BOOK AWARD: “SEVENTH DIMENSION - THE CITY: A Young Adult Fantasy” Wins the 2017 Book Excellence Award for Cover Design

To share the background of the cover for The City, Lisa Hainline, my cover designer, sent me the book cover as a sample two or three years ago, before I knew I was going to write the book. I loved the cover so much I wrote the story to fit the cover. Of course, I think it was divinely-inspired. God knew the cover before I did and sent it to me through Lisa.

To see more of Lisa Vento’s book covers, you can visit her website: Lisa Vento

MEMOIR AUTHOR LORILYN ROBERTS BEARS HER HEART IN CHILDREN OF DREAMS

When I took the introductory class for my Master’s in Creative Writing, one of the books I had to read was Writing for Story by Jon Franklin. The fourth chapter in the book, “Stalking the True Short Story,” was based on two famous stories he wrote, one of which was his Pulitzer Prize-winning entry, “Mrs. Kelly’s Monster.”

Because everybody would love to win a Pulitzer Prize, his comments are worth noting. To quote Jon Franklin on page 81: “One of the best ways to teach positive lessons while entertaining at the same time is to write stories about how people successfully cope with the world, endure, and even sometimes win.” 

I have thought a lot about that. Much of what I report as a television captioner is mundane news to a world that hardly blinks an eye at the everyday, run-of-the-mill, shoot ‘em up, rob-him blind, dope-addicted, shoddy moral, or over-spending bureaucratic figure news story which people scoff and ignore if it doesn’t affect them directly.

In contrast, Jon Franklin dug deep for the motivations, the conflicts, the resolutions, and the redemptive endings in his books and articles. In the same vein, when I wrote Children of Dreams, I wanted to share a part of me that no one else knew. I risked being venerable, revealing traits and values that I knew some would not understand. I am not perfect, and did I really want to reveal my failures, confess my doubts, and admit my flaws?

Our lives, particularly if we are memoir authors, must be real or we will come across every bit like the superficial news stories that I alluded to above—irrelevant to the reader. Too much of our time is lived at a frenzied pace with quick posts on Facebook and Twitter, or text messages written in code, risking little, and only recognizable enough to make us feel we have value in the world of cyberspace.

If you have been forsaken by your family, hurt by others, stuck in a job you hate, gone through a divorce, experienced major health issues, sacrificed your own lost dreams, or struggled in your Christian walk, I share unabashedly with profound honesty how God helped me through these tragedies. This is the “true story” within the story in Children of Dreams. There is no superficiality—only raw emotion and truth. I had to get permission from my kids and family. There are still open wounds that God will have to heal. There was a price to pay and I am still dealing with it now. Do I regret it? No. I know God will eventually redeem all which is broken.

The typical reader, much like a typical reporter, will see Children of Dreams as another adoption story; give it a cursory glance, and move on. The sensate reader, who reads for deeper meaning, will experience God’s profound love and redemptive hope, knowing without any doubt, God is the fulfiller of dreams.

My desire is that the reader will be stirred—emotionally renewed and batteries charged, believing if God can do the impossible for me, he can do the same for him. God can heal infected wounds, redeem broken dreams, and convince the skeptic to believe in miracles. None of us should live as though we have no hope, and Children of Dreams is a testimony to God’s grace, reassuring the reader that where there is God, there is always hope.

Children of Dreams won bronze in the 2016 Readers Favorite Book Awards for Memoir. To purchase from Amazon in Kindle, print, or audio format, click here.

NEW BOOK RELEASE: “Seventh Dimension - The Prescience: A Young Adult Fantasy,” Book 5

NEWS FROM AUTHOR LORILYN ROBERTS " Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard." ISAIAH 58:8

Seven more proton radiation treatments and I'll be finished with my breast cancer treatment

Lorilyn in Jax for Proton treatment Lorilyn at Starbucks working on "The Prescience."

NEW BOOK RELEASE COMING NOVEMBER 24, THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING. PRE-ORDER SEVENTH DIMENSION - THE PRESCIENCE NOW ON AMAZON FOR ONLY 99 CENTS

EXCERPT A loud boom shook the ground as dust blew in my face.  “Run!” Daniel shouted. Blinding light lit up the night sky. If only these were celebratory fireworks, but they weren’t I stared. My feet felt as if they were entombed in concrete. This couldn’t be happening. Not now.  Daniel pulled on my hand. Seconds ticked by as I imagined my body being blown to bits. Sirens faced in an out. Swishing knives cut through the air, followed by rumbles. Each one got closer.TO KEEP READING CLICK HERE.

