Tales of adventure, friendship, self-confidence and teamwork
for all ages.
Sharky and the Jewel
The Deliverers Book 1
by Gregory S. Slomba
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure
WINNER of the Golden
Wizard Children’s Book Award 2024!
NOMINATED for The Book of the Year Award
2024 in the Ages 8+ Category.
A world is in trouble, who can save
it?
Certainly not Eric Scott, a 12 year old boy coming to grips with his own
personal tragedy. But that’s exactly what Stig, an owl from another world, asks
him to do. Together, they are sent to deliver Calendria, a small fishing
village, from Sharky, an immortal pirate captain that has enslaved them. But
defeating Sharky and his band of bloodthirsty pirates will be no easy task.
When they arrive, Eric and Stig meet Kate Endria, who is convinced that they
are the Deliverers—heroes of an ancient prophecy who are destined to defeat
Sharky and his crew. Eric devises a plan that he hopes will work. Eric’s
confidence rises when they rescue Hallo Tosis, an outcast dwarf who gives them
the key to a powerful weapon. But it’s only after things start to go horribly
wrong that Eric and Stig discover the true object of their mission.
THE GOLDEN WIZARD BOOK PRIZE REVIEW
2024:
This book is truly a masterpiece, showcasing the author’s incredible talent on
every single page. Slomba’s writing style…blurs the boundaries between fiction
and reality, immersing readers completely in the story.
The protagonist, Eric, is exceptionally well-crafted. As the plot unfolds, we
witness his remarkable journey of self-discovery, gradually uncovering his
inner strength and determination. This evolution of the character adds depth
and relatability to the narrative, allowing readers to form a personal
connection…and reminding us of our own untapped potential.
What else sets this astounding literary piece apart is its ability to resonate
with a wide range of readers. It surpasses age boundaries, entrancing not only
younger readers but also adults who will find themselves completely absorbed in
its pages. The allure of this book is undeniable, and personally, I found it to
be an absolute delight to read. I am eagerly looking forward to the next
installment in the series, excited to continue the journey.
– Louise Jane, CEO The Golden Wizard Book Prize
They stepped through the door into darkness. Once he was through, Eric turned around just in time to see the door disappear.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used t’ that,” Hallo said.
“Shhh!” Kate hissed, “Not so loud. Who knows where we are. We could be in the Vynistri king’s throne room.”
Eric felt a breeze on his cheek. “I think it must be night time,” he whispered, “It feels like we’re outside, too. Stig, you’ve got good night vision, what can you see?”
“It looks to me like we’re on top of a large tower of some sort. It’s round and there’s a railing all the way around. If you look over in that direction, you can see the lights of a city nearby.”
Everyone moved in the direction that Stig pointed until they came to the railing. Eric put his hand on it. It was smooth, black stone of some sort, and cold to the touch. He shivered and looked out on the lights of a large city spread out below them.
“I say,” Stig said, “The city is quite large. It’s walled in and there are three other towers spaced around it. There is a large gate beside one of the towers over there.” He pointed to their left.
“Hey,” Eric said, pointing, “I think I can see lights outside the city, too.”
“Hmmm, yes, campfires I should think,” Stig said, looking in the direction that Eric indicated. “Quite a lot of them. I do believe the city is under siege. The campfires seem to surround the city, now that you mention it.”
“The city’s a pretty fair size, don’t ya know,” Hallo said, squinting into the darkness, “An army that could surround it’d have t’ be pretty big, too.”
“That means the rebellion must be substantial,” Stig said.
“How d’ ya mean?” Hallo asked.
“Well, that army must belong to the rebels. I doubt the government would surround its own city.”
“It seems like the rebels have the Vynistri backed into a corner,” Kate said.
“Yeah, which means things must be getting close to the boiling point,” Eric said.
“Then, I guess we gotta stop jawin’ an’ get movin’,” Hallo said.
Just then, they heard something that sounded like the creaking of hinges, and the top of the tower was suddenly bathed in light.
At this point, several things happened at once. First, Eric turned, and was blinded by a bright light. A dark shape stepped out of the light, followed by several others.
“Stop right where you are!” a voice growled. The man had a shaggy head and beard, and Eric could see he held an ugly looking weapon in his clawed hands.
