Allen Brokken 
Storyteller, Author, Technology Strategist.

The Winners are Summer Reading Bundle - Crista GB Towers of Light Bundle - Stephanie S Light of Mine Audiobook - Jason M., Josh C, Karen HG Poster (Facebook) - Catherine B. Laura B.C. Kandi W., J.D. R. Poster (Youtube Handles) - Karen H, Captain Nemo, Phyllis Wheeler, Whatsmynamefam, Lillian warren, The Etika Archives, Please use the contact form at the bottom of the page to provide a way to receive your prize. Still Small Voice is being released on Audio and now has a Unit S

After their parents mysterious disappearance, Lauren Aiden and Ethan discover the Armor of God. Will their faith be strong enough to keep dark forces from destroying the Tower of Light? Chapter 13. The Struggle for the Light If you would like to try a reading comprehension exercise with your child download the following file and print it for them to read along as you read aloud or play the video here. After reading from the Good Book, the children went to bed. Sometime around

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. - Psalms 23:4 KJV As I think about that phrase it's pretty easy to think of 2020 as the valley of the shadow of death. Between the pandemic, civil unrest, and the overall disruption of American society it's easy to feel like there's darkness closing in all around us. Regardless of your personal politics, religion, or financial situa

In a previous post I talked about the darkness that is cloaking our land and how there is an enemy that seeks to destroy us. But what about the light? We live in perilous times today, disease, riots, looting, racial strife, and poverty are all around us. Not just present in the world, but directly affecting us daily. In the midst of that darkness how are we to find the light? First, we must start with the source of the light, Jesus Christ. “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying,

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 TLB As I began writing for my kids one of the lessons I really wanted to impart was that there is an enemy seeking to undermine all that is good and right in the world. At the time I used the term allegorically to vaguely describe the forces of evil. In 2009 when I started writing, I had no idea we would be facing the the oppressive threat of disease

This week I'm launching Still Small Voice. This will be my fourth book launch. If you are a newcomer to my site, you might be wondering, "four launches?" I only see two books listed at Amazon. What other book launches are you talking about? Originally the book titled Light of Mine was launched twice under a different name. Due to a myriad of reasons each of these launches were more like this guy's rocket, than a moon shot. I shared my experience with these failures and t

As I write, I often get inspired to write a rabbit trail that can only be considered world-building. When writing for Middle Grade, there's a focus on showing and not telling. However, a lot of the detailed world-building is just a narrative that just doesn't quite fit. So it goes in this file labeled "the cutting room floor.docx" on my computer. However, now and then, there's a concept that hits my brain that still doesn't fit the story I'm telling right now but is prett

As the Celebrate Lit tour continues, today's review from the Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy highlighted the setting as one of the more interesting aspects of Light of Mine. As a writer, it helps if you can write from what you know. I grew up on a farm in southeast Iowa with a garden to tend every summer, surrounded by crops and woods. I had some really tough jobs like baling hay, chopping firewood, and detasseling. I even had the privilege of raising my own pigs for mark

At the end of Light of Mine, were you left hanging a bit? Were you wondering who's going to take care of the kids? Are they going to go try to save their parents? Would they really follow Mother's instruction and go to Blooming Glen? Well, I'm happy to announce that answers to those questions will be in print on July 24th. Towers of Light Series Book 2, Still Small Voice, is done! It's currently in the beginning stages of the publication process and will be available this sum