A Summoning Stone

For years, the residents of a simple community have recounted the ancient Prophecy of Completion:A child with one face and two bodies will lead those who quest for the truth.An ageless treasure will summon the child across time. Danielle, transported from the present by a beach stone, is surprised to meet Kirk whose identical face seems to bring hope for fulfillment of the prophecy. Danielle reluctantly leaves the safety of her own time to join his quest to find the Tree of Truth and the secret it holds. The rugged coastal New England setting and a variety of cunning characters challenge Danielle and Kirk as they race against time to save his dying community. In the tradition of C. S. Lewis, The Summoning Stone is a coming of age story written in allegory/fantasy form. The athletic female and courageous early teen male main characters make this a book that will appeal to preteen readers of either gender. The length of the manuscript is designed to engage reluctant readers, while the action and allegory format will keep more proficient readers interested. Educators and librarians can download free teaching tools and a 9 page student guide for classroom use at www.asummoningstone.com. To see book review: http://www.forewordmagazine.com/clarion/viewreviews.aspx?reviewID=198

Award winning author, Jan Shaffer is a graduate of Ursinus College and Indiana University. She has been recognized at both the local and state levels for teaching excellence. Jan is the 2006 First Place children's division winner in the WriteStuff Writers Golden short story contest. She grew up on the east coast with her twin sister and currently live in Indiana with her husband. They have two grown sons.