What’s all the hype about?

Four sovereigns.
Two dragons.
One kingdom.

Peace evades them, but through it all, they’ll fight for family and their place in the history of Muintir—or die trying.

The first six books follow an 18-year-old stablehand who’s better with horses than he is with people. When a magnificent stallion walks through the barn doors, he’s in love, but when the soldier who owns the horse gives money to the innkeeper the next morning, Hest thinks he’s been sold as a slave. As he manuevers the ins and outs of court intrigue and tries not to anger a princess, he discovers the family he’s longed for and a place to call home, but when he rescues a baby dragon, suddenly, he’s destined to be the next king of Muintir!

As Hest learns what it’s like to be dragon rider, king, husband, and father, his own insecurities come to the fore, and his decisions are often made from emotions not what he truly values. Follow his story, his wife’s story, and their daughter’s in the first six books.

Books 7 and 8 are the story of the original dragon king of Muintir–Shawnahur. Shawn’s a simple herder who longs to be more–to do more. When he helps a wounded dragon, he gains the popularity he’s after, but it comes at a price. Soon he’s running for his life from the enemy on the battlefield but also from his own king and faither-in-law!

Reviews

I’m going to step into trouble, and immediately admit that the cover is not my thing, which made me hesitant to pick this one up (Yep, I’m superficial like that). Gosh, I’m glad I took a peek anyway because this is really an amazing read. ~Tonja from Goodreads

The world is well-developed and rich, and even the supporting characters have quite a bit of depth. ~Lily The Fairie Review

It is easy to get pulled into the world. ~Kimberly from Goodreads

It had what I was looking for in the genre. ~Kat M from Goodreads

There is no doubt that this author is a master of world building. ~Sandra Stiles from Goodreads

Every character is masterfully developed, so much you could think you’d see one of them any day walking down the street… if you lived in Medieval times with dragons, that is. ~Priscila Gilbert from Goodreads

I loved this book and how the characters developed over time. It is full of action with a bit of romance. ~Jaimie The Fantasy Princess

WOW, this story deserves more than the 5 stars that I gave it.  I LOVED it and I thought it was the best one of the series! ~Jamie The Fantasy Princess about book 8.

Learn more

You can read chapters from each book, check out info, etc on the series page.

Where to find it?

The best place is to purchase directly from the author. This supports a small business and takes out the middle-man. It also benefits you! That’s right. If you purchase from me, you get autographed books, and this series comes as a bundled boxed set–complete with box–and the spines will create an image when they’re all collected and put in order. But I understand that retailers have their place as well, so you have that option as well.

Special Edition Features

Two books in one:

Bonded Crowns is the duology of Appointed and Ascended that will be released individually next year. While you have to wait for the books in individual format, you can grab the completed story in one chunky paperback or hardback (876 pages).

Autographed and full color title page:

The title is in color as well as the signed blessing.

Colored Maps:

New maps by A C Cartography of Eelarga and Muintir will be in color in the paperback and hardback copies.

Stretch Goals

Everyone who backs now has extras that will be tossed into their box when the campaign is finished.

Currently achieved: Deleted scenes from the book. In the middle of the action, I had a story of Shawnahur meeting up with a young puckling drover. It slowed the book down, but I went ahead and edited it with Part the Wor(l)ds Editing. It now is waiting to be formatted into a pdf or ebook to send out to my backers.

Other options up for vote:

Stretch goal #2 is $1,000 and will unlock one of the following

Coloring pages–Shawnahur’s poems and songs, zentangle dragons, horses, pucklings, and more. 28 images in all

Puckling ditty–While in the fields, Shawn’s brother taught him a ditty that helped pass the time, later it helped Shawn appear insane when he was captured by the enemy.

Dragon Lullaby–Composed and written by a local musician, this is the song that Hest hums to calm horses and that Keenah hums to activate the magic in the seer’s ring.

Puckling stickers–vinyl stickers of pucklings drawn by Zion Valet.

The next stretch goals will unveil other options such as additional maps of Shawn’s journeys, endpages for the hardback books, sprayed edges, and an embossed design on the hardback books.

A Peek Inside

Shawnahur has met up with a young boy who’ll become his squire. The smayden is a weapon much like a glaive.

They rode in silence for a span or so before the lad pointed up past his knee and asked, “Did you kill a Hameen to get that?”

