Title: The Alien Mind                                                  Author: Virginia Lori Jennings

Category: Science Fiction                                           ISBN # 978-0805990386

Published: December 2005                                        Price:$13.00 

Format: Paperback                                                    Pages: 104     

Trim: 0.5 * 6.0 * 9.0 inches                                       Index: No

Positioning Statement: A group of children is abducted by aliens in this thrilling Sci-Fi adventure.

          • A clean novel written to explore a revolutionary idea of traveling through space using only our minds.

          • A supernatural adventure tale with many twists and turns

          • Suitable for most age levels

          • Written by a young writer who enjoys motivating others to read and write

          • The characters in this book deal with things young people deal with every day like peer pressure, bullies, and trying to fit in.

A brief description: A young fourteen-year-old girl, Rivinaig, details her adventures and her trials since being abducted along with several other children, by a group of aliens called the Aruk. The children who have been rescued and raised by another group of aliens called the Aunantet now find themselves fighting for their freedom from the Aruk who are out for revenge.

Table of Contents:

1. Earth and It’s nonexistent children

2. Always Something New to Learn

3. A Vision of the Future

4. The Journey Begins

5. A Struggle Between Life and Death

6. The Aruk and the Unexpected Surprise

Reviews: The Alien Mind

"I really like this chapter! I liked your phrase "think outside the 'hypercube.'", and the story just grabs you right from the beginning. I couldn't stop reading!! It moves at a great pace, and I really like Rivi and her ability. That was so interesting. And changing something's atoms to make it float...cool stuff! I can't wait to read more. Great writing!

Anyway, thank you again for letting me read the first chapter!!"

-Quote by "fieryangel"

"OMG! That was an interesting first chapter. Man, I am glad that I am going to B&N soon cuz I am going to HAVE to get that book!!!!! I am not kidding. Man, those people sound interesting. Yes, I said the word "people". Maybe they are all aliens, but sometimes... aliens are more like people than people are. At least they were humane!!!! Anyway, I have to get the book now!!!"

-Quote by "Skye"

‘The Alien Mind’ By: Virginia Lori Jennings

Get to Know the Characters

1. Main Character: Rivinaig Nejnigins: (Rivi for short) A 14 year old young girl who was kidnapped along with 149 other children and then raised by aliens at a young age. Her alien parents are Ankh and Enuet. While memories from that fateful day that she was taken from Earth still haunt her at times, she finds strength in leading the fight against the vary aliens who are trying to enslave the children once more. A gifted Comp Amalgamator, she can use her mind to meld into the very workings of any electronic device.

2. Main Character: Daniel Peterson: (Rivi refers to him as Dan) Also 14 years old, Dan was raised on earth by foster parents. He meets Rivi on her first day of school on Earth when she stops a group of bullies from attacking him. As they end up being paired together for a school project, Rivi suggests their subject be ‘Mind over Matter’ as they work on Daniel’s problems with the local bullies. Dan turns out to be her closest friend and ally as he joins her on her trip across space to defeat the Aruk who are after her and the 149 children.

3. Main Supporting Groups:

          a. Aruk: They are the fascist group of aliens who kidnap the 150 children in order to find humankind’s weakness.

          b. Aunantet: They are aliens from the planet Aun who rescue the children from Aruk captivity. The Aunantet raise the children as their own and teach them both the ways of Earth and the ways of their own planet. The key philosophy that underlines the Aunanet way of life is that even though sentient beings normally use only 10% of their brains, with a little training anyone can learn to use all of their brains. With this comes advances in the normal ranges of abilities; manipulating the laws of physics and traveling through the fourth dimension now becomes possible.

                              i. Ankh: Rivi’s alien father, and also a Futurity Histographer, he can travel through the time dimension (aka the T Dimension) and be in all three time zones at one time; Past, Present, and Future.

