Richie's mom treats him like a criminal--practically all locked up. She says it's for his own good. But with a little help from his friends, Richie seizes an opportunity to live his dream, and learns exactly what his mom is talking about when she says he has no idea what's out there.Richie Van Bender is the hottest teenage rock star on the planet. All he really wants is a chance at a normal life. He'd like to use Facebook and interact with his friends online. Maybe even hold a concert or two and win an award here and there. His mother refuses, saying it's for his own safety.But with a little help from his friends, Richie seizes an opportunity to live his dream, and learns exactly what his mom is talking about when she says he has no idea what's out there.This novelette--a self-contained story--introduces the strange and fantastic world of Richie Van Bender, which continues in the Van Bender Archives Book 1: Van Bender and the Burning Emblems.

Teenage rock star Richie Van Bender llives like a monk. No concerts. No Facebook friends. Not even any private schools. His mother keeps him locked away, protected from the world. It's too dangerous, she says. He has no idea, she says.Until for an unknown reason she finally relents and lets him perform a single concert--giving him a shot at the Best Young Entertainer of the Year award. And that's when Richie meets his rock star idol, and learns two things. 1. His music creates powerful magic. 2. Rock star idols shouldn't be trusted.