The Pearl in the Darkness
Light of Mine Series Book 1
by Santana Saunders
Genre: Apocalyptic Fantasy
IMMERSE
YOURSELF IN THE POWERFUL 2020 DEBUT NOVEL FROM SANTANA SAUNDERS
“We
went too far. Father is mad. No one make a sound…”
Filled
with the suspense and lyrical writing that draws readers to The
Stand by
Stephen King, a witty humor in the tradition of Andy Weir, The
Martian,
and a fierce female lead for fans of The
Hunger Games by
Suzanne Collins.
In
a not-so-distant future, recurring acts of terrorism lead to the
abolishment of all religion. Believers taking a stand against the
ruling are placed in institutions. All existing Bibles, Quranands and
Vedas are destroyed—or so they thought.
Leora
Smith, a witty, thirty-year-old medical transcriptionist, lives a
quiet life due to a debilitating disorder and unwavering faith that
must be kept hidden. Her world is turned upside down when a celestial
being informs her of the forthcoming apocalypse and assigns her to
recruit experts imperative to the subsistence of the society that
will remain when the dust settles.
Each
recruit has a story that can only be seen behind closed doors.
Leora’s childhood friend and numerous enlightened allies band
together in an effort to persuade the best and brightest.
As
nature bends in accordance to the plan, Leora's preconceived notions
of everything good and evil are about to be tested.
★
PRAISE
FOR THE PEARL IN THE DARKNESS ★
"Let
me just say it kept me up at night thinking about it for days
afterwards…I can’t wait for the second book in the
series!” @what_banana_read
“The
settings were vivid, I felt like I was in the middle of this crazy
ride.”@annewithapen
“…it
was so addictive to read— I wanted more! If you’re looking for a
unique dystopian fantasy this one is for
you!” @desireesbookcorner
“…that
ending really shook me. It was very unexpected and now I’m stalking
Santana’s Instagram for hints on the
sequel.”@bookish.and.blue
“Clever,
fun, unexpected…If you like fantasy with unexpected twists you’ll
enjoy this.”@coffee_then_words
**Only .99cents!!**
How The Pearl in the Darkness Came To Be
by Santana Saunders
The story all started with
the idea of a rather reclusive character, Leo Smith, who would have to break
out of her shell to recruit individuals that would remain after the apocalypse.
Then I thought, what if she’s living in a world where believing in a supreme
being that cannot be seen is forbidden? It quickly unraveled from there. I was
shocked at all the new characters that developed in her world, and how easily
they grew in their own important role. Some days, I fell in love with them and
the next I despised them. It was an emotional rollercoaster in a good way.
One of my
favorite characters to write was the Archangel Michael. I wanted his physical
description and the way he carried himself to conflict with the general
stereotype we have given celestial beings. I gave him quite a disheveled
appearance and a sarcastic sense of humor. He knew if Leo was to stand tall in
front of skeptics, she would need some practice handling rejection. It was just
what she needed to step outside of her fears and into the opportunity in front
of her.
Once the
recruitment phase of her story had been completed, I knew it was time for the
world around her to fade to dark— and that it did! Writing all of the
apocalyptic scenes was a rush. I found myself hunched over my laptop on an
adrenaline rush far too late each night. Those were some of my favorite scenes.
The ones that left my heart racing and reminded me that you can’t have the
light without the dark.
Santana
Saunders grew up along the Missouri River in rural North Dakota,
where the sandbars were far-off lands and the canoes were pirate
ships.
Santana
went on to pursue a career in marketing, and creative writing went on
the back-burner. In 2019, she and her family found themselves
relocating to Florida. Sandbars and canoes quickly became beaches and
ocean. This change of scenery inspired her to return to
writing.
Today,
she is a Florida-based author of fantasy and thriller novels. When
she isn't reading or writing stories she is playing at the beach with
her husband and three daughters or attempting a DIY home project that
will surely take weeks longer than anticipated to accomplish.
This sounds like a really good read.
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