Julia Dudek

Julia Dudek

About

Julia Dudek lives with her husband and two wonderful children in New Jersey. She graduated from The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey with a degree in Historical Studies, and from Monmouth University with a Master of Arts in Teaching. Julia has received numerous awards for her writing while in college, most notably The Ignie LaFluer Endowed Scholarship Award for her short story, “The Color of Homage.” Pieces is her first novel.

Julia is currently writing the sequel to Pieces, as well as working on other projects. You can visit her website at www.juliadudek.com

The Time That's Given

The Time That's Given

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Description

<p><strong><em>Have you ever awoken from a vivid dream and wondered which side of waking was real?</em></strong></p><p>Burt Higgins' retirement is not going well. His children have grown, and his wife has gone off to earn a late-life degree, leaving him alone in his sprawling suburban home. With too much time on his hands, he broods on the state of the world, obsessively following the worst of cable news and the Internet. Increasingly angry at the state of affairs, he nurtures a fantasy that a dark lord from another realm has foisted these problems on humankind. If only he could transport to that world, he'd confront the demon and use the magic found there to defeat the beast and end despair forever.</p><p>On a particularly bad news day, while housebound in the midst of a snowstorm, he retreats to his study to shut out the world and immerse himself in his books. When, on a whim, he lights a candle purchased in an obscure Prague curiosity shop, a magical guide appears and offers to take him on whatever quest he chooses. When he asks to become a hero in a fantasy realm, he discovers a more complex world than he expected, and battling evil with magic turns out to be far from his greatest challenge.</p><p><strong>EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS</strong> a specualtive fantasy adventure sure not just to entertain you, but to make you consider your life, your dreams, your goals. [DRM-Free]</p><h2><strong>Books by David Litwack:</strong></h2><ul><li><em>Along the Watchtower</em></li><li><em>The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky</em></li><li><em>The Time That's Given</em></li><li><em>The Children of Darkness</em> (The Seekers - Book 1)</li><li><em>The Stuff of Stars</em> (The Seekers - Book 2)</li><li><em>The Light of Reason</em> (The Seekers - Book 3)</li></ul><h2><strong>More Great Fantasy Fiction from Evolved Publishing:</strong></h2><ul><li><em>The Awakening of David Rose</em> (David Rose #1) by Daryl Rothman</li><li><em>Shadow Swarm</em> by D. Robert Pease</li><li><em>Kingdom in Chains</em> by J.W. Zulauf</li><li>The &quot;Grims' Truth&quot; Series by Isu Yin &amp; Fae Yang</li></ul><p> </p>

Story Behind The Book

The characters for Pieces were something my grandmother and I brainstormed together fifteen years ago, when I was just in middle school. She was a writer herself once, even attending college in New York City briefly while in her twenties to study journalism, though she's never been published. Literature and writing was something we bonded over early on, and she has always been a fan of my writing, and promised me one day I would see it published. Earlier this year, however, she was diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer's, and I knew that if I wanted her to read the story she helped me come up with fifteen years ago, I'd have to take it off the shelf and make it happen. I am so proud and grateful that I'll be able to put a copy in her hands now.

Reviews

<font face="Tahoma">&quot;By rights, a debut novel should be flawed. But, if you’re looking for shortcomings in <em>Pieces</em>, the initial offering from newcomer Julia Dudek, your search may be as fruitless as that of Diogenes. Starting slow, and building speed like a steam locomotive with its engine stoked by a madman, <em>Pieces</em> is not only compelling, but is unrelenting. Its characters are fully drawn, its plot as sophisticated as any in recent memory, and its ability to draw the reader in is unparalleled. This thriller packs a wallop worthy of any literary heavyweight. If this is just the beginning, the future can only be of star magnitude. Can’t wait for more!&quot; <br /><br />- Joe Perrone Jr., author of <em>As the Twig is Bent</em> and <em>Opening Day</em></font>