Then, Stig took to the air with a fluttering of wings. He flew out away from the tower. The guard raised his weapon and, before Eric could even think of stopping him, fired. A beam of sickly blue light shot from the gun. For one brief moment, Eric saw his friend frozen in the air, surrounded by the beam. Then, Stig fell from the sky toward the ground and was lost in the darkness.
“Nooooo!!!!” Eric yelled.
Order of the Crystal
Lion
The Deliverers Book 2
“The Deliverers: Order of the Crystal Lion proved to
be even better than the first book in the series (which I loved) and left me
wanting the next book right away! The action was non-stop and the creative
elements made the story come alive. The story was full of surprises and is an
adventure you don’t want to miss!”~Stephanie Robinson, co-author of The
Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow
“The writing in this book is so descriptive…Every page is a fabulous
adventure filled with action. Just when you think the conflict is over and you
can finally breathe a sigh of relief – wham! – a new unexpected twist
appears.”~Karen Pokras Toz, author of the award-winning Nate Rocks series.
Who will fight–for the Order, for freedom? For centuries, the Vynistri have
been splicing lion DNA to the genes of their servants, the Chazum, using a
device called the Machine. Now an army of Chazum and sympathetic Vynistri are
waging a bloody civil war to overthrow the Vynistri’s evil ruler, Chancellor
Trelango. In their latest Assignment, the Deliverers–Eric Scott, Stig the owl,
Kate Endria and Hallo Tosis the dwarf–are charged with putting an end to the
fighting and restoring balance to the world. Aided by a secret society called
the Order of the Crystal Lion, Eric and the rest of the Deliverers must
overcome tragedy and loss to fight for freedom and equality. Spurring them on
is the Order’s belief that the long awaited Crystal Lion has arrived to deliver
the world. Is it true, or will Trelango destroy them all?
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The Golden Dragon of
Ang
The Deliverers Book 3
“From the mouth thou shalt hear
The wisdom of far off lands.
The way to truth is clear
Head, then heart, then hands.
Lastly, tail will point the way
To the world’s end.
Then gold shall have its say
And foretell the doom of men.”
With his dying breath, so spoke the last Dragon’s Voice. Now, with no successor
to impart the wisdom of the mythical Golden Dragon of Ang and children between
the ages of 12 and 15 mysteriously disappearing, the Dragon Islands have been
turned upside down. It is up to the Deliverers—Eric Scott, Stig the owl, Kate
Endria and Hallo Tosis the dwarf—to unravel the clues they hope will lead to
the missing children and the new Dragon’s Voice. Meanwhile, the Fang, leader of
the renegade Denchi Assassins, has harnessed the unearthly powers of the
sparkling mist and is attempting to tip the balance of power in the Islands,
and perhaps shred the very fabric of the universe itself. Will the new Dragon’s
Voice be revealed, or has the Golden Dragon of Ang abandoned the Islands to the
Fang and the sparkling mist?
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Sparkling Mist of
Time
The Deliverers Book 4
You can’t change
the past—can you?
That’s what Eric Scott always thought. But that was back before he learned
about the Hallway of Worlds and the sparkling mist. Now, after three
Assignments to save other worlds, he’s not so sure. When the Gatekeeper tells
him someone might be using the mist—matter from failed worlds—to change the
past on Eric’s world, possibility becomes probability.
In their fourth and final Assignment, the Deliverers—Eric Scott, Stig the owl,
Kate Endria, and Hallo Tosis the dwarf—face a challenge like no other. They
must prevent the worlds they have helped on their previous Assignments from
being wiped out. They are sent back in time to the American Revolution to stop
an unknown foe from using the sparkling mist to change history. Worlds, the
Hallway and the universe as we know it, hang in the balance. Will the
Deliverers be able to contain the sparkling mist once and for all, or will
everything they have achieved so far be annihilated?
Deliverers Character Interview: Stigidae Ghostwing
Today we interview one of the stars of the Deliverers Series, Stigidae Ghostwing (Stig for short). He’s an owl who recruits young Eric Scott to come with him on an Assignment–a mission to help save another world.
Greg: Welcome to the Deliverers Publishing Headquarters, Stig. Thanks for taking the time to, um, perch with us.
Stig: It’s my pleasure entirely, I assure you. I say, your headquarters is really quite impressive.
Greg: Oh, how so?
