Mandy Fender

Sparrow: Defier Series Book Two

The fight has only just begun…

Lennox Winters is guilty. She stood in defiance against the Regime when no one else would. Now, she must train to become a Sparrow and fight for what she believes.

When the war breaks out in her hometown, she is forced to decide whether she will obey orders or rebel against the authority she respects. Either way, she must protect those she loves most, no matter the dangers.

As she navigates new territory with her loyal best friend, she’ll risk her life, and even her soul, for victory.

In war, sacrifice is inevitable.

Is her faith enough to get her through the fire?

I like to refer to my world as ‘Defier Nation’. It is a dystopian setting in the not-so-distant future America. The land is no longer the land that we know. In the book, a weapon called the Global Weather Simulator has changed the game and Defiers must fight to stand for their faith against all odds.

I would recommend getting to a Sparrow City safe zone as fast as you could and look out for patrolling drones – they’re everywhere.

The weather is unpredictable. There is no more forecasting it; the enemy is controlling it, setting off cataclysmic shifts in the atmosphere to further his rule. There are also drones, Prowlers (genetically altered humans), and Regime soldiers to watch out for.

MREs are the most practical source of sustenance for the Defiers now that the landscape is unpredictable.

There are some pretty cool technological weapons in the Defier Series. The Sparrow scientists have concocted a blue serum that can drop the enemy to their knees, while the Regime has Venom VI that can turn a human, well, let’s just say, not so human anymore. Science and technology play a big role in this series and progresses slowly to allow the reader in the world as the MC, Lennox, discovers it herself.

There are incredible motorcycles called Vanishers that the Sparrow scientists have created to be silent and invisible, along with the rider for a short period of time. Plus, military Humvees are always good way to transport soldiers.

There are a few things I have not mentioned yet and one is the Sparrow suit which is covered in nanotubes that literally act as a bulletproof shield. Sparrows also have Sapphire Shields that take the spherical shape when needed and provide a clear protective barrier so that you can hide behind it and still see the enemy. And my favorite little device would have to be the adaptor blade that the scientists tweaked the molecular structure to shape-shift to the tool you need when you need it. I sure wish I had one! J

These days are pretty somber, but Sparrows have a good time in CTT – Critical Thinking Tactics, where they compete against each other in virtual worlds. The virtual worlds can be anything their imagination can think up.

The Defiers and Sparrows are those who have chosen to stand and serve Jesus Christ and they try desperately to practice what they believe even when it’s hard or seems impossible.

Well, while the rest of the world is under the rule of Ahab, who is a dictator and plans to destroy everyone who stands in his way of being the new world leader, the Sparrows live by the Word of one King, and His name is Jesus.

While the location is America, the culture is inspired by the bravery I have seen and heard about from fellow Christians. I take the true stories I read from the Bible and let them inspire me to create worlds that deep and true.

It is the classic tale of good vs. evil, light vs. dark, yet doesn’t push off to the supernatural only. This series takes the challenges of hot-button issues and causes the reader to think and question what they would do should the challenge ever arise in their life.

Mandy Fender is a wife, mother, women’s pastor, and writer. She is a blogger for Broken, Beautiful, and Bold, and has a monthy inspirational article in the Westside Sol. Her work has received the Readers’ Favorite Five Star Seal and the Redemptive Fiction Award of Excellence by Radiqx Press, and her short story, Samara of Shalocke, is published with Epifiction.

She wants to love like Christ and follow Him in all that she does. Through her writing she hopes to inspire, uplift, and encourage.

Her books are always written with Christ in mind.

I would love to connect with readers! They can find me at:

Author’s name:  B. Roman

Title of book and/or series:  The Moon Singer Trilogy, a YA/Kids Fantasy series, comprises three books: The Crystal Clipper, The War Chamber, and The Wind Rose.

David Nickerson is a teenager trying to cope with a series of family crises:  his father’s unemployment, his deafness after a serious illness, his crippled sister’s mysterious disappearance, and the death of his mother.  David’s confused life takes on mystical qualities when he acquires three sacred artifacts that have extraordinary powers, and all are tied to the appearance of the enchanting sailing ship, Moon Singer, that transports him to astonishing dimensions of time and space.  The people David encounters in these other worlds all have a soul connection to him and their lives are destined to intertwine many times over. 

The power of music to heal, to transform, to create life – or destroy it – plays a major role in the trilogy.  When he must rescue a young princess with the gift of healing and immortality in her song, held prisoner in a palace tower, David believes he will also rescue his sister Sally. Strangely, too, David finds he can hear for the first time in years and is transformed into a young man who can “hear” what others cannot, and who can “see” what others deny.  Thus, his “disability” becomes his greatest gift. Using crystal power and his music knowledge David discovers the means to work through his own personal problems and create a better world for everyone he loves.

Although David visits other worlds, past and future, the stories have a contemporary feel.  The real world location is David’s coastal home town of Port Avalon, where his family heritage is one of ship building and sailing; this is his anchor environment where the family drama and surprising miracles take place. 