                             ii. Enuet: Rivi’s alien mother, and also a Herboviromenter, she can meld her mind with the growth process of plants. Effectively helping them grow and in return not only is she aware through the plants of certain environmental problems like drought but the plants provide a continual source of energy for any nearby Aunantet. The Aunantet can absorb the overabundance of energy that the plant creates during photosynthesis.

Title: Visionary from the Stars                                     Author: Virginia Lori Jennings

Category: Science Fiction                                           ISBN # 978-1424158959  

Published: January 2007                                             Price:$19.95

Format: Paperback                                                     Pages: 244

Trim: 9 * 6 * 0.6 inches                                              Index: yes

Positioning Statement: Visionary from the Stars is a story about the intergalactic controversy that is created when a group of scientists finds an alien map that leads them across the galaxy in search of the truth.

          • Amazing new ideas in technology are utilized in this book

          • Explores the idea of where religion would be if we were not the only ones out there.

          • An intergalactic controversy, mixed with sci-fi, mystery, and many battles

         • Suitable for most age levels

         • Written by a young writer who enjoys motivating others to read and write

A brief description: A lone scientist, while observing the activities of a planetary object from her spaceship, is faced with the unbelievable proof that aliens do exist. For centuries, humans have thought that we are the only ones in this galaxy...and here, forcing its way onto her ship, is an alien species claiming to have humanity's best interest in mind. Meanwhile, the Star Traveler's crew sets out on a camping trip on the surface of the moon. They stumble upon an object covered in alien writing that gives them the first piece of a galactic map. Unknown to them, it will lead them into an intergalactic controversy, with a group of aliens called the Platonians striving to sabotage their every move.

Table of Contents:

Prologue ......................................................................................................... 9

Chapter 1: Crisis at Jupiter Station ........................................................... 17

Chapter 2: Traveler ..................................................................................... 35

Chapter 3: The Alien Relic ........................................................................ 43

Chapter 4: The Long Exandrian Winter .................................................. 53

Chapter 5: “The Peace Must Be Kept on Exandra!” ............................. 85

Chapter 6: Allied Forces vs. Platonians.................................................. 110

Chapter 7: Platonia ................................................................................... 136

Chapter 8: M.I.A. ...................................................................................... 168

Chapter 9: P.O.W ...................................................................................... 179

Chapter 10: The Rescue ........................................................................... 198

Chapter 11: The Cylinder ........................................................................ 219

Chapter 12: Visionary from the Stars ..................................................... 230

‘Visionary from the Stars’ By: Virginia Lori Jennings

Get to Know the Characters

1. Main Character: Laurie Kingston: Is responsible for mechanics and special flight control while on the Star Traveler. She is very inquisitive; when the Star Traveler Crew finds the first piece of the map, she is the first one to learn how to use it. She also has an uncanny knack for leadership at such a young age. She finds herself in many situations including joining the ECOP’s, being the brains behind the Exandrian battle front as they fight against the Platonians, and leading a group of fighter pilots in defense of a colonist ship. She also ends up organizing and even leading a rescue mission deep into enemy territory (With Chris’ help of course).

2. Main Character: Chris Hagan: He is Laurie’s best friend, and an Exandrian colonist from Earth. He befriends Laurie during one of Exandra’s month long winter storms. He finds himself traveling with Laurie along on many of her adventures and even joining the ECOP’s himself.

3. Main Supporting characters/groups:

                          a. Star Traveler Crew: (They found an object on the Earth’s moon covered in alien writing that gives them the first piece of a galactic map. They follow the map to different planets that (unknown to them) will lead them to the intergalactic Bible. However, a group of aliens called the PMG tries to sabotage them around every corner in their attempt to keep the crew from finding the pieces to their map and ultimately completing their mission. The members of the crew are…

                                           i. Captain Frank Mitchell

                                           ii. Dr. Eric Smith (a specialist in almost every science, he is also a bit introverted)

                                           iii. Mrs. Anna Kingston (Laurie’s mother and the doctor for this mission)

                                          iv. Mr. Eli Kingston (Laurie’s father, sent to record all wildlife and plants)

