Hi friends! In a previous post (read it here), I told about my new writing project: A Torch in the Empire Series, a series of historical fiction books set in the first century Roman Empire. I am now very excited to share with you that the first book, The Fire and the Trial, is almost finished! Like my other books, I am independently publishing it through Kindle Direct Publishing. (By the way, I highly recommend Kindle Direct Publishing for writers like me who have something they want to publish right away and want to be in charge of the whole process themselves). I have ordered the proof copy, and Lord willing, it’ll be published and available for you to buy in May. My family is going to the Teach Them Diligently convention in Denver, Colorado, May 23-25, and my goal is to have the book published then. My parents are doing a speaking session at the convention, telling about their 27 years and counting homeschooling journey and the truths they’ve learned along the way. I will be joining them to share how homeschooling has blessed me and given me the freedom to pursue my passions and publish books, and some of the lessons I’ve learned through it. This will be the first time any of us have spoken at a conference, so we're very excited about that! I have had tables selling books at two conferences, though, and we have gone to many, many conferences over the years as consumers. Homeschool conventions are really such fun, and my family and I are always so encouraged after going to one! If you’ve never been to a homeschool convention/conference, you really must go to one! You can learn more about Teach Them Diligently here. Back to the book: like my last book, The Invisible Guide, this book is illustrated by my friend Grace Obenhaus, with additional illustrations by my mama and siblings, and yours truly. Here’s a little peek at the illustrations for you: This amazing illustration of my main characters, Jesse and Abigail, is by Grace. Jesse and Abigail are a Jewish brother and sister living in Jerusalem. The story begins in A. D. 65, the year after the Great Fire of Rome. After the fire, the Emperor Nero began persecuting the Christians. Jesse and Abigail hear of the persecution in faraway Rome, but then suddenly it’s not so far away anymore. Jesse and Abigail’s parents are killed for their faith in a Roman Circus. After the death of their parents, Abigail clings to her faith in Christ. But Jesse is angry. He’s angry at the Romans and angry at God. More than anything, he wants revenge on the Romans, yet he feels helpless to do anything against them. Then one fateful day, Jesse and Abigail find themselves captives on a voyage to Rome. And what awaits them there? Slavery or death? This lovely illustration of the mountains around Jerusalem is by my mama, Debbie McCrary. Psalm 125:2 says, "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever." This incredibly detailed illustration of a prison cell is by my younger sister Sophia. You'll have to wait until you read the book to find out how the cell comes into the story. This great illustration of a fish symbol drawn on a dirt floor is by my little sister Sadie. The ichthus, or fish, was a secret symbol used among the early Christians to identify each other. This awesome illustration by my younger brother Louis is of a Roman trireme, a ship with three banks of oars, one on top of the other. The top row of oars was the longest, the middle row, shorter, and the bottom row, shorter still so that they could all row at once without the oars hitting each other. The ship was originally designed by the Greeks, but the Romans adopted it as their own, as they did many other Greek customs. This is an excellent illustration of a gladius by my little brother Levi. A gladius was a short Roman sword, about two feet long used by soldiers and gladiators (that's how gladiators got their name). And this last illustration of Jesse and Abigail is by me.
Well, always remember, "He who calls you is fatihful, who also will do it," (1 Th. 5:24). All for Him, Savannah Jane
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Hi! I'm Savannah Jane...I'm the author of several books for children and young adults with a passion to encourage young people to live for Jesus. The third born in an amazing family of seven children, I was homeschooled all the way through. This is where I share encouragement for Christian girls, updates about my books, writing tips, book and movie reviews, and assorted other tidbits. Archives
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Quote"When I try, I fail. When I trust, He succeeds."
-Corrie ten Boom I'm on GoodReadsFollow my family's writing, illustrating, and publishing business/ministry.Follow my blog on Bloglovin' |