5-Stars! “An absorbing middle-grade fantasy adventure.” — Readers’ Favorite 5-Stars! ”I was completely hooked." — Readers’ Favorite Some books are meant to be read. Ignore the warning. When twelve-year-old Michael loses the last family he has left, he never expects that a mysterious trunk — and a strange leather-bound book — will change everything. But when he reads the words inside, Michael is ripped from his world and transported to a distant era filled with magic, secrets, and dangerous times long forgotten. There, he meets Elvarex, an ancient wizard who claims he has been waiting nearly two hundred years for Michael’s arrival. As Michael begins learning magic, it quickly becomes clear that he is no ordinary student. He absorbs magical power meant to be impossible, bends portals to his will, and begins performing feats that even experienced sorcerers have never seen before. But Michael isn’t the only one pulled from another time. Others have arrived before him. As Michael trains, he begins uncovering whispers of prophecy, hidden agendas, and a destiny far bigger than he ever imagined. And with every page he turns, the mystery deepens: Why was he brought here? Who else is waiting for him? How does he go back? Welcome to a world where magic is real, history is alive, and every consequence may be more dangerous than the last. Read at your own risk. "An absorbing middle-grade fantasy adventure." — Emma Megan, Readers' Favorite "I was completely hooked." — Jennifer Senick, Readers' Favorite "A fast-paced coming-of-age journey." — Liz Konkel, Readers' Favorite "A highly enjoyable mix of mystery, magic, and action." — Emma Megan, Readers' Favorite "The bond between Michael, Avalyn, and Gahl was the best part." — Jennifer Senick, Readers' Favorite "Cleverly weaves danger into the adventure." — Liz Konkel, Readers' Favorite "A tale of destiny that comes alive through magic, humor, self-discovery, and adventure." — Liz Konkel, Readers' Favorite As a competitive writer—yes, that's a thing—I've written just about every genre there is. Except fantasy. I had read The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Blood and Ash, and plenty of other stories filled with magic, danger, and impossible worlds. But writing fantasy? That felt different. Could I even do it? I sat down in October 2022 to find out. By Christmas break, I had 20,000 words. By the end of Christmas break, I had 44,000. By Spring Break, I was at 85,000. And on April 28, 2023, I wrote "the end" with a little more than 95,000 words. I wrote Dangerous Books and the Magic Within Them hoping readers might feel, just for a moment, like they were reading the book inside the book. As a middle school teacher, I also dreamed of creating a story my students could discover, talk about, and maybe even see on a book fair shelf one day. I gave myself a deadline: if I couldn't find an agent or publisher in three years, I would self-publish, keep writing, and trust the story to find its readers. Three years came and went. So here we are. Dangerous Books and the Magic Within Them begins with Book One: Dangerous Times Long Forgotten. Take a chance. Ignore the warning. Maybe your future lies in the past. — R. H. Buffington Some books are safe... Others, not so much. Twelve-year-old Michael has already lost more than any kid should. After the death of his grandfather, he is sent to live with Perry and Linny, where an old trunk waits for him with secrets tied to his family's past. Inside, Michael finds a strange ring, an odd journal, and a leather-bound book marked with a warning. He ignores it. And everything changes. Reading the book aloud pulls Michael into another time—into a world of ancient magic, forgotten cities, dangerous creatures, and powerful forces that have been waiting for him. With the help of an ancient wizard and unlikely allies, Michael begins to discover abilities no one can explain and a destiny he never asked for. But in a world where magic is real and danger is everywhere, every choice has consequences. And some warnings exist to be ignored. Dangerous Times Long Forgotten is Book One of Dangerous Books and the Magic Within Them, a middle-grade fantasy adventure for readers who love magic, mystery, time travel, found family, and hidden worlds. Some books are safe... Others, not so much. Twelve-year-old Michael has already lost more than any kid should. After the death of his grandfather, he is sent to live with Perry and Linny, where an old trunk waits with secrets tied to his family's past. Inside, Michael finds a strange ring, an odd journal, and a leather-bound book marked with a warning. He ignores it. And everything changes. Reading the book aloud pulls Michael into another time—into a world of ancient magic, forgotten cities, dangerous creatures, and powerful forces that have been waiting for him. With the help of an ancient wizard and unlikely allies, Michael begins to discover abilities no one can explain and a destiny he ne