Lucky Lyle Ortiz

Grant Pylkas in his second novel explores the unintended consequences of life as it unfolds for a young Latino who through no fault of his own is thrown into a tough circumstance. Grant introduces Jeep and Kelly in this novel and alludes to a past that the two have shared. The history between the two have bonded them and gives the reader a great backdrop for controversy and compromise. Lyle journeys down some unexpected trails on his way to manhood and finds that luck has as much to do with success sometimes as skill. Lyle’s quest for fame in a boxing ring teaches him some things that the young Golden Gloves contender never counted on. His encounters with the bold and calculating Magdalena and her daughter Carlotta will hold you in your seat as she injectors her way of life into the young boxes life.

All of us find ourselves compromised by circumstances beyond our control. Young Lyle Ortiz finds himself and his sisters in a situation well beyond the resources of a fourteen year old much less a teen without a support system that he can access with the reasonable expectation of an acceptable outcome. He must create a way to live with the loss of his grandfather. He must rely upon his own wit and intellect in a world that has been less than generous to him and his sisters. He tries to make it all work on his own without adult supervision only to find that he does indeed have a guardian angel that he never thought would care. He has bitten off more than he can handle when he meets his Mexican relatives. The appearance of his aunt Magdalena sets off a chain of events that he cannot abide. In a last resort to regain control of his destiny he turns to the only teacher he ever trusted, Jeep, and in turn the old sage Kelly Jeeps trusted friend and fellow traveler on life’s Journey. The real question of life and coming of age are explored by the unlikely crew. Everyone grows some, every one finds their weaknesses and finally the strength of a bright dedicated surrogate mother pulls everyone together as she leads an ad hoc organization in one great effort to save a life. The journey will be fun and informative as we all follow the trials of Lucky Lyle Ortiz.

Grant Pylkas is a retired High school teacher who likes to writes novels that look at issues that cause us all to wonder why or how did that happen. Grant’s students have inspired the novels he writes as he tries to lay out the dilemmas that we all face. You can find him on the lakes of Canada in the summer or in South Texas Fishing the Laguna Madre in the winter. He said of himself the following: “I have truly enjoyed the crafting of these novels I have written and look forward to sharing even more in the future.” Grant Pylkas