deanna miller

Two secret friends from enemy races find their friendship tested and intensified into love when they're forced into opposite sides of an interdimensional and interplanetary struggle between fear and faith. Winner of the Wilbur Award for Fiction, nominated for the Pushcart Press Editors' Book Award, and field nominated by reviewers for ALA's Best Books for Young Adults, Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers. Ages 10 and up.

Hesper the Alula and her secret friend Tristan the Boytaur are forced to part sadly when Hesper is sent to the human plane to save the parallel planes of existence from possible destruction. A year later, as Hesper leads the life of a high school girl with no memory of her previous life, she meets a strangely familiar boy. Tristan has journeyed at great risk to find her, having learned a way to travel between the planes without losing his memory. They return to the Alula plane on a dangerous adventure to discover the real solution to the planes' troubles---as Hesper struggles all the while with her fear and her tender feelings for the friend who should be her foe.

Editorial Reviews

"A young adult novel that will be enjoyed by all....Can the dramatic changes between the two friends tear them apart? Or will the bond they share challenge all and rise above the differences? Although this book is geared more toward an audience of [young readers], I found it refreshing to read, and yes, the storyline does show that many can be racist without even knowing it." --Theresa Norman, ParaNormal Romance Reviews

"Engages the reader from the start....Enlivened with action, spiritual undertones, and the metaphors of growing up....'Sky Bounce' is the story of one girl's rite of passage and her struggle between conflicting values: duty and love, fear and courage, outside authority and the authority of the heart....Highly recommended." --Laura Pickford Ramirez, Family Matters! Ezine

"A quick, fun read....There are two main characters...from two different races, two different religions, and two different worlds. Despite these differences, they come together through love." --Kelsey Sands, Teen Reviewer, VOYA

"A truly unique book....Not only is the storyline imaginative and fun, but it has a spiritual message that is greatly needed....Her characters are strong and seem very real....A masterfully creative tale." --Janean Nusz, Word Museum

"While a wholly original work, the themes of 'Sky Bounce' remind this reviewer of 'A Wrinkle in Time.' An exploration of other planes of existence and examination of the true essence of each being lends 'Sky Bounce' remarkable philosophical and spiritual depth even as the story is just plain fun!...Strong social commentary for the discerning reader….Makes for deep thinking....Very highly recommended." --Cindy Penn, WordWeaving

"Works great on two levels, with one level of superb fantasy storytelling fusing seamlessly into the fun romantic tension that propels the two characters' behavior....I also really loved the powerful spiritual undertones....I loved 'Sky Bounce,' and highly recommend it to anyone of any age who likes good fantasy storytelling." --Rev. Marie Jones, Books for the Spirit

"A well-paced, well-written fantasy....It explores the nature of friendship, loyalty, trust, and faith. The messages the author wishes to convey...become a seamless part of the whole. In that sense, it is similar to Madeleine L'Engle's works which offer her young readers much food for thought within a fantasy framework." --Brenda Dupas, New Radiance Reviews

"ACHUKA is sent quite a number of self-published books....This is the first time one has seemed worthy of inclusion amongst our regular picks from the main publishing houses. I ought to have hated 'Sky Bounce.' It is not my type of book at all....Instead, I was gripped and moved by Hesper and Tristan's relationship." --Michael Thorn, ACHUKA