BOOK EXCERPT: SEVENTH DIMENSION - THE CASTLE: A Young Adult Fantasy: “The Resurrection”

THE RESURRECTION

I sensed I was no longer in the garden. In front of me was a cave.

When I stood, I ached all over.

Somebody approached. I ran and hid.

A Roman official accompanied by two men in chains became visible. Another guard brought up the rear. The four men stopped at the entrance to the cave.

One of the prisoners said, “We rolled this huge boulder up to the entrance. It must weigh four thousand pounds. And we sealed it to make sure no one moved it—even if they were strong enough.”

The official picked up a rock and slammed it on the ground. “Yet it was moved. How did the rabble-rouser escape? A dead man doesn’t climb out of a grave.”

“A thief stole the body,” one of the men said.

“Did you fall asleep?” the official asked.

“No, we did not fall asleep. We took turns sleeping. Someone was always awake.”

The official glared at them. “How could someone have stolen the body if you didn’t fall asleep?”

They exchanged glances. “We don’t know.”

“We must make up a story,” the official said. “We’ll tell Pilate Yeshua’s disciples stole his body. We’ll give you money to keep quiet, and you can pray you aren’t executed for leaving your post.”

One of the soldiers insisted, “He was gone when we left. We didn’t leave our post.”

“You ran away,” the official insisted, “like cowards.”

Silence followed.

One of the men remarked, “See how the boulder is rolled away. Up a slope, not back from the entrance but away from the entire sepulcher. It would have taken several men to move it that distance. How could no one have heard anything? Other guards were nearby.”

The official smirked. “So the rock moved on its own. Yeshua’s disciples slipped in and stole his body, even though you were awake and saw no one?”

“We didn’t fall asleep. There must be another explanation.”

The official fumed. “You can give that other explanation to Pilate before your execution.”

The officials stomped off with their imprisoned former guards. After a couple of minutes, their voices faded in the distance.

The urgency to get Shale’s diary made me impatient to leave, but my body didn’t want to cooperate. I ached all over, including my head, but I was also anxious to examine the empty tomb. How fortunate I was to have stumbled upon it.

Before I moved, another person approached. I stayed hidden.

Soon I saw Mark riding on Truth.

I waved at him from behind the trees. “What are you doing here?”

He trotted over to me. “I found you at last.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked again.

“Well,” Mark stammered. “I wanted to follow you. I lost you when you galloped away, but I had a feeling you were going to the garden. I didn’t find you there, but I found your horse.”

Mark was too smart for his own good.

“After hearing what Mary of Magdala said, I wanted to visit the tomb. Alas, I find you here.”

“You seem to have a habit of secretly following people,” I remarked.

The boy dismounted. “Only people I care about. Besides, someone was about to steal your horse. I ran him off.”

I sighed. “Thank you. I didn’t think about that.”

I had an idea. “Mark, would you like to keep Truth for a while?”

“Truth?”

“The horse.”

“Sure,” Mark replied.

“I need to go to Galilee and return Baruch to his owner.”

“Who is Baruch?” Mark asked.

“The donkey. He’s near the garden entrance. And you can’t follow me to Galilee.”

Mark laughed. “I have no desire to follow you to Galilee. That’s a long way.”

I nodded.

Mark glanced at the tomb. “Did you check inside the sepulcher?”

I shook my head. “No. The Romans just left a minute ago. I haven’t had a chance.”

“Let’s go see.” Mark ran over and I followed.

All that remained was Yeshua’s grave clothes. The wrappings were in the position of a body, slightly caved in, and empty.

“It’s like he left his clothes behind,” Mark commented.

“You would know about that, wouldn’t you?” I responded.

Mark turned red in the face. “That’s not funny, you know.”

I ran my hand through my hair. “You’re right, Mark. I’m sorry.”

Mark shrugged.

I shook my head. That was poor comic relief. “I feel nervous being here. It’s too weird.”

“I know,” Mark said. “It’s creepy.”

I put my hand on his shoulder. “We need to leave before they discover something else.”

“Like what?”

“Don’t ask.” We lingered for a moment longer. Mark wasn’t ready.

“Mary must be right,” exclaimed Mark. “I had to see for myself.”

“Which way is it to the garden? I’m worried about Baruch.”

“How can you not remember?” Mark asked.

