Seasons of the Blue Pearl

Seasons of the Blue Pearl Nicholas Varner’s Debut Fantasy Novel Set in Ancient America “IN THE TIME OF LONG AGO” In a land where mountains rise from the surrounding desert like the jaws of a wolf, evil has emerged from beneath the arroyos and infected the only village in that vast landscape. A young girl and her family hold the key to defeating this evil, but to find help they must journey into a land from which few have returned, searching for a place out of ancient legend. Depending on their source, the winds that spiral over the earth can be the family’s greatest ally or bring their most dangerous enemy. Each member of the family possesses special magic. But to use it to defeat the evil that has entered their world they must learn teamwork, perseverance, and sacrifice.   Nicholas Varner’s Seasons of the Blue Pearl has won the 2023 gold medal from Nautilus Book Awards for young adult fantasy fiction, an award open to self-publishers, the big five publishers, university presses, and everything in between. It is also a silver medalist for both the Global Book Awards and the Literary Titan Book Awards and is a semi-finalist for the OZMA Book Awards. “Earthly, imaginative, dark – Seasons of the Blue Pearl is a song to save the world.” -Independent Book Review “A fast-paced adventure story told with a real love for the desert and its ecology… The lyrical language is a pleasure to read, and the main character, the young girl Mia, is someone you want to be… Wonderful!” -Sharman Apt Russell author of Songs of the Flute Player “In this vibrant world, even the rains have genders and nothing is ever as it seems. The language flows with poetic beauty, reminiscent of campfire and bedtime stories… Paying homage to different cultures and people, Seasons of the Blue Pearl is a fantasy novel in which battles are won through teamwork, perseverance, and sacrifice …” -Forward Clarion Reviews   **** “Seasons of the Blue Pearl is stunningly written with immersive mythology, riveting adventure, magic that is beautifully brought out in the characters, and a brave girl as the hero.” Reader’s Choice Book Awards   ***** Varner’s Seasons of the Blue Pearl, produced by Friesen Press, is available for order from most major online book retailers, including the Friesen Press Bookstore, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and many other online retailers nationwide. About the Author Nicholas Varner enjoyed a long career teaching students and athletes from diverse cultural backgrounds. He was voted Southern Arizona Coach of the Year several times, building teams of young people from as far apart as Bosnia and Somalia, one of whom still holds the Afghan men’s 800-meter record. Nicholas, his wife Kate, and their two Malamutes now live in the mountains of the Gila National Forest in New Mexico.