"What the hell?" I took a step closer to the mirror, staring at my reflection in disbelief. The person looking back was still me, but at the same time it wasn't. I had the same thick, dark, curly hair. The same hazel eyes. The same olive skin with a light dusting of freckles (ugh) scattered across the bridge of my nose. But my curls were now streaked with highlights. And not the subtle, golden-brown ones that sometimes appeared during the summer. No, these were an aggressive, dazzling blond that went from the roots of my hair all the way to the tips. It looked like I had spent a full day getting my hair done in some upscale salon. Never mind that I had never set foot in such a place since the day I was born. My eyes appeared somehow wider and more luminous. The colour brighter, my eyelashes darker up against them. And, when I looked closely, my pupils seemed to be slitted almost like a cat. I looked down at my body. My skinny arms-which had always refused to gain any definition no matter how hard I exercised-were lined with flat, wiry muscles. My bony shoulders were now curved and smooth. My scrawny legs were toned like a dancer. I reached down and lifted my shirt, revealing two subtle lines running vertically down my perfectly flat stomach, hinting at the rock-hard abs underneath. My whole body was rippling with strength. Like liquid steel.

Going down ... way down. Trying to have a transcendental experience, sixteen-year-old Ann is shocked at the sudden appearance of a dirty moleman from the underworld. Through a stirring object lesson involving a half-eaten Ho Ho (and a bit of trickery), the moleman persuades Ann to follow him to an underground fantasy world. Enter the wacky world of Molemania. The stinky metropolitan city Ann discovers, fueled by stolen power and dominated by American television, turns out to be less than fantastic. She longs to see the light of day again, but the slimy Prince Duthbert (who organized Ann’s kidnapping) won’t keep his claws off her. The plot thickens when Duthbert captures the boy Ann loves and threatens to cast him into a pit full of lava. Either Ann must consent to marry Duthbert or take on the powers of the deep. Follow Ann through the crazy twists and turns of the underworld as she teams up with German bodybuilders, a mystical sage, and an old queen who writes techno music. Discover deadly infernos, giant monsters, and the secrets at the bottom of the earth, where not even molepeople have set foot. "Stephen Gashler has written a fun and entertaining book that will provide hours of enjoyment and become a fan favorite.” – Meridian Magazine “Stephen Gashler has excellent comedic timing” – Larisa Hicken, Front Row Reviewers Utah “Stephen Gashler has a gift for capturing the imagination of audiences of all ages” – Rich Thurman, Director, Utah Renaissance Faire “Stephen Gashler’s stories are memorable and abound with energy. The wit in his writing makes you wonder what’s coming next!” – Carla Morris, Children’s Services Manager, Provo Library