Friday, June 24, 2016

The Mystery of the Skunk Ape: A Preteen/young teen Book from Cheryl Rogers

Yikes! Is it real? Seriously? Welcome, Cheryl Rogers, author of preteen books! The book you're promoting today sets me back a few years and captures my attention. I want it to read to my own grandsons! So glad you could visit today!

BOOK BLURB
A hairy ape causes a stir when Pastor Chet Harrigan returns to the Central Florida backwoods with his youth group, the Boy's Den. The wilderness guide, Dennis, is convinced it's Florida's bigfoot, the skunk ape. He and the pastor's assistant, Gary, take off in search of the creature at bedtime, not realizing 13-year-old Brad is following them ...



The Mystery of the Skunk Ape by Cheryl Rogers Bigfoot.  
Sasquatch. 
Skunk ape. 
Whatever the name, the big hairy bipedal creature has caused a stir across the United States. People seem divided; some believe and some don’t.

Without scientific evidence the creature exists, we are left to wade through blurry images and unsubstantiated stories that don’t prove anything. After all, science wants a body – and barring that – little can adequately document the creature.

I never thought too much about bigfoot myself, although I had enjoyed the 1987 comedy Harry and Hendersons. The movie is about a family that adopts a bigfoot and takes it home, with hilarious results.

One day, however, I read a Smithsonian article about the skunk ape, Florida’s bigfoot. (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/trail-floridas-bigfoot-skunk-ape-180949981/?no-ist )

Here I was, a Florida native who has lived in the state for most of my life, and I had never heard of it! I was intrigued. This sounded like a mystery for preteens and teens, so I decided to make it my fourth Bible Camp Mystery.

Of course I needed to do a little research. There are lots of videos on Youtube. One only needs to visit and type in some relevant keywords like bigfoot or skunk ape. I discovered there was a sighting at Lettuce Lake Park near my Tampa home. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcgHKMbYYNw)

My goodness! It’s where I took my children in strollers, where I biked and skated. I’d never seen anything like that myself. Could it be real? I didn’t know.

What I did know is, whether he is real or not, the skunk ape fuels the imagination. It is a legend that captivates us because we can connect – at some level – to this bipedal creature. We may wonder how much like us he really is. How he lives. What he eats.

Ultimately, I wrote a story about how Pastor Chet and his church youth group, the Boys’ Den, who travel to the Central Florida backwoods for a seemingly uneventful outing. Their plans for a tame trip end when one of the boys sees a mysterious hairy creature off the hiking trail. Curiosity gets the better of the wilderness guide, Dennis, and the pastor’s assistant, Gary, who hatch a plan to pursue the creature while the others sleep. Unbeknownst to them, 13-year-old Brad – who is as curious as they are – follows them.

The ebook is a story that captivates the imagination while teaching the biblical path to salvation, the importance of obedience, and the power of prayer. It is aimed at young adults and mystery/adventure lovers of all ages.

Other ebooks in the series include:
Lost in the WoodsA Bible Camp Mystery;
Alone in the Woods, Bible Camp Mystery #2; and
The River Adventure, Bible Camp Mystery #3.
The fifth Bible Camp Mystery, Robbers in the Forest, is slated for release later in the year.



Cheryl Rogers began her writing career in the newspaper business. Since then her writing has evolved to include writing ebooks and writing for websites, businesses, and magazines. She writes both Christian fiction and non-fiction, but what originally drew her to this career was her avid love of mysteries as a young reader.

With the Bible Camp Mystery series, Cheryl has come full circle. 
  • The first in the series, Lost in the Woods, is not a typical mystery. Instead, it incorporates adventure and suspense with the biblical principles she longs to share. 
  • The second book in the series, Alone in the Woods,shows faith in action as the youth group finds, and prays for, a mysterious woman suffering from a severe immune disorder. She is healed. 
  • Also in the series is The River Adventure, about an ill-fated canoe trip, and 
  • her upcoming release, The Mystery of the Skunk Ape, about Florida’s bigfoot. 
  • The fifth Bible Camp Mystery, Robbers in the Forest, is slated for release later this year.

Cheryl came to know the Lord as an adult through a serious illness. As a result, she reaches out to young and adult readers with her message about the importance of seeking God and staying connected to his Word.

Cheryl lives in Tampa, FL, with her husband and family. 



CONNECT WITH CHERYL HERE:


BUY her BOOK HERE!



NOTE:  I'm giving away free-copies of Lost in the Woods: A Bible Camp Mystery,through the month of June. To get your discount, you must use the coupon code SUMMERGIVEAWAY at checkout.

http://www.newchristianbooksonlinemagazine.com/store/products/lost-in-the-woods-a-bible-camp-mystery-mobi/


Thanks for joining me today, Cheryl! Readers, do download your free copy of her book. 


Blessings


3 comments:

Lorilyn Roberts said...

That sounds like a great story for a curious kid to read. I'm curious about what happens!

Janis Cox said...

Carole,
This is not my book. It is Cheryl Rogers.
Blessings,
Janis.

Lisa Lickel said...

Sounds like another great addition to the series, Cheryl. Congratulations!

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