A man crashes his vehicle into a ravine off D-19. Your first reaction may be: “When did that happen?”
Well, technically, it didn’t. Not in real life, that is. But it did happen in the mind of Karl Kling, an author from Howell, who used that incident as the starting point for his first novel, “The Boys Are Back in Town.”
“If you lived in Livingston County for even the shortest of time, you’ll probably be able to pick up the several connections to the area in the book,” Kling said. “Pretty much the entire book pulls from various portions of my life. While I think the book has a lot for a wide array of people to enjoy, those who really know me are catching the inside jokes throughout.”
Kling considers “The Boys” a cross between “Lethal Weapon” and “The Andy Griffith Show.” Sort of.
“It doesn’t feature excessive profanity and gun play, nor does it have Opie, but it’s a cozy mystery that really focuses on the characters and their dialogue, especially between the protagonist, Brody, and his partner, Bullock,” Kling said. “I like depth to characters and realistic conversations and the stupid things that people – particularly partners – do. It was important to me that the characters were full of life.”
Kling, who owns Michigan Sports Academy-Livingston, a baseball training facility in Howell, said the most rewarding aspect of writing the book was the brainstorming sessions at the dinner table with his wife, Debra, and their sons.
“They’re a fantastic editorial board,” Kling said. “No stone was unturned.”
“The Boys Are Back in Town” is available on Amazon in Kindle, paperback and hard cover.