Even though I’ve created fantasy locations for David’s adventures, we come to see that he is really experiencing a higher consciousness, but David doesn’t quite know where he is: Past? Present? Future?  Are they all one and the same?  Discovering the truth is part of David’s enlightenment.

The Crystal Clipper is the Fairy Tale adventure to The Island of Darkness which has the aura of a medieval era with all the inherent dangers for its inhabitants.  For example, the people are enslaved by the evil High Priestess Jaycina, and Princess Saliana is a prisoner in the Prism Palace tower and forced to sing to keep Jaycina immortal.

In The War ChamberDavid is transported to the island of Coronadus which experiences a limbo of sorts where there is no wind or electrical power following a catastrophic earthquake that separated the city from the mainland.  The citizens live a very simple life much like one would find in a commune, are very ecology minded, and mostly pacifists. But war looms!

The Wind Rose takes place mostly in Port Avalon where David is a music prodigy at a city college and uncovers a Machiavellian plot by a mad music professor to destroy his city and all of civilization.  But a solution evades David so he decides to return to the Island of Darkness which has become the Kingdom of Light again, a vastly beautiful and ethereal city of sophistication and soul evolution. Here, everything becomes clear for our hero.

Well, you would be drawn to the Prism Palace, a shimmering vision amidst an otherwise dark and dense terrain.  At first glance, it appears to be a crystal of monolithic proportions.  It is deceptively transparent, with near-blinding refractions of light that obscure its interior from view.  You might also be fascinated by the Glass Volcano where sacrifices are made of people who have displeased Jaycina.  Instead of being thrown in the fire, an enormous flash of electrical energy surges between the lodestone and the victim’s breastplate.  He is literally magnetized and lifted high into the air, floating on the electrical current like a puppet on a string.  The lodestone is then pushed aside, cutting off the free-floating electrical current and the victim plunges helplessly into the depths of the volcano, screaming his life away.

You would want to avoid the Tower where the worshipped and feared Glass Snake abides.  And stay away from the palace Temple and the Altar of Initiation.  Using hypnotic suggestion, the High Priestess entices people to hand over their personal crystals containing their bio-codes – which contain their genetic maps and all their memories – and makes them her slave.  And don’t ever get lost in the Palace corridors or you will encounter a deceptive Labyrinth of Mirrors and “…your eyes will be unable to see what your heart knows is true.”

Since the citizens of Coronadus put down their weapons and chose to be pacifists, when there is a disagreement they must appear before the War Council where battles are confined to theories and strategies.  The only weapon allowed is the agility of their mind and the degree of their debating skills.   The War Council, comprised of only women, decide who the better tactician is.  Why are only women on the Council? Because the people believe women are the creators of life – are peaceful and reasonable – and men, unfortunately, are the destroyers. 

Since the Great Destruction, all of the machinery – electronics, cars, appliances, light fixtures, etc. -lie dormant because there is no electricity to power them.  Cooking is done by solar and refrigeration is created by using insulated cooling bins placed underground.  As for the boats, which were very sophisticated with both sails and engines, not only is there no energy to propel them but no wind at all to lift the sails. So no one is able to travel to or from Coronadus, and it is a mystery how David and the Moon Singer arrived there. 

Crystal power is the catalyst.  David has a collection of colorful crystals that he experiments with for fun and fascination, including a beautiful Rose Crystal which represents faith and unconditional love.  But things don’t begin to “magically” happen until he is given a unique Singer crystal, which is shaped like a small sailboat.  When David lays out a Star of David grid pattern of his gems, the Singer ignites the power of all of them in a kaleidoscopic fury. The majestic clipper ship Moon Singer appears – a breathtaking vessel made of pure crystal and gold, which transports David on all of his adventures.

Centuries ago a cataclysmic event was prophesied and it was feared that all the great knowledge that had been acquired would be destroyed if it were recorded in books.  So, some very wise scholars programmed a large vein of crystals with all the knowledge of the Universe then rematerialized them into the earth.  They trusted, when the time was right, that the crystal would surface and be attracted by people who would use this wisdom well. Many years later, this vein was discovered by prophets who realized that the power of the crystal held the potential for greatness as well as the potential for evil.  So they broke up the vein and fashioned it into the three masts of the ship Moon Singer, which represent Love, Wisdom and Truth. The men set the ship adrift on a pre-programmed course to another dimension where she would be safe from unscrupulous men.  Before they did, however, they chiseled a bit of crystal from each mast and fashioned the chips into the Singer crystal. The Singer is the only crystal that can activate the Moon Singer’s many powers. 

