Award-winning novelist Don Bruns reflects on the twelve lessons he learned the Hardy Boys

Nov. 29, 2010 - PRLog -- LONGBOAT KEY, FL – Oceanview Publishing announces the upcoming release of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by award-winning novelist Don Bruns.  Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (ISBN: 978‐1‐933515‐79‐3, Hardcover, 312 pages, $25.95, Mystery) will be available wherever fine books are sold on December 6, 2010.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff heralds the return of protagonists James Lessor and Skip Moore.  Lessor and Moore, described by reviewers and readers alike as what the Hardy Boys would be as grownups are really more likely the hardly boys.  James and Skip are hardly kids, hardly adults, hardly successful, but completely hilarious.

According to Bruns, “The Hardy Boys mysteries were the perfect buddy capers.   Frank and Joe Hardy always had each other’s back, and a tight group of friends to give them support.  James and Skip have that same chemistry, and there are always a few friends around to take some of the heat.”

In anticipation of the release of his latest buddy caper, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, author Don Bruns is reflects on the twelve things he learned by reading the Hardy Boys mysteries:

1) Make sure you have a father like Fenton Hardy, a top private investigator, who can get you out of jams.
2) Bad guys are thugs.  It doesn't matter if the 'thug' had a less than perfect childhood.  It doesn't matter if a thug had misfortunes in his life or has no friends.  If a thug breaks the law, he needs to be punished.
3) Don't let negative people like your spinster Aunt Gertrude get under your skin.
4) While girls may be important in your life, a good chum in trouble always comes first.
5) It pays to be smart, but when you're in a jam, you sometimes have to use your fists.
6) The best way to avoid a bad situation is to never get into it.  
7) If all your sleuthing and investigating doesn't capture the culprits, call the Bayport police.
8) In every situation, there is always, always more than meets the eye.
9) Don't let anything get between you and a good friend (or brother).
10) People are different.  The Hardy Boys realized it, and had fun with it.  Their good friend Chet is 'chunky' and eats too much. It never interferes with their friendship.
11) Tell the truth.  It will set you free.
12) Assuming you're not up to your neck in bad guys and danger, Sunday should be a day for church.

Bruns says that kids in his generation grew up on the Hardy Boys.  “Every kid I knew, boy or girl, read the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries. And not much has changed.  I talk to 25 to 30 year olds who tell me they cut their mystery reading teeth following the suspenseful tales of the two brothers.  The Hardy Boys are the reason I started writing mysteries.”

Bruns adds that reviews that have compared his characters to the Hardy Boys are flattering.  "It's great to write two characters who are connected in some ways to my childhood literary heroes.  However, Skip and James have also been compared to the two stumblebums in the movie Dumb and Dumber.  I don't know if that's a compliment or not."

Don Bruns is an award-winning novelist, songwriter, musician, and advertising executive who lives in South Florida. He is also the author of Stuff to Spy For, Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, Stuff to Die For, Bahama Burnout, St. Barts Breakdown, South Beach Shakedown, Barbados Heat, and Jamaica Blue. For more information, visit http://donbrunsbooks.com. Oceanview Publishing (http://www.oceanviewpub.com) is an independent book publisher headquartered in Florida. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (ISBN: 978‐1‐933515‐79‐3, Hardcover, 312 pages, $25.95, Mystery) will be available wherever fine books are sold on December 6, 2010.

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Don Bruns is a writer, novelist, musician, songwriter, painter, cook, advertising executive and stand up comic who has no idea what he wants to be when he grows up. He's the author of nine book for two separate mystery series.