We have all been hit by OUTLIERS. In school, when the teacher grades on a curve, outliers are the death of our grade. Everyone bombs a test, but because one kid gets a 90 it knocks down everyone else's grade. The phenomenon of OUTLIERS is an important topic to...
From the Desk of Darlene N. Böcek Faith-building Sci-fi Fantasy Stories Hi Again Reader! NOW: Me, Myself, and IT (Vera’s Story) Book One of the RETURN TO ME Trilogy–is LIVE and 👀looking👀 for beta readers. Live until February 20. If you are interested in participating in the beta read, please apply at the link below. Limited number of readers accepted. BETA READING APPLICATION HERE On the StoryOrigin beta-read hosting site–you read a chapter, comment, and then get the next chapter. It keeps…
From the Desk of Darlene N. Böcek Faith-building Sci-fi Fantasy Stories Happy January Reader! I am in the midst of finalizing the book cover for the CrossFall series. I love the work my designer has done and can’t wait to share it with you (within the next couple weeks!) But it’s nerve wracking as I am trying to perfect it. As a post-apocalyptic story with fantasy elements, CrossFall: The Remnant Rises is an epic adventure series that has taken years to encapsulate into the first story. So…
From the Desk of Darlene N. Böcek Faith-building Sci-fi Fantasy Stories Hey Reader, The Book Mobile that came yesterday was not updated when the email launched. Below please find the updated Book Mobile with January books. Enjoy! Darlene BOOK 🚌 MOBILE! 🚌 Sharing clean & Christian stories to entertain, educate, and excite. Welcome to your mobile book delivery service… January 2026BOOK SUGGESTIONS Sweepstakes-Scavenger hunt ends January 31Free WAYFINDER membership for everyone until January…
From the Desk of Darlene N. Böcek Faith-building Sci-fi Fantasy Stories Hey Reader, As you probably know, over the past years, I’ve been working on a sci-fi fantasy dystopia series. It has gone through many series name morphs. Initially: Pogland Series Then: Umbraland Series Then: Immortals Series It’s not just the series title that has gone through morphs. I have made dozens of cover mockups for the story and the manuscript has gone through just as many revisions. The story is EPIC. And it’s…
From the Desk of Darlene N. Böcek Faith-building Sci-fi Fantasy Stories One more gift to add to your pile–Relationships Today I read in Malachi: Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. Malachi 3:16 This is my vision for the community I’ve started. It’s a small fellowship of readers who like sci-fi, fantasy, dystopia, and apocalyptic…
From the Desk of Darlene N. Böcek Faith-building Sci-fi Fantasy Stories Merry Christmas from my home to yours! I know Christmas doesn’t always turn out as the perfect, ideal, family-ties and Hallmark movie type experience. Today I’m praying that no matter how it compares to your past or ideal hopes, that at the forefront you will dwell on the Word become Flesh. The miracle of the Incarnation–Mary saying, “may it be to me according to your word,” is a model for us in how we approach God. When…
From the Desk of Darlene N. Böcek Faith-building Sci-fi Fantasy Stories The Darlene N. Böcek Book Community Hey friend, Now that the 2025 Kickstarter is over, I wanted to let you know what, Lord willing, 2026 holds in store on our Community site. This world is going dystopian. No doubt about it. Normal people have to figure out how to live in this chaotic world. We want CLEAN READS and UPBUILDING FICTION to help entertain and encourage us on this journey. We want to stay true to our faith as…
From the Desk of Darlene N. Böcek Faith-building Fantasy, Sci-fi & Speculative Stories Dear Reader, I’ve been wrestling with something for a long time, and I want to share it with you candidly. Over the past few years, we’ve all sensed it—that slow pull of the apps, the scroll that never ends, the way our attention is quietly siphoned away. Johann Hari wrote in Stolen Focus, “the algorithm has one driving principle: show you what keeps you looking.” Not what builds you up. Not what roots you…
From the Desk of Darlene N. Böcek Faith-building Fantasy, Sci-fi & Speculative Stories Let the Merry Holidays Begin! As we enter into the season of Christmas, as we begin to focus on the birth of our savior, here are some wise words I read yesterday from Martin Luther’s Commentary on Galatians. “Wherefore, when thou art terrified by the majesty of God, or when thou thinkest upon God’s judgment, unless thou hast Christ, thou wilt despair. Then straightway imagine Christ, the true and natural…