The Scholar, the Sphinx and the Shades of Nyx

Cervera, Spain, 1852. David Sandoval is a sixteen-year-old genius on many different subjects, yet he is more content studying than becoming close with family or friends. When he accepts an apprenticeship offer from a French architect, he is convinced that this will be the biggest achievement of his life. While on his travels to Paris, a foolhardy decision on his part gets him abducted by a gypsy caravan, owned by a living Grecian sphinx. The sphinx, seemingly intrigued by the fearless young man, takes him through the Curtain, the gateway between our world and the worlds of the "unseen," where many creatures of myth and legend reside. When David discovers that he has unwittingly proposed to the sphinx--who appears pleased to have him as a potential mate--he attempts to escape back through the Curtain to the human world, only to be sent to Kyoto, Japan, and that is only the beginning of his problems. On his adventure to return home, he learns a dark secret: a Shade, an extension of the shadowy Night Goddess Nyx, is slowly draining the sphinx of her most precious talents. David might be the only human on earth with the knowledge of how to save the sphinx from a lethal blight imposed on her by Nyx, and he must also save his new friends from a ruthless adversary, the Teumessian. Can one normal boy truly undo the inflictions of a goddess, and rescue both the seen and unseen worlds from her dark intentions?

About the Author :
A native of Riverside, Illinois, A.R. Cook has always been surrounded by an artful atmosphere. She is the daughter of John Reeger and Paula Scrofano, "Chicago's royal couple of live theatre," who have been a constant source of encouragement for Alison. She attended the University of Iowa, where she studied English Literature and Theater Arts with a focus on play writing. One of her ten minute plays, "In the Cards," was published by Heuer Publishing Inc. in 2002 after a successful performance at the university. During her undergraduate career, she had six short plays and one full length children's play produced. After moving to Gainesville, Georgia in 2007 with her husband David, her writing interests turned to novel writing, particularly fantasy (just ask the residents of her ever-expanding dragon and griffin figurine collection). She has continued to write short stories and short plays which have been awarded honorable mentions in various magazines, such as Writers' Journal and Writer's Digest. For the past three years, she has been the book review columnist for the Gainesville Times, one of the most widely distributed newspapers in northeast Georgia.