Book Spotlight: The Unending Light by Brett Armstrong

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Unending Light by Brett Armstrong, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Unending Light 
Series: Quest of Fire #7 
Author: Brett Armstrong 
Publisher: Expanse Books 
Release Date: December 16, 2025 
Genre: Christian, Epic Fantasy

War has consumed the Lowlands in both Jason and Anargen’s eras. Each teen struggles to keep true to the Quest as the armies led by the dark powers of the Lowlands edge closer to victory. 

A secret buried in Ordumair can guarantee that evil Monarch Ilyron destroys the Tower of Light Anargen has striven to defend. And Jason’s brother, Dorian, has found an equally powerful weapon in the mysterious land of Jhi. The ancient threat of dragons returning to the Lowlands threatens to plunge the Lowlands into ruin. 

Losses that leave both teens grieving deeply and an ever-diminishing list of allies means they must be willing to give everything to rescue their world from the looming desolation. But they must face the truth that it is still far too little to win, unless they can hold on till the King’s Day arrives.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Scrivenings Press | Amazon | BookBub

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Book Excerpt

Deep-set blue eyes, steeped in regret, fell on Anargen. “Child, are you certain the mayor saw the agent of the Monarch in his beastly form? Does the mayor truly know what sort of pact he has made?”

Anargen nodded. “He saw him partially transformed. Whether he understands the depth of the darkness with which he bargains, I can’t say. He has a reputation for being a bold warrior, decisive and fierce, yes? Perhaps he thinks he can best the dark if it betrays him.”

“Don’t all Dag Votere have that reputation?” Seren chimed in. “Just because they were warriors in the past doesn’t mean that heart still beats in them.”

“Hmph,” Sir Matthias grunted and started to speak, but let his long jaw stay slack as he appeared to reconsider his words. “My people have that reputation and perhaps have grown softer in the years of peace and abundance. Comfort has sapped our strength less than our virtue, I daresay. Our mayor likes the money we earn from trade with the Ecthel Monarchists. It keeps us atop the Knors, who are still as brutal and ambitious as our people began. It makes such a treaty—”

“Forgive me for any impertinence,” Glewdyn interrupted. “We need not stand here and talk of Vogteremark politics, nor its history, nor even what has already passed between us. What matters is what you intend to do today. That will define you.”

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More in This Series

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About the Author

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Tomorrow’s Edge series), and layered, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

Connect with Brett by visiting brettarmstrong.net to follow him on social media and subscribe to email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a $25 Amazon gift card and exclusive Quest of Fire digital content (series theme music and digital maps)!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 7, 2026 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on January 14, 2026. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Author Interview: Silent Stars by Brett Armstrong

About the Book

Book: Silent Stars (Tomorrow’s Edge Book Three)

Author: Brett Armstrong

Genre: Christian dystopian, science fiction

Release date: September 26, 2023

AD 2040: Barely eighteen, things have become much harder for Elliott. Reeling from the losses during the confrontation that brought Project Alexandria to a halt, Elliott feverishly hunts for the original files needed to finish it off. Finding only dead ends, he instead stumbles upon something dire: messages about the Babel Initiative. Conceived as a successor that would make Project Alexandria’s manipulations seem tame, this new threat once again forces Elliott into alliances with morally grey programmers known as siegers. Beset by continual setbacks and defeats, many siegers abandon the cause and go underground to survive the dangers ahead. The bleak reality that Elliott and those closest to him are almost certain to die in the fight against Dr. Almundson begins to set in. But Elliott isn’t ready to give in. He knows the cost of such a silent surrender will be humanity itself.

Click here to get your copy!

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About the Author

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Tomorrow’s Edge series), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

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Author Interview with Brett

Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this book?

Brett: I do have a favorite quote in Silent Stars. It’s the last three paragraphs of Chapter 40. Unfortunately, it’s spoiler heavy! A much less revealing quote though that I really enjoy comes earlier in the book and is kind of fun:

“Of course, I still love Elliott, you sasquatch!” Lara screamed, pulling Elliott out of his thoughts and to the tense situation playing out around before him.


I like it because it’s a turning point in the emotional tension between several of the characters and also starts a kind of inside joke amongst the main characters calling Elliott’s cousin John “sasquatch” (who for clarity has a pretty rugged, mountaineer look to him). In a dystopian story like Silent Stars the moments of levity and breaking of tension feel extra important. And there are other deeper moments I also like more, but like my favorite quote they’re a bit too revealing to share out of context.


Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?

Brett: Most readers wouldn’t know that I have a ridiculous memory for movie and television series quotes. Like to the point that it has exasperated my wife a couple times. Eh, maybe more than a couple times. For the Star Wars (originals and prequels) and Indiana Jones films I could probably recreate the lion’s share of the screenplays without prompting.


Q: Do you prefer audiobooks, ebooks, or physical copies?

Brett: Yes. :)

More seriously, I like all three and for different situations and reasons. The first two are super portable and convenient, especially for trips. Audiobooks are great to listen to on car rides for me because they help keep me awake and break up a long drive. Of course, the best reading experience all around is getting to hold a book in my hands, flipping through the pages. I just internalize the story so much more deeply that way. It’s my go to if I have time and space to really savor the story I’m reading.


Q: What is your favorite season and why?

Brett: I’ve gotten to a place where I love things about every season and appreciate each one the Lord allows me to see, but I think my favorite is the fall. I live in West Virginia, and it’s beautiful here during that time of year. Not to mention it means the end of the mowing season (which is a big deal because of how um, bucolic, our yard is). Fall also has that nice balance of cool but not cold for most of the season and it gets better as it draws to the close because you start to anticipate and then enjoy Thanksgiving, time with family, and the Advent season. Fall officially ends just before getting to celebrate Christ’s first coming at Christmas. It feels like a season of appreciating the beauty of God’s creation and all He has given us and I always in need of more of that perspective.


Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your book?

Brett: I’m most active on my website where I post somewhat, kind of, almost regularly and Instagram/Facebook. I’ll list the URL/handles in a second but just as a plug, I’m generally a shy person. It drives my wife crazy how long I take to do social media posts, because I agonize over how to phrase things, but if you get me talking about something I care about—like the stories the Lord has laid on my heart—then I can go for hours. I’d love to have readers reach out and just chat about books, films, Scripture—because sometimes writing can feel a bit like an echo chamber and it’s when a writer connects with readers that it’s the clearest that what we’re doing is really making a difference and becomes especially fun.

WEBSITE: https://brettarmstrong.net
Instagram: @BrettArmstrongAuthor
Facebook: @BArmstrongWV

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More from Brett

Dystopian stories remind me of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. In it, Ebenezer Scrooge is heartbroken for Tiny Tim and asks the Ghost of Christmas Present if the boy will live. The ghost, to paraphrase, says that if the shadows of the things present are not altered the child will not live. Dystopian stories show us the shadows of things that if left unaltered, if not safeguarded against, can bring dire consequences. Years ago, I began writing the Tomorrow’s Edge series because I was concerned. Looking at headlines and articles about everything from the latest tech developments to the weakening links in western society’s integrity, I could understand why so many people fear the future. For me, it was fear for a tomorrow that is the fulfillment of every dystopian nightmare to us, but because it is so gradual so innocuous in coming, those in the future living that dystopia won’t even see it.

Our hold on reality is tenuous in the modern digital world—particularly with AI deepfakes, virtual reality, augmented reality, and the metaverse increasingly edging into our daily lives. And when combined with post-modernist philosophy’s denial of objective truth it makes for a serious existential threat. So, I wrote a story about some teens living in the near future where it is very nearly too late to come back from that edge. Teens who are gifted a glimpse of truth and reality and now can’t turn back from pursuing it. I hope it isn’t a stretch already to see that a story like that is layered. The gripping, fast paced surface narrative has beneath it an adjuration and encouragement for those of us who follow Christ to cling to the Truth and the Creator of all reality, no matter what may come. Silent Stars takes that story arc to its conclusion and in writing it I discovered there was an even more potent symbolic meaning to “Tomorrow’s Edge” than us being on the precipice or a dangerous dystopian tomorrow. It was one of the most rewarding discoveries I’ve had as a writer and I hope you enjoy uncovering it as well.