 

Occult subjects that were once looked upon as fringe or “out there” have become mainstream:  reincarnation, soul travel, extrasensory perception, clairaudience and clairvoyance, crystal power, communication with the dead and so forth.  I touch on all of these

I realize that teens today are attracted to pop culture that focuses on dark and violent themes, but I hope my stories will offer kids a balance, especially if they are just beginning to ponder metaphysical thoughts and concepts.  Of course, my goal is to give them an enjoyable, suspenseful, and uplifting reading experience.  I also hope that many adults will read the stories and find them thought-provoking and inspiring.

There are links to all of my books on my Creativia author page where readers can learn more about me and about the power of music and magical adventures  – then go to the Amazon link if they are interested in buying.

Email:    [email protected]

Author’s name: Ciella Naden

Fourteen-year-old Evely takes a nature walk in the forest to collect fern leaves for her biology class. But what she discovers there will question how she sees nature.

Evely enters another world full of giant talking animals. This is Faowyn’s world…where foxes are royal guardians who live to protect humans. But from what?

You definitely have to visit Aloof, the gigantic owl. In fact, just let him be your tour guide. Also, make sure you visit Rose’s garden. You’ll leave mind-blown.

Just across the field is an “enter at your own risk” place because the evil, blood-sucking Chishio roam there, and they hunt humans.

If you arrive in time for breakfast, you’re likely to be served duck eggs and turkey bacon. Also, Rose likes to put herbs in your drink, so watch out.

No transportation is needed; you just sort of stumble upon it if you’re out walking in the forest.

Most of the animals in The Shinrin Kingdom will look familiar, but they are all much bigger than they are on Earth. They walk on their hind legs, and they talk! The Chishio are wolf-like creatures, but they are far viler than Earth wolves.

Faowyn, his mother, and his sisters all have powers in which they can control certain elements. Faowyn can make balls of fire in his paws and throw them when needed. Faowyn’s mother can turn things to ice or make snow. There are more cool things to learn in the story.

The time in The Shinrin Kingdom does not pass nearly as quickly as it does on Earth.

The Shinrin Kingdom is ruled by Faowyn’s mother and father, King Trestor and Queen Icelia. The Chishio Kingdom is ruled by the leader of the pack, Master Ashton. 

Ciella Naden is the 16-year-old daughter of Author Cynthia P. Willow. She began her writing career with a home-school assignment when she was only thirteen years old. Cat Tales and Whiskers was published the following year. Ciella has now published her second book Faowyn.

Ciella began acting at the local theatre at age 16, and is currently taking acting classes. She runs her own crocheting business to pay for acting expenses. She LOVES foxes and hopes to have her own one day. She enjoys playing digital rhythm games, listening to music, watching Anime, swinging, and singing.

Ciella’s dream is to one day act in television and movie roles. She admires Nat Wolff, Freddie Highmore, and Helena Bonham Carter.

Faowyn Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FJ9H9E6

Cat Tales and Whiskers: http://www.cynthiapwillow.com/ciella-naden.html

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Ciella-Naden/e/B01FMPLTHA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CiellaNaden/?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CiellaNaden

Instagram: ciella_naden99

YouTube: Faowyn book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh0IoEIQXx4

Cat Tales and Whiskers book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBv2ADzZERg

Debbie Erickson         

The Secret of the Golden Heart / Golden Heart Series – Book I

A young boy is on a journey to find the secret of his mom’s golden heart heirloom and discovers that he must fulfill her destiny—on another planet—with his annoying twin. Will faith play a part?

Planet Dia in the Trifold Galaxy. The planet is dying.

The entire world is like a Garden of Eden with waterfalls, castles, and majestic mountains to explore.

Watch out for the three-headed snake, a flying dinosaur named SanDorak, and the forest.

Same as Earth’s; vegetables, meat, and fruit.

Bows & arrows and swords.

Since it’s a fantasy, there are prehistoric creatures, giant flying dinosaurs, and flying Friesian stallions.

A tree that bears all kinds of fruit, prehistoric animals, and the people of Dia have a slight glow, depending on the intensity of light.

I don’t consider that there is any magic really, just unusual happenings.

No. A day on Dia equals a year on Earth.

King Malakon is the ruler, but he’s not a good man.

Ever since I watched The Wizard of Oz as a child, I fell in love with fantasy stories.

Debbie’s love for writing began at an early age. After finishing some online courses, her love of writing grew, and she wanted to write for children.

She stays connected to various websites and blogs on the craft of writing.  She also has an interest in writing historical fiction someday, but she enjoys fantasies since her first encounter with Baum’s Wizard of Oz–she likes imaginary worlds and time travel.

Some of her favorite authors are C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and J.K.Rowling, and of course Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  

She was a peer counselor for a pregnancy care center and feels every life is important. She believes that adoption should be the choice instead of abortion.

God is the Rock of her salvation and Partner in her life’s journey; staying focused and grounded are important elements of life.

She enjoys family; her dog, Ringo; stargazing on a clear night; the smell of a bookstore; and playing golf. 

She wants to encourage children to find their own passion and pursue their dreams, and she hopes that everyone will have the perseverance to reach their goals.

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