Author Steven Clark Bradley is a multifaceted, professionally published author. Because of Steven’s unique experience as a world-traveling author, he is able to very vividly and authentically write about place that many have only read about and few have actually seen. Steven simply loves writing, and he has been blessed to travel extensively and loves to see the world. His travels around the world to 35 countries give him a really interesting amount and unique ways of explaining the characters in his stories. The driving force of his life is to tell the world around him what he has seen and how it impacts our lives today, how yesterday brought us to where we are now, and how it will certainly affect us all in the future.

Click Here To Go To Author Steven Clark Bradley's Amazon Author's Page
Showing posts with label Science Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science Fiction. Show all posts

Take A Look At "Homeless Like Me" by Donald James Parker


Homeless Like Me
The premise of this book is something I have thought about doing as a writer, myself. I am by no means a wealthy man now, but there was a time when all I built up just was wised away and I wondered about researching the homeless plight and try to get into their heads and figure out what drove them to such depths.

In my younger years, when I had not yet met the many rigors of adulthood, I thought all homeless people were mentally ill and worthless. I know, that's pretty harsh and, it was not until I faced the ruin of what I had worked for that understood that most of us are but a few missing paychecks out of the homeless shelter. So, my outlook widened and my mercy grew and I understood that so many made a decision, one day that they had bucked up against the system long enough and screw it all! I saw that and made a conscious decision to fight back and never give up my dreams. So, it seems is Brian, the main character of the novel, Homeless Like Me by Donald James Parker.

I hope you will read the description below of this fine novel. I think of the words of the Psalm of David, King of Israel "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there."
(Psalm 139 verse 8)

Wherever we go, God is there, and He is not silent. This book very profoundly demonstrates God's care in the deepest and most entrenched broken lives. You should read it. It will speak to you.

Steven Clark Bradley
Author of Patriot Acts Nimrod Rising StillBorn!
Probable Cause

Brian has a dream of writing the great American novel. He knows that without a gimmick to set him apart from the rest of the pack, he'll never succeed. From reading Black Like Me, he gets the idea to masquerade as a homeless man to get the material to write the saga of those suffering from poverty. During his first visit to the local homeless shelter to gather facts, he is accosted by Zeke, one of the subjects of his research.

In order to save his skin, Brian spills his guts to the huge black man. After hearing the story, Zeke sees value in the project for his homeless brethren, and pledges to help the wannabe paperback writer. Also on his first visit, a vision of loveliness, aptly named Angel, takes away Brian's breath and subsequently his heart. She turns out to be a fanatical Christian who is waiting for God to reveal the identity of her future husband. Brian decides to write a novel and make Angel the heroine hoping to win her heart in the process.

About The Author

Don is a 1968 graduate of Madison Central High School in Madison, South Dakota. He graduated from Dakota State University in Madison in 1972 with a degree in secondary education. After moving to Washington State in 1981, Don studied computer programming and turned his writing efforts to software.

After twenty-five years of IT work, Don's passion for writing flared up again, and the doctors couldn't do anything to cure it. The outcome is a five book series involving two generations of the Masterson family and four stand alone novels to date. The main focus of his work involves entertaining while educating through the struggle of his characters to find truth. Rather than avoiding controversial subjects, Parker seeks out to shine a spotlight on issues of life which cause conflict.

What Do Readers Think?

A Compelling Read From Beginning To End, November 29, 2009
by Apex Reviews (Durham, NC USA)

In his efforts to write the Great American Novel, Brian comes up with an ingenious idea: in order to depict the plights of homeless people struggling against poverty, he decides to masquerade as a homeless man. That way, his story will not only be convincing, it will also be based on the genuine, authentic experience of being homeless. As his journey unfolds, though, something quite unexpected happens to Brian: he falls for Angel, a vision of pure loveliness with a heart as big as the Grand Canyon. The only problem: Angel is an impassioned Christian soldier determined not to marry until God delivers her husband to her - whereas Brian has no use for religion at all. As his literary efforts evolve in an effort to win Angel's heart, Brian is little prepared for the ways in which he himself will actually be changed when all is said and done...

