I often talk (write) about books that I’m in the process of reading. Currently I have four on the go: What’s So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey, The Prisoner of Azkaban (book three of the Harry Potter series), a primer/sampler of writings by classic Christian thinkers (this week features Søren Kierkegaard), and (afternoons with my dad) Katherine Paterson’s wonderful Newberry Award winning novel, Bridge to Terabithia.
This past week my dad and I finished the World War Two novel, Suddenly the Light Was Gone.
If you want a good summer read, especially a story that moves quickly, one you can encourage your kids to read too, I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with Suddenly the Light Was Gone.
Reading the book out loud to my dad and my mum, one chapter at a time, I found myself completely immersed in the story, the history, and the characters. We found we were all anxious to get to the next chapter as soon as possible.
A small ask:
I would like to ask my readers for this small favor. If enough of you buy a copy (or two – one to give away), and Suddenly the Light Was Gone picked up a little traction on the sales rankings, the benefit in terms of injecting life into the book-writing part of my career is potentially huge. At $8.66 for a paperback, nowadays that’s not much more than a gallon of gas!
The blurb on Amazon reads like this:
Derek Maul’s first novel is set in WW2 England in 1940. With the coastline vulnerable and the threat of invasion any day, millions of children are evacuated to safety. Henry Bradley and his friends don’t want to leave their south coast home, but they don’t have any choice. This historical novel is an entertaining read for all ages. Adventure, history, and a steep learning curve when it comes to relationships.
Here’s an idea: make reading Suddenly the Light Was Gone a “super-spreader” event and post a link on your pages too! Maybe I’ll be on Good Morning America by the middle of the summer! Stranger things have happened.
Regardless, reading my story or not, let’s all resolve to invest ourselves more in living our own story with love, and purpose, and enthusiasm, and hope.
Happy reading – DEREK
Derek, I finished your novel last week & sent it to my cousin in Iowa so that she & her husband could read it. I actually bought 2 copies – a year apart because I forgot I had already bought it. LOL So I gave a copy away. EVERYONE, what a story of sacrifice, children’s safety & grace. DEREK, when is the sequel coming out?
Thanks so much, Colleen.
And thanks for the endorsement! It’s so much better when someone other than me toots that horn!
Derek, Thanks for this post. I’ve ordered 2 copies of your book, one of which will go to my brother in Scotland. I can’t wait to read the other copy.
That’s wonderful!! Thanks for the boost