Gamers: Attempting Connection is out today! If you are a gamer, or the parent of a gamer, or just game-curious, please pick this one up wherever books are available (including and especially your local library). Of all the books I’ve had published so far, writing this one felt the most like play.
In addition to being an author, I’m a parent, and a gamer, and a live streamer—and Gamers brought all of those diverse experiences together. I would love to make video games too, but at least in this book, I was able to make up some that hopefully seem like real games. (But seriously, where are my Time Bashers die-hards? I know you’re out there.)
If you love video games and their history, I think you’ll enjoy the many references and easter eggs I’ve sprinkled throughout, and I hope this will inspire new generations of gamers to check out classic games like Maniac Mansion and Portal.
But what’s this book about? It’s about four kids, Chell Park (@Chell-on-Wheels), Josh Bard (@Bard.Mode), Mario Delgado (@del_gato), and Alyx Achebe (@Double-A), who have very different lives and interests but discover they have at least one thing in common: They love playing video games. This inspires them to start their middle school’s first-ever esports team, which in turn helps them better connect with each other and their families in ways they never thought possible.
Many thanks to my editor, Kate Egan, for trusting me with and guiding this story, and to the whole production team that helps make my words look good and get them into the hands of readers, and in particular Khadijah Khatib, who illustrated the cover, and Chelsea Hunter, who designed the jacket. It has been a joy to work with everyone at Pixel + Ink to introduce everyone to Chell and her new friends.
“Go, Gamers!”
Buy the book: https://holidayhouse.com/site/pixel-ink/?book=gamers-1-attempting-connection
Read a review: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/e-c-myers/gamers-1/
Read my guest post at Teen Librarian Toolbox, “Bringing People Together”: https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/05/05/bringing-people-together-a-guest-post-by-e-c-myers/
Thank you for your support, whether you buy, boost, read, or review it! Please enjoy.
I have two new books out, for fans of Five Nights at Freddy’s and Choose Your Own Adventure books.