Why am I passionate about this?

Stories that have stayed with me the longest are ones I can relate to. I like being able to put myself in others' shoes and feel the world they do. Even in the most crazy imagined places I like when the writer brings us along them in their journeys. Whether it's books or stories, I like seeing worlds from different perspectives. It's also the same approach I try to use while writing, thinking about how someone would handle something, but another character would handle it a different way. I've always been good at adapting to any situation, and now I can show it while telling a story through different eyes.


I wrote...

Depth of Justice

By Tommy Bayless ,

Book cover of Depth of Justice

What is my book about?

Rico enters Eastmon lost and broken, with no purpose, forced to move in with his parents because he is being…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Fellowship of the Ring

Tommy Bayless Why I love this book

Mostly, I loved Tolkien's fascinating world he created.

He opened me up not only to the people but to the world around them as well. When entering his story, the world felt lived in, and everyone had their own stories, from Tom Bombadil to Aragorn. I thought the Ringwraiths were very cool, and characters like Samwise, Gollum, and Gandalf really stole it for me.

Tolkien explained why things were the way they are but still left most to the imagination. Before the movies, I had my own picture in my head, as I imagined others did as well. When I finally saw Moria on screen, I knew I hadn't done it justice in my head.

By J.R.R. Tolkien ,

Why should I read it?

32 authors picked The Fellowship of the Ring as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

This brand-new unabridged audio book of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first part of J. R. R. Tolkien's epic adventure, The Lord of the Rings, is read by the BAFTA award-winning actor, director and author, Andy Serkis.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, a young hobbit is entrusted with an immense task. He must make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ruling Ring of Power - the only thing that prevents the Dark Lord Sauron's evil dominion.

Thus begins J. R. R. Tolkien's classic tale of adventure, which…


Book cover of The Gunslinger

Tommy Bayless Why I love this book

What I found most appealing about The Gunslinger was the thrill of exploring a new world.

Roland himself was cool as he tried to figure out who he was; I was with him, wondering how he fit into this world. King doesn't explain everything upfront. He leaves tiny details everywhere and lets the reader discover through imagination.

The book also showed me the many different styles he has as a writer. What especially gets me is the little easter eggs he leaves connecting stories; it makes rereading fun as you go into it with a new perspective, find connections you may have missed, and it's like a whole new experience in his worlds.

By Stephen King ,

Why should I read it?

16 authors picked The Gunslinger as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Dark Tower is now a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba.

'The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.' The iconic opening line of Stephen King's groundbreaking series, The Dark Tower, introduces one of his most enigmatic and powerful heroes: Roland of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger.

Roland is a haunting figure, a loner, on a spellbinding journey toward the mysterious Dark Tower, in a desolate world which frighteningly echoes our own.

On his quest, Roland begins a friendship with a kid from New York named Jake, encounters an alluring woman and faces…


Book cover of Bloodlines

Bloodlines by Rafael Canoa,

Are you free to walk your own path, or are your choices nothing more than a clever illusion?

Three strangers—Flynn, Vurax, and Ellianna—embark on separate journeys of self-discovery as they search for answers to that very question through their unique experiences. When they uncover a shocking secret that shatters not…

Book cover of Maniac Magee

Tommy Bayless Why I love this book

What stayed with me all these years about Maniac Magee was the connection between the boy and me.

I remember how he was treated differently by the people around him because of race, while he seemed just as confused about it as I was. I grew up around racism even when I was little, but never understood all the hate. I was like others afraid of what I didn't know, but i never understood why someone was treated different just by their skin color. In a sense, I felt I could relate to the little boy.

Even after forgetting the name after 30 years, I never completely forgot how the story felt. Even now I tear up a little about how cruel the world can be.

By Jerry Spinelli ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Maniac Magee as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

A Newbery Medal winning modern classic about a racially divided small town and a boy who simply wants to run.

Jeffrey Lionel "Maniac" Magee might have lived a normal life if a freak accident hadn't made him an orphan.

After living with his unhappy and uptight aunt and uncle for eight years, he decides to run―and not just run away, but run.

This is where the myth of Maniac Magee begins, as he changes the lives of a racially divided small town with his amazing and legendary feats.


Book cover of Hatchet

Tommy Bayless Why I love this book

What I remember most about Hatchet was watching Brian have to grow up quickly because he was forced to be alone.

He couldn't depend on others like most kids could. He had to figure everything out for himself. I think the biggest thing I connected with is that I always felt older than I was, being forced to learn quickly because the older siblings got to do everything, so I tried mimicking what they did. He didn't have that luxury, though.

Watching the way he adapted to the situation is how I always felt I handled things, so it stuck. Like him, when bad stuff happened, we picked ourselves up and kept going.

By Gary Paulsen ,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Hatchet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 10, 11, 12, and 13.

What is this book about?

This award-winning contemporary classic is the survival story with which all others are compared—and a page-turning, heart-stopping adventure, recipient of the Newbery Honor. Hatchet has also been nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.

Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson, haunted by his secret knowledge of his mother’s infidelity, is traveling by single-engine plane to visit his father for the first time since the divorce. When the plane crashes, killing the pilot, the sole survivor is Brian. He is alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother…


Book cover of Red

Red by Evelyn M. Exley,

The wolves of the Wood do more than hunt you… they know your name.

When Red’s life collides with the royal family of Alameth, she is drawn into the haunting mystery of the wolves and the shadowed Wood that preys on her and her people. But as darkness closes in,…

Book cover of The Cat in the Hat

Tommy Bayless Why I love this book

This was probably the first book I loved.

The rhymes and how goofy the characters and the whole story were. Some early memories connect to my mom, sisters, and brother reading to me at night. Eventually, it became the first book I read on my own, which led me to my first writing.

Yes, even then, my inspiration to write started with short stories. My taste in books I read and stories I wrote changed throughout the years. But this was my gateway into the world of reading and beyond.

By Dr. Seuss ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Cat in the Hat as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

The one and only Cat in the Hat from the iconic Dr. Seuss gets a brand new look, introducing his roller-coaster ride of mayhem to a new generation of readers.

When Sally and her brother are left alone, they think they're in for a dull day - until the Cat in the Hat steps in on the mat, bringing with him mayhem and madness! This is the classic book that every child should have the joy of reading.

The perfect book for early readers, the new style brings a worldwide favourite to a whole new generation.


Explore my book 😀

Depth of Justice

By Tommy Bayless ,

Book cover of Depth of Justice

What is my book about?

Rico enters Eastmon lost and broken, with no purpose, forced to move in with his parents because he is being evicted. He just wanted a fresh start. Becoming a cop opens doors, but his adventure is much bigger than a badge. He starts to become the man he never imagined he could.

But Rico is only one of many stories. "Eastmon City" has many faces with their own stories. It's a mix of Gotham meets the series The Wire, a world Rico must survive.

Book cover of The Fellowship of the Ring
Book cover of The Gunslinger
Book cover of Maniac Magee

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Book cover of A Wave of Breath

A Wave of Breath by Tess Collins,

Even as the world collapses, she will cross the ruins of a nation for the love that death itself cannot silence.

In the wake of a national calamity known only as The Water Event, Brooklyn Tremain launches herself across a shattered America in pursuit of Martin Siriso—the man she loves…

Book cover of Dead Lake

Dead Lake by Miranda Kate,

An eviction. A stolen gemstone. a hidden network. Will retrieving her precious obsidian get Tricky killed?

After her cottage is ransacked, new-age witch Tricky knows she’s been targeted by the district. Now she must use her magical ability to discover who stole her prized gemstone—and what they’re plotting.

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