Homeless Like Me courageously exposes the reader to one of the more often ignored aspects of the human experience. Deriving its name from a play on the title of the familiar work Black Like Me, author Donald James Parker's insightful tale chronicles a similar journey through the good, bad, and ugly experiences of a particular subset of the greater population. Without falling into hyperbole or exaggeration, Homeless Like Me provides the reader with invaluable insight into how devastating homelessness can be - as well as just how easily it can happen to anyone, regardless of the stability of your current situation. Despite the heaviness of the subject, though, Parker's trademark humor adds just the right touch of levity, providing an effective counterbalance to what could be a decidedly difficult subject to explore.

A compelling read from beginning to end, Homeless Like Me is recommended reading for anyone unfamiliar with the specific trials and tribulations that accompany life as a homeless person. Sure to inspire an increased appreciation for the plights of people from all walks of life.


Latonya Franklin Apex Reviews Homeless like me: A review, October 31, 2009 by A. Liu "Artimus"

Homeless Like Me is a novel/e-book published by Sword of the Spirit Publications, a small Christian publishing house set up by the author and a few others interested in spreading the word of God. I was approached by Donald through Book Blogs and invited to review one of his books.

Homeless Like Me has taken inspiration from the international bestseller Black Like Me, written by John Howard Griffin, a white man who posed as an African American for six weeks travelling through the more racially segregated areas of America in the late 1950's.

Although Homeless has taken its cue from Black Like Me, it has gone off on a very different pathway. Brian, the protagonist, is a guy interested in making a quick fortune by writing a book about what it is like to be homeless. As part of his research he visits the local homeless shelter posing as one of those down on their luck but things get hairy when he is busted by Zeke, a big bear-like man who doesn't take kindly to Brian's covert mission. However, they soon find that each has something that the other needs and an uneasy friendship is formed and their journey takes them to some very unexpected places, both physically and metaphysically.

This book contains a lot of different strong themes: homelessness, homosexuality, Christianity and the global economic crisis - which makes the 200 odd pages seem very crowded and a little confused in places. In the first half of the book, I felt that the narrative relied too heavily on character dialogue, mainly between Brian and Zeke, but the flow improved greatly in the second half.

As readers, we join Brian and Zeke, two non-believers as they struggle with their skepticism about God and religion in general. The spiritual struggle that they go through, Brian's in particular, was very effective and realistically mirrors a lot of people's internal conflict about God. With the help of Brian's love interest Angel and the perceptive Soaring Eagle, Brian and Zeke eventually resolve their own struggles and take on the struggles of others.

Being not of the Christian faith myself, I have to admit that at times I found this a highly challenging read. The evangelical religious content of this book is very clear and holds no punches - something not often found on the bookshelves of your local bookstore.

The mission of Sword of the Spirit publications is, according to their website: to distribute uplifting, inspirational, exhortational and challenging literature, both fiction and nonfiction, that will help non-believers understand and embrace Jesus and solidify the faith of the believers and aid them in the quest to live a Godly lifestyle.

I think this book meets that mission with (spiritual) guns blazing through this interesting and compelling story.

Written by Kathryn Liu http://kathmeista.blogspot.com

Get your copy of
Homeless Like Me Here
At Amazon.com

At Barnes and Noble.com
Homeless Like Me @ Barnes and Noble

Go To

http://DonaldJamesParker.com

http://SwordOfSpirit.net

To Learn More About
Author Donald Parker
And His Writing

Here are a few of
Donald James Parker's Other Books

Cheri is an innocent fourteen-year-old raised in a small town in Nebraska. Her father lands a promotion, demoting her to a status of 'nobody' in a much larger and inhospitable city. One of the few people she connects with in her new school spills the beans that Cheri is still a virgin. Some of her cool schoolmates exert pressure on her to unbuckle the chastity belt. Faced with the loneliness of the new environment and coupled with relationship problems with her father, Cheri finds the temptation growing strong. When her father recruits a sixty-something babysitter, she is ready to rebel. However, she finds that Jean Macalester is no ordinary woman. Jean's womanly wisdom, background as a flute teacher, and love of God provide a counterweight to the peer pressure of Judy Green, the girl who goes on a crusade to convert Cheri to modern morality. When Cheri and Duke Williams, Cheri's new crush, discover the church youth group plans a chastity pledge, they have to decide whether to join or fly solo.

