Acclaimed bestselling fantasy author R.L. Akers invites readers back into the magical realm of Overtwixt with his highly anticipated new release, Escape from Overtwixt — the second book in his imaginative young adult series, in which four young heroes must overcome evil to build bridges between mistrustful peoples.

The first book in the series, Overtwixt: Welcome to the World of Bridges, starts when four siblings (ages 5 to 15) enter an incorrect airport gate and are transported to Overtwixt, an intermediary realm that connects numerous worlds. Cut off from their parents, Nachton, Amélie, Cécilie, and Ewan journey across floating islands and endless bridges in pursuit of quests granted by an enigmatic Guide—all while the tyrant Vizier works to destroy those bridges and keep the peoples of Overtwixt divided.

The sequel, Escape from Overtwixt, picks up immediately after Overtwixt’s cliffhanger ending. Though the heroes have won a crucial victory, one of their number has fallen in battle. Unknown to them, that sibling is still in Overtwixt, but imprisoned in the Vizier’s floating fortress. The remaining siblings must overcome grief and recriminations, uniting both themselves and the fractious races of the realm, to stage a daring rescue and restore the bridges between worlds.

Much like The Chronicles of Narnia, Akers’ Overtwixt series transports readers into a richly imagined universe where young adults face extraordinary challenges that test their courage, wisdom, and unity. Beneath its breathtaking adventure lies a deeper reflection on good and evil, sacrifice, and the enduring power of family.

Through his writing, R.L. Akers masterfully blends fantasy, heartfelt emotion, and timeless moral questions in a story that resonates with readers of all ages. Written primarily for teens and preteens, Akers uses his characters’ struggles to share meaningful life lessons and teach key Christian values — emphasizing hope, courage, and forgiveness to overcome darkness and prejudice.

Escape from Overtwixt is now available on Amazon, the author’s official store, and major online booksellers.

Praise for Overtwixt books

About the Author

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CHARLESTON, WV – Local author R.L. Akers is having TWO release parties for his new Young Adult Book Series, hosted at local Chick-fil-A restaurants. All 9 books in the new series will be available for purchase, personalization, and autograph (along with copies of the author’s previous books). Come meet the author, and grab a delicious Chick-fil-A dinner while you’re there!

"OVERTWIXT" is a fun new adventure story about kids and teenagers sucked into a magical world, where they must overthrow tyrants and build bridges between peoples in order to return home. Written at a Young Adult reading level, these books are also safe for read-aloud to younger children and fun for adults too, containing numerous hand-drawn illustrations by local artists. All 9 books of the series were offered for preorder via Kickstarter campaign in October, and the project fully funded in less than 48 hours. Many campaign backers will pick up their books at a Chick-fil-A release party.

The series was penned by local author R.L. Akers, who has published ten other works of fiction in the last decade. OVERTWIXT is his first foray into Young Adult fiction. The original OVERTWIXT novel was written as a Christmas gift for his own children in 2018, featuring characters based closely on them.

About Overtwixt: see Overtwixt.com: What is Overtwixt?

About the 9 Books: see Overtwixt.com: About the Books (with excerpts)

Pricing and Availability: The December 17-18 release parties are the last chance to purchase these books in time for Christmas. All books will then become available via Amazon and other online retailers after December 25. Each of these books is available at the release parties for $20 via cash, check, credit card, PayPal, or Venmo. (Note: the two novellas come as a package deal, combined for $20.) Pricing is cheaper if multiple books are purchased in bundle: $75 for all 5 novels, or $125 for all 9 books.

About Kickstarter: see Overtwixt.com: Why Kickstarter?

SCOTT DEPOT, WV – "OVERTWIXT" is a fun new adventure story about kids and teenagers sucked into a magical world, where they must overthrow tyrants and build bridges between peoples in order to return home. Written at a Young Adult reading level, these books are also safe for read-aloud to younger children and fun for adults too, containing numerous hand-drawn illustrations. All 9 books of the series are now available for preorder – via Kickstarter campaign pledge before noon on October 30 – to be delivered in time for Christmas.

The series was penned by local author R.L. Akers, who has published ten other works of fiction in the last decade. OVERTWIXT is his first foray into Young Adult fiction. The original OVERTWIXT novel was written as a Christmas gift for his own children in 2018, featuring characters based closely on them.

Guest: R.L. Akers, author of the novel Prometheus Rebound

This week will see the release of the third installment of the Hunger Games movies, which feature strong female protagonist Katniss Everdeen leading the fight against a corrupt government. R.L. Akers feels that casting an empowered young woman as the lead character opens up a number of great opportunities from a storytelling perspective. "Right or wrong, our society has traditionally been patriarchal, and as a result, it's easy to fit a female protagonist into an underdog role—and audiences love underdogs."

R.L. Akers' new novel Prometheus Rebound tells of an alien threat that results in the creation of a new branch of U.S. military: the Orbital Defense Corps. Leading the fight—and this new branch of military—will be Kara Dunn, a young woman with no idea of the destiny she alone can fulfill. Akers shares that he had a great deal of fun writing Kara Dunn, because "she's a strong person who nevertheless deals with insecurity and doubt, all while making her way in a male-dominated arena. To the people around her, she truly is a staunch individual—but as the reader, you have the benefit of seeing inside her mind and identifying with all of the hopes and fears that she never shows to anyone else."