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Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, August 22 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 23

Vicky Sluiter, August 24 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 25 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, August 26 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 27

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 28 (Author Interview)

Through the Fire Blogs, August 29 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 29

Artistic Nobody, August 30 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, August 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 31

Beauty in the Binding, September 1 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 2

Guild Master, September 3 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, September 4

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Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Brett is giving away the grand prize package of $50 Amazon gift card, a copy of Silent Stars, and an illustrated print featuring a scene from the Tomorrow’s Edge series!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Link for giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5421

Author Interview: Resurgence of Dawn by Brett Armstrong

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Resurgence of Dawn by Brett Armstrong hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Resurgence of Dawn
Series: Quest of Fire #5
Author: Brett Armstrong
Publisher: Expanse Books
Release Date: December 12, 2023
Genre: Christian, Epic/High Fantasy, Young Adult

Haunted by tragedies and failures, Anargen and Jason each struggle to find their way. Night has fallen in the Lowlands and neither teen has an easy road ahead. In Anargen’s Era, Monarch Ilyron’s powers and influence grow, forcing Anargen and his dwindling list of allies to travel the length of the Lowlands in a desperate attempt to keep the Quest and all they hold dear from falling into ruin. 

Jason meanwhile must find Aria and her grandfather to help unite the Knights of Light from across the Lowlands against his brother, Dorian. But agents of darkness and painful vestiges of his past mix with vindictive new enemies to make the hope of seeing the dawn of the longed-for King’s Day ever so faint. If either teen gives in and surrenders, doom will come swiftly on their world.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

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More Books in This Series

     

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Excerpt

Seren’s plea for Anargen to keep the faith

Through the tremors of grief wracking her body, Seren warbled, “Cinaed was devoted to the High King and will be rewarded for his courage and sacrifice. The Lowlands are dark and full of suffering, and we all make mistakes to worsen it. But if you give up, if you forsake your father and me and the Quest and the Great King … that’s the greatest loss. The only one certain to destroy all hope. Don’t abandon me. Above all, don’t abandon the High King.

“Sometimes we must make a stand, and it won’t end in victory as we imagine. But there can be an example, a tower of light for others to see by that draws them to the truth and honor and hope that the High King will renew the Lowlands in his Day. And that is worth clinging to no matter how wretched the Lowlands seem, no matter how deep our mistakes and the dark things that seek to destroy us put us in the mire and gloom. You taught me that, so please, please, please don’t shatter that hope for you and for me by discarding it.”

He looked at her again, and in her eyes was a furious pleading, a longing. Not for him in himself, or even for the Knight he should be, but for a glimmer of the light from the High King that should be burning brightly within him. It was evident in her steadfastly refusing to be quenched. And from its heat and vibrance, he found the assurance that the High King hadn’t abandoned him. Whatever the circumstances may seem.

Like a poultice, it pulled away at the infectious decay ravaging him, not erasing the pain but lessening it. Mending began. He could feel it. Warmth entered his bones, and strength coursed back into his limbs that had been slowly leeched away ever since Cinaed’s death.

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About the Author

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Tomorrow's Edge), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

Connect with Brett at brettarmstrong.net to follow him on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Author Interview

Q: What inspired you to write Resurgence of Dawn?

Brett: The whole Quest of Fire series is to an extent a story about how stories can shape us and encourage us. How the actions we take now can reverberate across the years to impact people we'll never meet apart from in Heaven. There are two major timelines and sets of characters, Anargen and Thomas in the Middle Era and Jason in the Modern Era. The two are separated by about 400 years, so all Jason has is the stories of what Anargen and Thomas faced as told by Jason's mentor, Cinaed. Across the series Anargen and Thomas face these awful and impossible situations and are pressed over and over to just give up. To leave the Quest of Fire and go back to normal lives and forsake their oaths to the High King. But they don't, even when it seems like no one is watching and only harm will come to them with no good, they stand firm. And Jason hears these stories as he is faced with trials and doubts and is forced to choose to join the Quest or not. Resurgence of Dawn is where the seeds sown in The Gathering Dark and Shadows at Nightfall really started bearing fruit for Jason. He goes from hearing to acting on what he's heard and learned. You can see it in how the series is structured. In The Gathering Dark the majority of the book is about what Anargen was facing and only a bit about Jason. Shadows at Nightfall it's more balanced but still weighted to Anargen's trials. Now in Resurgence of Dawn there's a shift and it's primarily about Jason's actions now. That's really important to the book and series. There is transformation in Jason as he chooses to follow the High King and learns from those who came before him and is encouraged to stand firm in the faith because others who came before him did as well. I feel like that's something we need so badly in our current world. To not just look back at those who came before us but to also see ourselves as the examples a future generation will have to look back at and see that we stood firm and faithful to the end. So, we can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”*

* 2 Timothy 4:7-8, ESV

Q: How long did it take you to write this book?

