The Pearl in the Darkness (Light of Mine) Apocalyptic Fantasy by Santana Saunders ➱ Book Sale Tour with Giveaway

The Pearl in the Darkness

Light of Mine Series Book 1

by Santana Saunders

Genre: Apocalyptic Fantasy

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE POWERFUL 2020 DEBUT NOVEL FROM SANTANA SAUNDERS

“We went too far. Father is mad. No one make a sound…”

Filled with the suspense and lyrical writing that draws readers to The Stand by Stephen King, a witty humor in the tradition of Andy Weir, The Martian, and a fierce female lead for fans of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

In a not-so-distant future, recurring acts of terrorism lead to the abolishment of all religion. Believers taking a stand against the ruling are placed in institutions. All existing Bibles, Quranands and Vedas are destroyed—or so they thought.

Leora Smith, a witty, thirty-year-old medical transcriptionist, lives a quiet life due to a debilitating disorder and unwavering faith that must be kept hidden. Her world is turned upside down when a celestial being informs her of the forthcoming apocalypse and assigns her to recruit experts imperative to the subsistence of the society that will remain when the dust settles.

Each recruit has a story that can only be seen behind closed doors. Leora’s childhood friend and numerous enlightened allies band together in an effort to persuade the best and brightest.

As nature bends in accordance to the plan, Leora's preconceived notions of everything good and evil are about to be tested.

★ PRAISE FOR THE PEARL IN THE DARKNESS ★

"Let me just say it kept me up at night thinking about it for days afterwards…I can’t wait for the second book in the series!” @what_banana_read

“The settings were vivid, I felt like I was in the middle of this crazy ride.”@annewithapen

“…it was so addictive to read— I wanted more! If you’re looking for a unique dystopian fantasy this one is for you!” @desireesbookcorner

“…that ending really shook me. It was very unexpected and now I’m stalking Santana’s Instagram for hints on the sequel.”@bookish.and.blue

“Clever, fun, unexpected…If you like fantasy with unexpected twists you’ll enjoy this.”@coffee_then_words

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Writing Your First Novel with 3 Kids Under 5 Years Old

by Santana Saunders

When I found myself as a stay-at-home mom for the first time, it was crazy intimidating. Working in the corporate world had its challenges, but kids are often illogical and exhausting. Don’t get me wrong, I loved this time with my daughters, but I knew I needed something for myself. A few weeks went by and the story I had rolling around in my head for years found a louder voice. It wouldn’t leave me alone, and I wanted to spend time with it. So, that’s what I did. It started with taking notes on my phone while at the park or on walks with the girls. Eventually, I had a pretty good outline going. It was time to actually write the damn thing. My days were already so packed with making meals, cleaning up messes, and general mom tasks. I knew if I was going to make this happen, I had to set aside a certain block of time to write and read each day no matter what.

At first, I tried giving the girls some art projects or set them up with toys to distract them. That didn’t work. They always needed something, and I found myself resenting them and my book. We didn’t have enough money to send them to daycare, so there were only two options— Write before they woke up or after they went to bed. My kids are early birds, so writing at night meant losing valuable time with my husband and sleep. So, I became a morning writer and a night reader. I would get up well before my kids and write as many words as possible. At the end of the day, I would get my reading in. It was what I had been missing for years. I had always been a writer, but life happened. There was always something more pressing, and I had forgotten how good it felt to create new worlds. Sure, there were days when the words didn’t flow as well, but the good days more than made up for them. It took me 10 months to finish the first draft. The next book only took me 7. Maybe my third will only take me 5.

I worried that I would be taking away precious time with my kids while they were young. That they would somehow feel neglected, even though I was still spending the same amount of time with them. All of the mom guilt. In reality, this process has sparked their love for books, and I’m showing them that moms can do anything. That no matter how impossible something seems, they can do it. Having children doesn’t have to limit you. We are capable of so much more than we know.

Santana Saunders grew up along the Missouri River in rural North Dakota, where the sandbars were far-off lands and the canoes were pirate ships.

Santana went on to pursue a career in marketing, and creative writing went on the back-burner. In 2019, she and her family found themselves relocating to Florida. Sandbars and canoes quickly became beaches and ocean. This change of scenery inspired her to return to writing.

Today, she is a Florida-based author of fantasy and thriller novels. When she isn't reading or writing stories she is playing at the beach with her husband and three daughters or attempting a DIY home project that will surely take weeks longer than anticipated to accomplish.

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