THE SOPHIA FREEMAN SERIES
by T.X. Troan
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GENRE: Middle-Grade Fantasy Mystery
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BLURB:
What begins as a special trip for eleven-year-old SOPHIA FREEMAN and her billionaire father, leaves her trapped on a mysterious island with a tree boy and other fantastical creatures.
The moment Sophia thinks her situation can’t get any crazier, she is shocked to learn the island is under a deadly eternal curse. All living things are rapidly decaying and soon nothing and no one—including herself—will be left alive.
From competing in a three-round yearly held competition to reviving a long-lost magical spell, Sophia and her new companions must gather every ounce of courage, wit and skill as they are stepping closer to breaking the 150-year-old curse. But will they make it in time while surrounded by enemies and traitors aiming to stop them at any cost?
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Excerpt from Book One:
“So, what’s on your agenda today, my dear?” Grandma asked.
“Dad and I are going to explore his new island after this,” she replied, sitting on the edge of her seat.
“Oh, yes, your father told me about that on the phone last night,” said Grandpa, then gave Sophia a serious look. “My girl, do you know why all the previous owners vanished?”
Sophia shook her head slightly, but kept watching him without blinking.
“Rumors say the place possesses some sort of magical energy. As dusk arrives, the island comes to life: boulders begin to quake, monstrous trees uproot themselves, and mysterious creatures crawl out of their homes. They will do
anything to protect their island … especially from humans.”
Sophia’s eyes widened and her hands began to sweat.
“Joe, that’s enough!” Dad ordered. “You’re scaring her.”
“That was very mean of you, Joe,” Grandma added.
Grandpa chuckled. “Well, it looks like I haven’t loss my touch. You’re still that innocent girl that I used to know.”
Sophia sighed with relief. He must have been teasing.
When she was a lot younger, Grandpa used to tell her ghost stories and it would frighten her every time. The all-time best story was about an invisible spirit that watches us from behind since the day we were born. It would one day transfer our soul to a magical place when
we are ready to go. He told the little girl it was time for him to go and would never return. She burst into tears and tried to convince him it wasn’t time yet. She stayed with him that whole night and never let him out of her sight.
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What was your greatest challenge in writing this series and how did you overcome it?
I have always been an illustrator/graphic designer (and always will be), but at one point I realized that my artwork alone can never tell a full story. In 2013, I have decided to become an author and worked on a story that followed me for years.
My greatest challenge on this journey was actually writing itself. From finding my writing style to getting used to all the rules, it was a huge learning curve for me. To overcome it, I had to read books—and most importantly, I have a very strong and picky editor, who was not afraid to tear my manuscripts apart to take the stories to the next level (very grateful for that). I learnt so much from her!
After five years of patience and hard work, my first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain, was finally published and had won few awards from multiple categories.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Thuan Doan is an award-winning author of the Sophia Freeman series. He conceived his first middle-grade fantasy novel, Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain, during a trip to Gabriola Island, British Columbia in the summer of 2013. Then he took his work and settled in a small town of Enderby, where it’s peaceful and quiet.
Thuan is writing under a pen name of T.X. Troan. “X” stands for Xu, his grandmother’s name who passed away. And “Troan” is a combination of his parents' names.
“No matter how this turns out, I want my family to be a part of this wonderful journey.”
T.X. Troan married Sarah, his original fan and longtime love, in 2016. They live in Enderby with their pack dogs!
Book Links:
Author Website: www.txtroan.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B5M559C1
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/t.x.%20troan
BookShop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/sophia-freeman-and-the-mysterious-fountain-book-1-t-x-troan/9222735
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TXTroan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/txtroan/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18815756.T_X_Troan
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GIVEAWAY
T.X. Troan will award a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
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ReplyDeleteWhat was your favorite part of writing this book?
ReplyDeleteComing up with spell names!
DeleteLove it , such fun and creative process I guessing!
DeleteSounds like a really good read.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Have a wonderful day!
DeleteThis looks like a good series. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI like series covers.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Have a great day!
ReplyDelete