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SEVENTH DIMENSION - THE PRESCIENCE is the fifth book in the Seventh Dimension Series. If you like suspense, Biblical history, and apocalyptic literature, I hope you will pre-order a copy for only 99 cents. The price will go up after release. Even if you haven't read the first four books, I wrote it in such a way you can follow the story. Here is the back cover blurb: When bombs fall on Jerusalem, Shale and Daniel rescue an orphan and return to the first century. Amid supernatural tribulations, God reveals once again time is an illusion as Daniel races toward Armageddon. To pre-order your copy of Seventh Dimension - The Prescience, click here .

If you are a recent sign-up to my newsletter, you may not have received the link to download my adoption memoir Children of Dreams. If you would like to receive your complimentary copy, click here.

I had the privilege of being interviewed by Dr. Charles W. Page about my breast cancer journey. If you would like to listen to the 25-minute podcast, click here.

Seventh Dimension - The City has recently won three more awards.

Author's Note: I truly believe we are living in the end times. All my Young Adult books have an apocalyptic theme, and as a result, I have spent a great deal of time looking at Scriptures concerning Jesus’ return. If you have not accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, I urge you to do so today. In December 2016, I had no idea that in January 2017, I would be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer. We don’t know the number of our days, We don’t know what tomorrow may bring. All it takes is just a simple prayer confessing to God you are a sinner and asking Jesus to come into your heart. Once you believe that Jesus died for your sins on the cross, you will be saved. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” If you have already accepted Jesus as your Savior, may God help you to live each day for Him. I pray that God uses my cancer diagnosis and treatment to make me more like Jesus. It’s been quite a journey. And praise the Lord, it’s not yet over!

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BOOK AWARDS: “SEVENTH DIMENSION - THE CITY: A Young Adult Fantasy,” Wins Three More Awards

Seventh Dimension - The City, A Young Adult Fantasy, has been the recipient of three more awards.

I am excited to announce Seventh Dimension - The City is a finalist in the 2017 International Book Awards in the visionary category, won silver in Dan Poynter Global eBook Awards for religion/faith fiction, and won bronze in the Florida Authors & Publishers Association Awards for religion.

I will be releasing the next book in the Seventh Dimension Series soon, Seventh Dimension - The Prescience, and will be discounting Seventh Dimension - The City to $2.99 on Kindle for a limited time. 

If you are a homeschooling mom of teens, I hope you will download the first book in the series for free as an ebook Seventh Dimension - The Door.

I have combined contemporary issues with historical fact and woven in Christian fantasy to create a tale of truth based on Scripture. There is no sex, only mild violence, and no offensive language. But there is suspense and mystery. The Seventh Dimension Series so far as won twenty-five awards. 

PODCAST: “How God Has Helped Me to Finish My Latest Book While Battling Breast Cancer,” by Lorilyn Roberts

Recently Dr. Charles W. Page hosted me on his Spoonfuls of Courage Podcast where I discuss my battle with breast cancer and finishing my latest book, Seventh Dimension - The Prescience: A Young Adult Fantasy, Book 5. 

The Podcast is about 25 minutes long, and I hope you will enjoy hearing my testimony. I don’t know how people go through the hard things in life without Jesus Christ.  Please take a listen and be blessed.

http://bit.ly/LR_BCJ

BOOK EXCERPT: SEVENTH DIMENSION – THE PRESCIENCE: A Young Adult Fantasy, Chapter 3: “Sneak Peek”

“SHIRA, GO BACK to sleep,” I whispered. “Jesus is here.”

The guards eyed Shira and lowered their guns. What danger could we pose with a small child?

Daniel and the uniformed men conversed in Hebrew. Because they spoke rapidly with heavy accents, I wasn’t sharp enough to catch most of it. My year and a half of Hebrew earned me an “A” but didn’t make me conversant with Israelis.

The taller man motioned for us to follow. He punched a code into the keypad of the heavy steel door. After a few seconds, the door opened.

We entered a small vestibule. The ominous shadows that flickered over the walls from the emergency lighting felt cold and calculating—walls that I knew were an illusion.

I expected bright floodlights to illuminate our surroundings and to see the impressive command center humming with computers and TV screens. Cameras set up in strategic locations around Jerusalem monitored hotspots and beamed back photographs and video. But no one was here.

The uniformed officer pushed open a hidden door on the opposite side. As we entered, a cool breeze poured in, probably from an air conditioning vent. The guard said nothing, and I found the silence unnerving.

We followed him through a narrow hallway. My anxiety increased. I’d never remember how to get out if something went wrong. I reached for Daniel’s arm. He shot me a reassuring glance.

The guard flipped a light switch as we entered through an unmarked door. “Jacob will be here shortly,” he said. Then he left.

Once the door was shut, I tried to relax.

“The guards are all business,” Daniel said. “They have their orders. Even when they know we’re one of them, they won’t deviate.”

