About the Book
Book: Reunion Crossing: The Underground Book Readers (Book Seven)
Author: Terry Overton
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Release date: January 7, 2025
Leena, Kahn, Casey, and the other Underground Book Readers continue their journey to the free land. They encounter strangers in the forest, discover new mysterious towns, and face new challenges for their safety. Their travels lead them across treacherous landscapes and through enemy territory, where danger hides deep in the forest and valleys. Weathering harsh conditions, encountering unexpected allies, and enduring long, perilous paths, the Underground Book Readers rely on their faith and each other to persevere. Their goal is to reach parts of the United States not under the control of the World Force. They long to find a place to live in peace and see their families. But as they approach the mysterious Reunion Crossing, one question remains: will they finally reach the free land—and what will be waiting for them when they arrive?
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About the Author
Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology.
Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.
She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.
Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.
Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.
Terry’s background in teaching adults and children shine through her stories that often include a character with educational or learning challenges. Her Christmas series, The Oddball Ornaments, features a box of misfit ornaments who first learn the meaning of Christmas and then discover the meaning of forgiveness. In The Underground Book Readers series, one of the main characters is on the autism spectrum yet is one of the leaders of the group of teens. Book one of a new series, The Messiah Brigade, features an awkward middle school nerd who helps his school turn around a bully gang of kids. Adoption and family issues are the focus of her new book, Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel.
More from Terry
This book is book seven of The Underground Book Readers series. The series was inspired by talking with librarians about the concept of book banning and how Christian books are no longer predominantly displayed in school or community libraries. The series is designed to place kids in a different world where many things we take for granted or no longer available: books, schools, churches, freedom, and even parents. The book series stresses Christian family values and weaves Scripture in with the dystopian action-adventure series.
This book is being used in homeschool classrooms and church schools. A learning guide and free worksheets will soon be available to guide parents and teachers through the series.
Interview with the Author
- What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
I have been on a limited number of literary pilgrimages as research for books. But now I am on a new type of journey. My husband and I recently moved to a new house ten hours away from our coastal home where we lived for the better part of twenty years-although we had short moves briefly to other locations due to work. But this current move was to move close to family in this season of our lives. Now, it is my current pilgrimage because I am working on a new series that takes place here in Sunset Cove. More on that to come in a few months as I make progress.
- What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
I am going to take a different approach to this question and that is what is a best-selling novel that I just don’t get at all. My answer would be Colleen Hoover’s books-I just don’t get it. I think perhaps I am in the wrong age group to know why so many (women especially) are drawn to these books! Some are ok, but I have read some and just scratched my head!
- How do you select the names of your characters?
Usually, I research names a bit before deciding. I want some quirky characters to have quirky names, but I first look for the meaning of the name. Next step is to pick a last name then search the full name to see who is “out there” on the internet-like famous people or America’s Most Wanted! I have been surprised to see the famous hip-hop singers or criminals with the name I thought would be perfect for a character. Then it is back to square one!
- What was your hardest scene to write?
I love to write suspense, but it is sometime difficult to get it to the point where I think the reader will be as scared as I want them to be or as curious as I want them to be. It is a challenge, but I like it!
- What is your favorite childhood book?
Charlotte’s Web! Still love it!
- If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
It is hard to say. I believe the choices I made have made me me-but-I do wish I had studied writing in college and never did. I think it would be a great help now.
- What comes first, the plot or characters?
That is hard to say. I really depends on the book(s). For The Newton Chronicles, the first thing that came was the desire to help kids understand the importance of Jerusalem in Christianity. For the Sabal Palms series, the setting came first. For The Underground Book Readers series, the desire to help kids understand history and the Bible. For the Messiah Brigade series, the characters came first.
- Who is the author you most admire in your genre?
For the age group-middle grade and up, always admired Judy Blume.
- What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Read, watch movies, listen to praise music, go on long walks with my husband, or play golf.
- If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?
I would like to invite a literary agent for the purpose of shamelessly pitching my books for movies!
I would serve all homemade-from scratch-dishes from appetizers to desserts!
Blog Stops
Vicky Sluiter, April 5
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 6
Artistic Nobody, April 7 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, April 7
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 8
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 9
Texas Book-aholic, April 10
Guild Master, April 11 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, April 12
Fiction Book Lover, April 13 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 14
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 15 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, April 15
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 16
Simple Harvest Reads, April 17 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
For the Love of Literature, April 18 (Author Interview)
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Terry is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.