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Out Now: The Chef (The Lincolns 7)

Dayo Benson

Hi Peeps,

Hope you’re well and are having better weather than us here in the UK. We woke up to snow yesterday morning, just when I thought spring is on the horizon 🙂

I’ve had lots of (semi) patient emails about when the next Lincoln book will be out so I’m happy to announce that it’s out now!!! I’m really excited about this book because I got to deal with some themes that are really close to my heart, such as how God favours and blesses the undeserving and how true love can overcome any challenge.
I won’t go into too much detail because the synopsis is below and I also wrote a blog post introducing the book a few weeks ago, which you can read by clicking HERE.

Get your copy of The Chef: Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords.
(coming soon to B&N)

From the Back Cover

Lilah Luckett was promised a protector.

As a coven slave, Lilah is desperate for freedom. The only way that can happen is if a practitioner more powerful than her master takes her under his wing.

Enter, the enchanting Locke Lincoln.

His surfer dude good looks are enough to make any girl crave shelter in his arms, but he’s more than just a pretty face; he also has the power to be Lilah’s protector. But how does Lilah get his attention?

Locke Lincoln is looking for distraction.
Locke’s younger brother was the closest friend he ever had. Now that he’s dead, Locke’s life is in turmoil. When Lilah shows up, offering fun in Vegas and an escape from reality, Locke is game.

Neither of them has any idea what is about to happen.
Locke seems perfect, but he’s far from it. He is fighting dark forces that want him to continue his father’s evil agenda. It seems becoming a Christian means nothing when blood covenants have been made and oaths taken.

Then Lilah’s past catches up with her and all her careful plans begin to crumble.

Will Locke be able to escape the clutches of his father’s legacy?
And once he works out that Lilah is just using him, will he fight for her or let her die?

Get your copy of The Chef: Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords.

As always, I look forward to your feedback once you’ve read The Chef. Leave a review at whichever store you buy from and you can also drop me a line at dayo@dayobenson.com if you’d like.

Thank you to everyone who emailed me after The Physician to let me know which is their favourite Lincoln book so far. Also, thanks to all who commented on my last post and told me which Lincoln series heroine they like best. I really appreciate it and I’m ever grateful to have such awesome readers.

God bless 🙂

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Cover Reveal – The Gamble

Dayo Benson

Here it is guys, the cover for The Gamble (The Dare 3). Isn’t it great 🙂 Another A+ for my husband who designed it.

So, I thought I’d release it this week, but one of my beta readers got back to me with quite a few things to consider so I’m going to take a step back from the book and see whether I want to change anything or leave it as it is. Also, after reviewing the edited version it still has quite a few typos in it so I might send it for a second edit.

Anyhow, it’ll be out this month.

Thanks for your patience 🙂

Here’s the synopsis:

Love never gives up

Marshal: Maybe I’m crazy, but I can’t let Sloane go. She’s at an all-time low and Miss World is coming up, but she doesn’t have a game plan. I’ve helped her in the past, so Miss World might just be my opportunity to win her heart. Again. This time, I’m not going to let her go.

Parents know what’s best

Eli: Marshal still hasn’t gotten over his pathetic crush on Sloane. As his father, it’s my duty to do what’s best for him. Even if it means further ruining Sloane’s already messed up life. Even if it means that Marshal will hate me forever.

My life is a nightmare that I can’t wake up from

Sloane: I thought I hit rock bottom last summer, but this is a whole new level of defeat. I let Marshal get under my skin again and that choice has blown up in my face. Life is crushing me. I’m drowning. And I don’t know how to save myself.

Coming Soon…

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Out Now: Legacy (Crystal 9)

Dayo Benson

legacyLegacy is out people 🙂 🙂 🙂 Finally!!!

Get your copy at:

Amazon UK, Amazon US, iTunes & Smashwords

I’m super excited. I can’t wait for you to read it and find out how it all ends. It’s been a long adventure, and I’m so grateful to everyone who has stuck with the Crystal series for all nine books. You’re amazing.

