Title: Erift’s Journeys: Secrets of The Sealed Forest
Author: J.T. Tenera
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy Adventure
Book Blurb:
What would you do if you were given the chance to embark on a real life adventure? Would you take the plunge, or let it pass onto the next person?
After traveling halfway across the globe with the promise of an exclusive video game event, Joseph Erift is pushed on a journey by a coffee-addicted professor that will forever change his life. He never thought magic could be real. That it was just an element found in fantasy stories and games. Airships and magic spells that create fire and slow time don’t exist in the real world.
However, if that were the case, then why is he seeing these things, and why are he and his best friend being sent on a quest to stop a vengeful young man from awakening an ancient power?
Excerpt:
Erift’s Journeys: Secrets of the Sealed Forest follows the escapades of high schooler Joseph Erift and his best friend Eric Castis as they embark halfway around the world following the promise of an exclusive video game event. On the last day of school before summer vacation begins, Joseph returns home to discover a puzzling invitation waiting for him. In a plain brown envelope labeled with his name and address he finds a very odd letter.
The letter explains that, due to his special skills and talents, he has been carefully selected to participate in a professional demonstration of a brand-new video game that is still one year from its release date. Also enclosed are two plane tickets to the Murean Islands—one for himself and the other for Eric—and a CD demo of the game to be reviewed. After some quick internet research to verify that the information is legitimate, Joseph runs to Eric’s house to share the news.
After some initial skepticism, Eric is on board, and they make plans to meet up later that night to ride their bikes to the airport. The adventure that awaits them when they reach the Murean Islands is one that they never could have imagined. It is as if the video games that they love to play have come to life. Neither Joseph nor Eric ever thought magic actually existed.
Yet those doubts begin to melt away, as does the modern world. They meet new friends, including Jam Carnella, who is able to control the elements around him with his music, and Professor Benjamin Thessit, who is an enthusiastic, coffee-addicted researcher with a passion for magic and science. The professor’s plans are unexpectedly uprooted, however, when he reveals that a young man named Ryan Morter has stolen important pieces of his research, and he enlists the boys to pursue him. This pursuit leads them on a much more dangerous path, where extra lives will be unable to bring them back if they perish. Giant stone chimeras and living trees are all eager to test the limits of Joseph and his friends.
After witnessing ships that fly, magic spells that create fire, slow time, and heal others, and a rock giant welding an ax, they find themselves true believers in the existence of magic and Joseph is now unable to deny that fantastic elements dwell within our modern world. Life will never be the same.
Secrets of The Sealed Forest sets the stage and introduces readers to Joseph Erift and other important characters that will be featured throughout the series. Joseph’s path to discovering why he’s involved in the events unfolding around him will be long a treacherous, but it’s a journey of self-discovery he can not refuse. However, curiosity may eventually lead to his downfall.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What makes your featured book a must-read?
Erift’s Journeys is heavily inspired by fantasy RPG video games and Shonen Jump anime. It’s perfect for younger readers who have outgrown early chapter books and are seeking a longer, more involved reading experience and shows the importance of following your heart and chasing your biggest dreams—no matter how dangerous they might be.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $20 Amazon US or Amazon Canada gift card
Open Internationally. You must have an active Amazon US or CA account to win.
Runs September 6 – September 14, 2022.
Winner will be drawn on September 15, 2022.
Author Biography:
J.T. Tenera will fully admit that he never wanted to become an author when he was a child. Born March 10th, 1987, his dreams consisted of one thing; making video games when he grew up. However, a project in the 8th grade changed his mind. His class was tasked with writing and illustrating their own children’s book. After receiving 110% on the project, and being told by his teacher that he was talented in story telling, he started down a more creative path. Especially since he later learned that making video games was a lot more complicated than he thought as a child.
Tenera originally published Erift’s Journeys when he was a senior in high school. It was a proud moment seeing the story he dreamed about finished as a real book. However, it was all just for fun. He wouldn’t realize his desire to take his writing to a professional level until 2019. Mostly self-taught, Tenera now works to bring his world to life for readers of all ages, all while doing his best to find time to game in between.
Social Media Links:
Website – https://eriftsjourneys.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/PickledAuthor
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jttenera
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thepickledauthor