STANLEY AND HAZEL - Book One by Jo Schaffer ***Guest Post; Check out Jo Schaffer's Recommendations for 1930's Films -- Excerpt -- Giveaway***

Stanley and Hazel

Book One

Jo Schaffer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Month9Books
Date of Publication: May 15, 2018
ISBN: 978-1946700650
ASIN: B07982QYX4
Number of pages: 280
Cover Artist: AM Design Studios

A great depression grips the city of St. Louis in 1934. Stanley, an orphaned newsy, lives in a poor part of town hit especially hard by the economic downturn. One night, Stanley runs into Hazel, a restless debutante-in-waiting who has begun to question her posh lifestyle in the midst of the suffering she sees. She’s out and about without an escort and against her father’s wishes.

When they discover the body of a girl with her head bashed in by a baseball bat, the very different and separate realities of the two teens inform their decision. Together they will figure out what happened to her and bring those responsible to justice.

But getting involved with each other and digging into the secrets behind this murder earns them some powerful enemies, including a secret group seeking to rid society of all they deem “undesirable.” They’ve put into motion “The Winnowing,” a plan seeking to take over the city and enforce their will.

As Stanley and Hazel’s forbidden feelings for one another grow, their investigation turns deadly. Now, it is up to Stanley and his gang of street kids to stop Hazel from becoming the next victim.

Amazon

Guest Post

Jo Schaffer’s Top Ten 1930s Classic Films 

Many things inspired the book series Stanley and Hazel. It takes place in the 1930s which was a long time ago! What was that time like you ask? I did a lot of reading and research on the era but audio and visual really captures my imagination more than anything.

Luckily, because of movies we can see and hear a little about the culture and the people of the time. It may be a stylized and dramatized version but it is still a good resource. We can see the way people spoke, what made people laugh or afraid at the time, what their world and clothes looked like, what music was popular and so many other fun details about the culture.

Here are ten movies from the 1930s that are a lot of fun to watch and give a great look at the Hollywood representation of the time. And as we all know life imitates art! These are the movies that set the trends and influenced the masses back then.

You may think you’ll have nothing in common with people then and that these movies are just old and boring—but give them a try! Get set for snappy dialog, hijinks, romance, slapstick comedy, gangsters and glamor!

1) It Happened One Night 

2) The Thin Man series 

3) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 

4) Bringing Up Baby 

5) My Man Godfrey 

6) Scar Face 

7) Top Hat 

8) You Can’t Take It With You 

9) The Awful Truth 

10) Duck Soup

Excerpt

Hazel stumbled down the grassy hill of the moonlit park. Stanley glanced at her from several steps ahead. “You with me, Bananas?”

“Yeah.” She swallowed back the urge to be sick. Hazel’s legs moved her forward but nothing seemed real. She was in Forest Park at night with a newsie boy she’d just met and Sandy’s runaway sister was back there, slumped against the statue of St. Louis with her head cracked open.

She couldn’t make her brain take it all in. Evelyn’s face—caved in on one side, her mouth slack, teeth showing like gravestones covered in blood. Gripped with panic, Hazel quickened her step to catch up with Stanley—her only guide in this darkness. He was a part of it. This was his world, not hers.

About the Author:

Jo Schaffer was born and raised in the California Bay Area. She is a YA novelist, speaker, writes for TV and film and is a Taekwondo black belt. Jo is a founding member of the nonprofit, Teen Author Boot Camp, one of the nation’s biggest writing conferences for teens. She lives in the mountains with her three amazing sons and a cat named Hero.

Website   Instagram   Facebook Author Page   Facebook   Twitter   Blog   Youtube   Goodreads   Snapchat: jojoschaffer 

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