The Crystal series is like my manifesto; my statement of faith about how God is greater than anyone else, how He’s more powerful than the enemy, and how Christians need to be bolder about what they believe. I often struggle with boldness myself, so writing the series really made me look inward and do a lot of soul-searching. Jesus came that we may have abundant life, but we often give in to fear and intimidation rather than walking in the authority He has given us. We have awesome power and authority, and I hope Legacy reinforces that for you 🙂

Here’s the back cover blurb:

A powerful wizard is destroying America, one city at a time, and it’s up to Crystal and her friends to stop her.
It’s been a year since Luke and the SOT fell, but the battle is far from over. There are deadlier, more ruthless, practitioners out there. Practitioners who want to see the Enlightenment Agenda implemented.

Crystal has faced many challenges, but now she faces the greatest personal test yet. How far will she go to protect the people she loves?
How far she will go to survive?

Judgment Day has arrived.
Juda has spent the past year in jail, awaiting trial for crimes Luke made him commit. Crystal and her family may have shown him mercy, but it is certain that a court of law will give him only justice. With a new practitioner on the loose, Juda is released to fight one more mission with the team. But the success of the mission will mean the end of his freedom.

How will he cope when justice is served?

Legacy is the intensely gripping conclusion to the Crystal series.

The links to Legacy again:

Amazon UK, Amazon US, iTunes, Smashwords

***

P.S.  Have you read Jailbreak (Crystal 8.5)? In Jailbreak, Crystal and Juda have an adventure that sets Legacy up nicely so you won’t want to miss it. Get Jailbreak at Amazon US, Amazon UK, iTunes, Kobo, Smashwords.

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The Crystal Series: Writing about Jesus, God and Angels

Dayo Benson

Jesus

I’ve just hit publish on Legacy (Crystal 9), which is very exciting. It’ll be out by tomorrow. I’m feeling particularly happy and grateful 🙂 You guys have been so amazing. I really didn’t expect the support that the Crystal series has received. This is my final post for the Legacy launch, and what better way to finish than with a discussion about our great and awesome God?

When I first started the Crystal series, I didn’t know that Jesus, God and angels were going to be in it. Neither did I know that God was going to work in me personally in so many awesome ways. I’d like to take you behind the scenes, so step into my office for a moment and let’s talk. Okay, so I don’t actually have an office as of the time I’m writing this. I write in my living room. My husband kindly bought a desk and chair and set it in the second half of the room (it’s a pretty big living room). Please ignore all the toys on the floor, and sorry about how hot the room is. My mum says I roast myself. My husband says I barbecue myself. I just like to be nice and warm. (I don’t know why the saying goes ‘the best thing since sliced bread’. It should be ‘the best thing since central heating’ as heating is my favourite invention; apart from laptops, internet and Indie publishing—but I digress).

So, take a seat in my chair. Don’t worry I’ll just sit on my daughter’s toy car 🙂 Cup of tea? Coffee? Comfortable? Okay, so…

Jesus in Powerful Enemies

I was actually a little reluctant to have Jesus as an on-screen character in Powerful Enemies. I felt kind’a like it might be wrong of me to put Him in a book alongside fictional characters. Another issue I had was ‘what if I don’t do Him justice?’ What if I write Him into a scene but it doesn’t fill readers with any awe? I didn’t want to just toss Him in there just to have Him in the mix, I wanted to get a reaction. I wanted my Jesus scene to be like an artist’s impression, with me as the artist giving you my take on Him. I wanted my interpretation of Him to fill people with awe, illustrate His love and goodness and majesty, and make people love Him more. Obviously, I got over these issues and just went for it. Believe me, my heart was in my mouth as I wrote that scene. The reason I thought it was necessary was, the book is called Powerful Enemies, and every single one of us has powerful enemies (the devil and all his agents) but we have no reason to be afraid because we have a Powerful Friend. Powerful Enemies could have been called Powerful Friend to be honest, but that doesn’t sound as dramatic, ha ha.