LOVE BECOMES A REAL SCIENCE For Jeremy, a high school senior growing up near Seattle, there are five seasons: rainy, dry, football, basketball, and baseball season. Jeremy`s world has always revolved around his father and sports. Now there is a new Heavenly body in town whose gravity is pulling Jeremy away from the orbit around his dad. Maria Masterson, the new girl in school, is on a mission to make her voice heard in the debate over the theory that man evolved from lower life forms. Jeremy`s father adamantly believes in Charles Darwin`s theory. Who will win the tug of war over Jeremy`s heart and mind?

Jeremy has studied the theory of evolution and its inherent weaknesses. His conclusion is that the world itself is a testimony to the existence of a creator. He decides to throw himself into studying religion to find out if he can determine who that creator might be and what such a powerful entity desires of him. His motivation is strong due to his love for Maria, who introduced him to Christianity, but Jeremy won't sacrifice truth even for the love of his life. He must find satisfactory answers to all of his inquiries, in order to pave the way to a mutually dedicated relationship based on common ideals.

Maria Masterson and Jeremy Dillon are innocent kids whose world is altered drastically. Their decision to engage the culture they live in and battle for truth in the debate concerning the creation of the Universe and mankind leads them into conflicts in which their adversaries do not always fight by Queensberry rules. A reminder that Christians are to overcome evil with good halts them in their tracks in an attempt to fight back with similar methods. Their only weapon is the Sword of the Spirit of Truth. Their dexterity in the use of this weapon increases as the two are pulled into a battle that they can't win in their own power. This novel could serve as a primer on how to stand tall in a world that wants any person of faith in their Creator to lay low. This book presents intellectual and moral handholds and toeholds for those not afraid to do some spiritual rock climbing.

The saga of Bambi continues as the young basketball player steps up to the college level. Later, the end of his scholastic days brings new changes and challenges as he enters the playing court of adult life. He discovers his enthusiasm, energy, and talent aren't always enough to win this game. A new friend introduces him to the Evolution debate, and Bambi begins a new chapter in his life as he becomes a truth seeker. Track and cross country are featured through the exploits of a delightful new character named Maria.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Patriot Acts by Steven Clark Bradley

Where is Patriot Acts available?

This new exciting novel is easy to find and available all over the net. Here are a few links to help you secure you own copy of Patriot Acts.

Patriot Acts (Print Version) at Amazon,com

Patriot Acts (Print Version) at Cambridge Books

Patriot Acts (Electronic Version) at Ebooks on the net

Patriot Acts (Electronic Version) at Amazon.com

Patriot Acts (Electronic Version) at Fictionwise.com

Patriot Acts (Electronic Version) at Mobipocket.com

I hope everyone who reads this will not just think
it is entertainment or the irrational rambling of a scared
American. I am not afraid; I am convinced that no one
will secure our future except us.
That is why I declare the main theme of Patriot Acts
in one key phrase:

No unconditional Talks
Just patriot Acts!


You can read more of
Steven Clark Bradley's
work at any of these blogs
listed below:


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Interview with Donna Sundblad Author Beyond the Fifth Gate

(Book Banner by Steven Clark Bradley)

Author of the creative writing book, Pumping Your Muse, and two fantasy novels Windwalker, and Beyond the Fifth Gate, Donna Sundblad also writes inspirational non-fiction and is published in several anthologies including Life Savors published by Tyndale. Articles have appeared in The Writer Magazine, You and Me – America's Medical Magazine, and more. She is a regular contributor and group editor at LoveToKnow. Donna serves as a Tour Coordinator for Promo 101 Virtual Blog Tours and is the Senior Non-Fiction Editor and a Senior Fantasy Editor at ePress-online. A transplanted Midwesterner, she now lives in rural NW Georgia where she enjoys life with her husband, gardening and learning more about the local wildlife.