Stig: Well, the sheer size of the place for one thing, and the fine art and furnishings, to say nothing of all the awards and autographed political and celebrity photographs. I mean, who knew this was such an accomplished organization!
Greg: Stop, I’m blushing. But this isn’t about us. We want to hear about you. What was your childhood like? Were you an only owl?
Stig: I was an only child. It was rather difficult. You see, my childhood lasted for about 150 years. Most of that time was spent in school. Owls are nothing if not educated. When I wasn’t in school I was with my parents hunting for mice, moles, and the occasional rabbit.
Mother was kindly and very understanding of my youthful foibles. My father was a most respectable business owl, and did not go in for any “carrying on” whatsoever. This led to some friction between us when I entered my adolescent years. I must confide that, just between you and I, I was quite the hellion back in those days. Eventually, I settled down and became somewhat respectable myself, but the entire process was rather painful.
Greg: What is your world like?
Stig: Oh, much like any other, I suppose. Owls are the predominant species. We’ve developed a very learned society, known for our universities. A nice place altogether, but not really my cup of tea. I don’t spend much time there these days, what with my Assignments and all.
Greg: How did you first get sent on an Assignment?
Stig: I first stumbled upon the Hallway of Worlds when I chanced upon a doorway while exploring a cave on my world. This was, let me see, over 100 years ago when I was around 320 or so. I can’t begin to describe my amazement when I found myself in the Hallway.
Then, the Gatekeeper appeared. He seemed to have been expecting me. Naturally, I was skeptical when he told me he needed my help, but I could not deny that I was not in the cave that I had entered, so I agreed to help him as best I could.
That was the first of many Assignments in my service to the Gatekeeper. It took a long time until I was chosen to lead an Assignment.
Greg: Let me guess, that was this last mission with Eric, right?
Stig: Mmmm…Yes. Apparently, the Gatekeeper had his eye on Eric for some time. He asked me to approach him with an Assignment. Mind you, I wasn’t sure Eric would accept. He was going through an extremely rough patch, and had quite a large chip on his shoulder. Thankfully, I was able to convince him, which worked out to everyone’s benefit.
Greg: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Stig: Well, I don’t have much of it, I can tell you. I teach a class at university on my home world every other semester. I enjoy it—it’s a real hoot.
Greg: Did you know Hedwig, Harry Potter’s owl?
Stig: Oh, not that well. We flew in different circles. The few times I did meet her, she didn’t have much to say. Bad show what happened to her, but she died bravely. For me, it underscored just how unpredictable life can be.
Greg: How has the release of the book impacted your life?
Stig: I’ve worked in virtual anonymity for over 100 years, so it was a trifle disconcerting to have the bright light of the media turned upon my work. All in all, though, I must say that it has been surprisingly satisfying. For one thing, it was an excellent Assignment. For another, it gave me a chance to work as part of a team, which was a most singular experience.
Eric, Kate, and Hallo were fun to work with, although a trifle exasperating at times. Each brings their own expertise to an Assignment, and I think we play well off each other. I’m looking forward to working with them again in future.
Greg: So, do you think you will all take part in future Assignments?
Stig: From what the Gatekeeper says, I would think it stands to reason. There are thousands of worlds out there, and more than a few are encountering difficulties, so I would think you could count on it.
Greg: Well, thank you for your time Stig. I look forward to reading about The Deliverers’ future Assignments.
Stig: You’re quite welcome. The pleasure has been all mine. Now, do you think you could help me find my way out of the building? All the passages are quite confusing, and I can’t make head or tail out of the map you gave me.
Gregory S. Slomba is an instructional designer, former
editor, and the author of the award-winning Deliverers Series. He studied
English at the University of Dayton, then worked as a banker for 20 years. He
also spent four years as an editor and writer for a national trade magazine,
giving him an opportunity to sharpen his writing and editing skills. Along the
way, he was able to visit some fun places such as Bermuda, Spain, China, and
over 60% of the U.S. states. He currently designs, writes, and delivers
training courses for bankers.
Reading fantasy and science fiction has always sparked his
imagination. Inspiring the imaginations of young readers through his writing is
what drives him.
Greg lives in Connecticut with his wife, Stephanie and his
two grown children, a golden retriever, and four cats.
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These look very interesting. I know just the person who would enjoy them. Thanks
Great excerpt! I’d love to read more!
Sounds like a good middle grade fantasy.