"It Just Happened is an unusual book. It's written for adults, but it's (mostly) about kids. Or... what it's like to be a kid, trying to makes sense of the world. (In particular, the way the world worked back in 1973.) People have told me the book is 'Neither here nor there; caught between adult fiction and Y/A' - (it is not Y/A, believe me) - 'It might even be literary fiction, ' someone muttered. Well, I'll tell you what it's supposed to be: funny, romantic, slightly insane-a bit nostalgic-but most of all, it's meant to be a fun read. That's it. But I suppose you'll have to decide for yourself..."

-Phil Joanou, author

About the book:

Billy Burton is a strange boy. Or, at least, that's what everyone tells him. He lives inside his head; thinking and thinking and dreaming and scheming. But this year-1973-his twelfth year on earth, is like no other. He is constantly under threat from the school psychopath; his dad is under investigation by the Senate Select Committee on Watergate; the odd girl across the street has taken a keen interest in Billy (and him, in her); Bob Woodward is after his dad (unless Billy can stop him); his dog (Mr. Pooch) is out of control and cannot be found; Billy has come into possession of a book entitled "The Happy Hooker" (and intends to decipher the meaning of all things "sexy"); he realizes his new (and only) friend is a juvenile delinquent; and he has somehow come to know the iconoclastic physicist, Richard Feynman (Nobel Prize winner), whose motto is, "Damn the torpedoes!"-which has become Billy's motto too.

1973 is going to be a wild ride for one Billy Burton.

And you.

About the author:

Phil Joanou has directed feature films ("Three O'clock High"-"State of Grace"-"U2: Rattle and Hum" etc. etc.) as well as documentaries, commercials, some television and several music videos.

This is his first novel.