Beyond the Fifth Gate

Elita awakens from a nightmare in which she struggles as a 12-year-old against an insectoid race that carries her into captivity. Now twelve years later, her reality is one of forced labor. She lives in a hive complex where humans are forbidden to speak, write, or read. The promise of freedom swells when the prophetic conjunction of five planets marks the long-awaited Kamali's Cycle. But first, as the Chosen, she must travel through five mystical gates during the planets' conjunction and return to Haldis with items key to that freedom. Elita follows Kamali's light into a cave in the eastern foothills. The portal closes behind her, and the first gate opens to a one way quest into strange worlds and a race to collect what she needs from beyond each gate to free her people before time runs out. How will she know what to take from world to world?
~~~

Interview with Donna Sundblad Author Beyond the Fifth Gate


You clearly demonstrated for readers that you are a true lover of fantasy. Could you tell us how your deep appreciation for this genre came about


I don't remember not loving fantasy and Sci-fi. As a child I enjoyed stories like The Little Lame Prince, about a boy who could not walk but was given a magical cloak that carried him on various adventures. Fantasy opens the door to possibilities beyond our everyday reality. It creates unique avenues of adventure into the unknown, with plenty of twists and conflict along the way.


What's funny is people who say they don't like fantasy and will watch The Wizard of Oz every time it comes on television. Within the genre there are several sub genres. Within each of them, magical components combine with the human element to create fertile ground for the fantastic. My father loved fantasy, and I think that rubbed off on me. He was the first person I knew who read Tolkien's Trilogy.


Beyond the Fifth Gate has a very powerful revolutionary spirit of the trodden-down masses feel in it. Could you describe for us how the basic story formed, Was there a certain experienced that fostered the thought, before you actually wrote anything down?


The first seeds of an idea for this book came about through a "flip side" exercise from my writing book Pumping Your Muse. It required me to take a current scene and flip details. The result found Elita standing in a cavern before a pulsating light she believes will guide her on her quest, but the star explodes into thousands of pieces. At the time, I didn't know the rest of the story, so I worked on details that would have led her to that cave. The result is a journey of faith, and like real life has its ups and downs which brings about growth and change.


I continued to follow writing exercises to help develop ideas and scenes for the rest of this story, and another resulted in a scene where characters lived in a hive-like complex. Humans were not allowed to communicate verbally and their overseers were large insectoids which I based on praying mantises. The humans communicated through writing in the dust and sign language, and I learned through their exchange that the plan for freedom included killing the queen. This scene helped define the purpose of the quest—freedom.


I'm a history buff, and I'd say that influences my writing, too, though you wouldn't probably tie this story with the work camps of World War II. That played a role in the development of this story. The unfair treatment of the humans, their rights stripped away as they are forced to live enslaved to serve the mantids. In society, we often think majority rule is the way to go, while a handful of people who see the truth are ignored as fanatics until it is too late. Or we give more credence to a person with "credentials" than we do to someone with practical experience, such as Elita's father because he was a farmer. I hope this book will help people to think beyond media hype and peer pressure.


There are so many interesting characters in your novel. Yet, of all the actions of those under Alien rule, it was the idea of the "Mantids" which I found to be both frightening and interesting. I wonder why you chose to use an insectoid race as the masters over an enslaved humanity. Did you chose this alien form because it scares you or because of a respect of such critters' tenacity and strength?


Actually, I used an insectoid race to bring in elements of mistrust and prejudice that were not directed at humans. This makes it easier for everyone reading the book to relate without pre-existing beliefs or traditions dictating their feelings or response to what is happening in the story.


At the start of the story lines are drawn and the readers take sides. It's easy to hate the mantids, and then circumstances beyond the first gate start to blur that line. Exchanges between characters create thought provoking situations which reflect the fact that stereotypes do not take into consideration an individual and their value. I'd like to think that perhaps it could cause my readers to rethink their own prejudices.


The concept for the mantids stemmed from the work ethic of ants. They are industrious, hardworking, and of course in fantasy fiction they become quite interesting when you throw in some human-like characteristics to give them personality.


Elita shines throughout the book, to say the least, and carries the story to an excellent conclusion. Could you describe if the character of Elita was patterned after anyone you know?


No, Elita is her own person. At first, I imagined her as a Lara Croft type character, but as the story developed I realized she was more vulnerable. She came from humble circumstances and was taken from her family at the age of 12. All she had was the foundation her parents had laid and her knowledge of the prophecies. But she uses that, and while living in the work camps is amazed that people look to her for answers. Her faith is strong until it is tested. She is selected as The Chosen to be the one who brings freedom to her people. It is then that doubts and fears gnaw at her resolve. She's definitely a strong character with flaws…I guess she is part of me.


Do you believe a future similar to that which you described in your book is actually a possibility for the human race?


Not with an insectoid race, but yes. If people are willing to sit back and embrace evil in the name of tolerance, the evil may befall us and we'll be almost powerless to stop it. It doesn't seem possible, but consider what happened to the Jews, gypsies and other "undesireables" who lost not only their rights and property to Hilter, but many of them lost their lives. You never know what criteria will determine who is undesireable. In our country right now, those who are wealthy are being targeted. You can always spin a story to make any one look like the bad guy. It's when people believe it without thinking for themselves that you run into trouble.


If you had to described the most important message from your story, what would it be?


That's a hard one. I guess I'd say it is to not judge others based on what someone else has to say about them. And not to judge an entire race or group based on what one individual does. Prejudice and stereotypes lead to unnecessary hatred.


A second theme I also think important is faith. We often hear of blind faith, and while true faith is in things unseen it's important that you base that faith on facts rather than feelings because when the going gets tough feelings can't be trusted. You need an anchor that doesn't move. Elita's faith wavers at times when she doubts herself, but it is renewed when she trusts the prophecies. It is the core of her strength.


Will there be a sequel to Beyond The Fifth Gate?


Yes, I've started the sequel. The working title is Lost Cantos. I can't tell you too much about it because it could be a story spoiler for people who haven't read Beyond the Fifth Gate yet, because it picks up where the story ends. Let me just say, we'll be learning much more about the purple planet, and we will be seeing more of Elita, Terril and Vilama as well as new characters my readers haven't met yet.


Finally, would you tell us what drives you to such a powerful exercise of creativity, in writing such a book that fundamentally paints a different world than any of us have imagined?


Part of it is the powerful imagination God blessed me with, but to discover these worlds within my imagination the key was writing exercises. My first book, Pumping Your Muse, is a creative writing book. It's not an academic approach to creativity, but a more tactile approach to the creative process. If you're a creative type and want to harness that creativity, this book takes your imagination on a roller coaster ride. Through these exercises I not only learned how to develop worlds, but actually created new worlds which made it into the pages of my first novel Windwalker and then through flip side exercises, also became part of Beyond the Fifth Gate. My challenge in Beyond the Fifth Gate was to tie the different worlds together through the use of mystical gates. The writing of it was a great journey and I've had a lot of positive feedback. I can't ask for more than that.

