Local Teacher Has Her Second Science Fiction Book Published

An Adair County school teacher has had her second book published by Virtual Bookworm Publishing Company and is set for release in February.
Wanda Darlene Campbell is a 1st grade teacher at Col. William Casey Elementary School and is on her way to becoming an accomplished Science Fiction novelist.
Campbell's latest book "Journey to Ak'ras" is the second novel in the Zhandarian Chronicles series and is the sequel to her first book "Dragon's Heir" published in 2008.
Campbell is an award-winning poet whose work has appeared in multiple magazines, journals, literary reviews, newspapers and anthologies such as Instructor Magazine, Story South, Taproot Literary Review, New Madrid and numerous others.
Her work was recently included in the accompanying anthology to the film, "Coal Country."
The book begins as the main character Kamna inherits his grandfather's throne.
Kamna is gifted with telepathy, controls the world's only technological weapon, and has a devoted friend and the love of a beautiful girl, Daneela.
But he can't sleep at nights, because there's a monster inside him, a monster that eats human hearts. So, he pretends not to have feelings for Daneela and tries to drive her away, but when her brother, Josef, is abducted by Iana, the insane ruler of what is supposed to be an extinct race who wants to use him in a bizarre genetic experiment, Kamna must accompany Daneela on a deadly mission to rescue him.
And if the journey to the wastelands of Ak'ras were not bad enough, Kamna knows that if he looses control, even for a moment, the "thing" inside him will destroy Daneela.
Campbell began writing "Journey to Ak'ras" as a result of the response to "Dragon's Heir."
"Immediately after Dragon's Heir was published in 2008, people began asking for a sequel, so I wrote this book because I believed that my readers would want it," said Campbell.
Campbell says she became a science fiction buff after reading a novel by Andre Norton when she was a teenager.
"I read it, loved it and set out to find more books in the same genre," Campbell stated.
According to Campbell she began writing science fiction as a way to encourage people who are not already fans of science fiction to lay aside stereotypes and give it a try.

"If you like X-men or Avatar, you're going to like this book," she said.

"The book is really all about knowing who you are and believing in yourself and I want to encourage people to do that," Campbell continued.
Campbell's books are intended for young and old alike and although the books are science fiction they are not too technical.
"Even though "Journey to Ak'ras" is technically science fiction, it is not "technical" to read and it is character-based with lots of emotional interaction. I especially think high school and college age audiences will find it appealing," said Campbell.
According to Campbell the research for the foundation for her latest book began with genetics.
"I knew I needed a foundation in genetics in order to create the various races in the novel, so I started checking books out of the local library on genetics and read books on chemistry, physics and linguistics," she continued.
"I especially read up on Einstein's theory of relativity, quantum physics and astrology. Don't get me wrong. The book is not weighty with technical terms, but where it refers to these things, although in simple language, I want there to be at least a shred of feasibility"
As for future writing, Campbell says she has a series in the making along with some other books in the works including a series of non-fiction science books for children, and a young adult novel for girls as well.
"There are more stories in my head than my hands have time to write," Campbell said excitedly.
Photo: Adair County 1st grade teacher and author Wanda Darlene Campbell's latest book "Journey to Ak'ras," the sequel to her first book "Dragon's Heir," is set for release next month. (Photo By Lawrence Harris)