Allow Me to Introduce…

Each spring, I head out to various homeschool conferences to vend as Imagination Investigation. There I promote resources for practicing discernment along with my favorite Christian novels, especially those belonging to the science-fiction and fantasy genres.

As a result I’m constantly reading and constantly finding new authors to add to my list. So allow me to introduce you to this year’s additions and their fabulous books:

Lindsay A. Franklin is a best-selling author, freelance editor, and homeschooling mom of three. She would wear pajama pants all the time if it were socially acceptable. Lindsay lives in her native San Diego with her scruffy-looking nerf-herder husband, their precious geeklings, three demanding thunder pillows (a.k.a. cats), and a stuffed wombat with his own Instagram following. You can find Lindsay on social media, too, if Wombatman hasn't hijacked all her accounts. She's @LinzyAFranklin on Instagram and Twitter, and she Facebooks at www.facebook.com/LindsayAFranklin.

The Story Peddler is a young adult fantasy about a girl whose storytelling creates visible sculptures—which is all fine and dandy until they start revealing truths that the king doesn’t want told! Fabulous reading for those who enjoy adventurous fantasy. (And book 2, The Story Raider is scheduled to release later this summer!)

S. D. Grimm’s first love in writing is young adult fantasy and science fiction. That's to be expected from someone who looks up to heroes like Captain America and Wonder Woman, has been sorted into Gryffindor, and isn't much taller than a hobbit. Her patronus is a Red Voltron Lion, her spirit animal is Toothless, and her lightsaber is blue. She believes that with a little faith, a lot of love, and an untamed imagination, every adventure is possible. That's why she writes. Her office is anywhere she can curl up with her laptop and at least one large-sized dog. You can learn more about her upcoming novels at www.sdgrimm.com.

Children of the Blood Moon (Scarlet Moon, Amber Eyes, Black Blood) is another young adult fantasy trilogy about a specially gifted group of teens born during a blood moon and who are hunted by an evil queen as a result. Great reading for the fans of high fantasy!

Mike Hamel is a seasoned storyteller who first told the adventures of Matterhorn to his four children—Aaron, Nate, Matthew and Julie—as bedtime stories. The children have grown, and so has the series. He is also the author of the TLC series and several books for adults. He and his wife, Cindy, live in Colorado Springs. He blogs at OPEN Mike, www.MikeHamel.wordpress.com.

Matterhorn the Brave (The Sword and the Flute, Talis Hunters, Pyramid Scheme, Jewel Heist, Dragon’s Lair, Rylan the Renegade, Tunguska Event, The Book of Stories): Ignore the less-than-stellar cover art! These eight adventure stories for middle grade readers (8-12 years) are funny and exciting with quirky characters and a unique blend of portal fantasy and pseudo-time travel.

Joshua Johnston grew up reading the grand masters of science fiction and still devotes more time to their endless galaxies than he really should. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri, with his wife and two daughters.

The Chronicles of Sarco (Edge of Oblivion, Into the Void, Through Chaos): A fan of space opera or Star Trek? Then join Captain Jared Carter and his crew as they search for the lost fragments of an ancient manuscript that may hold the key to a planet swallowing civilizations whole.

So there’s some of the new books found on my tables. See one that looks interesting, but you won’t be at one of the conferences I’m vending? No problem. You can buy a copy through my online bookstore.

Now back to my reading list to find some more great reads.