In the first-of-its-kind YA/middle grade enhanced novel, young readers can engage with each other and the author through online discussions thanks to embedded links directing them to this forum. Vook recently started offering this WeJIT technology for ebooks of all genres, and author C.H. Garbutt worked with Vook so that readers could "step into the imagination of the author as the story develops."

Below, the author tells us more about Black Pool: A Jack Flynn Adventure (WeJit Enhanced!).

Fast forward to the digital age. Books are still beloved but are now available anywhere with a single touch of a button—including through libraries. Authors are free to craft their stories and release them to the world, with a similar touch of a button (or two). It is an exciting time to be an author and a book lover.

In the challenging middle grade market, eReaders will no doubt be the next evolutionary step for attracting young readers. As iPhones, tablets, iPads and Kindle Fires are more readily available for this age group, publishing a middle-grade eBook now seems to be only slightly ahead of the curve. Traditionally published books are already going digital. Just go to the major houses and you will see that they are establishing a digital presence—even for picture books.

Yet, given the need for educators, librarians and parents to champion a middle grade story before they hand over the tablet to a middle grade reader, it makes sense to present those important gatekeepers with good literary choices that are worthy and engaging. I based my story, Black Pool – A Jack Flynn Adventure, on an Irish legend set in modern-day Ireland, inspired by the collected (Mer) tales of W.B. Yeats. The name of the book is taken from the Vikings who discovered the convergence of two rivers—the Poddle and the Liffey, and called it Dublin. It is filled with action, history, and Mer people on the run.

But I discovered that publishing your own eBook is not for the faint of heart. It takes an enterprising spirit and a certain fierce determination to make it happen—not to mention an undying belief in your work and the unrelenting desire to bring it to your target audience. Then you build a great team of people who know formatting for ePublishing, designing cover art, creating publicity through book reviews and blogs, and marketing. And that is only the beginning.

Above: two We-JIT links embedded in the ebook. Below: An invitation for readers to explore the plot.

Enter WeJIT technology. I decided to take advantage of this new technology for the simple reason that I wanted my action adventure fantasy to be fun and immediately interactive, allowing the middle grade reader to join a global community of other young readers. Going through my ePublisher, Vook, I was intrigued by a system that allowed readers to communicate directly with the author and their fellow readers—like a worldwide book club or a virtual global library. Topic-based discussions are made possible with embedded WeJIT links in the eBook that direct readers to an online discussion forum. Conversations and story images, along with story arc debates and pivotal character decisions, can be shared beyond the confines of the eBook via social media and other sharing methods built into WeJITs. In essence it allows the reader to step into the imagination of the author as the story develops. A new kind of magic. My hope is that it will encourage young readers’ imaginations and help them become authors of fantasy themselves.

Black Pool is available for $2.99 on Amazon, iBookstore, Vook's store, and Barnes & Noble (coming soon).

You can read more about Black Pool and C.H. Garbutt on her website.