Jesus is an expression of God’s love (God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus). So, I wanted the whole scene to illustrate Jesus’ love. That’s why I had Him appear to Luke, who is pretty much the most evil person in the book. Yet, he is the one Jesus appears to. Not Crystal, not Pastor Dan, not any of the Christians. It’s easy to love your friends, but Jesus said ‘love your enemies’ so I wanted to show Him loving an enemy. I wanted to show Him seeking a lost soul. By the way, we were all His enemies when He died for us. And He knew that despite Him dying for us, many of us would still reject Him and never become His friends. But He died in our place anyway. Isn’t He awesome?

God in Legacy

In Legacy, God the Father is an on-screen character. That was particularly awesome to write. It was so different to writing about Jesus, because I wrote about Jesus from Luke’s POV. Not from Jesus’ own POV. In Legacy I write from God’s own POV. I had to resist the urge to use ‘thou’ and ‘thy’. It was so cool. When my friend read it, she texted me to say how moved she was at reading that scene. She’s one of my closest friends so I take her opinion seriously and I know she would never just try to flatter me. So mission accomplished. At least I know it had the desired impact on one person :-). I used Isaiah 6 as my guide for that scene. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are also present. I was also careful about using ‘I’ preferring ‘we’ and ‘us’ because that was how God spoke in the Creation account and at the Tower of Babel, although there are many other instances in the Bible where He uses ‘I.’

Angel’s POV in Legacy

I was a little worried about writing about angels in Powerful Enemies, but not as worried as I was about writing about Jesus. By Legacy I was totally cool with it. In Legacy, I write from an Angel’s POV, which was a little more challenging than I thought it would be. I read about Daniel’s encounters with angels and tried to base things from that angle. It was fun.

***

Friends, if you want to go deeper with God I totally recommend writing to you as a means to that end 🙂 (not that there’s ever an end since God is infinite). Writing is cathartic, it encourages introspection, and it makes you dig deep into your own beliefs. I have learned so much through writing the Crystal series. God has taught me a lot about Himself, and He’s challenged me about being real. Not just going to church on Sundays and spouting clichés to my Christian friends. What’s the point of having the form but not the power, being religious but not righteous, or saying I’m a Christian but taking God for granted? I really don’t want to be like that.

I don’t like watching the news because the horrific things going on in this world are disturbing and so depressing. But the news is just a snippet of all the horrors and atrocities. However, God doesn’t get a snippet. He sees it all. Remember Genesis 6 where it says God looked down on the earth and was grieved? Well I would like Him to be happy when He sees me. I want to be like Noah. Faithful, living right, putting a smile on God’s face. Not being a hypocrite or just drifting through life or, God forbid, being part of the problem. Writing the Crystal series has made me think about my attitude to God. Do I love Him no matter what? Do I stand up for Him and refuse to compromise? Is my life a witness? Do I influence others for Him? It’s made me think about what God thinks of me. Is He happy when He looks at me? Am I living out His love?

The Crystal series also made me put the devil in his place, so to speak. I made his human followers very powerful in the Crystal series. Maybe more powerful than they are in real life. But that was because I wanted to show that it doesn’t matter how powerful the devil and his people are. Even the ‘smallest’ of Christians has authority over them, because God is greater.

So, thank you for your support with the Crystal series. I often pray for those who read it to experience God. I definitely experienced God while writing it. I’m much better at worshipping Him now than I used to be. And I’m more conscious of His presence around me (I don’t know if Christians really do have fire around them but I used fire as God’s stamp upon His people in the Crystal series–who knows, maybe we do). I hope you are too.

Whatever am I going to write next???

God bless 🙂

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An Interview with Juda Lincoln

Dayo Benson

So, I managed to obtain permission to interview Juda in jail. (Thank you General Peters). I should have known everyone would want me to interview Juda next. Thanks for all the interview questions you guys sent me. I just hope Juda will answer them. He’s not the chattiest of people, you know? Hopefully he won’t just give me stony looks and refuse to speak…

As I am led down the echoing hallways towards Juda’s cell, I realise that I have never been inside a prison before. The prison officer unlocks a sturdy-looking iron door. On the other side is a wide open space. In the middle of that space is a large cage surrounded by bars. I figure it’s supposed to be a room. I can see someone lying on the bed inside the cage.

