Sunday, September 26, 2010

Local Author Spotlight: Peter Marino

This article first appeared on the examiner on April 1, 2010. 




Local capital district young adult fiction author Peter Marino will be appearing at the Empire State Book Festival coming up next weekend, April 9-10, 2010. Marino teaches at the Adirondack Community College in Queensbury, NY. He won the SUNY Chancellor's Award in 2006 for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activity and has had two young adult fiction books published. His third, "Alice Blunt", will be published sometime this year.
Marino’s first YA novel, "Dough Boy", was published in 2005 and tells the story of 15 year old Tristan. Tristan is an overweight teenage son of divorced parents. He's happy with his parents' divorce, they're much happier separate than together; while he's not exactly happy with his weight, he's not bothered by it. He has a good relationship with his parents and their new partners. He gets along very well with his mother's live-in boyfriend (Frank), who is also overweight, and shares the love of ice cream sundaes with him. Everything is fine in Tristan's life, until Frank's daughter comes to visit and then live with them. Kelly is not only thin and beautiful she's a health freak and completely judgmental about Frank and Tristan's weight. It's not enough for her to express concern over their sizes she also has to make them feel bad about it. Tristan weakens under her constant abuse and bullying until he finally explodes.
"Magic and Misery", Marino’s second YA novel, was published in April 2009. TJ and her gay friend Pan have been best friends forever. But when a new boy notices TJ, her friendship with Pan is seriously affected. The Albany Times Union review called this an “unpredictable and satisfying story.”
For more information see Marino’s website or meet him in person at the Empire State Book Festival.

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