Dear Reader, Love S.G. Basu

Dear Reader…

I never dreamed of being an author or of choosing writing as a career when I was a child. Books were my first love though. I always had more books than I had toys. I read a lot. A whole lot. Not everything was of high literary value and not everything had the perfect moral message, but thankfully, I faced no parental censorship and my love for the written word continued unabated over the years.

It was not until I was all grown up that as a challenge to myself (I abhorred the conclusion of a much-loved anime show and thus needed to write my own story that would correct the deficiencies. Yes, I’m weird like that), I started thinking of writing a story myself. Never the one lacking ambition, I dreamed up not just one book, but a series of books. This, when I had a flourishing (and as it follows, exhausting) career as a telecommunications professional in a Fortune 100 company and a very young child to raise. It would be easy, I had thought. It was not easy putting my toddler to bed and writing into the early morning hours. Everyday. But . . . although hard, it was unexpectedly satisfying.

This is how my first book, Maia and the Xifarian Conspiracy, first in The Lightbound Saga series was born. I have written many books since and published many more through my micro-press, but The Lightbound Saga remains, and will probably always be my favorite. That is not only because it was my first, but also because it has so many elements I love reading about myself—a group of friends succeeding against all odds, fantastic worlds with diverse cultures, and finding friendship and love that transcends borders. The Lightbound Saga is a science fiction fantasy, but it is a heartwarming story of love and hope at its core. 

Maia, is a thirteen-year-old, from a tiny village, one of the few surviving settlements in a fallen civilization. Their world is dominated by the Xifarians, a race of ruthless galactic nomads. Maia carries a terrible burden—knowing that her mother was a treacherous double-crosser responsible for making her people bound to the wily Xifarians.

A chance encounter lands her in a dubious peace initiative of the Xifarians, she has to walk down a road she had hoped never to tread. Unwillingly, Maia begins a journey that takes her to the galaxy-roving planet-spaceship of Xif, the underwater cities of the reclusive Jjord, and across the fallen civilization of the Solianese. Little does she know that the real truth about her long-deceased mother is somewhere down this path, that hidden within her is a key to the survival of her planet and even more.

But before she gets to that, Maia will discover true friendship, face an unimaginable evil, and fight her deepest fears to save the world she loves.

I hope, dear reader, as you pick up Maia and the Xifarian Conspiracy and set out on the journey with Maia, you too will rediscover the magic of friendship, love, and hope. 

Wish you happy reading.

Love,

S.G

S.G. Basu is an aspiring potentate of a galaxy or two. She plots and plans with wondrous machines, cybernetic robots, time travelers and telekinetic adventurers, some of whom escape into the pages of her books. Although she’s an engineer by training, writing has been her passion since childhood. Her other loves include extra-hot lattes, fast cars and binge watching sci-fi movies.

Find out more about the futuristic worlds she creates at sgbasu.com. She can also be reached at sg@sgbasu.com.

Books by S.G. Basu:

The Lightbound Saga series (YA Dystopian Science Fiction)

Maia and the Xifarian Conspiracy

Maia and the Secrets of Zagran

Maia and Regency Protocol

The Lightbound Saga 3 Book Bundle

The Firefly League-A Lightbound Saga novella

Elementals-The Serial Thriller (Paranormal Science Fiction)

Population Morpheus (Near Apocalyptic Science Fiction)

Jumpers (Paranormal Thriller)

You can visit the author’s website at www.sgbasu.com or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

 

13-year-old Maia is a land-dwelling Solianese living on the planet of Tansi. She has been raised by her doting grandfather. Her mother, Sophie, supposedly deceased, is accused to be a traitor who fought for the Xifarians who have subjugated Tansi. Loathing her family’s history, Maia has put herself into self-exile, vowing to steer clear of the temptations that led her mother astray. But when she is drafted into a peace summit by the Xifarians, she must walk into Xif, the planet she has always wanted to avoid. Here she meets loyal teammates Kusha, Dani, Nafi, and Ren, as well as Miir, their Xifarian team mentor who is as accomplished as he is temperamental. As Maia and her teammates thwart a plot to harm the underwater settlements on Tansi, she also discovers that her mother, Sophie, was not what she seemed. Sophie sacrificed herself to save Tansi before the Xifarians could destroy the Tansian system.

Maia visits the Jjord nation in their underwater colonies on Tansi. More of Sophie’s secrets come to light while she is in the colonies as well as more of the Xifarians’ plots to rebuild the dark heart of Xif. As Maia’s link with Sophie becomes apparent, Maia soon finds herself in the crosshairs of the Xifarians who kill her family and send her running for shelter across the dead lands of the Solianese. Chased by the Xifarians, Maia barely manages to stay alive with the help of her teammates.