“Hm?” Shawnahur had hardly been paying attention; they’d finally hit a stretch of open road between towns where Duhara could manage the terrain without guidance.

“The smayden. Did you kill the Hameen who owned it?”

“Nay, not this one.”

“Another?”

“Aye, the one the king holds belonged to their champion in the south. That one was me.”

“I’m glad. Any more?”

Shawnahur rubbed a hand across his face, trying to block out the sight of Linnea’s husband—Yohan; he’d never be able to forget the name she’d cried—and the others. He shuddered. “Too many to count.”

“Good riddance.”

He pulled the horse to a stop and turned in the saddle, fixing Athlone in his gaze. “Listen, boiwith, if you’re going to ride with me, there’s something we have to get straight. Hameen are human, just like us. If you ever end up in battle with me, you’ll treat the enemy like you’d like to be treated. Do you understand?”

“Mm.”

“Nay, I need to hear you give me your word.”

“Aye, duene. Whatever you say. They don’t keep with such honor, though, you know.”

“Mayhap, nay, but one step when I walk the halls of the dead, I’ll face Jeeah knowing I pleased him.”

When he didn’t get an answer, just a contemplative look out into the wilderness, Shawnahur tapped Duhara’s flanks to get them moving again.

“You actually believe that, don’t you?” Athlone finally asked.

“With all my heart, boiwith. I’ve seen enough to know that if I deny their humanity, I lose mine, too. ‘Tisn’t the way to follow Jeeah, who made us all and bears the sorrows of both sides.” He paused, gathering his fortitude. The story might land badly, and ‘twas still a raw enough wound that ‘twould sting him if it did, but he felt it needed to be told. “My first battle, I thought I was defending a child, and I killed a man in hand-to-hand combat. Turned out ‘twas his son. Watched the whole thing.”

“Oh.” Athlone’s response sounded like a punch to the gut had driven it from his lungs.

“Aye. His wife saw it, too, and after the battle I had to knock down a Muintirian soldier who wanted to pull her straight off of her husband’s body and take her for himself.”

That was met with silence, but Shawn could feel a tightening in the lad’s posture behind him.

“Then someone came to drag him off to be burned, and I thought…” Shawnahur’s chest constricted. “I thought, ‘This is the last memory his family is going to have of him.’ So I did what little I could—treated his body with some dignity. Carried it myself, kept it from being buried under the rest of the dead. If ’twas one of ours, ‘twould be what I’d want them to do.”

“They don’t.” The lad spat, though with less venom than Shawnahur had expected.

“Mayhap, but I won’t stoop to become like them, no matter how much death I face or deliver.” Shawnahur’s hands tightened on the reins, and another heavy silence fell over them; he decided to leave the boy to his thoughts. ‘Twas a struggle, he supposed, for one who’d never even had the chance to fight back, to be the victor standing over a dead enemy. A victim would have different feelings. Different things to submit to Jeeah’s ways, if he accepted them at all.

What you’ll receive

At the base level, you’ll support an indie author and receive an ebook copy of Uprooted that starts the stories of Four Stars over Ardatz where Bonded Crowns takes place.

If you wish to go further, you’ll get the early release ebook of Bonded Crowns, the story of the first dragon king. When I say early release, I mean that this book won’t be available in this form until 2026! The first half of the story will be published in April of 2025 and the next half in July of 2025. So, you’ll have a long time to wait if you don’t go now.

The next two levels get you paperback or hardback editions of Bonded Crowns. And as we reach our goal of funding, then you’ll get to vote on what extras you want!

First 24 hours

If you so choose to back within the first 24 hours, you’ll receive the bookmark and Uprooted ebook for free! It’s added to the ebook, paperback, and hardback levels.

The extras

Most of the extras will stay a surprise until we reach those goals, but in the meantime, I’m letting people know that there are colored maps, extra maps, and more available to add to your book–whether it’s physical or ebook.

There are new maps as well created by A C Cartography.

You can also get the completed series as a trilogy. I’ve worked hard at combining Uprooted, Blessed, and Exalted into one book titled Bright Lands, and Determined, Resolved, and Divided into Battle Lines.

Oh, and I didn’t mention that this version has chapter art! Yep. Some never-before-seen images as well as the covers from the original books are being integrated into the books at strategic places.

How it works

You go to Kickstarter, login (easy to do: either create an account or login with Facebook), and pick your level of reward. What do you want?

Ebook?

Paperback?

Hardback?