I held Shira close to me. “What did the guard say? You talked so fast.”

“When you told Shira Jesus was here, their demeanor changed. Up until then, I don’t think they believed I was Jacob’s brother. They thought we were spies.”

“Oh.” I glanced around the room. A black leather sofa filled up one wall with matching chairs on each side. Three photographs above the sofa highlighted historical Jewish landmarks—the temple mount, Masada, and a third location I didn’t recognize. I pointed to it. “Where is that?”

Daniel eased closer to the photo. “That’s Petra, in Jordan.”

I knew it as Bozrah, spoken of in the Book of Isaiah. I edged over. Off to the side of the room was a small kitchenette and bathroom. On the kitchen counter was a well-used tea kettle stained from previous use. White plastic cups and an assortment of herbal teas filled a straw container. A square refrigerator took up the rest of the counter space.

I noticed an open Bible on the coffee table. I started to walk over to see what page someone had been reading, but Daniel picked it up and commented. 

“Someone underlined this passage in red. Ezekiel 38:14-16: ‘On that day when my people Israel dwell safely, will you not know it? Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company, and a mighty army. You will come up against my people Israel like a cloud to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes.’”

I stepped back from the table and sat on the sofa. Shira readjusted herself in my lap, clutching my shirt. “Whoever was in here must have believed Israel was facing the Ezekiel 38-39 war.”

Daniel sat beside me.

I glanced at the closed door. “Is your brother coming?”

“I hope.” Daniel leaned back, nodding off.

He had to be as tired as I was. Shira had closed her eyes again. Suddenly, a crazy thought swirled in my head. “Daniel, what if we went back to the seventh dimension?”

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BOOK EXCERPT: SEVENTH DIMENSION – THE PRESCIENCE: A Young Adult Fantasy, Chapter 2: “Sneak Peak”

SOON NUMBNESS CREPT up my arms. Even though Shira was light, I wasn’t used to lugging around a small child.

Daniel offered to carry her, but she clung to me.

We walked past shards of glass and building fragments that littered the ground. The inferno had grown. Dead people covered the ground like ghosts. I couldn’t keep up with Daniel. “How much further?”

He adjusted our backpacks he’d slung over his shoulders. “Not far.”

I sighed.

The missiles had stopped, but the suffocating smoke burned my eyes. Sheets of flame shot up everywhere. Was there any place that was safe?

Daniel pulled out his iPhone. “Let me see if I can reach my brother.”

I started to call my mother, but my cell hadn’t worked since I left America a few weeks earlier. How long would the EMP attack in the United States keep communications down in the West?

I leaned against a stone pillar beside the road littered with debris and switched Shira to my other side. Jumping from one worrisome thought to another, I couldn’t focus. Even though I knew time was an illusion, how long had we really been gone? Could it be more than a few weeks?

Daniel interrupted my musings. “I can’t call or text.”

“Did the camera work?”

“Yes, I have the photo of her parents. Hopefully that will help us to locate relatives.”

I sat on a nearby bench with Shira. When had I last slept?

I ran my fingers through the child’s curly, brown hair. Soot covered her angel-like face. The only sign of the conflagration she had endured was the singed edge of her light-colored jumper.

“How old do you think she is?” Daniel asked.

The little girl held up three fingers.

Daniel cocked his head. “I spoke in English. She understands English.”

“Don’t Israelis understand English?”

Daniel eyed her curiously. “Not that young. Kids learn English in elementary school. Her parents might be American or British.”

“She understands Hebrew also,” I added.

“God must have sent us—or you to rescue her. What else did the dog tell you?”

Shira had closed her eyes, but I knew she wasn’t asleep. “Shhh. I’ll tell you later. Let’s get to Jacob’s first.”

As Daniel led us through Jerusalem, I tried to shield my eyes. Corpses littered the city. Those few who were alive walked aimlessly in circles. Frozen cars sat motionless on the roads, now probably driven by dead people. I had never seen such carnage. How long would it take Israel to recover?

Why God? I remembered what Jesus said when he lamented over Zion. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”

The almost full moon rose higher into the sky. As we approached the Old City, intermittent flames offered a brief reprieve from the darkness. The ancient bulwark was a stark reminder Jerusalem would survive because God willed it.

My excitement at making wedding plans evaporated as I thought about what lay ahead. I wanted to run, but I was too tired. Shira must have fallen asleep in my arms because she was like dead weight.

“Can you carry her?” I managed to hand her to Daniel without waking her. How could I broach with Daniel what the dog said?

I moved in closer. “I didn’t want to say this when Shira was awake, but the dog told me she has no other family.”

Daniel slowed down. “She must have somebody. We could have a DNA test done.”

