Have you read last week's article about The Carnelian Legacy by Cheryl Koevoet? If not, let's catch you up on the book summary...

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"Marisa MacCallum always believed that the man of her dreams was out there somewhere. The problem is – he’s in another dimension. After the death of her father, eighteen-year-old Marisa’s life is on the verge of imploding. She seeks comfort on her daily ride through the woods of Gold Hill but when a mysterious lightning storm suddenly strikes, she is hurled into the ancient alternate dimension of Carnelia where she is discovered by the arrogant, yet handsome nobleman, Darian Fiore.

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Stranded in a world teeming with monsters, maniacs and medieval knights, she is forced to join Darian on a dangerous mission to negotiate peace with his cousin and archenemy, Savino da Rocha. Along the way, she begins to see his softer side and falls in love. But when she discovers that Darian is trapped in an arranged marriage, her heart shatters.
When Savino falls for her charms and demands her hand in exchange for peace, Marisa is faced with an impossible choice: marry the enemy of the man she loves or betray them both and become the catalyst for a bloody war."

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If you want to know more about Cheryl's fascinating journey to becoming a writer, head over to this article. Or stay tuned for more inside

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secrets about the book trilogy! The Carnelian Legacy has an endless list of five-star reviews on goodreads.com, including "Amazing Book! I was blown away with the first few chapters!" and has impacted the lives of many people greatly. This widely agreed opinion of the book aligns with the aim of the book. Cheryl told us... "This is a coming of age story about a young woman who discovers that everyone is special in the eyes of God, and that each has his or her own unique purpose to fulfill in their lifetime". Of course, Cheryl found other influences to encourage her writing. She recognized that the current young adult book market is saturated with dark themes that glamorize witchcraft, the occult and hardened sex and violence. Our society has seemed to turn away from the traditional tales of romance and adventure in favor of stories injected with the highest shock value possible. As a Christian and mother of four teenagers, Cheryl set out to write an engaging series of fantasy books for today's youth that offer a delicious brand of escapism where ancient civilizations of the past collide with modern day technologies and attitudes.

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We asked Cheryl what the most difficult and rewarding aspects of writing were for her. This is what she told us...
"One of my favorite authors, Michael Crichton said it best: "Books aren't written - they're rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't quite done it." It isn't the writing process that is hard, it's knowing what to keep and what to throw out during the editing process!
I love hearing from the readers and fans of the book. It is so inspiring to hear how the story you have created has just brightened someone's day or made them feel better somehow about life in general. Most of all, I love to hear that readers enjoy and identify with the characters in the book. This means that the story is as real to them as it is to me and that they are experiencing the story the same way that was intended. There exists a sort of camaraderie between people who have read and enjoyed the same books."

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Delving a little deeper, we found out that Cheryl has been inspired to write since childhood! From being a big fan of C.S. Lewis, she has wanted to someday write books similar to The Chronicles of Narnia about people traveling to another dimension since early on in childhood. For Cheryl, the only aspect that was lacking in the Narnia books was the stark absence of a good romance. Here is how she put it...

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"When I asked myself what would happen if a woman from Earth fell in love with a man from another dimension, my mind imagined all sorts of fantastic dynamics that would propel both protagonists forward onto achieving an otherwise impossible relationship. While the books can be described as 'uplifting' or 'inspirational', they aren't preachy; thereby allowing the reader to glean or discard certain truths as they see fit". As is the formation of many successful books, Cheryl's personal experiences and background had a great influence on her stories. Whilst she has never travelled to another dimension, Cheryl did fall in love with a man halfway across the globe, whilst she was at the tender age of twenty. She told us how she experienced firsthand the struggles of learning to speak and live in a different culture: struggles which are still highly underestimated, even in today's modern society.

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In the opening scene of The Carnelian Legacy, eighteen year-old Marisa is attending the funeral of her father. This was a challenge for Cheryl to write for she wanted it to appear as real as possible. In the next few months of writing, Cheryl received the horrible news that her father had passed away unexpectedly. This meant that the book took on a whole new dimension for Cheryl; she suddenly became Marisa. Many of Cheryl's thoughts, feelings and memories about her father were thrust into the book. She told us that she found it important to inject the very real emotions of someone who has just lost a loved one. Cheryl was coping with her own grief, and the story became a living memorial to her father, thus encouraging her to dedicate the first book in the series to him.

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Still need some convincing to get into this best-selling series?! Here' what you don't know about the book yet...
The tale of Darian and Marisa in The Carnelian Legacy is a timeless love story between a medieval knight and a modern woman as they struggle to bridge a most unusual and difficult culture gap. When this girl from a high-tech world is suddenly thrust into an ancient realm filled with chivalrous knights, mythical monsters and mad giants, she is forced to depend on others while confronting her system of beliefs. In doing so, she discovers certain truths that transcend time and eternity. The fast pace of the story combined with suspense and multiple plot twists and turns along the way keep the reader riveted while challenging them to guess what will happen next.

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