I look around as I am led over. There are no windows. And it’s dead quiet in here. As I approach, the figure on the bed sits up quickly. It’s Juda Lincoln. The hope on his face is unmistakable. So is the disappointment in his eyes when his gaze settles on me.

He lies back down.

Prison officer: Your interviewer has arrived Mr. Lincoln.

Juda doesn’t respond.

Dayo Benson: Am I allowed to go inside?

The prison officer looks at me like I’m nuts: You can interview him from here. He’s dangerous. And he’s a practitioner.

Juda: I’m a Christian.

His voice sounds like a growl.

The prison officer rolls his eyes. He leans against the wall and looks at me: Just hurry and interview him.

I clear my throat and offer my best smile.

Dayo Benson: Good morning, Juda. It’s great to meet you.

I move closer to the cage and reach a hand through the bars, inviting him to shake my hand.

Juda looks at my hand like it’s covered in mold: I thought it was Crystal.

Dayo Benson: Oh. Sorry to disappoint you.

I decide to withdraw my hand since he’s not shaking it.

Dayo Benson: So, how are you?

No answer.

Dayo Benson: How are you, Juda?

Still no answer.

Dayo Benson: Um, I would appreciate it if you would get up and come closer, and talk to me. I’m not like the other journalists who just want to tear you down. I’m doing this interview to try and make you more sympathetic to the general public. I would like to portray you in a positive light, so help me out here.

Juda: Why should I believe that?

Dayo Benson: Because I believe that God can change anybody, and that everybody deserves a second chance if they are truly reformed.

Juda sighs. He stands from the bed and walks over. It hits me just how big he is as he stops less than a foot away from me, only the bars between us. With the formidable frown on his face, and his narrowed gaze he’s a pretty intimidating sight.

Dayo Benson: So, I asked ‘how are you’?

Juda’s gaze narrows further: I’m fine.

Dayo Benson: Really?

Now his dark brows knit in a deep frown.

It’s then that I notice his eyes. He’s not wearing his contacts. Maybe he’s not allowed to wear them in jail.

Dayo Benson: Can we talk about your blue eyes. They’re unusual but pretty nice.

Juda glowers at me now.

Dayo Benson: Why are they such a sore topic?

Juda: Ask another question.

Dayo Benson: I spoke to Alejandro a few days ago. He made some comments…

Juda lifts one brow.

Dayo Benson: He said that the Bible talks about the joy of the Lord and the joy of salvation, but you don’t seem to be a very joyful person even now that you’re saved.

Juda just looks at me. It’s pretty unnerving being on the end of that quiet scrutiny.

Dayo Benson: Are you joyful?

Juda: Very.

I almost snort, but I catch myself in time.

Dayo Benson: You don’t look very joyful.

Juda: Joy is not laughter and smiling.

Dayo Benson: Then what is it?

Juda: An inner state of well-being

Dayo Benson: So, you have an inner state of well-being?

Juda: I do.

Dayo Benson: Right. Describe a typical day in jail.

Juda crosses his arms across his chest: There’s nothing much to say. I’m locked up most of the time. There are mealtimes. I get to make phonecalls.

Dayo Benson: You’re a loner so you must be fine with the loneliness.

Juda just looks at me.

Dayo Benson: Are you fine with the loneliness?

Juda: No. However, I busy myself with prayer and studying the Bible.

Dayo Benson: You mentioned mealtimes. Does the prison offer you your preferred restricted diet?

Juda: No.

Dayo Benson: Do you miss your fruit peel, enzyme yogurts and nuts and seeds.

Juda: Food is the last thing on my mind.

Dayo Benson: What is on your mind?

Juda’s expression darkens. I wait for him to answer, but after a few moments, it’s obvious that he’s not going to.

Dayo Benson: Is your trial on your mind?

Again, Juda says nothing.

Dayo Benson: What will you do if you are sentenced to capital punishment?

Juda: Die.

Dayo Benson: Well, obviously. I mean… Never mind. What will you do if you don’t get capital punishment?

Juda: I’ll thank God.

Dayo Benson: How will you celebrate?

Juda: I don’t know.

