About the Book
Book: Light of Mine
Author: Alen Brokken
Genre: Christian Fantasy Middlegrade
Release Date: November 3, 2019
Light of Mine, introduces Lauren (12), Aiden (9), and Ethan (5) who bear the responsibility of keeping their Father’s newly constructed Tower of Light shining in his absence.
Darkness is spreading through Zoura. Beyond the borders of the heathlands, innocent animals are being turned into monsters, and good men into pawns of the Dark One. Father has vanished after joining the Mighty Mercenaries and mother has gone missing in search of him.
Alone on the farm, twelve-year-old Lauren and her brave little brothers, Aiden and Ethan, must guard the Tower of Light that will guide both parents home. But when a hooded stranger is caught trespassing the farm, and a new bishop claims the church, confusion pervades their close-knit community. Will the children be able to recognize who is a threat to the Tower and who is there to help them protect it?
With little else but the aid of a trio of blessed pets, three mysterious weapons, and their growing faith, Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan find it is up to them to stop the agents of The Dark One from putting out the Light and dooming the heathlands to Darkness.
Fans of Little House on the Prairie will feel at home in the series’ classic farmstead setting, and the sincerity of the children’s love for one another— nurtured by the example of their parents—will bring a smile to readers and listeners of all ages.
Read Light of Mine aloud to your family or confidently give it to your middle grade reader, knowing he or she will be ensconced in a wholesome and riveting experience, beginning to end.
Click here to get your copy.
About the Author
Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband and father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. Follow his endeavors @towersoflight, @twodadsandajoke, and http://www.brokken.net. Your children can grow their own faith and love of God by following the adventures of Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan (plus their pets!) at instagram.com/towersoflight.
Stay tuned for book two, launching in June 2020, and book three in December 2020.
The faith journey continues! Onward and upward.
More from Allen
Then in 2008 I took a new job that had me traveling four days a week. It was one of the hardest times of my life, the stress of a high pressure job, the loneliness of being on the road, and uncertainty of being a young parent really brought me to the end of myself. However, all of the travel gave me a lot of time to study the scriptures and learn from the writing of great bible teachers.
It was during this time that I began to write stories for my children. At first I brought my children’s stuffed animals to life for silly adventures. But then one day while we were putting together a play fort in our back yard I saw a sunrise pattern in the wood in the top of the tower. I thought:
“What if there was a Tower of Light shining God’s goodness over the children and their animals?”
“What if the children experienced the indwelling of the holy spirit in a real way like Sampson or David?”
“What if the full armor of God was physical armor they could use to defeat the darkness?”
As I shared my story with my children, they loved it.
I believe you and your children will love it too.
Q&A with Allen Brokken
What inspired this book?
When my kids were young there was really nothing better than getting out of my car at the end of a long day at work and having my three little kiddos run up to me and give hugs because Daddy’s Home! As a Father of three young children I was very concerned about the direction society was taking. I wasn’t sure that with how things were going that I had the knowledge or the skill to train them up in the way they should go, as the Bible directs.
Then in 2008 I took a new job that had me traveling four days a week. It was one of the hardest times of my life, the stress of a high pressure job, the loneliness of being on the road, and uncertainty of being a young parent really brought me to the end of myself. However, all of the travel gave me a lot of time to study the scriptures and learn from the writing of great bible teachers.
It was during this time that I began to write stories for my children. At first I brought my children’s stuffed animals to life for silly adventures. But then one day while we were putting together a play fort in our back yard I saw a sunrise pattern in the wood in the top of the tower. I thought:
“What if there was a Tower of Light shining God’s goodness over the children and their animals?”
“What if the children experienced the indwelling of the holy spirit in a real way like Sampson or David?”
“What if the full armor of God was physical armor they could use to defeat the darkness?”
As I shared my story with my children, they loved it.
I believe you and your children will love it too.
Which scene was the most difficult to write?
I would say the current opening chapter of the book was the hardest part for me to write because it was so deeply from the heart. Professionally I took a job that had me traveling all the time. Writing that experience as a fantasy character still felt just as real as it did for me in real life. When the first chapter was done and I read the final I literally wept at points because it felt so real to me.
Which author influenced you the most?
That’s a tough one. I took Brandon Sanderson’s Sci-Fi/Fantasy writing course via YouTube and it shaped my storytelling drastically. In the middle of the course Brandon Mull did a cameo which turned me on to his books as examples of middlegrade. But in the end, I have to say it’s my editor Sarah Grimm. Her books are great, but she is such an amazing teacher when it comes to improving your work. Her teaching style in editing drastically improved the overall quality of my story telling.
What is your favorite Bible verse or life verse?
When it comes to writing I’d say it’s either “train up a child in the way they should go and they’ll not soon depart from it.” The important part here is “the way they” focused on the individual child. Each of my children are unique and I worked hard to write a tale that would relate to different kids at different levels of development.
What is your most well-loved and well-used house appliance?
My coffee pot. If I’m home after the alarm button it’s the first appliance I touch every day. Nothing else goes on until it is brewing away.
Describe your view as you’re sitting in your writing chair.
Over the summer I reworked my office so that from a “décor” perspective it looks like a control room on the Death Star. No joke, my son lasercut a light panel it totally looks like I’m in geektopia. That’s if I look behind my desk. However, off to the right I have a window to our 3 seasons room and then out to the yard. The 3 season’s room is the cat’s play house. So I will regulary see our kitten out there trying to catch leaves as they fall on the other side of the window. It’s great.
Thank you Allen for allowing us to get to know you better!
Blog Stops
Inklings and notions, April 4
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 5
Texas Book-aholic, April 6
Seasons of Opportunities, April 7
Wishful Endings, April 8 (Author Interview)
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 9
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 10
For Him and My Family, April 11
For the Love of Literature, April 12
deb’s Book Review, April 13
Blogging With Carol, April 14
Blossoms and Blessings, April 15
Simple Harvest Reads, April 16 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, April 17 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Giveaway
To celebrate his tour, Allen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/f8bb/light-of-mine-celebration-tour-giveaway
This book sounds like a wonderful read.
I enjoyed the Q&A.
I like the 3-seasons room!
Thanks so much for sharing your book and for the giveaway also. Greatly appreciated!