The 2024 Enchanted Opal by Alan R. Smith NEUF

The Enchanted Opal explores the "dream" world of a young girl from the 21st Century, and the "struggle to survive" of a young boy from the 11th Century, each who overcome heartbreak and calamity through their strength of character and a belief in themselves. They will meet on the docks of Venice just before the First Crusade. Opal will transport the reader to ancient lands to experience the skullduggery of pirates, shipwrecks, a kidnapping, an emperor and the Queen of Egypt, the befriending of a princess, a first infatuation, and a final reckoning with the always stalking, dangerous time-traveler, Abbadon the Assassin. Written with great sensitivity, Enchanted Opal weighs the challenges of responsibility and integrity.

Alan R. Smith spent 37 years as a U.S. Marine, serving on both active and reserve duty. He has travelled extensively throughout the world studying people and their cultures. He served as a Corporal in Vietnam and a Colonel in Iraq. During his time as a Marine Reserve, he taught 3rd through 12th graders to love history and encouraged them to travel to the lands of enchantments, in addition, as a college professor, he taught at Georgian Court University andOcean County College where he shared his passion of world history with his students.