Dayo Benson: You have pleaded ‘not guilty.’ Do you not consider yourself guilty?

Juda’s eyes become flinty.

Dayo Benson. Okay, you don’t have to answer that question. Um, let’s see. What’s the best thing that ever happened to you?

Juda: Jesus and Crystal.

Dayo Benson: Explain.

Juda just stares at me. Once again, it’s pretty unnerving.

Dayo Benson: How sweet that you consider Crystal one of the best things that ever happened to you. You’re quite the Mr. Romantic aren’t you. I loved the way you proposed, and your crazy love for Crystal, and how sweet you are with her.

Juda is just looking at me. I decide to move on to the next question.

Dayo Benson: Uh, what’s the worst thing that ever happened to you?

Juda: Do you have all day?

I look at my watch.

Dayo Benson: No, but I have ten minutes.

Juda says nothing.

Dayo Benson: I’m waiting.

He still says nothing.

Dayo Benson: Are you always this chatty?

A muscle works in his jaw, suggesting that he’s clenching his teeth.

I decide that this interview is going nowhere. He’s obviously not in the mood to talk.

Dayo Benson: Well, it’s been a pleasure to meet you Juda. I have no idea why people find you intimidating. You’re so personable and friendly.

Juda grins.

I totally understand why Crystal is smitten with his smile. It’s surprisingly beautiful. His whole face transforms. However, I am taken aback.

Dayo Benson: Did I say something funny?

Juda: No.

Dayo Benson: Then why are you smiling?

Juda: Because you sound like you’re about to leave.

I’m semi-offended so I reach through the bars and slap his arm.

Juda: Don’t touch me.

Dayo Benson: Oops. Already did.

Juda’s smile is gone. He’s glowering again.

Dayo Benson: Can you teach me how to glower like that?

He says nothing.

Dayo Benson: Well, have a nice day. All the best with your trial.

Juda: Where is your accent from?

Dayo Benson: I’m British.

Juda: I’ve heard British accents before. You sound different.

Dayo Benson: I’m from up North. It’s a great accent isn’t it? Yours is nice too.

Juda holds out a hand.

I look at it, a little suspicious.

Dayo Benson: I thought you said I shouldn’t touch you.

His hand remains between us.

I slip my own hand through the bars and shake it.

Juda: You’re not scared of me.

Dayo Benson: Maybe because I created you.

Juda frowns: Are you trying to sound like Luke?

Dayo Benson: No, really. I created you.

Juda gives me an odd look: Right. Are they all as creepy as you in the UK?

Dayo Benson: Only if they’re writers.

A ghost of a smile passes over his features. It looks like he’s lightening up, so I look through my questions and decide to ask a few more.

Dayo Benson: You mentioned that you spend your time reading the Bible and praying. Now that you’re in jail do you regret your decision to become a Christian? If you were still a practitioner you could escape. In fact Abha tried to help you to escape. Surely you have considered escaping? You must have had low moments when you’ve felt so lonely and afraid that you wished you could get your practitioner power back and escape?

Juda eyes me: That was like fifty questions. Which do you want me to answer?

Dayo Benson: All of them.

Juda: I don’t regret becoming a Christian. Jesus’ yoke is easy, and His burden is light. The yoke of the devil is very heavy.

The words are spoken softly in that gravelly voice of his. They’re profound. So much food for thought there.

Dayo Benson: So, how are you dealing with…everything?

Juda shrugs: God is helping me.

Dayo Benson: Your fans want me to ask you about Crystal.

Juda’s jaw locks again.

Dayo Benson: Please answer. They’ve enjoyed watching your romance unfold.

A muscle works in his jaw.

Dayo Benson: When did you first realize that you were in love with Crystal? And how did your love grow?

Juda: I knew I was in love the day she yelled at me over President McCarthy’s assassination.

Dayo Benson: Really?

Silence.

Dayo Benson: Please elaborate.

Juda: Nobody yells at me. Well, not when I was a practitioner. But no matter what Crystal did to me, it didn’t cross my mind to hurt her.

Dayo Benson: So, that’s when you realized you were in love?