In Prometheus Rebound, R.L. Akers introduces a diverse cast of characters who band together from all walks of life to face the alien threat. Blending military thriller and science fiction (with an emphasis on the science), Akers produces a tale that is truly epic in scope. When the threat from outer space becomes known, the U.S. government is caught unprepared, and the military must adapt to an entirely new variety of warfare in just a few short months. Pilots and soldiers must be recruited, trained, and deployed to defensive installations in orbit above North America, and technology must take a giant leap forward as a new branch of U.S. military comes into being.

R.L. Akers has created an immersive story which takes place in our very own real world—alien crash landings in the shadows of rural England, secretive meetings in the bowels of Area 51's Groom Lake installation, clandestine spacecraft launches from undisclosed mobile facilities in the middle of the ocean, and vast space battles waged in orbit above. Prometheus Rebound and its sequel Prometheus Revealed comprise a single well-researched and believable story about humanity's real-world response to the threat of alien invasion—and readers can enhance their enjoyment of this story with Hollywood-style cinematic trailers, press kits, an interactive Orbital Defense Corps website, and even an ODC hotline.

Talk to R.L. Akers about:

• His inspiration behind Prometheus Rebound and his decision to cast a female protagonist
• The opportunities that strong female leads create from a storytelling perspective
• His interest in seeing diversity in protagonists—not just in young adult fiction, but in adult fiction as well
• The importance of portraying the humanity in a story's protagonist, no matter the character's gender (as opposed to what audiences often see in one-dimensional male action heroes)

Guest: R.L. Akers, author of the novel Prometheus Rebound

This Friday, science fiction fans will be lining up to see Interstellar, the new Christopher Nolan movie about a group of astronauts who travel through a black hole in search of a new home for humanity. R.L. Akers—author of Prometheus Rebound—says, "Too often, Hollywood throws science out the window when making movies. I'm thrilled to see that Nolan's team worked closely with theoretical physicist Kip Thorne to make sure Interstellar is not only a great story but a plausible one as well."

Talk to R.L. Akers about:

• Why science should be a vital component in science fiction.
• Some common misconceptions Hollywood has perpetuated in our favorite movies.
• Why the human story is ultimately more important than science or stunning visuals.

In Prometheus Rebound, R.L. Akers relates a gripping human story rooted in scientific reality. Blending military thriller and science fiction, Akers produces an epic tale full of characters whom readers will grow to love. When the threat from outer space becomes known, the U.S. government is caught unprepared, and the military must adapt to an entirely new variety of warfare in just a few short months. Pilots and soldiers must be recruited, trained, and deployed to defensive installations in orbit above North America, and technology must take a giant leap forward as a new branch of U.S. military comes into being: the Orbital Defense Corps.

R.L. Akers has created an immersive story which takes place in our very own real world – alien crash landings in the shadows of rural England, secretive meetings in the bowels of Area 51's Groom Lake installation, clandestine spacecraft launches from undisclosed mobile facilities in the middle of the ocean, and vast space battles waged in orbit above. Prometheus Rebound and its sequel Prometheus Revealed comprise a single well-researched and believable story about humanity's real-world response to the threat of alien invasion – and readers can enhance their enjoyment of this story with Hollywood-style cinematic trailers, press kits, an interactive Orbital Defense Corps website, and even an ODC hotline.

Halloween Guest: R.L. Akers, author of the novel Prometheus Rebound

October 30th marks the 76th anniversary of the scariest and most remembered radio drama of all time, "War of the Worlds." Orson Welles and his cast were so convincing that thousands of citizens panicked, flooding police switchboards with calls, boarding themselves in their homes, and – in an extreme case – taking rifle shots at a New Jersey water tower, believing it to be an invading alien craft. Prometheus Rebound sci-fi author R.L. Akers says that tales of alien attacks are still fun and relatable. "For decades now, our culture has been unable to escape its love affair with science fiction. Stories like Independence Day, the Day the Earth Stood Still, and War of the Worlds entertain us again and again (often through remakes) because we both love and fear the unknown."

In Prometheus Rebound, R.L. Akers puts his own fresh twist on this time-honored formula. Blending military thriller and science fiction (with an emphasis on the science), Akers produces an epic tale full of characters whom readers will grow to love. When the threat from outer space becomes known, the U.S. government is caught unprepared, and the military must adapt to an entirely new variety of warfare in just a few short months. Pilots and soldiers must be recruited, trained, and deployed to defensive installations in orbit above North America, and technology must take a giant leap forward as a new branch of U.S. military comes into being: the Orbital Defense Corps.

R.L. Akers has created an immersive story which takes place in our very own real world – alien crash landings in the shadows of rural England, secretive meetings in the bowels of Area 51's Groom Lake installation, clandestine spacecraft launches from undisclosed mobile facilities in the middle of the ocean, and vast space battles waged in orbit above. Prometheus Rebound and its sequel Prometheus Revealed comprise a single well-researched and believable story about humanity's real-world response to the threat of alien invasion – and readers can enhance their enjoyment of this story with Hollywood-style cinematic trailers, press kits, an interactive Orbital Defense Corps website, and even an ODC hotline.

Much like 76 years ago, if someone stumbled upon R.L. Akers' website or toll-free hotline, they might believe the world really was in a fight for survival against alien attackers.

CHARLESTON, WV – Prometheus Rebound goes on sale today (11/8), the first novel by author R.L. Akers. The book is available from Amazon.com in softcover and Kindle editions; there will also be a book release party at Southridge Chick-fil-A tomorrow (11/9), where the book will be sold at discount, and the author will be on hand to sign and personalize purchased copies. Akers also be available during that time for media interviews.