The Podcast is coming. Dark Night of The Soul. Do you know what’s waiting in the dark. Marcus does. Listen to the podcast of Dark Night Of The Soul, so you can find out.
It’s a new idea of mine. I thought I would title the upcoming posts as thought for the day but the truth is I doubt I’ll post everyday and I don’t want to disappoint you. I’d also like to get to know you, so please feel free to give me your thoughts.
Do you ever feel that whenever you get close to making a touchdown, the end zone gets moved further away? Sometimes I do. It was better for me. I was raised in an era that had lots of jobs for those just starting out and you could save for college even working in the mills. Most of the mills are gone, those jobs with them and college is out of reach without debt. A mortgage without the benefit of a home, rent so high you may never save enough for a downpayment.
We hear people talk about the American dream, how we all have the chance to reach the finish line, have our dreams come true, get that house. But do we all have the same chances? Did we ever?
Had a great weekend. The book sales were good, but better yet was making new friends, seeing old friends and meeting many of the people attending the con.
What better example can you get of both Darkness and Light.
I think you can tell that I was having fun. And don’t forget to come to the ARIA fundraiser. It will be an event that gives us good food, great company and lots of laughs. I hope to see you there. All you have to do is click on the QR code for tickets.
Coming soon. The podcast of Dark Night Of The Soul
Do you know who Marcus is, what he’s become? Have you ever been afraid in the dark? There are things in the dark that you can’t see. Marcus can. Walking in the darkness is the one that can steal your light. It will not only take your life. Slowly it will steal your memories, taking from you all you once knew and loved. It will take your soul. What would you do? Would you accept this changed nature, or fight for the person you want to be? If you want to know what Marcus is, what he’s done and what he is prepared to do, you’ll have to read Dark Night Of The Soul. It’s available on Amazon as an audio book, where the voices of Marcus and those who enter his life come alive.
Let me know when you’ve read or listened to the book. There are questions to answer. If you can answer them, A Darkness Descending, the prequel, will be yours. You know how to find me.
If you’ve read any of the Sister World Novels you’ll notice the dogs. It’s obvious how much I love animals, especially dogs. There is a reason.
I don’t remember how old I was, neither do I remember why I was so sad. I hate crying in front of people. I hate it even more if it’s someone in my family. I’ve been known to climb out bathroom windows to find a good place to hide. Part of this may be that I can’t make a coherent sentence when I cry, no matter what I’m crying about. Maybe you feel like this too. I’d like to know I’m not the only one. Anyway back to dogs. Back then I lived in a small older home with a large farmers sink that sat pretty far out from the wall. The cupboards on either side had drawers that also didn’t go to the wall. For whatever reason, I was crying and there was no escaping the house. Small and skinny, I opened the door and managed to fit behind the pipes and the drawers. My cheerio box fit too. Munching on my treat, I suddenly heard a soft whining. I was worried Chipper, our dog, would give me away and I was enjoying the silent moments. I opened the door to shew him away. Chipper, so called because his beautiful white fur had round chocolate spots, had a better idea. I’ll never know how he did it, but somehow he managed to crawl inside. I could even close the door. He put his head on my shoulder, whined softly and enjoyed the cereal too. He understood me, he cried with me and made me feel less alone. I’ve thought of him in some of my saddest moments. You can’t buy love like that. He’ll always own a special place in my heart, just like I hope Spirit (Sister World) will find a place in yours.
The apples are ready to pick and ready to eat. I have a great recipe for a surprising apple pancake. It’s not what you think and more often than not I eat it with ice cream. Of course you CAN have ice cream for breakfast but I usually wait until after dinner. Send me a message here or on my Facebook page and I’ll divulge the secret that makes this recipe so special.
I will be talking about my books at the North Kingston Library at 100 Boone Street, North Kingston, RI, on October 27th from6:30 – 7:30. I’ll have my books with me. I have a lot to say about my writing process and my recent successes. Hope to see you there.
Reviewed by Julie Grayson for Reader Views (08/2025)
5*- Great start to a new series!!
Imagine a world in an alternate universe that’s a mirror image of Earth. What if an evil leader on
that Alt Earth decides to quietly take it over? That’s the premise of Debra Zannelli’s Sister
World: The Arrival. This is Book 1 of the new Sister World trilogy, a story that takes place
across parallel planets.
Welcome to Terah, a world that basically mirrors Earth, but is ruled by an authoritarian regime
under the tyrant Frauliege. She decides to come to Earth because ruling one planet must not be enough. When siblings Kahill
and Cara hear about the evil plot to invade Earth, they escape Terah through a wormhole that
connects the two planets. Their goal is to find their counterparts on Earth, siblings Peter and
Becky, and their scientist father, Dr. Samuel Benjamin.
One of the coolest aspects of this story is TEV, an ingenious device that translates animal speech,
allowing humans to understand them. Suddenly, the creatures of Earth have the potential to be its
biggest allies. From bats stealing weapons to rats swarming enemy soldiers, they bring an
entirely new concept to warfare.
The characters here show great emotional complexity. Kahill is a young man broken by the
cruelty of Terah. His counterpart, Peter, has suffered great trauma. Readers will also meet
Jenny, a character who will be forced to make a brutal decision.
The animal kingdom, thanks to TEV, also plays its part with some amazing characters, including
Bentwing, leader of the bats, and a dog named Spirit. But perhaps the most profound moments
with the animals involve the eagles, who mourn their dead, allowing us to reflect upon our
connection to Earth’s animals.
Sister World: The Arrival is a story of survival, resilience, and unity. Environmental themes
occasionally play out, as evidenced by the delicate beauty of Earth contrasting with the scorched
desolation of Terah.
Some readers may want more on Terah’s backstory, or Frauliege’s motives, and the adult
characters (as compelling as they are) can sometimes get overshadowed by the perils facing the
youth. However, these gaps don’t seem to be the result of careless editing. Instead, they seem to
echo the narrative’s message that the future belongs to the young, the brave, and the
underestimated.
Providing book by book publicity for Indie Authors since 2005.Open this novel and prepare to be taken in by a revolution we never saw coming. In which the
slightest of voices is set to make the most noise. Debra Zannelli’s Sister World: The Arrival is a
tale of speculative fiction offering all the thrills of a swashbuckling adventure as well as themes
Every year Metcalf School hosts a diverse and exciting Holiday Bazaar. This year, for the first time, I will be selling my books there. The date is December 6th the place is Metcalf School, 30 Nooseneck Hill Road, Exeter, RI. Now we all know that Rhode Islanders from the northern part of the state think any place further south than Providence is too long a drive, but believe me, it’ll be worth the ride.
Debra Zannelli Author 