I’m not sure if it’s my eyes, but there seems to be a faint hint of colour in Juda’s cheeks.

Dayo Benson: So, how did your love grow?

Juda: I don’t know. What kind of question is that?

Dayo Benson: Your fans want to know.

Juda: The more I was around her, the more I wanted her around. I began to really fear the day that the team would go their separate ways because it would mean I would be without her. I’d never thought about getting married before, but all of a sudden I was thinking about it. But she was a Christian and I was an occult practitioner, so I didn’t know how it would work. I would have married her despite our different beliefs, but I knew she wouldn’t marry me.

Dayo Benson: Is that partly why you became a Christian?

Juda: What does 1 Corinthians 12:3 say?

Dayo Benson: Uh, you expect me to know off the top of my head?

Juda: Aren’t you a student of the Bible?

Dayo Benson: I am, but…hey, what’s that got to do with the question I asked you? And, I’m the one asking questions here.

Juda: It says that nobody can confess that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. And John 6:44 says that nobody can come to Jesus except the Father draws him. I am a Christian today because the Father drew me. The Holy Spirit reached out to me. If I did it just to be with Crystal, I would have given up by now. Jail isn’t easy. Neither will my trial be easy. I could even lose Crystal. I’m a Christian because there’s power in the Name and the blood of Jesus to save even the chief of sinners, which I am.

Dayo Benson: What are your plans for the future? If you don’t get capital punishment.

Juda: To be a Godly man. (Juda pauses, and then he grins and winks) And to make Crystal never regret marrying me.

Prison officer: Time up!

Dayo Benson: Just when things were getting interesting.

***

Hope you enjoyed the interview guys. I’m interviewing either Dan Black or Trixie next. Leave a comment or email me: dayo@dayobenson.com, to let me know which of the two of them you prefer, and what questions should I ask them xx

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The Craft of the Crystal Series (1/4)

Dayo Benson

What-Would-You-Do-With-A-magic-wand.jpgHi Everyone,

This post is Part 1 of a four-part series I’m writing about the craft of the Crystal series.

I get a lot of emails from readers asking me how I know so much about the occult and the ‘craft’. And asking whether I know from personal experience or from extensive research.

I’d like to just say I know very little about the occult, and I’d like to keep things that way 🙂 I did begin to do some research as I wrote Searchlight (Crystal 1), but I got to a point where I didn’t want to know. I was sickened, disgusted, and quite frankly disturbed. So, I made the decision to use my imagination. I’m a Christian. I don’t know enough about God and the Bible. The last thing I want is knowledge about the devil and the occult. Apart from the basic knowledge required to know your enemy so that he doesn’t get the better of you, and so that you can keep him under your feet, I’m not at all interested in deeper knowledge. So, I used the principles of what I know about the occult and what the Bible teaches about our enemy, to create the craft and the laws of the occult in the Crystal series. I also mixed in some things I’ve heard about the occult from other people and I took a lot of creative liberties. After all it’s fiction. The aim was just to show that greater is He within us than He that is in the world (1 John 4:4), not provide a manual on how to get into the occult.

Over this series of blog posts I’ll cover the following points:

  • Terminology
  • Promiscuity
  • Vanity
  • Force
  • SOT Tenets
  • DNA/Genes
  • Centrality of death
  • Energy release
  • Sacrifices
  • Incense
  • SOT Hierarchy vs. other craft within the world of the Crystal series
  • Craft of different nations
  • Robe color
  • Ascension

And I’ll try to explain my reasoning behind them all. Hopefully, these posts will answer all your questions, and whenever someone emails me in future to ask me how I know so much about the occult I can just send them links to these posts 🙂

Terminology

i.e. Craft instead of magic, Practitioners instead of witches and wizards, Kingdom of Enlightenment instead of Kingdom of Darkness, etc.