~~~

A Review by

Beyond The Fifth Gate Is Power-Packed and Fun!

I recently read this excellent book and I can say that it is a wonderful read! If you like stories that can be a bit tense and yet very fun to read, Donna Sunblad has scored a great success!

I do not read a lot of fantasy, but I found the harrowing story of this young girl, Elita as she follows Kamali's light to get to the the fifth gate that will reveal the secret to freedom from the domination of the Mantids, an insectoid race that has enslaved humanity a great trip into imagination that really hooks me. I was impressed with how Donna Sunblad has woven a tale that gets into the mind, fear and courage of this young heroine, Elita. I felt as though I knew this young lady and that I had traveled her journey together with her to rescue her people. The plot is solid and the atmosphere is painted perfectly by this fine author.

In this world that often keeps us so busy that we scarcely have time to breathe, it is wonderful to sit down and read a book that takes us out of this world and into another, a world that is in dire need of "Chosen One" to lead us out of despair. I know you'll love this story and I hope you will get a copy and read it to the end!

Steven Clark Bradley
Author of Patriot Acts Nimrod Rising StillBorn! Probable Cause

Excerpt from
Beyond The Fifth Gate
Chapter 1

Elita sat at her father's feet among a small group of locals meeting within a tiny cottage nestled in the rolling foothills. His finger traced the words on the ancient scroll. "Did you hear me? Listen to these words," he repeated in his teaching voice. "It doesn't say we who live in the country will be exempt. It says, 'Every town and village,' and that means us. We can't hide from the widespread 'increase in evil propensities.' I've heard they've taken over the cities and it's just a matter of time. . . We have to fight back while we have the chance."

