What would you do if your eccentric, possibly magical aunt invited you to learn to "live the world"? Would you accept even if you had no idea what she meant? Twelve-year-old Zelia said, "Yes!" And the magic began.
When twelve-year-old Zelia agrees to spend the summer with her Aunt Joy, she hopes for a peaceful, not-too-boring vacation from her parents. But from the moment she sees her aunt dancing up the road in her kaleidoscopic dress, she realizes she's in for an adventure.
Soon Zelia abandons everything she thought she knew about herself and the "real world" as she claims a new name, dives into a magical book, embarking on the dual path to discover her own surprising powers. They encounter mythical creatures, including a wise power bestowing unicorn. They meet talking animals and trees, learn to see fairies again, travel from the Earth to the stars right into a magic wand garden. As they journey, they gather a joyful, wise-cracking band of travelers and later call themselves The Crystalline Heart Family.
It's not just the magical creatures that surprise her. However, she is fascinated to learn the true story about unicorns' disappearance and discover that "pretend" creatures like Puff the Magic Dragon and the Purple People Eater are based on real interdimensional friendships.
It turns out there's a logical science to the magical world. As Zemma masters its tools, she learns that her mind has no limits. Zelia learns how to fish by simply inviting her dinner into a net. And she flies with the help of an amazing bicycle created only for her. All the while, Aunt Joy offers her guidance as she challenges everything she ever believed - and finds out that becoming a woman means claiming her true gifts, learning to laugh, and embracing the impossible.
As they go on their way, Zelia and Aunt Joy help people and make powerful friends, but also see signs of a terrible curse stifling the world: the dead-eyed ones, the Unmakers. Clever and dangerous, these entities cast mind-dulling spells on whole towns, replacing delight and passion with drudgery and conformity.
Zelia must decide if she will return to the ordinary world or leap into the next with her new friends to join the fight for freedom and creativity.
The Dual Path is the first book in the Earth to the Stars Adventures series
The series is a playful and powerful journey designed to open readers' hearts and minds aged ten and older. The story is inspired by the author's years of exploration in transformative communities. Still, it will appeal to anyone with an awakened imagination and a desire to be completely, joyfully themselves.
Stay tuned as future adventures are still being dreamed.