                                          v. Laurie Kingston

                           b. ECOPs: (Exandra’s Caretakers Of the Peace- Made up from various tribal creatures that live on planet Exandra. This organization was designed to keep the peace and help settle the many quarrels that often come about amongst the many tribes. Their biggest threat is the Platonians (or more precisely the PMGs) that want to keep them from assisting the human colonists in finding the piece of the galactic map that is hidden on Exandra)

                          c. Laskonians: (They are friends of the human colonists and citizens of the neighboring planet Lask, the closest planet to Exandra. The PMGs, who have been trying to conquer Lask for years, are also one of the Laskonians most ruthless enemies. The Laskonians finally decide, near the end, to stand up and fight; they join their Earth friends and the ECOPs in the all out battle against the PMGs )

                           d. PMGs: (Platonian Military Guild – The PMG continuously try to keep the Star Traveler Crew from finding the pieces to their galactic map. They try everything from infestation, to subterfuge and kidnapping. Ultimately it comes down to an all out war that will decide the fate of millions)

Author Biography:

           I am the author of two science fiction books called “The Alien Mind” (published in December 2005) and "Visionary from the Stars" (published January 2007). I love to write and I have been doing so since the sixth grade. I was born in April 1987 in the state of New Hampshire; I was Home Schooled from seventh grade and graduated at 16 with a GED. Because I was Home Schooled, my family had a big impact on my writing.

          I am also a licensed Real Estate Agent, though right now I am inactive. I enjoy Astronomy and all things science fiction/ space related. I also enjoy coin collecting and camping with my family. I love to collect anything space related. I enjoy working with computers and dream about traveling among the stars.

          Lately I spend a lot of my time managing a guild in Neopets where I try to be a role model and encourage younger writers in their own works by offering advice, support and insight into the writing world that is at their fingertips. I do the same thing as well on my Myspace site, though there I am mainly trying to reach out to the teenage population who enjoy writing. I am readily available at these places to answer questions and offer advice and support to new writers, as I make sure I check these sites almost daily.

          You may find out more about me, as well as links to my Myspace and Neopets sites at:

1. Q: How long did it take you to write your books?

    A: The Alien Mind took about six months, and then another month to edit it before I was ready to send it off to publishers. Visionary from the Stars was an ongoing process that lasted over 6 years (a few of those years it spent in the closet!)

2. Q: How old are you?

    A: Twenty this April,( 24th, 2007) though I started writing short stories when I was thirteen and then started writing novels seriously when I was fourteen.

3. Q: What was your favorite subject in school?

    A: Science and Language arts, I was home schooled from the seventh grade up until I graduated at 16 with my GED. This gave me the added time to dive further into the subjects that I enjoyed the most.

4. Q: Where do you get the inspiration to write?

    A: From the night sky, the marvels and complexities of the night sky reminds me of God and all that he is capable of doing. I also have a habit of collecting pictures and articles of anything related to space and displaying them all over my walls.

5. Q: What do you find the most exciting about writing?

    A: I have always found it exciting when I realize that I have learned more about myself through my writing and also about my characters when they evolve from what I had originally intended.

6. Q: What advice would you give to children and young adults who want to be authors?

    A: I would tell them to read, read, read. Read anything that interests them and anything they can get their hands on. Secondly, they must write; not just to write but to enjoy themselves through it, to go where they’ve never been and to never give up doing so. They must also learn to look objectively at their own work to edit it and also be able to shut off that internal editor when it is getting in the way.

7. Q: What were your favorite books before third grade?

    A: I enjoyed books like Tikitikitembo and Madeline when I was younger. My mom and I would read them over and over again!

8. Q: What are your favorite books now?

    A: I love the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. Her use of imagination and the way she describes the magical scenery around her characters makes for a truly mystical read. I also love the Star Wars and Star Trek series… they are what I would consider my foundation for science fiction. They provide the basic theories that provide the inspirational recharge for me if I start getting stumped in my writing.

9. Q: Is there any particular person that has influenced your writing?