Brett: I’ve had the basics of the story for years, but Resurgence of Dawn was undeniably a miracle. For most people things after the COVID pandemic started to calm down pretty quickly after things opened back up. By my work didn’t start to normalize for much longer and I got behind on all of my writing projects. Going into the start of 2023 I had two full length novels set to release later that year with deadlines within the first two months. I tried to work on both books but I was completely overwhelmed in a way I’ve never been. So, I prayed about it and asked God to help. Without His help, the books weren’t going to get done. After that the words didn’t just come, they flowed like they never have in my life and with some grace from my publisher both books were done in four months. Over 200,000 words in less time than it normally takes me do a 40,000 word novella. And, the most incredible thing is that when I went back and read those two books, I really feel like they’re two of the best things I’ve ever been privileged to write. The action and pacing were on point, the world-building was solid and the themes, especially the spiritual ones in each, were solidly woven into the fabric of the stories. Most of my books come together over a year or more, but Resurgence of Dawn, by God’s grace and provision and 100% to His glory, came about in two months.


Q: What surprised you while researching/writing this novel?

Brett: One of the cool things about Quest of Fire is the Modern Era is set in a 1910-1920’s type timeframe. There’s cars and telephones alongside Knights wielding divinely imbued swords. An ancient quest in a much more contemporary world. As part of the research for the book, I had to figure exactly what kind of technology would reasonably be available to a society that mirrors that timeframe in real world history. In particular, how advanced aviation and automobiles had become. It’s also a pretty varied book in terms of localities so I ended up researching history and culture for Turkiye, Persia, Armenia and the Caucasus. Including clothing, drinks, and desserts. Which for history nerd like me was so much fun!


Q: Do you have a favorite quote from Resurgence of Dawn?

Brett: I really like the quote below, because it refers back to a moment in the series that I think personally is one of the coolest and most meaningful pictures of what Christ does when we first believe:

“Do you know the High King of All Realms?”

“Huh?” The question threw Jason. It seemed silly, given the man already knew Jason was newly joined to the Knight Order.

“Do you know the High King of All Realms?” the being repeated.

“I do know him,” Jason replied. Finding the answer too brief, he scoured for something else to add and came upon something intensely personal. “He’s the breaker of my chains.”


Q: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Brett: I’m not sure when I first realized I wanted to be an author. I do know when it first became real to me though. Which I should probably explain. Some time ago, I found an old assignment from sixth grade in my parents’ attic where we were asked to write about what we would be doing across the next five decades into the future. Featured prominently in my assignment was the declaration that I would be an author. The years between sixth and college cast doubt for me that I could be an author. I thought I had to pick a profession that wasn’t a dream, one that was stable and would provide for me and the family I hoped to have some day. While I was in college following that plan in the computer engineering and electrical engineering dual major track, I was pretty depressed. Math is great, so I thought I’d enjoy engineering, but it left me feeling kind of hollow. In my junior year I had some space in my schedule that I needed to fill because a class I needed to take was already full, so I took a creative writing class for fun. It was such a breath of fresh air to me I took another the following semester and that’s when I wrote a short story titled, “Destitutio Quod Remissio”. It was about a Roman senator who was a Christian in secret but was betrayed and lost everything. He then had a dilemma: sate his desire for revenge or embrace the call to forgive as Christ forgives. I thought for sure in a secular college class it would get shredded, but my fellow classmates and instructor were incredibly positive and supportive. Several classmates said I should turn it into a novel. I mulled that over for days afterward and on my way home from the class it just hit me. Writing wasn’t just a hobby or fun distraction. It was something I felt the Lord was drawing me to deep within, something I was made to do for His honor. That’s when my journey to becoming an author began in earnest and ever since I’ve prayed to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. I’m a rather crude tool, but I’m grateful to be used.


Q:  What are you currently reading?

Brett: Right now, I’m participating in the book launch for a fellow Christian speculative fiction author, CE Stone. I’ve been aware of and interested in reading her Starganauts space opera series for years and as part of the launch I’m reading through each of them. I’m enjoying it so far and its really cool to get to support my fellow author.


Q: What is your favorite genre to read?

Brett: I usually enjoy reading speculative or historical fiction stories most, but am open to pretty much anything. Lately, my wife and I have been listening to audiobooks together and she’s a fan of YA, romance, and mystery books so a lot of my recent reads are in those genres. I often say that as a writer, I tend to write in speculative and historical fiction genres, but am open to writing any the Lord leads me to, because the story and what it conveys matters most. I’d like to say the same is true of what I’m willing to read. If the story is one the Lord puts in my path and can build me as a person and follower of Christ, then I’m all for it.


