Brandon Sparks

Brandon Sparks is a twelve-year-old African-American boy who just happens to be the greatest pilot ever born (or created for that matter). Raised on Long Island by his parents Matthew and Vanessa, Brandon attended public school until the day his parents got jobs on an aid ship.

Brandon is an above average looking boy with dark skin, dark eyes, and short dark hair.  He is of average height and weight for his age.

Author’s Note:

A few years before I created Brandon Sparks, I used to work at a day camp as a camp counsellor for seven-year-olds.  All of the children were very nice, and one of them was named Brandon.  He was a good kid, and for some reason the name stuck in my head.  Probably because a friend of mine, who I’ve known most of my life is named Brendan. Brandon, Brendan, they are very similar.  So when the idea came to me to write a children’s book, both names were on the tip of my tongue. I chose Brandon over Brendan, so that my friend wouldn’t think I was writing a story about him.  I also needed a last name, and I wanted it to stand out. I needed an action word.  Sparks popped into my head, and I thought it was a match.

Charlie’s Note:

What can I say about Brandon Sparks that hasn’t already been said. I find speaking about Brandon in this forum awkward, almost as if i am eulogizing him again. Brandon was my best friend and will remain so until the end of time. The best way for me to tell you about Brandon is to tell you a short story. When Brandon was sixteen years old, and imprisoned aboard the Rolan starship, he sat in the corner of his cell, covered his mouth with his hand and whispered his thoughts to me. He did not speak of fear or sorrow and he did not pity himself. He spoke of baseball and how he could not wait to be reunited with his friends. He had so much to tell them! Brandon sat in that prison for over six months before he was able to escape. His deep belief in friendship got him through that terrible time, and it was not only his friendship with me that sustained him, but the thought that somewhere out in space, all of his friends aboard the Diamond Hawk were planning his rescue. It is difficult to define someone in such a short forum, but at the very heart of Brandon’s being was his belief in friendship, finding common ground, and teamwork.