I’ve already enjoyed a taste of Cheryl Carpinello’s excellent writing for older children with the first adventure of the Young Knights of the Round Table.  Now she’s nipped back to ancient Egypt for a tale inspired by a holiday there.  Well, modern Egypt, not ancient Egypt!  I’m looking forward to reading it.

Sons of the Sphinx

by Cheryl Carpinello

The Prophecy:

Behold, when the last boy pharaoh is awakened, he will have one chance to right the wrong. United with a spirit vessel from the future, he must seek to find the one robbed of his reign, who will lead the way to the tomb of the boy pharaoh’s lost queen. There must the confrontation with the usurper be held and the presentation of his confession to the old priests be given. If the usurper holds his tenth Jubilee and is allowed to acknowledge his son as his successor, the wrong will not be righted, and the queen will remain lost to her pharaoh forever.

Armed with what she considers her grandmother’s curse, 15-year-old Rosa agrees to help the ghost of King Tut find his lost queen Hesena. Thrust back into Ancient Egypt with Tut, Rosa discovers that finding Hesena is not all she must do. She must keep out of the reach of the living Horemheb – who crosses mortal boundaries using Seth’s evil magic – if she is to stay alive to make it back home.

Sons of the Sphinx is already gathering excellent reviews from Readers’ Favorite and Literary Classics, a Seal of Approval from the Literary Classics, and is a finalist in the 2014 Literary Classics Book Awards.

Enjoy this excerpt:

How do I even know that you’re real and not just someone my crazy brain has made up?’

‘Touch me, Rosa. You will see I’m real enough.’

Touch him? Is he as crazy as I am? Okay, so I’m going to touch him, just for my own peace of mind.

I reach out my hand, fingers extended, trying to reach him but not move from the wall. A crooked smile appears on his face. He takes a couple of steps forward, reaches out and touches me.

Lightning heat shoots out from him, races up my arm, switches direction and dives into my stomach. I snatch my hand back and grab my belly with both hands. The burning sensation knocks my knees out from under me. I slump to the floor, still leaning on the wall. The room spins, and my head swims. Tears mixed with stars blur my vision so there is no focusing. Not enough air in here; my chest tightens as if the lungs inside are ready to explode.

The burning sensation turns into a glow. My whole body’s glowing! Blinking, I concentrate on the hand in front of me. Glowing, definitely glowing! Crazy. I have finally gone over the edge. I’m going crazy fast, and no one is home to save me.

Tut’s eyes are a tangible weight as he stares at me. He stands there, not saying a word, his crooked smile replaced by tenderness, hope, concern? I rub my temples to ease the pounding pain that is suddenly present. Fear leaps through me like wildfire through dry grass. What is happening?

‘I won’t hurt you, Rosa.’

What? A girl’s voice! I look around the room. No one else is here. I look at Tut; his eyes lock with mine. What is going on? I joke a lot about my gift being a curse, but this time I’m really afraid. Like the afraid of dying kind of fear.

Where to find Sons of the Sphinx:

Sons of the Sphinx is available as an eBook and in paperback.

eBooks:

Amazon   *  Smashwords  *  Nook  *  iBookstore

Paperback:

Amazon  *  B&N

Excerpt: Sons of the Sphinx by Cheryl Carpinello
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