* * * *

A few of the men and women who had gathered in the small room nodded. Others looked with blank expressions out the windows facing north as if studying the nearby mountains. Elita stifled a yawn. The other children no longer attended. She wanted to ask what propensities were, but from the looks on the adult faces now was not the time. Not everyone had patience for her questions, and some thought she was too young to participate at all at times like this.


Too young. The very words irked her. After all, at age 12 she was only three years from marrying. Not that she knew anybody who wanted to marry her. Things had changed so much since the mantids' arrival. Her father restricted her comings and goings. He believed the mantids were trying to take over the world. It was their fault she had to sit through these teaching times without a playmate. Her father insisted that the prophecies be handed to the next generation to prepare them to recognize and fight the evil presence.


"The Chosen One," he said looking up at an invisible presence with a hint of awe, "will save our world." He placed his hand on Elita's head and smiled.


Torkel, their closest neighbor, from a farm five miles down the road, shifted on his hard chair next to the fireplace. "How will we know who this Chosen One is? What is the sign so that we will not be misled?"


"Good question." Elita's father looked down into her eyes. "Elita, would you like to answer Torkel's question?"


Elita glanced at the floorboards and pulled in a deep breath, but nodded. She looked at the men and women gathered with them. Some were friends, others strangers. "We'll know by the alignment of the five planets." She glanced toward her father who tipped his head for her to go on. He knew this aspect of the prophecies fascinated her. "Kamali will appear in the east marking the first gate. The Chosen One will see his light and has one week to travel through all five mystical gates and return to our world. Upon their return, the Chosen will carry with them something from each gate. Something to save us. . ." She looked to her father for affirmation.


"Thank you, Elita."


Her chest swelled with pride, and he turned his attention back to his guests. "Those living in the time of the alignment will know who the Chosen One is. It's not important that we know now, unless. . ." He leaned and stared into the sky through the window. "No, I don't see anything other than our sun setting in the sky, and it tells me it's getting late."


A few of the people chuckled. Elita shifted her weight on the wooden floor and rubbed her knees through her trousers. Her mother walked into the room balancing a tray of crisp sweets and bent to offer one to her husband.


He plucked one of the honey-sweetened treats from the tray and while her mother served the others, her father snuck his crisp into his daughter's hand. She sat up a little straighter and sucked the golden treat. It lasted so much longer that way.


The people exchanged farewells at the door until the last of them left the small family to the peace Elita enjoyed. The size of the gatherings had diminished over the last couple of years. It hurt her father so she didn't talk about it. Many called him a fanatic.


"Elita, you did well this evening. Before our next meeting, I'd like you to make a list of the prophecies you know." Her father walked across the small square room to rekindle the fire in the fireplace.


Elita's heart dropped. Not another child in the province has to complete assignments like this. It's not fair. "Why can't I just tell you?"


He brushed soot from his hands and propped them on his thighs as he knelt before the growing fire. "Very well, what can you tell me?" He placed a log on the flame.


"Well. . ." She played with the dark braid draped over her shoulder. "There will be deceit, lying and criminal activity."


"Very good. And what do you think that means?"


She shrugged. "I guess it means by the time the conjunction of the planets happens this world won't be a very nice place to live. Is that why you want to fight back?"


Elita's mother looked at her father and swallowed hard. She wiped her hands on her apron out of nervous habit.


"Can I ask a question?" Elita asked.


"Of course, and please sit in the chair." He pointed.


She scurried to the chair and sat while searching for the right words. "It's . . . well . . . there's five planets and five gates, right?"


"That's correct."


"And there's seven days to complete the journey?"


"That's correct."


"Here's what I don't understand. Why is it seven days when there are only five gates?"


"That's a good question, a perfect example of how people misread the prophecy. It is true there are five gates and five planets. However, when the planets align it marks the fact that the Chosen One will have seven days to make it through all five gates. What if it takes three days to find the first gate? How many days are left?"