Once you have that done, decide if you want any add-ons:

Extra bookmarks, paperbacks, hardbacks, or the trilogy in ebook as well.

Share and watch the fun

Yes, it’s fun. The more you share, the more extras happen. As you get excited, your friends join in. Then you get to a final project that is unlike anything you have ever had before.

‘Twasn’t until Shawn had played through nearly every melody he’d composed that the chieftain finally slumped back into his chair and regarded his son with a clearer visage.

“Carda, what do you recommend?”

“Your plan was a good one. When the rains cease, the clans will come together again and witness your valor, and you’ll see again just how much the chiefs of Muintir regard you. ‘Tis a time of waiting—all we can do.”

Rian pulled at his beard. “But how long until the rains end? I wish they’d just dry up forever! I’ve not been right since they started.”

“Nay, Father, you’re fine. You just need to rest.”

“How am I supposed to rest with this constant buzzing? ‘Tis like a fly’s stuck in my mind. Can’t think straight or even see straight.”

“Hush, ‘tis—”

“Don’t ‘hush’ me, boiwith!”

Carda flinched as if slapped and abruptly turned on his heel toward the door. Shawnahur wanted to shrink away from the conflict, but he continued playing, his fingers remembering the tune he’d created the first time he’d played for the duene: Rian’s Song.

“Carda, don’t leave,” Rian pled. “Stay, boiwith. You’re my son.”

“I won’t leave, Father.” The warrior leaned against the wall, looking unfazed.

Shawnahur envied the way the young man could recover his composure so easily. Whatever Carda did, he seemed to be comfortable, whether that was on the battlefield as his brothers had attested to, or what Shawnahur had seen of the man here in his own home.

You can have that as well, heart of my hearts.

How?

Learn to be confident in who you are—who we are together.

Warmth trickled through his arm, and the silver light glowed on his hand.

Not now!

It dimmed, but he didn’t have anything to fear. Carda had set his attention solely on his father, and Rian was concerned only with the clan leaders’ lack of attention. The flute found a melancholy tune, and Shawnahur wondered what he’d feel if Father suddenly lost all sense of propriety and raved like a fox with maddening sickness.

What do you think? How would you feel in Shawn’s shoes? I know I’d be wanting to run. I avoid conflict like the plague! 

If you want more snippets, you can find them on the following page.

I’ve started to describe Kickstarter as a GoFundMe page that pays back those who fund it. You choose your tier of rewards and then if the goal is met, everyone gets their rewards, and the Indie author gets some money. 

If the goal is met and there’s still time left, then you see stretch goals put into effect. These are extra rewards that everyone gets if a specific goal is met–either x amount of money or a specific number of backers. 

What are rewards? Well, that depends. In the case of Bonded Crowns you’ll get your choice of ebook, paperback, or hardback. Then the stretch goals will be things like cut scenes, coloring pages, upgraded art–colored map instead of black and white, or a specific map of Shawn’s travels. Those who back will be voting on what gets added.

I’ve created a video to show you what Bonded Crowns is all about.

How Kickstarter Works

Kickstarter works off the idea that you like projects and want to see those projects reach their potential. So, indie authors, game developers, and other creatives present their ideas to the world, and you get to help back them in exchange for a piece of the project.

Your reward is based off the amount of support you give! It’s that easy. For example, you may only want an ebook, so you select that tier, but maybe you want the deluxe hardback edition. Each tier price is set in relationship to what you receive.

Unlike GoFundMe, Kickstarter projects are all or nothing. If they only reach 99% of their goal, then no one receives their rewards, and the project creator doesn’t get any money! But what happens if the goal is reached early?

I watched as Karyn Norton funded in under an hour! She then still had 21 days to go. The excitement built as her backers shared the word and eventually, when it was all said and done, I held the most beautiful hardback book in my hands–Embossed, jacket cover, chapter art, vellum map, colored map of world and the magic system!

How was that possible? Through stretch goals. As a backer, I was able to vote on what extras I wanted.

The Opportunity for You

My next book, Bonded Crowns, is releasing via Kickstarter next month. It won’t be available in this form anywhere else. Come March of 2025, I’ll release half of it as Appointed, and in July, the next half as Ascended. A special edition of Bonded Crowns will eventually be available on my website, but it won’t have all the bells and whistles that the Kickstarter version will have.

Bonded Crowns

What is this book? And why is it different than what will be available on other outlets?

