sophomore English their lives meet in the middle. Chaz is desperate to get out of school, but afraid his father will literally kill him if he drops out. So, he comes up with an idea...

Never underestimate the workings of the teenage mind.

Praise for

THE FIRECRACKER KING

"I LOVED IT!" - Caroline Leavitt

New York Times Number 1 Bestselling Author of such hits as CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD and INTO THIN AIR.

"A WICKED, MARVELOUS BOOK." - David Corbett, award-winning author of DO THEY KNOW I'M RUNNING?, and THE DEVIL'S REDHEAD.

"Witty and gritty and paced like a rocket, Matt Bayan’s The Firecracker King is an utter gas to read. A kicker of a plot, wily characters deftly portrayed, a sneakily straightforward style that betrays a subtle, insightful mind. I was smiling with every turn of the page, when I wasn’t laughing out loud. Please excuse the all-too-obvious pun, but this book is an absolute blast.

"Matt Bayan understands a sneaky, subtle truth: that the harshest realties always come salted with an earthy wit. My God, what a funny, jarring, gripping book. You will be laughing as you compulsively turn the pages, wondering; how can this man known so much? How can he convey it so wryly? How can he understand the human condition so unapologetically? What a wicked, marvelous book. What a treat for any serious reader."

"BAYAN'S DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRECRACKER SLUGFEST OUT ON THE LAKE HAD ME HOWLING WITH LAUGHTER. Not many authors can say they've achieved that. The only thing I can compare the writing to (and it holds up very favorably) is Stephen King's THE BODY – the story that inspired the film STAND BY ME." - A.C. Crispin - New York Times bestselling author. (The STARBRIDGE Series, Star Wars - THE HAN SOLO TRILOGY; Pirates of the Caribbean - THE PRICE OF FREEDOM)

“THE BEST COMING-OF-AGE BOOK I HAVE EVER READ AND THAT INCLUDES THE CATCHER IN THE RYE.” – William C. Gordon – International Bestseller of such books as THE CHINESE JARS.

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