I hadn’t thought of that. “Yes, we could. I’m telling you what the dog said. He also said God had chosen us to take care of her. For how long, I don’t know.”

“She’s so young.”

I could sense his concern—how could we provide for the needs of a three-year-old? We had just turned eighteen and weren’t yet married. What did we know about parenting a child barely out of diapers?

More smoke blew in my face, and another round of sirens pierced the silence. I wanted to sleep and wake up to a different reality. 

“Do you remember how to get to the underground bunker?”

“Yes, but how will we get inside at this time of night? That’s what I’m worried about.”

We passed through the Old City Jaffa Gate and the Muslim and Armenian quarters. Stores had closed hours earlier. I followed Daniel down several flights of stairs.

Fortunately, the Old City had been mostly spared during this attack although much cleanup remained. Endless stairs and dark corridors brought us to the bunker door. No one would imagine that behind the steel door was a secret command center and star gate to the seventh dimension.

Two watchmen stood at attention. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, but at least somebody was here. Shira woke up and Daniel passed her to me.

The guards, dressed in typical Israeli fatigues, held menacing guns and blocked us from entering. Daniel spoke in Hebrew. “I’m looking for my brother, Jacob Sperling.”

*~*~*~*

BOOK REVIEW: Seventh Dimension - The Door: A Young Adult Fantasy: Reviewed by GABixlerReviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpectedly Strange and Fantastic At The Same Time!

By Glenda on Amazon

Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

In an author’s note, the author shares the intended audience for this book... the debut of the Seventh Dimension Series... For every child who struggles with doubt, for every kid who has been bullied, for every teen who comes from a broken home, and for every young adult who longs to be understood — this book is for you.

Personally, I think that about covers all of us, don’t you? At least at one time or another, especially as teens, we have been one of those children she wants to reach... For many, who will know who they are, I’ll recommend this to you as a “must read!”

Shale Snyder was an unhappy girl, unhappy at home, at school, and now she’d had a curse placed on her after she had fallen, holding a friend’s dog, and it had been killed. Two years later, Judd still hated her and was harassing her, the latest by sneaking up to her in the halls of the school, touching her, and then moving away quickly so nobody noticed other than Shale who, at first, wasn't sure who was doing this--though she had a good guess...

Now she felt like her only friend was her Diary, always opening with Dear DOG... (And although she spelled His name backward in case anybody ever read it, God listened to her thoughts as she wrote to Him...)

It was on the day that she’d found an old book she always loved, The Donkey and the King, that she found a straight pin that her mother must have lost, and started carrying it with her... that led to her becoming frustrated and angrily using that pin on the back of Judd, her enemy, who had once again been playing games.

As often happens, though, she was the one who got in trouble!

But it had started when one of her teachers had accused her in a class of plagiarizing her paper on As You Like It. By that time she was so upset that when Judd started again, she turned, followed him, and stuck that pin deep into his back!

It got much worse, she had been suspended, her parents didn’t support her, and her best friend’s parents told her she couldn’t be her friend anymore.

That was the day that Much-Afraid came... She had barked outside her door long enough until Shale followed him, on and on, but then her foot caught in a hole and she fell. When she woke up, she heard a lady talking...

Shale had crossed a portal and wound up in a beautiful garden where she found animals that could talk! She realized that they seemed to be the animals that were in her favorite book when she was a child and wondered if she was dreaming.

But she was here now, so she started talking to the donkey and discovered that, indeed, his name was Baruch. They told her she was in the King’s garden and they roamed around for a while, talking more, until...the crows came.

And they were afraid and left the garden...until they came to another garden that Baruch recognized when he had been led to meet the King...

They went on...always searching...meeting dangers...until they found themselves in Jerusalem...and discovered that Shale’s father had his home there, although he was not there at the time...

But Shale longed to find the King and, one day, they saw him in the distance... And listened while Christ, after his time in the wilderness, was tempted...

Roberts has intertwined the events of Christ's life so skillfully that you find that you are walking in Shale’s footsteps, seeing everything new as she was... It’s magical, fantastical, and so very, very, memorable... and this is only the first book in the series! 

 I’m excited about the book, a young adult story that is bound to attract young readers through the age of 99... We are all looking to find the King and in this journey into a fantasy set in Jerusalem, you may indeed find Him...

I must add this to my personal favorites for 2016...and it just might be at the top. Get this book as a gift for your teens...and read it also. It’s beautifully written and beautifully inspired. I think you’ll agree with me if you decide to meet Baruch and have him help you through the journey. Highly, highly recommended. And see my blog for unexpected happenings while writing this review...

GABixlerReviews

Remember:  Seventh Dimension - The Door: A Young Adult Fantasy is free as an ebook across all platforms