Running Cold

by Steve Zell

An ancient gift turns nightmarish for a young mother in 60's-era Southern California. Reeling from the horrific death of her oldest child, Brit Helm moves to a small beach town where she struggles to create a new and normal life for her youngest boy, Michael. But the intrusion of a surfer girl threatens to shatter any hope of maintaining control, and control him she must. Michael isn't like other boys. When Michael gets angry his blood runs cold...and terrible things can happen.

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2012

About the author

A kid who spent many days exploring abandoned hotels and stores in then ghost town, Jerome, Arizona, Steve Zell always loved to tell stories, draw scary pictures, and sing. Later, he became an animator and digital animation tools instructor for the LA area animation and FX studios and, as a singer, became the "Voice of Doom" for Baywatch. Steve was the first interdisciplinary studies graduate from the University of Arizona in Tucson, where he studied studio art, vocal production, drama, journalism, and chemistry. He was an early member of the Tucson Invisible Theatre Company, and the cartoonist for The Tombstone Epitaph, a town he later combined with Jerome, Arizona, and with Bodi, California, to create the setting, Pinon Rim, for his first novel, WiZrD. His family's frequent summer trips to his grandmother's home in Del Mar, California in the 60s, provided the setting for Running Cold.

A UA "Wildcat for life" and former desert rat, he now lives with his wife and daughter in the slightly more liquid climate of Portland, Oregon, where he began the partnership between Intel and Dreamworks|SKG, as well as the Intel Audio Alliance whose members included Billy Bob Thornton, Graham Nash, George Massenburg, Michael Boddicker, Nathaniel Kunkel, Allen Sides, Rory Kaplan and other audio pros. He participates in community theater, spends way too much time on the computer - and...is always on the lookout for a cool ghost town...

Reviews

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read - I sat down with it thinking I'd just read the first chapter before I ate lunch, but ended up reading all afternoon and into the evening before I stopped to eat ... I couldn't put it down! Steve Zell is an excellent writer and through his talent he effortlessly paints a story in the reader's mind; the rich scenery, the vivid personalities of the characters, the real life events and locales, and connections that bridge the story to possible prequels and sequels, opening the door for future volumes in the series.

I would highly recommend this book - and am very much looking forward to the next one!

[Leigh Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once in a while, you find a book so well written, that you entered that literary world. Running Cold is one of those GREAT finds. Excellent character development and fantastic setting (southern California in the 1960's). Loved the mystery, fantasy and conflicts, but now I can NOT wait for the next book in the series!

[luba reger - agnew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid

Started out slow. Very detailed about the different characters. Once you get past about Midway, the book picks up to a Sprint, and hang on, it is about to get interesting. The book left me wanting more, and I look forward where the author will take me next.

[Erica Dewson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, but slowly. Maybe I wanted to see more actions. But I liked this book anyway.

[Paige Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was OK but I would like to have known how or why Michael got his "special gift."