Journey to Twilight Author Interview and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Journey to Twilight

Author: Charmayne Hafen

Genre: Action Adventure Christian Fantasy for intermediate grade students

Release Date: November 1, 2019

Sam and Lorna’s bike challenge becomes far more than a neighborhood race in this action-adventure fantasy for middle-schoolers. Riding over a cairn at sunset, Lorna surfaces in Twilight, where she is given three impossible tasks to complete before her heart’s desire is granted.

Story Line: Avid fifth-grade mountain biker, Lorna Thompson, moves to Arizona after her parents’ divorce. Unpacking boxes, Lorna begins seeking a way to fit into the neighborhood crowd when a girl named Ally knocks on her front door.

Splashing in the pool at Ally’s house, Lorna learns about the Crestwood Challenge, a bike race created by a scar-faced neighborhood legend, Samuel Black. She hears herself boasting that she can take on Sam Black in his own race and win. Lorna’s words quickly come back to bite her.

Although none of the kids will root for the new girl, an ancient cairn opens to the Land of Twilight giving Lorna an opportunity to win anything her heart desires.

Illustrations are by award-winning artist, Brianna Osaseri.

Thematic: Fantasy ages 9-12; Female protagonist dealing with parents’ divorce finds confidence and friendship in conflict and opportunity; Celtic; Jamaican; Multi-racial; Action-Adventure; coming of age fantasy for pre-teens with some paranormal, mystical places and events.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Charmayne Hafen is a graduate of John Brown University and has her masters in counseling from the Denver Seminary. She’s not only gifted in creative writing, but uses skills in organization, facilitation, and administration in the company she and her husband started 18 years ago.

Her love of Celtic mythology inspired her to write her debut chapter book, Journey to Twilight, for ages 9-12. In 2011, she lost her younger brother, and she dedicates this first book to Tim. When she’s not writing, Charmayne is running counseling groups for adults and a therapeutic photography group for children. She has run a grief support group for several years. She is a member of a novel book club, and she is an avid fan of the author, Stephen Lawhead.

She has written several short stories for children, teens, and adults, as well as the current fantasy series, The Land Of Twilight, being published in 2020 by Capture Books.

The first book, Journey To Twilight, is about the heartfelt needs and choices of a child of divorce. It also wrestles with what it is like to be a newcomer in a town and school. Charmayne relates personally to these themes as a child of divorce who moved consistently throughout her elementary and middle school years. She believes stories can provide not only a way of escape for kids, but also teach them how to handle difficult issues. As the characters in The Land Of Twilight struggle through different challenges, they come to understand that life requires more than what we do with what can be seen. To truly live, there must be faith in what has not yet come, in what is unseen.

Charmayne has a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism and psychology as well as a Master of Arts degree in counseling. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband John and her two chihuahuas, Pepe and Frida.

More from Charmayne

Welcome to Journey To Twilight, the first book in the Land Of Twilight Trilogy, where Lorna and her friend, Sam, begin a journey that will lead them to discover the true meaning of friendship and faith.

In a world that can only be accessed by what is known in Celtic mythology as a cairn, Lorna is shocked to find herself in the Land of Twilight where the real adventure begins. She must learn some important lessons in her quest to have one wish granted and Sam is part of her greatest challenge.

The adventure continues in Return To Twilight, where Lorna meets a new girl that proves to be a bad influence. She and Sam are at odds and things aren’t the way they were back in sixth grade. Middle school is an entirely different scene. Faith becomes a central theme in this book along with the ongoing exploration of friendship. Can Sam help Lorna remember her faith with the help of Twilight?

Trouble In Twilight, the third book in the Land Of Twilight trilogy, will be published early next year. This has been my most challenging book to write as the characters travel through time to discover the basis of faith and the philosophy at work against faith in the Savior. The Land of Twilight is in jeopardy and it’s up to Sam and Lorna to help restore what is slowly fading away.

It is my hope that my readers will come away from this trilogy with a deeper appreciation for the power of faith and friendship. I pray it will lead many to faith in the Savior and be an enjoyable ride in the process. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss these important topics and the stories that shed new light.

Author Interview with Charmayne Hafen

What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

I haven’t embarked on any literary pilgrimages as yet, but I do plan to take a trip to Stone Hinge and explore Ireland. I’m Irish and feel drawn to this land and its people.

How do you select the names of your characters?

I sometimes pick names of people I have known that remind me of the characters in the story. At other times the names just come to me. In Journey To Twilight, the name Lorna, the main character, came to me from what seemed like out of nowhere. Samuel, however, is the name of a boy I knew in fifth grade. He reminds me of Samuel Black in Journey To Twilight.

What was your hardest scene to write?

I would have to say the scene in which Lorna has a heart to heart talk with her dad about the divorce. I am a child of divorce and have a great deal of emotion about the subject. When I journal, the writing is just for me and I feel free to fling my emotion here and there on the page. When I write for my readers, I want to convey the emotion in a way that is enjoyable for the reader. I work to refine and polish until the finished product conveys the emotion in a way that becomes personal for the reader.

What is your favorite childhood book?

I loved the Boxcar Children series. Their ability to survive as orphans in an old boxcar and the adventures they found kept me reading for hours.

What comes first, the plot or characters?

For me, the plot comes first. My writing is plot driven. The characters lend themselves to the story and sometimes they appear unexpectedly. If my story takes a turn that I did not plan in my outline, often a new character will be born. That’s part of the joy of writing- finding surprises along the way.

Thank you Charmayne for your time in letting us get to know you better!

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 27

Texas Book-aholic, February 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 29

Blossoms and Blessings, March 1 (Author Interview)

Inklings and notions, March 2

For Him and My Family, March 3

Aryn the Libraryan 📚, March 4

For the Love of Literature, March 5 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, March 6

Just the Write Escape, March 7

Artistic Nobody, March 8 (Author Interview)

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, March 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 9

Blogging With Carol, March 10

Wishful Endings, March 11 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Charmayne is giving away the grand prize of silver bicycle necklace like you suggested along with a signed hard cover copy of both books!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/f6d3/journey-to-twilight-celebration-tour-giveaway