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ARMONK, N.Y. When authors host events to speak about their books, they usually do readings, but Mike Mullin, author of Ashfall, will break a concrete block with his bare hands.
Mullin will offer a tae kwon do demonstration at 4 p.m. March 20 at the North Castle Public Library.
The main character of Ashfall, Mullins debut novel, is a 15-year-old boy with martial arts skills who witnesses an eruption of the Yellowstone super-volcano and flees his Iowa home to find his family.
I wanted to write an intensely realistic book, so hes a martial artist, and Ive been training since I started the book, so its part of my presentation, Mullin said.
Ill also be doing a geology talk about super-volcanoes and teach a little tae kwon do, he said.
The super-volcano eruption plot device is based on historical occurrences.
The last time it erupted was 640,000 years ago, with minor eruptions 70,000 years ago, Mullin said. The eruptions are the reason the Midwest is so fertile, with rich volcanic soil.
Ashfall was released last year and has been lauded by Kirkus Reviews as a best teen book and NPR as a top young-adult novel.
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