“I hit my head yesterday when I fell. It affected my memory.” That was partially true.

“Follow me,” the boy replied.

Garden of Gethsemane

We returned to the garden and found Baruch waiting in the back where Shale and I had left him.

“Do you want some apples?” Mark offered. “I found these.”

“Sure.”

He pulled out several and handed me one. He also gave some to Truth and Baruch. “Donkeys love apples, too.”

As I put the apple in my bag, distant voices filled the garden. How long would it be before they found Judas’s body and the dead guard?

“Mark, we need to leave. Promise me you will take Truth and go back to Bethany now?”

The boy nodded.

I helped him on the horse. “Thank you for taking care of Truth.”

“I’m glad to,” Mark replied.

I slapped the horse’s rear and watched as they cantered away. Once they disappeared, I mounted Baruch.

“Let’s go, hurry.”

The donkey barely moved. I’d forgotten how slow donkeys were. But at last, he did move—at a donkey’s pace. When we reached the main road to Galilee, his slow speed didn’t matter. Hundreds of weary travelers were also traveling home.

While I was grateful for the crowds to help hide me from the Romans, getting there quickly was another matter. We would need to stay overnight in Dothan as the trip to Galilee would take longer than I anticipated.

-->

TO ORDER FROM AMAZON CLICK HERE

BOOK REVIEW: “Seventh Dimension – The Castle: A Young Adult Fantasy,” Five Stars from Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Paula Tran

Seventh Dimension - The Castle: A Young Adult Fantasy by Lorilyn Roberts describes a Jewish man, Daniel, who has been sucked into a seventh dimension. Traveling between different time periods, he is a wanted man by the Roman soldiers. In order to escape persecution and live in peace, Daniel must flee to Jerusalem, but not without complications. He constantly has to look behind his back for Roman soldiers, and has lost God's gifts and many of his possessions. Most of all, he is being tormented by a demon, who tries to make his life as miserable as possible. This novel will definitely be a treasure for readers of all ages. While it has a bit of a fantasy element to it, time travel and dimension traveling is always a classic page turner. However, this book is written in a more serious tone, dealing with some adult issues, problems, and ideas. The Castle also puts a whole new spin on time travel and dimension travel, with religious and cultural aspects to make it more dramatic and emotional. This book has elements that children and adults will love equally.  I also like the way the author portrays the setting, action, and characters throughout the novel. Even in the beginning of the novel, the details are enough to allow readers to paint a picture in their minds, but not too much to bog them down. The characters are also realistic, dealing with problems that readers are able to relate to. In addition, the amount of suspense in the writing is amazing, which keeps the reader interested and turning the pages. 📙📙📙📙📙 Five Stars from Readers' Favorite Reviewer Paula Tran

BOOK REVIEW: SEVENTH DIMENSION – THE CASTLE: A YOUNG ADULT FANTASY: Amazon Reviewer/Author J. Steve Miller

5.0 out of 5 stars

Book 3

ByJ. Steve Milleron December 22, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition

Children grow up hearing and reading Bible stories, but when they become teens, the stories probably lose some of their luster. Sure, there’s always a new insight or a fresh way to apply a familiar passage. But you no longer read the parable of the prodigal son and wonder how the story will end. As a result, we lose a bit of the wonder of it all, failing to grasp what it would have been like to hear it in the first century, as a bystander enraptured by the Teacher’s story.

Enter the power of the historical novel that dares to allow its characters to mingle with Jesus’ followers and see Him in person. Somehow, it gives us an angle that breathes new life into old, familiar stories. At least, that’s what The Castle did for me.

The author certainly made it easy for me to care about her characters and kept me turning pages to see what would happen next (being a sci-fi kind of guy, I loved the bending of space-time elements). But beneath the fast-paced action/adventure was the psychological struggle of worldviews in conflict. A young Jewish man encounters Yeshua, but struggles to believe, particularly in light of the holocaust. It’s as if Yeshua was in some sense a precursor or an earlier form of an individual holocaust.

But whatever readers take away, I think they’ll remember it for more than just an action/adventure with likable characters. Somehow it affected me more deeply. Perhaps it will touch your heart as well.

To Order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other websites, click here

GUEST POST BY LAURA DAVIS: Interview of Lorilyn Roberts

Lion of the tribe of Judah

Several months ago, Laura Davis featured me on her blog when I began working on Seventh Dimension - The Castle, Book 3. Now that The Castle is finished, I decided to repost it here as it shares a lot of my writing journey for the Seventh Dimension Series. Enjoy.

