Stepping Up

by Fink, Mark

• ISBN13: 9781934813034
• ISBN10: 1934813036
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-03-24
• Publisher: Westside Book

Summary

Ernie Dolan, 14, is plagued by the curse of the average. Nothing about him stands out--except his stutter. Only best friend Mike Rivers sees him at his best. Then, at a competitive basketball camp, Mike excels while Ernie is--average. When Ernie blunders in a pickup game, Rick Craig, the obnoxious camp hotshot, nicknames him "Choke." This sets the tone for Ernie's first week. But he soon finds three new allies: bunkmate Albert Mann, a goofy genius and practical joker; Coach Petrovich, a 6'8" Russian who mangles the English language; and camp director Tim Sanders, the mentor every kid needs. Soon, Ernie and Mike are on the outs, as Mike hangs with Craig and the jocks. But things change dramatically as Ernie morphs from outcast to hero, risking his life to save three campmates from near tragedy. Ernie's funny, heartwarming story unfolds against the backdrop of exciting, authentic basketball action, while touching on typical teen issues of friendship and the near-deadly consequences of peer pressure.

Author Biography

Mark Fink has written and produced for television, working for every major network. He has written for many teen comedy series, including Full House and Saved by the Bell, and created the NBC Saturday morning series Hang Time. Mark has also written two award-winning short stories: Due won first prize in the Once Written short story contest, and Do I Hear Seven Hundred and Fifty? was also published in the 2006 Momaya Annual Review. He lives in California with his wife, Susan, and their sons, Kevin and Eric. He loves basketball and plays it as often as his body will allow. STEPPING UP is his first novel.