Local author to sign copies of young adult novel at Paragraphs Book Store

MOUNT VERNON – Larry Eley will be at Paragraphs Bookstore on Saturday, July 9, for a book-signing event. 

Eley co-authored "Mifflin Drift" with his son, Matthew Eley, during the pandemic. The Eleys based the book off Larry's younger years, even naming the protagonist of their tale Larry.

According to a press release from publisher Reedy Press, "Fifteen-year-old Larry never wanted to leave the calm of his grandparents’ farm, but now he’s in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, cramped in a home with his mom and boozy stepdad. His new high school, Mifflin High, is run with an iron fist by groups called the Rat Pack and the Gents. The neighborhood is packed with weirdos. On top of that, his stepfather has a habit of losing jobs and coming home drunk. One night when he yells at Larry to get out, he’s half tempted to do it."

"Mifflin Drift," the press release continues, "is about eight friends in pre-Vietnam America and how they grew up—despite their best efforts not to. Based on the story of author Larry Eley’s own adolescence, he and his son Matthew Eley bring the relatable story to life in a way that won’t let you off the hook until you know how it all ends up."

The event, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., is free and open to the public.