LAURA DAVIS:  For those who aren’t familiar with your work, can you tell us a little about yourself.

LORILYN ROBERTS: My early childhood would make good fodder for a Hollywood movie. My father walked out on my mother when I was a baby and I did not meet him again until I was thirty. Any writing talent I received from God came through him. My mother is the least talented person I have ever met—but her business mind is uncanny.

I suppose you could say I’m the epitome of a frustrated writer without the frustration. I believe God has given me an ordinary beginning, one common to most writers so that His grace will be revealed despite my imperfections. We are all geniuses in disguise waiting for God’s perfection to be manifested. In the meantime, I believe the “becoming” is more important than the end. In the becoming, we learn how to work out our salvation, our struggles, and our writing dreams.

LAURA DAVIS:  How long have you been writing?

LORILYN ROBERTS:  I’ve been writing since I could hold a pencil. I would write stories imitating cursive writing and ask my mother to read them. She would gently say, “Would you like to read that to me?” And I would read her my illegible handwriting. I’ve kept one of the first stories I wrote in a box underneath my bed. Every few years, I’ll pull it out and read it. Then I’ll dubiously wonder if my writing has improved after forty years of court reporting, captioning, publishing seven books, and receiving my Masters in Creative Writing.

I love writing more than reading, cooking, or anything else—except perhaps lying on the beach with a good book or scuba diving. Sometimes I wonder if God has put me in a position where my writing hours are limited so I must balance my life with the mundaneness of everyday living. Otherwise, I might become a hermit and never leave my writing corner. I love losing myself in stories, the creative process of building an imaginative world, and then figuring out how to share that with others.

Writing for me is magical. Sometimes we forget that God is magnificently creative. He longs for us to embrace that magical part of ourselves. Jesus said, “If you don’t believe in me, believe in the works I do.” I see that as a call to use our talents to glorify God and to reveal to readers God’s creativity through our words.

I feel closest to God when I am writing. Sometimes I will hear God say to me, “That’s boring. You can do better than that.” I remind myself, don’t compromise for the sake of expediency. Give the reader every last ounce of creativity I have so God will know it’s my best—for His glory, His honor, His kingdom.

LAURA DAVIS: What is the hardest thing about writing for you?

LORILYN ROBERTS: The hardest thing about writing is finding the time. I’m a single parent, although my youngest is almost grown, but everyday living takes up a sizable chunk of time. Writing in the middle of the night works best. The only thing that might disturb me is a cockroach looking for a free meal, and as long as I can spray him with a half a can of poison and make sure his wiggly legs stop moving, I can go back to finishing my scene. 

Otherwise, my mind will be on roaches and other disturbing thoughts that shouldn’t be in my book. I had hoped our three cats and dog from the humane society who spend ninety percent of their time sleeping could earn their keeps by disposing of them for me. Occasionally, I’ll find an abandoned roach leg on the floor and wonder who the murderer was. When you live in Florida, you adjust or move to colder climates.

LAURA DAVIS:  Can you tell us about your new book?

LORILYN ROBERTS: I am writing a YA fantasy series called The Seventh Dimension. The second book in the series The King was published in August. The third book The Castle was published in 2016. Since then The City and The Prescience have been published. I'm now working on book 6, The Howling. 

The Seventh Dimension is a spiritual reality. The premise behind the series is that everyone who has accepted Yeshua into their hearts has traveled to first-century Israel and met Yeshua at the cross.

In The Seventh Dimension, which is a parallel spiritual universe, we must make choices that affect where we will spend eternity. When we meet Yeshua, we must surrender our past so that He can redeem it. Every soul has been bought and paid for by Yeshua. However, Satan doesn’t know the outcome, so to win a soul to his camp is a prized possession. God can’t give us His gift unless we accept it. Because Satan is a deceiver—he has nothing to lose. The battle is far deeper and more complex than we can imagine. Most of the battle is fought on a spiritual level, so in The Seventh Dimension, we see the spiritual side of the war—with demons, angels, and Yeshua.

