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As soon as he learned to read, Bill Hiatt was hooked. Just as kids who are passionate sports fans often want to be athletes, kids who are passionate readers often want to be writers, and so it was with Bill. Though he dreamed of many career paths over the years, two remained while others came and went: teaching and writing. After he graduated from UCLA with a degree in English, he went on to pursue one of his two dreams by teaching English, mostly at the high school level, for thirty-six years.
Teaching was far more than a day job for Bill; it was his life. He had thought originally that he might be able to both teach and write, but the demands of teaching caused him to forget about writing—for a while. However, toward the end of his career, Bill realized that he hadn’t really abandoned being a writer; he had merely postponed it. He found time to publish a little at the end of his teaching career. Now that he is retired, all the stories accumulated somewhere in the back of his mind will finally be able to get out.
Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
Different Lee by Bill Hiatt follows DL as he discovers the past he never knew may hold the secrets to his future. Growing up in foster care, DL hasn't been much on homes or attachments. When a date he barely remembers shows up, claiming she's a vampire in need of his help finding a sorcerer, he thinks she's insane. When she claims he's some sort of dragon, it can't possibly be true. His nightmares and strange new night vision can't be related, can they? A sorcerer, known as the Collector, threatens him in order to find her, pulling DL further into her world. When teenage Max from work suddenly attaches to him, matters get even more complicated. As he learns more about his powers, he has to figure out how to stop an evil sorcerer, navigate Max's family who insist on taking him in, and protect his new friends ... all while keeping himself alive.
Bill Hiatt delivers a story packed with humor, heart, and action. Different Lee is a fun blend of legend, history, humor, and fantasy, with a dash of heart and the meaning of home. Hiatt never misses a beat, even the still moments between the action where the characters are discussing the best ways to work together move towards a greater purpose. Every moment grows the characters individually, and together. As someone who loves myths, I admired how Hiatt wove history and legends into the story with an easy progression from vampires to fairies, making different legends from around the world fit perfectly into one story. Different Lee thrives on the legends with every supernatural stereotype flipped in a new light. From dragons to fairies, the characters themselves are kept grounded in reality. One of the strongest aspects of the novel is DL as the protagonist. He starts off wanting to leave town and refusing to help his mysterious date, Ekaterina, but by the end he's willing to risk his life to keep his friends alive. He's easy to like, sympathetic, and as the story progressed I wanted him to find a place that he could care about, like with Max's family and Ekaterina. Different Lee is a must-read! I can't wait to see where the next book goes.
