Praise and laurels for the novel:
2023 Readers' Favorite Silver Medal Winner: "Readers' Favorite is proud to announce that A Leap into Darkness by Ray Petrolino won the Silver Medal in the Children - Preteen category."
Wake County Public Libraries: "Our Collection Development Librarians have reviewed it and I'm pleased to say that we have decided that we will add this book to the library's collection!"
The Children's Book Review: "A Leap into Darkness is an enjoyable and exciting read about a thoroughly enchanting little dog."
Readers' Favorite 5-star review: "Ray Petrolino’s middle-grade novel, A Leap into Darkness, is an epic fantasy that will capture the hearts and imaginations of both young readers and the young at heart."
Readers' Favorite 5-star review: "A Leap into Darkness is a tale woven with care and love. It is a tale of betrayal, trust, family, love, loyalty, friendship, and adventure! The deeper I got into the story the harder it was to put the book down!"
Readers' Favorite 5-star review: "With a suspenseful plot and likable characters, A Leap into Darkness by Ray Petrolino is a must-read."
Readers' Favorite 5-star review: "I loved reading A Leap Into Darkness; it is one of the best preteen children's books I've read."
Praise and achievements for the original screenplay:
“It is easy to become fascinated and charmed by the characters of Gorseland, especially Jake and Pith and Prattle. And Beezeldorn is frightening as the evil antagonist.”
“Gorseland is a labyrinth of a world that is described with rich detail, and it's clear that much thought has gone into developing this unique storyline.”
“This script has the potential to delight audiences both young and older, and for this reason, it deserves further consideration.”
—2020 Austin Film Festival Script Competition
“This script was actually hard to put down, it had to be read through in a single session.”
—2021 BlueCat Screenplay Competition
Two-time Coverfly Redlist Fantasy Feature Top 20
Semifinalist, StoryPros 14th Annual Awards Screenplay Contest (2021)
Quarterfinalist, Stage 32 - New Voices in Animation Screenwriting Contest (2021)
Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenwriting Competition (2021)
Quarterfinalist, Emerging Screenwriters - Genre Screenplay Competition (2020)
Top 100 (Feature or TV Pilot), Table Read My Screenplay Genre Screenplay Competition (2021)
Quarterfinalist, Creative Screenwriting Animation Screenplay Competition (2021)