The occult people in the Crystal series are wealthy. Many of them are celebrities. They consider themselves elite people. Their interpretation of the occult is different to the ‘average’ occultist. They consider themselves more refined. They reject the common stereotypes that most people have about people within the occult. None of them are knobbly cackling old women stirring smoking cauldrons. That’s the media’s depiction of the occult. The craft of the Crystal series is much different. It’s a rich man’s craft. On the outside, the practitioners look so glamorous and their lives look like so much fun. Only when you get in and look closer do you realise that the price they pay for their fame, wealth and success is extremely high. So, I wanted to use different terms to drive home the fact that they reject the common stereotypes about the occult. However, whether you call yourself a witch or a practitioner, whether you call what you do ‘craft’ or ‘magic’, it’s still evil. Rich or poor. ‘Elite’ or ‘normal.’

Promiscuity

Most of the negative feedback I get about the Crystal series is because of all the ‘sexual innuendo’ and promiscuity. However, there is nothing in the Crystal series that the average young adult doesn’t see or hear in their day to day life, or on TV. I wanted to emphasize the evilness of some of the characters, as there’s no point having evil people in the books if they don’t do anything evil, or anything that readers would consider to be wrong. I preferred to highlight their sexual depravity over showing them killing and doing dark rituals all the time. I didn’t want to show Alejandro, Shola, and certain other characters doing rituals, or killing.  For me, emphasizing their promiscuity was a way of showing how depraved they are without the books getting too gory. I wanted to keep the actual ‘on-screen’ gore and killing to a minimum. There are some pretty dark scenes, especially in the earlier books, but I wanted to limit the number of dark scenes.

Also, sexual sin is a form of self-worship and is an abuse of a good gift that God has given us. Excessive sexual sin and perversion can be evidence of demonic influence. That’s why when Alejandro and Shola Cardoso get saved, they change completely in this area. That demonic influence has left their lives. Yay for Jesus 🙂

Vanity

Many of the practitioners in the Crystal series are obsessed with beauty and their physical appearance. Yelissa Neir goes so far as to transmutate (is that the right word?), changing her skin color, hair color, height, body shape, etc. almost daily. The only common thing with each of her disguises is that they’re all beautiful. And I think her beauty adds to her evilness.

Beauty is a requirement for entry into the SOT. Everybody in the SOT, especially those with celebrity careers, is attractive. The Bible talks about the devil being perfect in beauty, and pride is one of his hallmarks. The practitioners in the Crystal series value beauty too, and are prideful and vain. Luke goes so far as to manipulate the genes of his children in order to make sure they’re physically perfect, and are athletic.

So, what do you think? Is there anything in the craft of the Crystal series that you didn’t agree with?

Stay tuned for more 🙂

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Legacy – Publication Date/Cover Reveal

Dayo Benson

legacy.jpgI’m excited to announce that Legacy (Crystal 9) will be out on Monday 27 June. Really…I’m excited. That’s just over a week away! Legacy is the last book in the Crystal series, and I’m really proud of it. I can’t wait for you to read it. Oh, and I love the cover, which my husband designed. He’s a gem.

Here’s the Back Cover blurb for Legacy:

A powerful wizard is destroying America, one city at a time, and it’s up to Crystal and her friends to stop her.
It’s been a year since Luke and the SOT fell, but the battle is far from over. There are deadlier, more ruthless, practitioners out there. Practitioners who want to see the Enlightenment Agenda implemented.

Crystal has faced many challenges, but now she faces the greatest personal test yet. How far will she go to protect the people she loves?
How far she will go to survive?

Judgment Day has arrived.
Juda has spent the past year in jail, awaiting trial for crimes Luke made him commit. Crystal and her family may have shown him mercy, but it is certain that a court of law will give him only justice. With a new practitioner on the loose, Juda is released to fight one more mission with the team. But the success of the mission will mean the end of his freedom.

How will he cope when justice is served?

Legacy is the intensely gripping conclusion to the Crystal series.

***

Over the next week, I’m going to be publishing lots of blog posts (maybe even 1 a day), just giving you my random thoughts about the Crystal series and explaining certain things about the ‘craft’, what research I did, etc. Legacy takes place a year after Powerful Enemies, so I’ll also do posts about what some of the characters have been up to in that time.

Jailbreak (Crystal 8.5) sets Legacy up nicely, so if you haven’t read Jailbreak yet now is the time to do so. Get Jailbreak now at: Amazon US, Amazon UK, iTunes, Kobo, Smashwords, or Barnes and Noble.

