Title: The Aftertime
Author: LLH Harms
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction: Social Themes, Values & Virtues, Native American, Fantasy & Magic
Book Blurb:
What if you had a weapon, a knife that had the power to heal, as long as it was never used in anger? What if this knife had been handed down for generations in your family, but because of you, it has now been taken? What if you were only 12 years old?
Our story begins in Virginia in the mid-1700s—when English settlers in Virginia claimed native Monacan land as their right—and brings us into the 21st Century. This is a story that spans generations and timelines yet begins with the simple friendship between two boys: one Monacan and the other English.
The Aftertime asks what is worth fighting for, and how to fight for it. Most importantly, it’s a story about following your moral compass and standing up, sometimes all alone, for what is just.
Excerpt:
Zack began to feel the heat of his anger fade into the softer warmth of this memory he could not quite place. When did they stop liking each other? Why? Was this what getting older was like? If it happened with his brother, when would it happen with Jack, Buddy, or the others?
He opened his eyes and looked around. Zack soon realized he was totally alone. Not just by himself but not even within earshot of the others. He could not hear a thing.
Then, standing perfectly still ten feet ahead of him was a huge buck. It was like no deer he had ever seen. The light tan fur seemed to shimmer a copper hue. Then, its coat changed colors in waves of blue, green, and turquoise. Surrounding the buck was a golden light that shimmered. It held Zack’s gaze in a way that willed Zack not to dare blink because he feared blinking would cause the creature to disappear. It was easily the largest deer that Zack had ever seen. Only adding to the strangeness of the buck was its wide antlers. Its rack would have been perfect if not for a missing point at the very top. The buck was so beautiful that Zack stood mesmerized. He was astounded at its lack of fear. Slowly, the buck turned his head to look up the hill. Zack turned his gaze to see what the buck was staring at, only to see his four friends trampling through the brush. When he turned back, the deer was gone.
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Author Biography:
For years, LLH Harms has written books, stories, and poems and simply placed them on a shelf. With encouragement from one of her children, she has finally decided to share her writing with all of us. The Aftertime is her debut novel. A second project, a picture book, is forthcoming. She lives in Virginia with her family.
Social Media Links:
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