Are You Out of Your Mind?

My Summer of Coyotes, Kidnappers, Priests, and Gold

The Ryan Thomas Adventure Series – Book 2

That summer, Ryan only worried about one thing—seeing his friend Cari again and figuring out if his crush on her was real. Little did he know his world would be turned upside down when she is kidnapped. What starts as a desperate rescue mission spirals into a heart-pounding chase across the desert. The criminals have taken more than just a friend—they’ve stolen a fortune in gold, and now another family member is in their clutches.

Ryan must find out who these criminals are and why a Jesuit Priest seems to be behind it all. Is he a friend or foe? Join Ryan in a race against time and danger. Can Ryan outwit the villains, rescue his family, and recover the stolen treasure before it’s too late? Gold, danger, and secrets collide in this heart-pounding adventure where bravery is the only way forward.

Find out why, at every turn, Ryan is asked, “Are You Out of Your Mind?”

After finishing my first book and seeing how much fun readers were having with it, I knew the adventure couldn’t end there. A second book felt inevitable—partly because the story still had more to give, and partly because I enjoyed writing it too much to stop. Since the first book used a familiar exclamation as its title, I decided to keep that playful tradition going. That’s how this one ended up with the title Are You Out of Your Mind?

This story picks up the very next summer, but with a different rhythm. I wanted more action, more momentum, and fewer slow stretches. I also challenged myself to set the entire adventure within a single 24‑hour period instead of spreading it across months. Compressing the timeline made everything feel sharper, faster, and more intense.

Because I spent part of my childhood in the Gila Valley of Arizona, it felt natural for much of the book to take place there—especially at Red Knolls. My dad played there as a boy, I played there as a boy, and my own kids have scrambled over those same red rocks during our visits. It’s a place woven into my family’s story, so it became the perfect backdrop for the drama in this one. If you ever get the chance to visit, I highly recommend it—just maybe not in the middle of an Arizona summer.

Researching this book gave me an excuse for a memorable trip with my son, Neil. We hiked the Superstition Mountains and Red Knolls together, soaking in the landscapes that shaped the story. And because we couldn’t resist adding a little real‑world adventure, we hid two actual treasures in those locations. Clues are tucked throughout my books and this website for anyone brave enough to go looking.

The Graham Mountains also hold a special place in my heart. During my boyhood, my family visited there nearly every summer, often staying in the old Church Cabin. My great‑great‑grandfather, Peter Howard McBride, once grew potatoes on the mountain—Peter’s Flat still bears his name. My grandmother, Grace Larson, used to tell me how she and her friends would ride logs down the old flume. My father spent countless hours exploring those slopes as a boy. So when I learned the Vatican now had a telescope up there—the VATT—right next to another telescope named LUCIFER, I knew that mountain had to find its way into the story too.

As I wrote this book, I created a visual map with picture representations of things mentioned in the book, so I could have a graphic reference to write from. I tried to describe the places and things in the book as realistically as I could so you could “see” what was happening in the story. It was a fun challenge.

Bringing these places and things into the book felt like inviting readers into the landscapes that shaped my childhood and my family’s history. I hope you enjoy the adventure as much as I enjoyed writing it.