The Secrets of Love and Death

by E. Van Lowe

Overview

Sometimes Romance Can Be a Horror.
Love comes in the springtime for young Theo "Turtle" Dawson and new classmate, Rita Calderon. Young hearts beat the strongest. Young love is the fiercest love of all. But can their love survive the love of Turtle's recently deceased older brother who returns as a vengeful ghost... or is he something else all-together? And then there's the Teddy Bear. You don't want his kind of love. When the Teddy Bear loves you, you die.
The Secrets of Love and Death is a ghostly thriller.
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"'The Secrets of Love and Death' will tug on your heartstrings while simultaneously scaring the pants off you. A triumphant coming-of-age tale with a dash of the supernatural and a twist of gritty horror, 'The Secrets of Love and Death' may be Van Lowe's best novel yet!" –Annabelle Blume, author of "Frozen Heart" and "Melted Tears."
"E. Van Lowe and his dark twin, Sal Conte, dig deep in 'The Secrets of Love and Death' and come up with emotional gold. Not for the faint of heart, 'The Secrets of Love and Death' will grab you by the throat and not let go until the horror-filled, page-turning ending." - John Lansing, author of the bestselling thrillers, "The Devil's Necktie" and "Blond Cargo"

Product Details

BN ID:	2940152339338
Publisher:	Christopher Meeks
Publication date:	07/30/2015
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	429 KB

About the Author

E Van Lowe was born in the Bronx a long time ago, back in the days when children were supposed to be seen and not heard. Fortunately for E, his parents allowed him to speak freely.

Unfortunately for his parents and older brother, E had a lot to say. He was speaking quite freely until one day, while his mother was trying to watch her “stories” (which is code for soap operas), she suggested that instead of speaking freely, he write all his important thoughts down. E wrote down many important thoughts, such as: crayons melt when you leave them on the radiator, or toy soldiers melt when you drop them in the muffin batter before mom puts it in the oven.

His brother thought he was weird, but E was only ten years old at the time. What did he expect, Shakespeare? E liked writing things down so much, he decided that when he grew up, he was going to become a professional writer.

As a teenager, E tried very hard to be popular. One of the things he tried was hanging out with the “bad” kids. He encouraged them to write their thoughts down, as well. They explained that if they wrote down their thoughts it could be used as evidence in a court of law, and encouraged E to move on. But E kept writing down his important thoughts.

E wrote many short stories and poems all through high school and college. He entered them in writing contests, but the contest people didn’t think they were important enough. E was not discouraged. He kept writing.

When E graduated from Lehman College in the Bronx, he moved to Los Angeles. There he enrolled in the Masters In Professional Writing Program at the University of Southern California. It worked! While a student at USC, E sold his first short story to a romance magazine. His brother thought that was the weirdest thing ever. E didn’t care. He had become a professional writer. E told his brother quite eloquently, “nah, nah, nah!” and continued writing.

E has gone on to write for many award winning TV shows including: "The Cosby Show," and "Even Stevens." He also co-wrote the Academy Award nominated short film, "Cadillac Dreams." "Never Slow Dance With A Zombie" was his first teen novel. "Boyfriend From Hell" is the first in the Falling Angels Saga. The second novel in the saga, "Earth Angel," is now out. It seems E still has lots of important, and weird, thoughts to share with readers.

Editorial Reviews

07/01/2015
Gr 9 Up—Set in the 1980s, this dark, disturbing read centers on Theo "Turtle" Dawson, an overweight 13-year-old who's neglected by his parents and bullied, and who is grieving the loss of his older brother. Lost in sadness and self-loathing, Turtle is saved, literally and figuratively, by new girl Rita. Then his brother A.D. returns from the dead with a dangerous request. The protagonist must kill the "Teddy Bear," a delusional, murderous pedophile who dresses in a bear costume as he targets young boys he believes he's saving from bad parenting. Peripheral characters are certainly distinct; however, they often seem too mature for middle schoolers. Turtle's development into a self-assured hero and his sweet relationship with Rita will have readers pulling for him. The Teddy Bear is far more terrifying than the supernatural plotline. The dialogue and overall content make this title more appropriate for an older readership. Time jumps and changes in point of view occasionally interrupt the narrative flow. Though the conclusion is action-packed and heart-pounding, readers may be left wondering about A.D.'s role in a local's demise and A.D.'s connection to the ghost of the Teddy Bear's penultimate victim, as well as why adults, savvy about the teens' plans for the Teddy Bear, didn't contact authorities? VERDICT An additional purchase where horror is popular.—Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

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