And…make sure you’re on my mailing list so that you’ll get an email as soon as Legacy goes live. Sign up Here!!!

So excited 🙂 🙂 🙂

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Refiner’s Fire

Dayo Benson

NOTE: DO NOT READ THIS POST IF YOU HAVEN’T READ RAW DEAL AND RED CARPET – LOTS OF SPOILERS!!!

Wow! I am so glad I’ve finished writing this series. You have no idea. I’m so happy that Lexi is done and dusted and I can start thinking up new characters.

So, what is the point of Refiner’s Fire? Well I’ve tried to portray how past mistakes can have consequences later in life, so that any young people (or older people) that read it will think twice about the decisions that they make. Lexi has to face up to her past, and it ain’t funny. I’ve also woven in (lol) an element of self-sacrifice. Sometimes, there are things in our lives that God wants us to give up. Lexi is holding on to something and God wants her to let go, but she’s struggling with it. Those are the two main points of this book, but of course most people that email me about this series want to know who Lexi ends up with i.e. which of the guys she eventually gets with. Well you finally get to find out in this book. By the way, I just feel I should warn you, this book had to be censored by my husband. It’s my first ‘romance-ish’ book, but I don’t think it’s too mushy. The epilogue is pretty cheesy and I have considered completely changing it, but I think I just need to stop obsessing. Anyway, let me remind you of the contenders for Lexi’s heart (in order of when Lexi met them):

Jace Washington

Heir to the Glacier Hotels and business man in his own right, Jace Washington is suave but still has an edge to him. Lexi has been crazy about him since high school, but he dumped her when he became a Christian. Could he be the one???

Carl Layton

Does Carl do a Lazarus and rise from the dead a changed man, and ready to treat Lexi right if she will marry him a second time? Lol!!!

Dan Black

Heir to the Billion Dollar business that is the Diamond Parlor, Dan Black is wealth and good looks personified. Lexi met him at college in Raw Deal and neither of them were saved at the time. In Red Carpet Lexi found out some shocking things about him. But is he the one???

Kyle Martins

Hip Hop singer Kyle Martins has a Christian background and he is pretty hot stuff. Does Lexi’s appreciation for the way Kyle teamed up with Jace to save her from the S.O.T. make Lexi fall head over heels in love with him? Do they hook up and live happily ever after shooting music videos together and traveling the world?

Frazer Lincoln

You guys have no idea who Frazer is. He’s a new guy that is introduced to Lexi in Refiner’s Fire and he is really sweet. The full package. He’s just not saved. But does he get saved and ask for Lexi’s hand in marriage?

Hmm, what a dilemma. At the end of Red Carpet Jace was engaged to Debbie Morris, and Lexi and Dan were kinda in Limbo. Will Lexi steal Jace away from Debbie or will Jace and Debbie approach her about having a polygamous marriage? Will Dan decide to propose to Lexi in public and cause her untold humiliation or will he tell Lexi that the resurrected Carl is her rightful husband? Will Kyle and Lexi elope in Vegas or will Kyle do something totally unforgivable that will make Lexi hate him forever? I guess you’ll just have to read it to find out…

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Introducing Lexi Dixon

Dayo Benson

Raw Deal, book 1 of my beauty for ashes series, is finally available. Yay!!! The main character, Lexi Dixon, is an aspiring model. She is the kind of girl that you’d think ‘has it all’ but she is still searching for something…

Beauty for Ashes as a series deals with many themes: Life’s Purpose, God’s Sovereignty, Abortion, Marriage, Domestic Violence, Divorce, etc.  It took me 4 months to write, but went through 5 years of revision and redrafting. (Ok, I’m a perfectionist – I hold my hands up) Well, I am finally happy with the story line and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it; and hopefully you’ll ‘take something away’ after reading it too.

If you want to read Lexi’s story but don’t have a Kindle download the kindle app for free on your android phone, iphone, or other kind of smartphone. For the PC Kindle app click here. For the mac kindle app click here.

God Bless xx