NEWS22 't is the season of GIFTS (from me to you)
Dec 02, 2020 2:45 pm
Balm for your soul after a tough year.
Dear friends,
It's been a tough year.
Nobody could have prepared us for it.
But there's a light at the end of the tunnel. 2021 will bring us good things, such as a vaccine that will allow us to safely visit our loved ones. Soon we'll put covid-19 behind us and we'll go on with our normal lives.
Let me tell you, we will look back on these days slightly incredulous. Years from now, these unusual times will fuel stories at family dinners, your grand-children will listen to you with wide eyes, and you may even feel proud (or overwhelmed?) for having lived through a global pandemic.
Think about it for a minute. Do you realize we are living an adventure of international proportions? One that will be talked about for decades to come?
I know, I know... adventure isn't the right term - especially for those of us who have suffered directly from the consequences of the virus.
But as a writer, I guess I find solace jotting down positive details that I see every day: people social-distancing while doing their groceries wearing masks, messages of encouragement posted along city streets, people cheering from their doorways and balconies, birthday parties held on Zoom, self-isolating in the comfort of our homes... I'm sure my children will read these little memories in the future - as they don't realize they are living a historic event yet.
In the meantime, we will celebrate the end of the year as best we can, and I want to put a bit of balm on your souls: so scroll down for GIFTS and FUN ACTIVITIES!
News about The Alien Skill Series
- 2020 IAN Book of the Year Awards
But first, some fantastic news! Ben Archer and the World Beyond is a winner in the 2020 IAN Book of the Year Awards! YAY!
If you're looking for Christmas gifts, you might want to check out some of the amazing children/teens/YA IAN 2020 winners here:
- Goodreads Giveaway
Second, I gave away 3 Ben Archer and the Cosmic Fall books on Goodreads in November.
1602 people participated and Goodreads picked 3 winners! I'm stoked!
Congratulations to:
- Ashli from Arkansas
- Julie from Alaska
- Amanda from Mississippi
- Ben Archer and the Toreq Son
Third: the first draft of Ben Archer and the Toreq Son is practically wrapped up! I'm super excited and nervous about this 6th installment in The Alien Skill Series. It's been by far the most challenging book to write, not only on the creative science-fiction side, but also because many knots needed to be tied.
I would have loved to release this book before Christmas just because I hated to leave you dangling at the end of book 5, but I'm so glad I gave myself some extra time to go over the details of the book. You'll get a cleaner, much more enjoyable and exciting read!
Stay tuned for more information starting January 2021!
COMING March 2, 2021
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HWQYPH5
GIFTS and FUN ACTIVITIES!
Let 's get to the fun stuff!
a) Participate in the Ben Archer Photo Quilt!
Do you remember when we did a Ben Archer Photo Quilt last year? That was so inspiring! We had people from all over the globe participating, with some beautiful and sometimes poignant pictures.
Let's do that again - especially since we have lots of new members.
Email me a picture of a Ben Archer book in front of your Christmas tree, or next to a candle, or next to an encouraging message before December 30, 2020 (you can be on the picture or not, it's up to you - I'm camera shy, so don't worry, I get it).
I'll paste all the pictures together into a photo quilt and share it with you in my next newsletter.
SEND YOUR PICTURE TO:
b) Enter to win a Ben Archer book!
I'm giving away 5 Ben Archer books. Answer the questions in the Google Form before December 10, 2020:
c) 24 days till Christmas - 24 ebooks to give away
Check out my Instagram.
I will post a picture of a Ben Archer book for 24 days (starting today, December 1, until December 24). Follow the simple instructions and you could win the ebook. I will pick a winner randomly the next day.
d) Extract from Ben Archer and the Toreq Son
Last but not least...
Here is an exclusive, super-secret glimpse into the upcoming 6th book in The Alien Skill Series.
This is raw, unedited, copyrighted work!
Do not share! This is a gift for you only! :)
What's up in the neighbourhood?
The good thing about self-isolating is that our Christmas tree is up with plenty of time to go. I don't think we've ever been this organized this time of year.
Also, we got a kitten.
It's name is Cheerio and the curious thing is that we don't know if it's a boy or a girl. The vet will tell us next week so maybe I'll know more for next time. Anyway, our older cat is furious and runs away hissing and growling as soon as Cheerio wants to go give it a playful kiss on the nose. Poor kitty! We have our hands full maintaining peace in our house.
Seriously, how can you growl at this tiny face?
December 2020 reading list
Monsters, Myths, and Microchips by Andrew D. Connell
Imagine Indiana Jones, Percy Jackson, and Stargate rolled into one epic sci-fi adventure. Perfect for teenage boys and fans of Young Adult fiction.
Monsters, myths, and legends exist outside our imagination. They are the echoes of a long-forgotten history.
Deep beneath the Nile, a submerged tomb has been opened, revealing the remains of mythical creatures and an artefact of incredible power. Those responsible for making the discovery will stop at nothing to keep it a secret.
Eight months later, teenager Sean Livingstone happens across photos of the legendary artefact. How was something this important kept secret – especially from his estranged dad, a world-famous archaeologist? Seconds after he downloads the images, they vanish from the internet. Sean is left puzzled. Has he unwittingly exposed a conspiracy of world-shattering proportions? Or is he simply being fooled by an elaborate hoax?
School vacation is drawing near. Sean is all set to leave Australia for Egypt, where he will join his dad's research project to scan the Great Pyramid for hidden chambers. It's a dream come true – aside from one major problem. Sean remains haunted by the death of his mother. It's a secret his dad buried and concealed like a royal tomb, never to be disturbed.
Sean is determined to unearth the truth, regardless of how painful. He is about to enter a world plagued with deadly adversaries, chilling conspiracies, ancient mysteries, and terrifying revelations about the origins of life on Earth.
Monsters, Myths, and Microchips is the thrilling prequel novella to the Sean Livingstone Adventure series.
Read here.
Peacekeeper's Passage by Wayne Meyers
Can Hofen become a peacekeeper when he can't even stand up for himself?
Hofen is both thrilled and terrified when the peacekeepers' guild adopts him a year early, but he painfully learns surviving until his thirteenth birthday--when his guild training begins--won't be easy. Bullied inside and out of the guildhall for being an "outskirts" boy and denied access to the fighting skills a peacekeeper apprentice studies, he must secretly learn to protect himself on his own--even though discovery of his clandestine spying means expulsion.
Fused between rigid traditionalism and inexplicable technology, the Scriptures of Bellisprodus dictate all the rules for this moralistic, guild-based culture. The peacekeepers are sworn to enforce and defend these Scriptures with their lives. So when the peacekeeper masters learn of a plot that threatens the very fabric of their society, Hofen must overcome his fear of losing this new life and home he's come to love in order to preserve it.
Read here.
Wishing you good health, peace and happiness. See you in 2021!
Rae