King Dork

'I'm small for my age, uncomfortable in most situations, skinny and awkward. Most of the time I walk around here feeling like a total idiot.'

But when Tom Henderson finds his father's copy of The Catcher In The Rye, it change his world. It puts him in the middle of several interlocking conspiracies and at least half a dozen mysteries involving dead people, naked people, fake people, ESP, blood, guitars, monks, witchcraft, a devil's head and rock & roll.

It appears to be just the tip of the iceberg of clues that could help Tom unravel the puzzle of his father's death, and – bizarrely – reveal the secret of attracting semi-hot girls . . .

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Comments

[Lindsay]

I must say that this book was really hilarious. I felt like a total idiot when I was sitting in public, reading the book and laughing to myself. The only major problems are the constant abbreviations and the fact that the end feels kind of unresolved, but I just found out there's a sequel so now it's more suspenseful.

[BandaiBlossom]

I really... no, make that REALLY enjoyed King Dork... although I wasn't incredibly impressed with the use of language. (Lol, props to Sam Hellerman for self-control!!!)
I also can't wait for the sequel!!!! *Squeal*

[Frank Portman]

Hey, Keikolilo, thanks for the warm reception. Glad to hear you are digging it (as the saying goes.)

[Keikolilo]

This book sounds good already... and that's just from reading what other people have said! :D
I've just received King Dork today and ran around my house squealing and clutching the book because it's always so exciting getting a new book... especially a new FREE book!
Although I've just started reading it, it sounds quite good so far and the "voice" of the book is quite easy to read and engaging... it sounds like a friend talking to me. I'm glad it's not one of those books with complex sentences and vocab... you'd have to think too much and that takes the "fun" out of reading in my opinion!
And whoever designed the cover of the book did a good job! It looks very flashy! :)

[Frank Portman]

I can't say when the King Dork sequel will come out, but I'll start on it as soon as the one I'm working on now is finished.

As for me, I'm not like Tom Henderson in that respect - most people who know me would probably say I'm a blabbermouth who never knows when to shut up. But when I was a kid, I was pretty shy and I imagine that most of the people with whom I attended school never knew what my voice sounded like.

[dante]

the one part of this book that made me laugh so much was:
"standing among a bunch of big, mean normal guys who hate you for existing and who are constantly asking each other 'who are you callin' faggot, homo?' (It's a call-and-response game, the response being: 'I ain't no homo. Who you callin' homo, faggot?' This is a self-sustaining loop that can literally go on for hours if uninterrupted.)"
it reminded me so much of some guys at school!

You were talking about a sequel to this book, when will this be finished? And you said that you wrote most of the book on real life experiences, do you usually think more than you say out loud? If so is this why you wrote it into a book?

Thx great book, i can relate so much
Dante.

[Frank Portman]

Glad you're enjoying it, Lisa and thanks very much for the compliment.

[Lisa]

"it's cool how frank portman uses cool little sayings and then uses those c. l. s. later and minimized!"

Whenever this happened I had to go back up and read what was being abbreviated again - I must have a really bad memory!

[Lisa]

I haven't quite finished reading King Dork yet, I don't mind that it is relatively long because I'm really enjoying it. I love that there is very little that is typical about the main character, it's refreshing to read about someone different rather than a variation on the same old stereotypes.

The 'Chi-Mo' bit cracked me up.

[Frank Portman]

btw, it is great to hear that the characters' interactions felt honest to you - that is really a tremendous compliment.

[Frank Portman]

Thanks a lot, Richard and Bullock. My forthcoming book, Andromeda Klein, is set in the same town, though the events happen ten years later. One of the King Dork characters makes a peripheral appearance in it. After that, I plan to do a King Dork sequel. Title: King Dork Approximately.

I suppose everything you write is at least distantly related to experiences you have had or observed others having - otherwise, how would you know about it? - but I don't think much of the content of King Dork is directly autobiographical in the way most people might think. The thing most clearly "drawn from life" is Sam Hellerman, who vaguely combines the traits and and behavior of a couple of guys I knew in high school.

[Bullock]

Hey Frank!
I really loved the book. Are most of the interactions between characters and the plot autobiographical? It just feels so honest, so I wondered.
Thanks

[Richard]

Loved the book. Any chance of a sequel? I need more adventures!

[Frank Portman]

I'm glad to hear you appreciate the c. l. s.'s, Dante.

Of course, this is merely a rhetorical idiosyncrasy designed to reflect the main character's quirky personality, and thus it is a r. i. designed to r. the m. c.'s q. p. that I would never use in my ordinary day-to-day life.

[dante]

it's cool how frank portman uses cool little sayings and then uses those c. l. s. later and minimized!

[Frank Portman]

Hey, thanks a lot for the kind words. Glad to hear you've enjoyed the book. Especially you, Art Vandelay, because changing lives through the printed word is such a rush.

[dante]

I liked this book and it is very good!

[Ed]

I read this in one weekend. It was a very good weekend.

Buy (or steal) this book as soon as you can. In fact why not get it FREE?

[Art Vandelay]

This book changed my life.

[Quinn]

If you've ever sighed at the leagues of "teen" novels that seem... well... not quite right, check out this book! It's brilliant! At no point does it seem out of touch, bland, or even slightly difficult to relate to! Seriously, you can't lose... especially when you can get a free copy! I wish I had have heard about it sooner.

[Francesca]

great myspace page - myspace.com/drfrank and website - Frankportman.com... great taste in music and books

[Mike]

I love this book. It totally, totally rocks. Frank Portman should be on next year's Big Day Out. He would blow Daniel Johns off the stage. And he's funny, too.