FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Carrie Benton -- +1 213 484 8334
media@UglyTown.com
TEEN SLEUTH RINNAH TWO FEATHERS RETURNS WITH UGLYTOWN'S
THE CURSE OF THE ROYAL RUBY
Rodney Johnson's Popular Teen Heroine and Friends Face Their Toughest Mystery Yet!
LOS ANGELES, December 1, 2002 — Mysterious strangers, dangerous settings, suspense-filled situations, and meddling parents can only mean one thing — the return of teen sleuth Rinnah Two Feathers in The Curse of the Royal Ruby by Rodney Johnson. Available for sale now, the juvenile mystery is targeted at the 9-14 age group and features a full color cover and ten black-and-white interior illustrations by renowned illustrator Jill Thompson. The Curse of the Royal Ruby is 288 pages in length and carries a retail price of $10.95.
Along with her friends Tommy Red Hawk and Meagen Paige, Rinnah Two Feathers is totally set to have a fun-filled vacation in Spearfish Canyon. But when a puzzling note from a strange woman shows up, the three friends have to figure out who or what is behind The Curse of the Royal Ruby… before it is too late!
"We were so completely overwhelmed by the positive feedback from young readers, bookstore owners and educators about Rinnah Two Feathers and The Secret of Dead Man's Mine that we couldn't wait for Rodney's next Rinnah Two Feathers novel," said Tom Fassbender, UglyTown co-publisher. "For teens looking for an entertaining, enthralling book or for parents looking for quality fiction with strong characters, Rodney accomplished quite a feat by surpassing his first novel with The Curse of the Royal Ruby."
Raves for Rodney's first novel and his heroine include the School Library Journal: "Rinnah is a strong, independent, and resourceful protagonist."
Rodney Johnson is also the author of The Secret of Dead Man's Mine: A Rinnah Two Feathers Mystery, published by UglyTown. He was born in the Black Hills town of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, just miles away from the picturesque setting of The Secret of Dead Man's Mine. Rodney's writing reflects a strong interest in his Sioux heritage, which has always been important to his family. His father is an active member of the Lakota tribe and specializes in organizing Pow Wows throughout the country. Rodney has numerous relatives still living in Belle Fourche and on the Rosebud reservation.
Rounding out the creative team behind the novel is well-known comic book artist Jill Thompson. A graduate of the American Academy of Art, Thompson is best known for her Scary Godmother series of books, published by Sirius Entertainment.
"While The Curse of the Royal Ruby will appeal to readers of all ages who love a good mystery, we are proud to support a book that real kids of all ethnic backgrounds can relate to," said UglyTown co-publisher Jim Pascoe. "Rodney successfully married his own Sioux background with the experience and day-to-day life of his 14 year-old younger sister — the inspiration for Rinnah — to create an entertaining, relevant mystery."
The Curse of the Royal Ruby is UglyTown's tenth published novel.
UglyTown's catalog includes crime novel Dirt by Sean Doolittle, the Edgar-nominated Gun Monkeys by Victor Gischler, the teen mystery The Secret of Dead Man's Mine by Rodney Johnson and the Shamus-nominated pulp mystery Rat City by Curt Colbert.
UglyTown's other published works include the acclaimed Ben Drake mysteries, By the Balls: A Bowling Alley Murder Mystery and Five Shots and a Funeral.
All titles in the UglyTown catalog are distributed to the trade from Words Distributing Co. in Oakland, CA.
UglyTown is an independent publisher of crime novels and other works of literary fiction. Founded by Tom Fassbender & Jim Pascoe in 1996, UglyTown is headquartered in Los Angeles.
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Visit UglyTown at www.UglyTown.com