Bonded Crowns is the duology of the first dragon king of Muintir. For Kickstarter, I decided to give the completed story first before it comes out as two books in the series. And since it’s new characters set earlier in the world, it works as its own standalone edition.

Survive.
Claim the crown.
Become the dragon king.

That should be easy for an eighteen-year-old, but Shawnahur’s easy days of being a puckling drover end moment he helps a baby dragon. Instead, he inadvertently ends up on a battlefield and defeats the enemy champion.

With his innocence stripped away and his victories mounting, Shawnahur is on the wrong side of the new king’s jealousy which knows no limits. He’ll need all his wits to stay alive as he’s threatened not only by the enemy on the battlefield—but also by his king!

Even so, he dares to dream that the prophecy of a dragon king could apply to him, but that’s only if he can survive long enough to claim the crown.

How to Be Envolved

You can get early notification in two ways:

This enables you to have an email in your inbox when the project goes live and another just before the project ends.

This is a special group who want personal notification of the project, want to be part of the conversation ahead of time, and are willing to pledge $1 right now to add a bookmark, the Dragon Journal and a pen to their tier.

I can’t wait to see how special this edition gets, but it’s all up to you and your friends. Bring them along.

Mayhap I should introduce myself, although it feels strange to do so in a journal, but as my scubhear reminds me, one step I’m to be the dragon king and others will want to read what I’ve written. That’s even more foreign to my thoughts than introducing myself in a journal.

My name’s Shawnahur Macoll, and my friends and family call me Shawn. Three synods ago, I helped a wounded creature, and that changed my life. But I’d go back in a heartbeat and do it again. Keenah is as much a part of me as my wife, Ashley.

You may wonder why I’m in caves or why my Ash isn’t with me. ‘Tis a long story, so I’ll only tell the shortened version. 

The jiddee’adar, Dree, came to my home only a few cycles after I met Keenah and proclaimed me dragon king. Can you imagine that? Me, the youngest of 8 sons, a lowly drover of wooly ducks–dragon king! Oh, and we didn’t even have a nation! Muintir was made up of clans; the closest thing we had to any national ruling was Rian, the chief of all the clans. 

But that changed. Rian became king, and I married his daughter. Unfortunately, he thinks I’m his enemy–that I’m after his throne. I know it may look that way, but I’ll tell anyone who will listen that Rian is my king! Much to my commanders’ chagrin. They’ve urged me to face him, allow them to assassinate him! I’ve rejected those ideas every. single. time.

There are steps where I wonder if I can continue this way, though. Wouldn’t it be better to give up? Flee to Twilli? Someplace where I’d be safe. But then I’m reminded of Ashley. I’ve been told she’s still hoping that she can come be with me. How I yearn for that! 

Oh… I need to go. Word just reached me that Rian’s closing in. 

Jeeah protect me!

Today, we’re focusing on the first two trilogies: Bright Lands and Battle Lines

Bright Lands

The first trilogy starts off with eighteen-year-old Hest. All he wants to do is work with horses. They’re much easier to get along with than people–especially girls. He can talk to horses, understands what they’re saying, and knows how to care for them. People? Not so much. Maybe because he was orphaned eight years ago. Whatever it is, he prefers the comfort of the stables.

But…

There’s always that little word. My dad always used to say watch what happens after the word but. It’s always important.

But when a wonderous stallion visits his stable, Hest is introduced to a warrior. This warrior demands Hest comes with him and hands coins to the innkeeper. Hest thinks he’s been sold as a slave!

Meanwhile, the warrior starts teaching Hest some of his language while they travel south toward the land of the sun. By the time they reach the capital of Hest’s country, Hest gets up enough gumption to ask about slavery. The warrior is shocked to say the least. He explains that the money was the cost of an apprentice and he wanted Hest as a squire. When Hest agrees to this, his real adventures begin.

Going in front of kings.

Meeting a beautiful (and spirited) princess.

Saving a baby dragon!

That last one sends Hest on a journey he never expected–to be a king!

Wait! What? The kid who isn’t good with people is supposed to be king? That won’t work. And you’re right. Hest tries his best, but between his bond with the dragon, his longing for his homeland, and the struggles of a new marriage, being king is least of his worries. Unfortunately, several different groups take advantage of this and threaten the royal family as well as the kingdom.

Battle Lines

The second trilogy focuses on the girls in Hest’s life.