The realization of her father's words brought new understanding. "You mean if they don't see Kamali's light for the first three days they only have four days left to make it through all the gates?"


"That right." He nodded. "And once the Chosen One enters that first gateway there is no turning back. The gate closes. It's a one-way journey."


"That's scary. The Chosen One will have to be brave."


"Another thing to realize is that if there isn't faith enough to see Kamali, the alignment of the planets will come and go without the journey taking place."

"Part of me hopes that none of this happens until I'm old."


Elita's mother chuckled. "I know what you mean." She patted the seat beside her and Elita moved to sit beside her mother, who started to unbraid her long hair.


Her father shook his head. "It's not about us. It's about all of mankind."


In her heart, Elita trusted the prophecies, but they also scared her.


"Why would people miss the coming of Kamali? He is to shine like a bright light in the east."


"Those who are not looking for him will not see him."


Her mother brushed her hair. "Go to the well and wash while I set dinner on the table."


Elita stepped into the twilight and wandered to the well at the back of the clearing. A cacophony of birds called to one another as the sun slid toward the horizon. I love this. She missed being outside, riding her horse freely and hunting with her bow. Even though she'd never seen a mantid, part of her already hated them. It was their fault she had to stay with her parents all the time.


The cool water refreshed her. She dried her face on her sleeve when an odd sense of foreboding stopped her. Silence. Not a bird or cricket sounded. She hurried toward the cottage, the crunch of long grass beneath her feet. Smoke scented the air. In the distance she saw the glow of a large fire. The village!


She turned the corner to the front of the cottage and skidded to a stop. Large ugly creatures hunched to fit through the door. They stepped outside dragging her parents with them. "Father!" she ran toward him when something cool and hard clamped her forearm and scraped her skin as she struggled to free herself.


The diminishing sun highlighted the horror on her mother's face. Her usually happy eyes widened with fear.


The mantid dragged Elita toward a cart without a horse or oxen hitched to draw it. A large cage filled with young people lay on the bed of the cart. She kicked and screamed, but to no avail. The monster threw her into the cage. She stumbled and landed face-to-face with a boy; his red-rimmed eyes stared at her blankly. Elita scrambled to her feet, pressed her face to the bars and stretched her arm toward her parents. "Mother! Father!"


Her mother broke free and ran to the cart; her fingers grasped Elita's and held tight. "Elita, do not forget. . ." Four mantids rushed toward them. One of them ripped her mother's hand from hers and yanked her mother to the ground where two others dragged her toward her father.


"What are they doing?" Elita's voice tore at her throat. "Father! Father help me! Don't let them take me!"


Her father struggled against the mantid, but they outnumbered him. They blocked his way like an armored wall. He shouted over them. "Elita, the oracle is the answer--" A sharp sickle-shaped mantid claw clamped around her father's bicep cutting his words short. His arm dropped to the earth with a sickening thud. Blood spewed across his shirt, shot into the mantid's face and sprayed her mother's tunic. Her father's eyes rolled, and he crumpled to the ground.


Stunned, Elita shrank to the floor of the cage. Evil propensities. The cage-cart moved under its own power further into the country. At each home, the mantids collected the young. Her eyes drifted from face to face in the dim light and then to the sky. She prayed to Kamali hoping to see the planets appear. Instead only the moon climbed into the sky. How could she get free and help her parents? For now, in her mind, she did the last assignment her father had given her. He'd be proud of her. Mentally she made a list of the prophecies she knew.


The sun melted into the horizon. An eerie twilight cast elongated shadows across the crying children. Elita looked away from the misery; an emptiness sought to fill her. She watched the sun disappear and wrapped her arm around the little girl beside her. Beyond the horizon dawns a new beginning. That was her mother's favorite prophecy and now she claimed it as hers. It gave her a little hope. The wheels of the mechanical cart churned up a cloud of dust. Elita closed her eyes and prayed to Kamali. Her father's words echoed in her mind. "It's not about us. It's about all of mankind."


Want To read The Rest? Bet you do! You can get your own copy by clicking one of the links below:

Donna Sundblad's Other Books:

You can see Donna's blogs and other sites at:
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