Q: What is your favorite hobby? 

Brett: I would have to say drawing. By time volume spent, it would look like video gaming, and that is owed a lot to my son. I don't get to draw as much as I would like, but it's so calming for me. It's also one of the special things between my wife and I. Our first Valentine's Day as a couple I was away on my freshman college year and she was finishing her senior year of high school. I wanted to get her something, but was completely clueless about arranging a flower delivery from that far away, so I drew her a picture of her favorite flower and included a personal note and mailed it to her. I had never given away any of my artwork before so it was a really personal gesture from my perspective. Ever since then, I've tried to draw her something around holidays and our anniversary. I don't know if anyone else would find it romantic—probably dorky—but my wife has always treated each one as special.

Drawing has also become really helpful to me as an author for sketching out characters, places, scenes, etc. Details that come out in the drawing invariably end up giving more character and depth to the stories. One quick sketch I did actually ended up so inspiring me that it became a key scene and plot point of the Quest of Fire book preceding Resurgence of Dawn.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each win a $25 Amazon gift card, a print copy of Resurgence of Dawn, and a digital poster of the Lowlands!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 24, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 1, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Author Interview: Silent Stars by Brett Armstrong

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Silent Stars by Brett Armstrong, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Silent Stars
Series: Tomorrow's Edge #3
Author: Brett Armstrong
Publisher: Expanse Books
Release Date: September 26, 2023
Genre: Christian, Dystopian, Science Fiction

AD 2040: Barely eighteen, things have become much harder for Elliott. Reeling from the losses during the confrontation that brought Project Alexandria to a halt, Elliott feverishly hunts for the original files needed to finish it off. Finding only dead ends, he instead stumbles upon something dire: messages about the Babel Initiative. Conceived as a successor that would make Project Alexandria’s manipulations seem tame, this new threat once again forces Elliott into alliances with morally grey programmers known as Siegers. Beset by continual setbacks and defeats, many Siegers abandon the cause and go underground to survive the dangers ahead. The bleak reality that Elliott and those closest to him are almost certain to die in the fight against Dr. Almundson begins to set in. But Elliott isn’t ready to give up. He knows the cost of such a silent surrender will be humanity itself.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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More in This Series

 

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Excerpt (Action Scene)

John got free and to his feet. Grabbing Elliott and hoisting him back into the fireman’s carry, the AI called out, “Wait, sir! Please stop.”

Not slowing, he narrowly got them through the doors before they snapped shut and ostensibly locked. The sound of sirens filled the warm afternoon air. No cars were in the pickup/drop-off lane. A brick wall surrounded most of the sprawling parking area, but as Elliott got whipped back and forth, he could verify no cars pulling out to help them.

“No sign of Chevy,” he concluded.

“Couldn’t wait two and a half minutes ...” John muttered.

From over John’s shoulder, Elliott saw security personnel for the hospital streaming into the lobby. “Um, we can’t stay here.”

“Right.” John took off, huffing down the sidewalk. The blue barriers indicating it was not safe to cross from the sidewalk by the building to those of its parking area did not drop, despite there not being a car approaching.

Another “safety measure” from the hospital?

Suddenly, amid the approaching drone of the sirens, a low whistling sound could be heard, and a car that had been low riding enough to be hidden behind the brick wall surrounding the parking area zipped out. The vintage sports car had been retrofitted from a combustion engine to an electric one. A door raised up on the sleek, jet-black car. “Jump in,” Chevy yelled as the car erratically swung around, almost onto the curb.

The protective barrier dropped, and John didn’t ask questions, essentially tossing Elliott inside and then jumping in after.

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About the Author

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Tomorrow's Edge), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

Connect with Brett by visiting brettarmstrong.net to follow him on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Author Interview

Q: What was the inspiration behind Silent Stars?

Brett: Since Silent Stars is the final entry in the Tomorrow’s Edge stories a lot of it’s inspiration drew from completing the journey for character arcs, plot lines, and themes in the earlier entries of the series. There’s motifs and symbolism all over the series, but one of the elements that was specific to Silent Stars and inspired the title and a core theme is found in the verses at the start of the book:

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.”*

I saw a Lou Giglio (thankfully this isn’t a verbal interview) talk where he mentioned that stars emit radio waves and that you can listen to their sound in a very physical fulfillment of those verses. That always stuck with me and while I was imagining where the story led after Veiled Sun, those verses came back to me, along with:

“…that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…”**

I also began to think about how in city limits it can be difficult to see the stars because of the artificial light. The intersection of all those things led me to a core theme of the story, which is the need for the stars which declare God’s glory in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation to not allow the artificial substitutes to drown out true light. The temptation to just ignore the truth and drift into accepting the easier surreality—a reality of our own imagining—and the protagonists clinging to the truth and the Truth, because it is too precious a treasure to relinquish and too important a cause to forsake.


