In the desert land of Turuna, every child possesses powerful magic, and only an ancient treaty prevents the clans from recruiting them as soldiers. Now, rumors swirl that an artifact has appeared that grants childlike magic to an adult, and some clans will stop at nothing to seize its power.

In the tiny Ahjea clan, Butu has had no time to listen to rumors. His childhood sweetheart has caught the eye of the most powerful man in Turuna. Even worse, his magic has suddenly become unreliable, failing him at the most embarrassing moments. The only good news he's had all day is he's being allowed to join his clan's army despite his youth.

When his squad of young recruits is sent on a mission they can't complete without magic, Butu begins to grow suspicious. It soon becomes clear that if he doesn't figure out the truth and find the artifact first, an all-powerful tyrant will rise up and conquer Turuna.
About the Author: ERIC ZAWADZKI

Eric spent his Midwestern childhood reading fantasy, so it probably isn't surprising that he came to idealize stories of going to a far-off land. When no wizard showed up to tell him he was the heir to some otherworldly throne or the only one who could defeat the nefarious designs of a dark god, Eric took this whole questing hero thing into his own hands.

While backpacking alone in Poland without so much as a phrasebook, he met many strangers who gave him advice and directions. One family even took him in for the night, feeding him and asking him about his travels. No bandits or wolves, but that's probably for the best. He still has nightmares about that wolfman from The Neverending Story.

He lived for a time among the majestic mountains of Colorado before seeking his one true love, Beth, on the frozen wastelands of Minnesota. They married on a beautiful spring day and are in the process of living happily ever after.

MATTHEW SCHICK

Indiana had a slogan in Matt's childhood: "There's more than corn in Indiana." Driving around the state, he agreed - there were also soybeans and vast, flat skies. He found inspiration because there was so much room for it, inspiration to explore, to fill himself with variety, and to write with them in mind.

He now lives in Charlottesville, Va., with his lady, whom he met while working as a journalist in Hawaii. He ended up in Hawaii after doing similar work in Colorado and Virginia, and going to college in Wisconsin. In his explorations, he has found people, food and experiences that made each place an inspiration for the worlds in which he writes.