Siobhan

We’ve seen everything from Hest’s point of view up until now. Grown to love him and understand him, but now we get to see Siobhan.

We’ve met this feisty princess earlier, but now we dive into her thoughts, emotions, and determination. We see the grit she’s made of, as well as how she’s been spoiled as a princess.

She wants her relationship with her husband to be perfect, but there’s someone else in her husband’s life–a dragon–and she’s jealous! Jealousy is a bad bed partner.

The tension builds, but maybe a baby will make everything better. For a bit, but kids also add more stress to a relationship.

Add in PTSD, to postpartum depression and Siobhan is ripe for fear to control her. Then when her greatest fears come true and she’s again abducted by her enemies, she has to learn how to face fear.

Facing fear isn’t a one time action, though. Even as Siobhan takes action to never be weak again, she’s still learning how to grieve and how to manage her fears.

A new threat to her kingdom steps up to join forces with her old enemies, and she must face the ultimate decision in battle.

Mairead

And what about that little girl, Mairead? (pronounced Marr-ed)

We’ve seen here as a baby, as a little girl running around the Rittider training ground, and training horses. (Yes, she has her da’s love of the creatures.)

Now, we watch her in grief as she takes on the crown. Her faithful captain of the royal guard is there for her, and she has a journal from the original dragon king to guide her.

But…

(There’s that word again.)

By the time she’s sixteen, almost seventeen, a neighboring country extends a treaty proposal with a marriage proposal. Mairead’s not ready for marriage, but she’s curious about this right of passage.

After convincing her council to at least allow the prince to visit, she finds the prince is more than meets the eye. Although plagued with a disease that causes constant pain in his joints and muscles, he also is a mage. Mairead is interested in this since she’s starting to see and feel strange things whenever she thinks of the dragons of her country’s past.

What will be the cost of her decisions? How will she tame this wild energy within her?

Although, the first two trilogies are finally published, there’s still one more story in Four Stars over Ardatz: Sovereigns–Bonded Crowns. This is the original dragon king’s story. Look for it in 2024 with a Kickstarter launch. (Look for the Kickstarter project in spring of 2024, or follow my blog and newsletter to get updates.)

As an author there have been several of my novels that were inspired by songs. I hummed the chorus to Who You Say I Am all the while as I wrote Dragon’s Winter. Paskal’s Hope and (working title) The Rebel and His King both are yet-to-be-published novels that were driven by specific songs.

Resolved and Songs

The Sunday before Resolved released, I walked into the church service late because I’d been talking with our Sunday School teacher. I discovered one whole row filled with my family and their significant others, and my parents in the row in front of them. My heart was filled to overflowing as my daughter’s boyfriend stood to offer me his seat. I squeezed in and made room for him as well. Then the music started, and tears streamed down my face. Tears of gratitude and thanksgiving. But with each consecutive song, I was drawn into my own story world. I saw Siobhan in all of it.

Blessed Be Your Name by Matt Redman

The premise of this song is that through good and bad I’ll praise God. Part of the tears flowing with this song was because I remembered another time when I’d lost a friend in death. We’d sang the very same song. Now I sat in a row full of family and all was well.

The chorus states:

Every blessing You pour out, I’ll
Turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

This reminded me of Siobhan at the end of Resolved. The final chapter came to mind and I cried even more.

The Goodness of God by Bethel Music

This song will probably inspire another novel or more. The lyrics are just so amazing. The chorus talks about God’s goodness running after me. Just the imagery of that blows my mind away, but that Sunday, it was again the final chapter of Resolved that played out on my mind’s eye.

You have led me through the fire
In the darkest night
You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father
I’ve known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God

Exchange the word God for Jeeah, and that’s exactly what Siobhan was saying as well.

How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin

I love this song and usually sing it in three different languages. In fact, that Sunday I did. My daughter’s boyfriend looked at me strangely at first, but when I explained that I was using American Sign Language and singing in Spanish on the chorus, he smiled.

This song is just a wonderful song to raise in praise. To realize how wonderful God is. I envisioned Siobhan standing on the field singing this one to Jeeah.

The Door Within

Meanwhile, I’ve been listening to Wayne Thomas Batson’s The Door Within Trilogy. Books 2 and 3 were bookcased around Realm Makers–listening on the five hour trip to the airport and back, and finishing when I was down sick with a cold after the conference.

