May 17, 2008

 Publishing
 Services

Stories of adventure, science, and those concerning the human condition always mesmerized Michael Halperin. He dabbled with writing stories at the age of eight, but it was in high school where he was presented with the good fortune to see his name in print in the school newspaper. It was of no surprise then how his writing obsession blossomed. “I kept writing, and by the time I was in college I had some of my work produced by the theater arts department,” he said.

Halperin also related the inspiration behind his new book: “I have always been fascinated by stories of unsung heroes, and when I read the tale of the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps, a military regiment that existed in 1896, it spoke of an incredible adventure that few knew. It is part of African American history that lurks in the corner of America's story.” Combining the story of a teenage African American boy with that of the formation of the Bicycle Corps to present a portrait of life on the cusp of the 20th century, he penned Black Wheels.

MICHAEL HALPERIN

Black Wheels is a story of Nat Fowler, a fifteen-year old African-American boy raised in the predominately white part of Missouri in the late 1800s. Accused of murder, he runs away from home and joins the United States Army. He ends up at Fort Missoula, Montana, and immerses himself for the first time in the all-black culture of the 25th Infantry. A white officer, Lt. James Moss, convinces the War Department to test the modern bicycle as a replacement for the horse. Nat, an avid bicycle rider, joins the Bicycle Corps just as the U.S. Army orders Moss and 19 black soldiers to prove his theory. They attempt to complete a journey of 1900 miles in forty days from Missoula, Montana to St. Louis, Missouri over the most rugged territory in the United States. During the journey he falls in love; discovers bigotry and hatred; finds friends, betrayal and comrades; but also grows up as he and the rest of the world enters the 20th century.

Black Wheels has already garnered excellent reviews and is now being considered as a motion picture. It was chosen by the National Education Association in 2005 and 2006 as one of the top 100 books on its prestigious African American Booklist, and was chosen for the Read Across America project.

Aside from receiving accolades with his Black Wheels, Michael Halperin was also Story Editor for Universal Television, and Executive Story Consultant at 20th Century-Fox. He co-wrote the best-selling award-winning children’s novel, Jacob’s Rescue: A Holocaust Story. He holds a BA degree from the Annenberg School of Communication, University of Southern California, and has a Ph.D. in Film Studies.

“My wife has been my greatest inspiration as the person who has faith in me and who understands my need to express myself, Halperin stressed. He further emphasized, “In literature, every great writer from Shakespeare to Oates who shows me how language can affect the human experience and open doors to new visions inspires me.”

Black Wheels may be purchased directly through Xlibris Corporation, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon.

Get your free Publishing Kit now to start your own journey to publication.

  Publishing Kit
  Order Form
  Comparison Chart