While on the run across Tansi, Maia meets a mysterious man who unlocks a power within Maia. When her mighty Xifarian foes corner her, Maia unleashes the power on them, overpowering everyone, including her former mentor, Miir.

Maia struggles with her newfound power. The team is on the verge of fracturing when Maia reveals she might have killed Miir. Meanwhile, the R’armimon, an ancient and powerful enemy of the Xifarians, are on the way to the Tansian system, seeking vengeance from the Xifarians. On finding this, the Xifarians grow desperate to resurrect the dark heart that would enable them to leave the Tansian system. Maia narrowly escapes the Xifarians’ trap with a mysterious ally but her new alliance takes a toll on her friendships.

Maia is alone and hopeless but she forges on to regain the trust of her teammates and tries to convince the Tansian leaders of the impending threat of the R’armimon fleet. With help from her allies, Maia continues to uncover more of Sophie’s past. Together with her friends, Maia rushes to find the artifacts needed to thwart the R’armimon as the massive Execution Fleet of the R’armimon appears next to Tansi.

Purchase Information for Series

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Tb71xt

 

Dear Reader, Love Mike DiCerto

 

Dear Reader…

Reading a novel is more than just enjoying the obvious story on the pages. A novel is a living Rorschach test. It’s a transcription of the author’s mental workings into the people, places and things that form the tale. Welcome to A NICK OF TIME- a no holds barred imagination explosion – a wild and whimsical story with more colors than the rainbow, more adventure than a town of Hobbits and more fun that an Easter basket of rainbow monkeys.

If Nick of Time is your first Rupert Starbright adventure I want you to pay attention to some little details and themes that form the skeleton of all Rupert’s adventures. Rupert, first and foremost, loves his family and has a special bond with his Grandmother, Folka, who suffers from a chronic “coffus” – a coughing disease. The entire impetuous of his first big adventure (The Door to Far-Myst and The Secret of My-Myst) was to seek out a cure for her. His bond to his family and his home town and his deep sense of compassion, motivates all he does. For an eleven year old boy, his courage his formidable. In all of his adventures he faces the villain head on, risking his own life for a greater good. Yet, his amazing sense of compassion and empathy allows him to peer deeper in to heart, mind and soul of the baddies. Rupert always uses the incredible power of his Imaginings to transform the thinking and feelings of the bad guy. He is not one to kill or destroy the villain with potions and spells or swords. Rupert Starbright is a world changer. A heart changer and a mind changer. A powerful force our world desperately needs.

But don’t, for a moment, think the adventures of Rupert Starbright suffer from heavy handed virtue postering! Humor and fun is what grounds his tales. His imaginings are wild and creative and, especially in A NICK OF TIME, you will read in wonder has he interacts with some amazing characters and wields his potent power in very unique ways. It is my Rorschach test! My imagination splashed on the pages. I just let it flow, through my alter ego, Rupert Starbright.

What really makes A NICK OF TIME a blast is the cast of characters that inhabit the world of Annum. The Zodiac! All the characters from Aquarius to Sagittarius play key roles in helping Rupert track down the missing second that was stolen during his hometown’s New Years countdown, rendering Graysland and all its inhabitants frozen.

Oh, and did I mention this is a musical tale? Well it is. The folk of the Zodiac love to sing and each offers a song to Rupert as he travels across this wild land of time.

So read away! Soak in the crazy, colorful, funny and heart wrenching tale. 

Sincerely,

Michael DiCerto

 

Since his childhood Mike Di Certo has always harvested his work from the abundant crop of his imagination. From the wild and hilarious Rock and Roll space adventure Milky Way Marmalade, to the child-like wonder of his middle grade series, The Adventures of Rupert Starbright (The Door to Far-Myst, The Secret of My-Myst and The Ghosts of Winter Joy) Michael's passions play out on the pages. His love of animals, his family, gardening, travel, movies, VR, history, Yoga, reading and music guide and influence his life and his writing.

His latest book is the middle grade fantasy novel, A Nick of Time.

Visit his website at www.ruperstarbright.com or connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.

It’s New Year’s Eve in Graysland, but when the final second fails to come Rupert Starbright finds his entire town frozen in time. Rupert and his school crush Rainn Evertree must travel to the Land of Annum to retrieve the stolen second from the nasty and evil Epoch. They will explore a wild, imaginative, and musical world where all the characters of the Zodiac join Rainn in helping Rupert in his most colorful and challenging adventure yet!

“A Nick of Time is thoroughly entertaining and a fun read, this should be made into a Pixar animation!” - Amazon

“All kids should be encouraged to read this unique series and use their imaginings as well! It's the power of positive thinking for the young adult set. Highly recommend!” - Amazon

Book Information

Release Date: August 16, 2021

Publisher:  Zumaya Publications

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-1612710990; 295 pages; $11.70; eBook $4.99 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/3vSNQ1x