The trilogy is an amazing Christian fantasy that in some ways is like a modern-day Pilgrim’s Progress. Teens find their way into the land of Alleble full of Glimpses (spirit halves of the people from earth), and a fight between King Eliam and Prince Paragor. The story dropped me into the world of Glimpse-kind and knights of Alleble to such a degree, that when I went to church to set up the PowerPoint for Sunday, I was transported to King Eliam’s throne room with each of these songs:

Hosanna (Praise is Rising)
All Hail, King Jesus
Ancient of Days
He is Exalted
You Are My King (Amazing Love)
Come, Let Us Worship and Bow Down
Majesty
Holy Is the Lord

What songs have reminded you of books? Or are there books that remind you of songs? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Action

The series Four Stars over Ardatz: Sovereigns has been touted for its action-packed pages. Resolved is no different. The action starts with tension between the queen and her council and moves to rumors of war which Siobhan tries to stop.

Coming of Age

If you thought Siobhan grew in Determined, she really comes into her own in Resolved. Before she was a spoiled princess learning about marriage. Now, she’s queen and a single parent to a ten-year-old. She’s doing her best to keep her daughter and her kingdom safe.

Clean Romance

The sanctity of marriage has always been at the top of my values. Therefore, it was with trepidation that I allowed my characters to speak to me and act on their hearts. What followed was a clean romance that doesn’t defy any boundaries, but may result in some interesting conversations down the road between characters.

Epic Fantasy

What’s more epic than the peace of multiple nations? The Navwood have been a pain in Siobhan’s side since she was a teen. Since they can’t do much on their own, they look for allies—like they did with the Aeguskey in Uprooted. This time they find a neighboring kingdom to help along with a jiddee’adar (mage).

Addicting Series

Many have said this is an addicting series. All I can say is find out for yourself. Pick up Uprooted and see what you think.

Found Family

This theme has woven its way throughout every single book. From Hest and Sydur to Hest and Siobhan, and now Mairead is seeking a da that’ll be there for her. Find out who’ll step up and fill those shoes.

Worldbuilding

As I build a world, I want to create it in such a way that I can enjoy living in it over the course of writing the book(s). Ardatz is no different. For over a year, I brainstormed with family members and even a scientist to be sure that it was plausible. I didn’t want to live with sci-fi, but some of the stories that may live in Ardatz may very well be more science fantasy if not science fiction!

As a result, Ardatz is a world you can want to live in.

Lovable Characters

From the beginning, readers have loved Hest. Siobhan and Mairead, Kyeth, Gareth, and Faolan are sure to become fan favorites as well.

Good vs Evil

This age-old battle has filled fantasy for centuries. The jiddee’adar vs sanyalee express that in Resolved, but also the question of war. Good being the country at peace and evil being the country that invades for no other reason than they can.

Amazing Rallying Cries

You know the scene. The one where Theoden rallies the Roharrim. Or the one where Aragorn and Legolas argue in Helm’s Deep with the men looking on. Both are rallying cries that stir your hearts. According to my editor, Siobhan has just the right rallying cry for her Rittider and army.

Mages

In Ardatz, mages are known as jiddee’adar. They follow Jeeah’s guidance and have been given power from the various elements on Ardatz that flows through their blood. Sanyalee either are jiddee’adar that have turned against Jeeah, or they’re normal people who use stones and other focusing items and force the power to themselves.

Out of all of Four Stars over Ardatz: Sovereigns books, Resolved sees Lugh and Conry fighting together. The sanyalee that they face is one that originally was a jiddee’adar but has turned his back on Jeeah.

Explores an Age-Old Question

Why do bad things happen to good people is a question that has troubled philosophers and still bothers everyday people. I didn’t go about writing a treatise on why bad things happen to good people, but it flowed in story format and then was tempered through the events of 2020 when Determined and Resolved were written. As you read, you’ll see the hope and the reason behind why bad things happen to Siobhan and, hopefully, see why they may happen to you.

So, here are 12 reasons why you should pre-order Resolved? What are you waiting for? Haven’t started the series yet? No problem. As I told my email readers, you still have time to pick up Uprooted and read through. Resolved releases on July 11. Grab your summer reads now and get caught up.

Humility

This is the obvious one. We don’t want our kids to boast about their accomplishments, yet at the same time, it’s okay to be excited and eager to share the news. To be humble is to be free of pride or arrogance according to Merriam-Webster.

