Speaker 1: Hi, my name is Jack Gantos, and I'm the author of Dead End in Norvelt. I'm going to tell you a bit about how I came to write this book and then I'll read a nutty little excerpt to you.

This story is about my life, and full of facts and fiction too. I was lucky enough to come from a poor town, rich in history. A depression era town started by Eleanor Roosevelt, who I think is the greatest first lady in the world.

It was a town that believed everyone should really help out anyone who needed it. Our neighbor was the town's obituary writer, and she needed my help, and this book is the story about a summer full of history and humor when too many old ladies dropped dead and then things went bad. Really bad.

Let me read you a little something from the book, but first let me just tell you this. My father was a great deer hunter, and when I was young he decided I needed to be a great deer hunter too, just like him. And so he made a big to-do out of taking me out one early morning in Pennsylvania for my very first deer hunting excursion.

But first he was gonna give me some very important advice. And now I will read you that advice.

On the moonlit drive through the shadowed mountains, he said to me, "I think you are old enough to do this. But I'll teach you all about gun safety, because no matter what, gun safety is the number one concern when out hunting. Of course good hunting skills are important too, but safety is taught."

"Sure," I said, full of enthusiasm. "Safety first." He smiled, and it made me happy to say things I knew he liked to hear.

"Once you load the rifle and have a shell in the chamber, you always keep the barrel pointed toward the ground. ""Yes." I said.

"And when you are just learning about guns, always keep the safety on too." He added. "Okay." I said.

"But what do you do when you see a deer?You won't see one unless you are totally quiet." He said firmly. I held my pointer finger up to my lips. "Shhh" I whispered.

"No sneezing." He said. "Okay." "No coughing." "Yup."

"And here is a little known fact, but good hunters know it is absolutely essential," he stressed. "No fake deer talk?" I guessed. "Yeah, that too." He said impatiently.

Then he leaned toward me and quietly said, "No farting."