This story is VERY DIFFERENT from my inspirational books. It is an EPIC fantasy novel, written for teens of all ages, but a great read for adults as well. If you are into Twilight, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Chronicles of Narnia, Golden Compass, or Tom Sawyer, you are sure to love Tru Lockhart. It’s a very original story, full of whimsy, family drama, superpowers, supernatural characters, and bits of surrealism, fantasy, and teen horror.

“It’s a bummer being Tru Lockhart. He’s been getting knocked around all nine years of his life. His biological father Argus tried to kill him while he was still in his mother’s womb, believing the boy might one day be capable of destroying the world as we know it. His mother is negligent, and his abusive stepfather Jack seems to have his own ominous designs on Tru. One evening Tru’s biological father breaks out of an institute for the criminally insane to visit. Tru is certain murder is on his father’s mind. Instead, Argus performs a bizarre ceremony that triggers a startling chain of events, plunging Tru into many oddball worlds and into the hands of many outlandish villains, all who want to use Tru’s hidden powers for their own dark purposes. As his personal troubles on Earth become more devastating and demoralizing, Tru’s dips into parallel dimensions become darker and more momentous. He must overcome the despair and hatred that is gnawing into him: not only is Tru’s fate in the balance, but the fate of worlds.”

CLICK HERE TO BUY

Derek has learned some very difficult lessons growing up as a troubled teenager. As a foster youth, he wanted to go back and live with his mom but that never happened. He felt rejected and became an angry teenager. He was constantly in trouble because of his difficulties dealing with his anger, respecting others and trusting adults. Even against unbelievable odds, Derek never gave up, using music, laughter, will power, and positive decision-making to triumph over adversity.

He reveals how he overcame his adversities and how he triumphed in his personal life. He takes you down his road of lessons that he has learned of hate, anger, resentment, mistrust in adults, violent tendencies, rejection, lack of love, child abuse and the memories that have haunted his life. Derek believes he has successfully thrived as a leader in life because of his painful past, compassion for others and living a No Excuse life.

Derek inspires youth and adults across this nation to never give up and to not let the past limit their incredible future. He shares his message of courage, hope and perseverance to help others find the strength to Never Give Up. When Derek speaks, it is from his passionate soul. He brings along his guitar to sing the journals of his life. He believes that music is one of the purest ways to touch and communicate with the hearts of the audience. His listeners will be ignited with passion and have the courage to take action and fight their fears. He will inspire and teach you to push yourself beyond your perceived limits. He believes it all comes down to a choice and taking responsibility for the direction of your life. He is proof that you don’t have to let adversity hold you down in life; you have a fascinating and inspiring destiny awaiting you.

I was a five year-old kid, and already a survivor of appalling events. I have never known my father. My mother, having given up on me, placed me in the County Social Services Foster Care System. She was desperate to be rid of me. The saddest, most inexplicable part of this was that she kept my younger brother and older sister. I was devastated knowing I had been deleted from my family. I was now motherless and fatherless. I loved my mother, brother and sister, but my love for them wasn’t enough for her to keep me in the family. She claimed she could not control me, and that I was a “devil,” but I now know she was the one out of control. I was the child and she was the adult. I am not to blame for the predicament I found myself in. That is life; it is unfair.

There are millions of kids who have been given up on, and I hold their parents completely responsible. The ignoble actions of parents will always be remembered by their children. I know, because that five year-old foster child still lives within me, constantly striving to be empowered, to make his insecurities my own. But I refuse to be a victim; I am a conqueror. I am stronger than my unworthy parents!

There is no question, the mental and physical struggles of my life have proved very difficult to overcome. They say the first five years of a child’s life are the most critical to his or her development, and that children soak up everything they experience like a sponge. I agree. I have seen my own three children sponge both my strengths and weaknesses. Kids watch their parents, and mimic what they observe. The influence of my first five years contributed to many destructive behaviors throughout my life. I often wished I had been given away at birth, so that I wouldn’t have had to endure the memories and nightmares which have haunted me these many years.

There is always a lesson to be learned from adversity. I have learned many such lessons the hard way, but have found there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The light that leads us out of the darkness is the positive energy that comes to surround those who continually search for what life has to offer. The answer is always within. By harnessing this positive energy you can accomplish anything. Nothing has ever held me back from “going for it.” I have not let anyone or anything stop me from making my dreams a reality. I keep on keeping on. I am an unstoppable force. I am headstrong and know exactly what I want. I have always trusted my intuition.

My search for life’s meaning eventually brought me through a baptism by fire, which cleansed my soul. I am like the mystical “ Phoenix” that has risen from its own ashes, a resurrected soul, a lost boy who evolved into a man. In life’s journey, I was meant to shine. It is this journey in which fractured souls are made whole again. It is this journey in which wounds are healed and pain is finally replaced with love and peace.

This is a bitter-sweet story filled with real blood, real tears, unthinkable pain, turmoil, hope, love, success; and finally, significance. This is the true story of a fearless boy who fought for his life and won.

This book is for anyone who is suffering emotionally, mentally, and physically in their life.”