The Seventh Dimension embraces the mystery of God and is a reality outside of time not limited by human understanding. Time exists for our benefit and makes it convenient to trace the events of history and give us a sense of reference. The Seventh Dimension embraces the past, the present, and the future. I hope as I write, God gives me insights into this spiritual reality. Hopefully, the concept will come alive in the reader’s heart and touch those who have yet to embrace our Savior.

I remind myself, to give my Audience of One my book, and He will make it a hundred times more powerful than I could do in my limited human ability. I hope I have been able to achieve that in The Seventh Dimension Series.

LAURA DAVIS: What inspired you to write this book?

LORILYN ROBERTS: The first book in The Seventh Dimension Series is actually a children’s picture book, The Donkey and the King. I was in Israel in 1991 at the beginning of the Gulf War and this book was inspired by that experience. Later, when I was working on my Master in Creative Writing, I wanted to continue with the theme in a YA series addressing different issues.

So I wrote the first book The Door that in many ways is a reflection of my own life. In The Door, a young girl, Shale Snyder, is bullied and rejected by significant others. A dog finds Shale and coaxes her to follow her to a different world. There she meets the King and many other people from her past, only this time it’s in the spiritual world of The Seventh Dimension.

In the second book, The King, the protagonist, Daniel Sperling, is a 17-year-old Israeli boy who was introduced in The Door. Forced to enter a treatment center following a mental breakdown, he is angry with God and has abandoned his Jewish faith. When a devastating earthquake rocks Israel, he is transported to The Seventh Dimension. There he is confronted with conflicting “truths” in a parallel universe that challenges everything he has ever believed. His dreams of medical school are threatened when romantic interests touch his heart and a strange demon tempts him to make poor choices.

The Seventh Dimension Series shows readers that the path to God for each believer is unique and fascinating. God’s plan may take years to understand because our earthly understanding is limited. I would encourage sojourners to embrace the hard things and ask God to redeem them. All of my books have that element of redemption.

You never know what blessings may come if you look for the “good” everywhere. My hope is that Jewish skeptics will read my book and ask questions, more specifically, could Jesus be the long-awaited Messiah?

As an aside. I recently learned that I have Jewish blood in me through DNA testing with 23 And Me. I am thankful to know that my love for the Jewishness of the Bible is not quirky or imagined. God used my Jewish friends to draw me to Him. Experiencing God’s love firsthand and reading the “proof texts” in the Old Testament were too compelling to ignore.

LAURA DAVIS:  What books do you enjoy reading?

LORILYN ROBERTS:  I enjoy reading books that are creative, well-written, and unpredictable. After I finish a good story, I want to ponder its meaning. I want a book to reveal a nugget of truth I have never seen. I want to read books that will encourage me to write and stir my own creative juices, leaving me to admire the gift of writing in others. I want a book that resonates with spiritual truth and becomes a part of who I am.

Books that have done this for me include the Narnia Series by C.S. Lewis, Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis, Crime and Punishment by Feodor Dostoyevsky, and JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

I believe readers want books written with a Christian worldview even if they don’t know it. God’s image is imprinted on human hearts which creates a deep longing for Him. Too many have replaced that longing with counterfeits because they haven’t discovered the truth.

I hope readers will read The Seventh Dimension Series and share my books with their friends and family. I am also always looking for reviewers. 

You may order The Castle now on Amazon by clicking here.

The Seventh Dimension Award-Winning Series continues in "The Castle." 

Haunted by a recurring dream of his missing father in a mysterious castle, 17-year-old Daniel is captured by the Romans and finds asylum in the Temple. There he discovers a scroll that reveals his future concerning a wager between good and evil. But the stakes are raised when he witnesses the trial and crucifixion of Yeshua. The convergence of time with supernatural events creates a suspenseful ending and leads to the fourth book in the Seventh Dimension Series, The City.

*~*~*~*

Lorilyn Roberts has won multiple awards for the Seventh Dimension Series, including The King: 2014 USA Best Book Awards Finalist and a 2014 Gold Winner for Faith-Based YA Fiction in the Literary Classics Awards, among other awards.

For special offers, follow Lorilyn on twitter @LorilynRoberts and visit her Facebook fan page here. You can read more of her blogposts at LorilynRoberts.com

Lorilyn graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Alabama in 1991. Her studies included spending two weeks in Israel at the start of the Gulf War and touring England, Australia, New Zealand, and several countries in Europe. She later attended the Institute of Children's Literature and earned her Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Perelandra College.