The Underground Book Readers: The Secret Society by Terry Overton

n a recent interview with local public school and community librarians, I was slapped into the reality that our children and youth not only are discouraged from reading the classics we all knew and loved growing up, but in fact in some locations, these books are banned. Yet, on the other hand, many new books are now promoted by communities and schools that embarrass me with their lude content or reckless values. Following these discussions, I set out to write this new series. This is my first dystopian work and is geared for middle grade readers (pre-teens) as well as teens, young adults, and adults.

 This week I am excited to announce the release of “The Underground Book Readers: The Secret Society,” book 1 of the new series. This series is written to appeal to middle grade readers, teens, and adults, who may not be avid readers and who may not realize the literary world has markedly changed over the years. In addition to exposing the reader to the classics like Huckleberry Finn and Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, readers are provided with Scripture as the teens in the book go to their secret church. Later, the teens discover a box of forbidden documents, including the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence. The decide to study these documents to learn about the past and how they might make the future better.

Perhaps typical teens would not be interested in these topics if the book was focused on these documents in the manner of a history, government, or Sunday School Class. The topics are therefore couched in a dystopian world where such books and documents are forbidden and anyone reading such material is imprisoned or worse. The fact that the documents and books are prohibited causes the characters to be even more curious about what is contained within each one.

Here is the Introduction:

“The world was not ready for what happened. And in the mountains and valleys of Virginia, a group of young friends wondered what to do in this different world. Their parents and older siblings were taken away, or “disappeared,” and have not been seen since that fateful day. Schools were destroyed, churches burned, and books banned. There was no fuel or electricity available for the anyone. Cars and other vehicles no longer worked and were found abandoned beside the roads rusting and in disrepair. Only the World Force military had fuel and vehicles.

The discovery of books, documents, tools, clues, and other teens hiding in the countryside, brought hope to group of friends who met daily deep in the cavern. Follow their journey of hope and adventure through the series: The Underground Book Readers.”

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This past summer I traveled to the locations where the series begins. The teens in the book hide in a secret cavern near the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley. My travels took me through the mountains, valleys, and deep into the crevices of an underground cavern (Dixie Caverns). What better place to hide forbidden books?

This ever watchful group of friends meet in an underground cavern in the mountains of Virginia. Rumors of spies, enemy soldiers, and the remote possibility of finding their parents, keep these friends searching to make a better life for everyone. As the series progresses, the teens will make new discoveries, find other teens hiding, and will join forces. Stay tuned to the exciting adventures of strength, faith, and friendship of the members of the Underground Book Readers: The Secret Society.

Bio:

Terry Overton obtained her Ph.D. in Psychology and her Ed. D. in special education. She taught in public schools and was a school psychologist and a professor before retiring in 2016. She began her second “career” after retirement writing Christian fiction books and devotionals. She hopes to share the Christian worldview through her writing and touch the lives of her readers. Her novels, middle grade readers, and picture books seek to entertain readers through the travel experiences and characters included in her books. Her books have earned Bookfest Awards, Firebird Award Winner, American Writing Award Gold, International Finalist Book Award, Reader Views Awards, Reader’s Favorite Awards and the Mom’s Choice Award. She currently resides in Laguna Vista, Texas, near the Texas-Mexico border. She enjoys Biblical history and general Bible studies, writing, and enjoying family and friends. She has seven grandchildren and one great granddaughter.