Q: How long did it take you to write this story?

I suppose in a way I've been writing Silent Stars ever since I realized the story originally meant for Day Moon would be too long to resolve as a standalone. I've been actively dreaming and drafting it for the last four years at least, but then my active writing of the draft that made it to press started about a year and a half ago with a lion's share of it written earlier this year.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this book?

Brett: “I truly forgive you for what you did to me. You have my word I will do everything the Lord enables me to ensure that you are among those who live to see it.”

“See what?” [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS]

“The glorious other side of the better tomorrow’s edge on which we stand.”

I picked that one because for years I felt like I understood the meaning of calling this the Tomorrow's Edge series and while coming down the slope from writing the climax of the story and series I was suddenly hit with this realization that I had never gotten it till that moment. The above quote is what I immediately wrote on realizing it. For years I struggled with the deep conviction that dystopian stories must end tragically in order for the core messages to ring out with the force they deserve. But realizing what the Lord was leading me to with the series title it changed everything and was one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had as a writer.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from Silent Stars?

Brett: Hope. Resilience. Perseverance. The world is a dark and broken place and there are so many forces and pressures driving us towards a future that feels scary. It's easy to feel helpless and discouraged about where society is heading. We're standing on the edge of that frightening tomorrow, but I hope in reading Silent Stars, readers realize like Elliott that no matter how dark that future looks, just beyond is the day long promised where all of the dark will be forever forgotten and that is the tomorrow to keep our heart's fixed to as we weather the passage to there.

Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers would not know?

Brett: I’m in need of all sorts of wisdom and insight into how to care for a cat. I grew up with dogs as family pets my whole life, so I understand them reasonably well. But my family adopted a stray cat during the height of the COVID pandemic after the poor guy came to our house consistently with a bloodied ear, mangy fur, and looking starved and cold. He’s been with us for a couple years now and I’ve learned a lot along the way, but we found out he has FIV (the cat equivalent of HIV) and sometimes I don’t know how much of his well being and behavior is just pure cat and how much is his condition wearing on him. He’s pretty much the nicest cat I’ve ever met and has literally never scratched us intentionally (the most he does is tap us with his paw, claws tucked in). He’s also the chattiest, most opinionated animal ever, with zero interest in cat things like toys, scratching posts, catnip, mice (that was a hilarious encounter), or laser lights. He often confounds me.


Q: How many bookcases are in your home?

Brett: We have four half book shelves and three fulls with er, um, some overflow...We really like books.

Q: How long ago did you start writing?

Brett: It depends on how one would want to date it. I wrote my first original story for the purpose of storytelling when I was nine and wrote stories off and on growing up. When I reached college, I tried for a few years to be “serious” and “realistic”, thinking there was no way I could be a writer and that I needed a real career. But then I had a creative writing class that felt like a breath of fresh clean air after holding my breath for so long. Through it, the Lord really put me back on the writer's path. Since then He’s helped me see that writing isn’t my career, it’s something He’s woven into me and so long as He leads me to do it, I want to tell the stories He brings me to. The Lord is the Master Artist and I want to be brush in His hand.

Q: What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

Brett: Picking just one thing is tough. I think it’s the feeling when I’m talking to a reader and I can tell that they really got the story and I see how it’s spoken to them. That taking the journey through that story world and leaving the signposts behind, so-to-speak, has helped them too. That’s an incredible and humbling feeling to know the Lord has used you to help others.

Q: What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Brett: I really enjoy walking in the woods, drawing, the harvesting side of gardening, but I don’t do an enormous amount of that, because my little boy makes sure I keep plenty busy in my “down time”. He’s creative and spunky and knows just about everything there is to know about Minecraft. So, whatever he’s got on his agenda is usually what I end up doing…and it’s a pretty great way to spend my days.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will win a $25 Amazon gift card, print copy of Silent Stars, and a poster of a scene from the Tomorrow's Edge series!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight October 4, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on October 11, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Open to winners in the US, Canada, Australia, and UK only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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