About the Book
Book: Thalia in Exile
Author: Allen Brokken with Thalia Schertzer
Genre: Middlegrade Christian Fantasy
Release Date: June 26, 2026
Thalia never expected to be taken. But the Darkness has plans of its own.
When the dreaded Steele Brothers and their Giant allies raid her home at midnight, Thalia and her friends are forced on a harrowing journey to the mysterious academy at Emohnomed. Like the young men of Judah chosen for the King of Babylon’s service, they are dragged towards a land of shadowed luxury to learn the language and literature of a culture that serves the Darkness.
Thalia finds brief respite aboard a luxurious train. But when Headmistress Imogen adds a “gift from the bishop” to the students’ punch, Thalia’s keen senses catch the putrescent smell of a counterfeit light. Clinging to the Good Book she smuggled into her bag, she refuses the smoke-laced food that turns friends into unthinking foes. In a world of beautiful lies, Thalia must stand firm against false accusations and prove that the only true strength comes from the Light that cannot be tainted.
Because this isn’t just about escaping her captors. It’s about saving the people who no longer know they need to be saved.
Author Q&A 4
- Is your writing space “pristine” or “organized chaos”?
- It’s definitely organized chaos—the table is usually a jumbled mess of bills and Lego, but I have a professional tech setup to balance it.
- Describe your view while you are writing.
- I have three monitors: two landscape and one portrait. The portrait monitor is my “editing station” for moving big blocks of text.
- How do you handle writer’s block?
- My rule is to create something every day. Even if it’s just a blog post or a dad joke, it keeps the motor running so I don’t get stuck. If I need a few days to process an idea, I take them, but I always come back to the discipline of daily creation.
- How long does it take you to write a book?
- I draft at about 1,000 words an hour. A project might take 50-70 hours of total work, though that’s often spread over 18 months. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. I break the work into manageable hourly blocks to ensure consistent progress.
- Are you a “plotter” or a “pantser”?
- Variant A: I’m a plotter-pantser. For Thalia in Exile, I laid out a “flight plan” before we ever started the actual writing that gave us some key anchors of things that needed to happen, but from there, it kind of made itself up. Especially when working with another writer.
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About the Authors
Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband and father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. He began writing the Towers of Light series for his own children to help him illustrate the deep truths of the Bible in an engaging and age-appropriate way. He’s dedicated 15 years of his life to volunteer roles in children’s ministry and youth development. Now that his own children are off on their own adventures, he’s telling stories and sharing clean humor on social media.
Thalia Shertzerr is a dedicated writer whose Christian faith is the central part of her life and the heart of her storytelling. Outside of writing, she has a strong interest in science and hopes to pursue a future career in clinical medicine. Thalia balances her time between her academic goals, her faith, and her love for reading and capturing moments through the lens of her camera.
Great content! Keep up the good work!