Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome
Episode I: Bad Boy
by Chris Orcutt
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Pub Date Jan 20 2026 | Archive Date Feb 15 2026
Chris Orcutt | Have Pen, Will Travel
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Description
Coming-of-age and teen romance collide in a bodacious and authentic journey through the 1980s…
In February 1986, once-invisible sophomore Avery “Ace” Craig suddenly becomes the most magnetic guy at Hancock High. Armed with a Walkman and mixtapes packed with everything from A-Ha to ZZ Top, Avery charges toward manhood with confidence, charisma, and a genius IQ—but has no clue how to handle what’s next.
On a school trip to D.C., a handshake with President Reagan, a glimpse of his future, and a sexual awakening set off a chain reaction. Girls notice him, his hormones detonate, and his friends are clueless. With no adults to turn to, Ace must navigate the thrilling, terrifying terrain alone—with only a Boy Scout Handbook, his instincts, and a Princess Leia poster to guide him.
Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, the product of ten years’ relentless craftsmanship and an immersive exploration of teen experience, takes a sensual and unflinching look at teenage relationships. A saga about the freedom, romance, and epic adventure of suburban life in Cold War America, Episode I: Bad Boy is for readers seeking a time machine back to the last great American decade.
A Note From the Publisher
* PUBLISHING SCHEDULE: A new episode will debut every 12-15 weeks--between January 2026 and November 2027. Here are all nine episodes (books) and their release dates: Episode I: Bad Boy (Jan. 2026); Episode II: True Blue (Apr. 2026); Episode III: Danger Zone (Jul. 2026); Episode IV: Secret Lovers (Oct. 2026); Episode V: Yankee Rose (Dec. 2026); Episode VI: Invisible Touch (Mar. 2027); Episode VII: Modern Woman (May 2027); Episode VIII: True Colors (Sep. 2027); Episode IX: Big Time (Nov. 2027). For previews of the Episode 2-9 covers, visit Chris Orcutt's Media & Contact Page below.
* BOOK CLUB CATNIP: The books are sure to be controversial and prompt debate on a range of subjects including life in the '80s, teen behavior and sex, and the differences between today and 40 years ago.
* FORMATS: Ingram (Hardcover & Paperback), Amazon (Paperback and Kindle ebook). An ePub will be available on other platforms as well, including Google Books and Kobo. Ingram copies will be discounted 55% for libraries and retailers, and the Amazon Paperback will be priced $2.00 higher to give the Ingram Paperback a competitive edge.
* SOUNDS OF THE '80s: Check out the Spotify Playlist (Mixtape) for Episode 1--link below. Every episode has a customized soundtrack. Listen to the music before, during, or after reading.
* FOR REVIEWERS: Once you've reviewed Episode 1, if you would like to review Episodes 2-9, contact the publisher (Have Pen, Will Travel) to receive print ARCs of subsequent episodes.
* THE AUTHOR'S JOURNEY: For over a decade, the author, Chris Orcutt, immersed himself in ’80s teen culture and shunned the internet in monastic devotion to his 1.25-million-word magnum opus (twice the length of Tolstoy's War and Peace). Writing drafts on typewriters and vintage computers, blasting everything from A‑Ha to ZZ Top, and drinking enough coffee to fill a swimming pool, he set out to craft an authentic and fearless exploration of the suburban teenage experience in 1980s America.
Advance Praise
“Readers of coming-of-age stories will find this exploration quite different from the norm, which makes it a standout. … Replete with student assemblies, trysts and field trips, musical notes and footnotes, and the return of Halley’s Comet, the 1980s comes to life in a way few other novels could achieve…. Highly recommended … a different coming-of-age novel that simmers with discovery.” — D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“Immersed in 1980s popular culture, Bodaciously True and Totally Awesome is a fun and nostalgic novel.” — Foreword Clarion
“With its … over-the-top (virginal) sexual encounters, the book might seem just a parody of every adolescent boy’s fantasies. But it’s so well-written that the near-sexual encounters lend depth to Ace’s adolescent struggles. Avery can be disarming one minute, disingenuous the next as he tries to resist the sirens’ call but is still young enough to want to impress his friends by teaching them the Zombie Walk from Thriller. … This is the first in Orcutt’s nine-part series. At the end, readers are left on a cliffhanger, like those of ’80s soap operas…. All nine books are apparently written…. As Ace himself might say, ‘Awesome, Dude.’” — Blueink Review *Starred Review*
“Like other groundbreaking novels, Bodaciously defies and transcends existing labels. It’s a coming-of-age story, a love story, an adventure story, a thriller, and an odyssey; it’s what you’d get if you put War and Peace, The Odyssey, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High into a supercollider; it’s an epic-length tale about an age group that has seldom been taken seriously in literature—teenagers—and it’s written for adults.” — Summer Jensen, Ph.D., from the Foreword
Marketing Plan
September 2025
- LibraryThing promotional giveaway
- Gen X Podcasters & Influencers Promotions
- Feature Articles on Bodaciously and the Author
- Facebook Campaign: 40-Year Retrospective
- Launch of Bodaciously Spotify Playlists (Mixtapes)
October 2025
- Goodreads Engagement & Promotions
- Books & Literature Podcasts & Influencers
- Appearances on 1980s blogs, podcasts and radio stations (big music tie-in)
- Facebook Campaign: 40-Year Retrospective
November 2025
- LibraryThing Promotional Giveaway (Part II)
- Ingram and Amazon KDP Advertising
- Preorders Begin on Ingram and Amazon
- Facebook Campaign: 40-Year Retrospective
December 2025
- 40th Anniversary Press Releases to major media outlets
- Feature Articles about Bodaciously and the Author
January 2025
- January 20: Episode I Launch
- Bookstore and Library Readings & Signings
- Continued Podcast and Radio Appearances
February-April 2025
- ARCs of Episode II to Reviewers
- Episode II Preorder
- Continued Promotion and Appearances
- Episode II Launch: April 14
Available Editions
EDITION | Paperback |
ISBN | 9781965999011 |
PRICE | $19.95 (USD) |
PAGES | 386 |