SOMERS, N.Y. - “My characters are my best friends,” jokes Michael Balkind.
Given the prolific nature of the Somers author’s writing career, it's easy to understand why.
Balkind recently published his sixth novel, “Kid-Napped in Cartagena,” continuing his work in a unique genre that blends intriguing mysteries with the backdrop of the world of competitive sports.
As Balkind grew as a writer, his characters grew up on the page.
“These kids came from my adult books,” explains Balkind.
Johnny and Casey, the teenage sleuths featured in “Kid-Napped in Cartagena,” also appeared in his previous young adult novel “Gold Medal Threat.” Before that, their parents were the main characters of Balkind’s earlier novels “Sudden Death,” “Dead Ball,” and “Stealing Gold.”
In “Cartagena,” the teens find themselves in Columbia attempting to rescue the abducted families of a pair of soccer stars. The novel is set just ahead of the World Cup showdown between Argentina and Italy. As clues and tensions mount, Casey and Johnny along with familiar friends and new faces must race against the clock to unravel the mystery and save the day.
Despite his wealth of experience, writing about teenagers presented a new hurdle for the author. Staying true to the preferred communication method of today’s youth, he began to include text message exchanges between his characters.
“This one was a challenge,” Balkind says. “Books are all about narrative and dialog, and now you’ve got dialog that comes in two forms.”
A Somers resident, Balkind has been happily married to his wife, Greer, for 37 years. The couple have three adult children, and recently welcomed their first grandchild.
“Kid-Napped in Cartagena” is now available for purchase on Amazon.
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