So, the real question is how to teach that? Maybe the best thing is to figure out what pride or arrogance is. The best definition of pride is inordinate self-esteem, again from Merriam-Webster, and arrogance is an attitude of superiority usually manifested by being overbearing.

These are definitely qualities we don’t want our children to have, especially that last. It’s okay to be proud of accomplishments, but to do so without being arrogant.

The next suggests are ways to help keep pride in check.

Acknowledge the source of Blessings

When blessings come our way, we can either say, “Look what I did!” or we can say, “Look what has been handed to me.”

I’m personally going through this right now. Blessed released over two weeks ago. It’s been Amazon’s #1 New Release in at least one category all but one day since it released. I’ve never had a book do this well. I could jump up and down (and I did a little of that) and say, “Wow, I did everything right with this book.” But I know that’s not the case. I’ve done everything right with other books, and they’ve not hit this big. Instead, I’m looking to God and praising Him for blessing me and allowing me to bless others.

Our kids need to be able to realize that blessings come from above.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

[Jas 1:17 ESV]

This is key to not having an overbearing attitude.

Enjoy the moment

Often in trying to keep bad qualities from exhibiting in our kids, we don’t allow them to celebrate. When the Creator created the universe, he took a day to celebrate and relax. To enjoy His work. The Sabbath was created with this in mind.

Allow your child to celebrate their achievements. Take them out for ice cream. Have a party. Watch a favorite movie together as a family. Have a family fun night. Whatever you decide on, make it something your child enjoys.

Acknowledge others

One big thing for our kids to learn is that they’re not the center of the universe. When blessings come our way, it’s good to be able to acknowledge that there are others around. If your child made the team, it’s possible someone else didn’t. If they got the A on their test, their best friend may have gotten a C or even failed.

Teach your child to reach out in grace and sympathy to those who don’t have blessings and mourn with them. This is key to not losing a friend. By allowing their friend space, they can show that they still care.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

[Rom 12:15 ESV]

Know blessings are fleeting

Blessings come and go. They’ll be here one moment and gone the next. This is difficult for adults, let alone kids. Teach kids to treasure the blessing while it’s here, but not to hold onto it so tightly that they can’t allow it to pass.

Keep a journal

Journaling your blessings can help when the hard times come. After they’re gone, we easily forget them and begin to complain. Kids especially have a hard time with this. Ever heard, “It’ll never happen to me?” or “Everyone else gets to.”

Provide a journal for your child to record their blessings. It could be as simple as a mini-composition notebook or as elaborate as a leather-bound journal. Then when trials and difficulties come, look back and help them count their blessings.

This habit can not only help with accepting blessings but can even provide better mental health. Right now, that’s something kids need more than ever.

I’m not saying these steps will guarantee your child isn’t arrogant, but they will help train them in the right way. It will help them not be like Hest.

A Bad Example from Hest

Oakwin shook his head as he led his horse to the front of the soldiers’ barracks.

“What?” Hest asked.

“Oh, just how you can be completely blind to your influence on people.”

Hest wanted to ask what his friend meant, but he was starting to feel dumb with all the questions. Oakwin must have sensed it for he answered anyway.

“You go to help the bayheah and come away with a horse for the cannonsea as well. All of that with Clancy not batting an eye.” He shook his head again. “I’m glad you’re my friend. I’d hate to see what it’d be like with you as my enemy.”

“Well, I certainly couldn’t harm you with a sword.”

Hest laughed trying to brush Oakwin’s comments aside. He wasn’t anything special, but a niggling thought or presence in the back of his mind made him wonder.

No, I’m not special. He tried to quiet the voice but to no avail.

You are the first human in over three hundred synods to have befriended an arclukesure, Usheen reminded him.

“Hest, are you going to mount?”

He blinked and discovered he stood before Beskallare. Only his ingrained training kept him from slamming his weight down into the saddle—it wouldn’t be fair to take out his frustration and embarrassment on his horse that way. Instead, the moment he was seated, he turned Beskallare and urged him into a run.

“Hey!”

He heard Oakwin’s cry, but ignored it. Maybe if he let Beskallare run, he could get away from the feeling that something, or someone, had taken control of his life. It was as if the moment Sydur handed Malene those coins, he’d lost all sense of agency, of free will, of choice. The wind brought tears to his eyes, but he only pushed his horse even faster. The ground flew past him in a blur, the only sound the pounding of Beskallare’s hooves as they smacked the earth.