South Dakota author releases 4th book in chronicle series

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Bruce Burgess Junek, a South Dakota native and author of the dynamic female warrior trilogy series releases his latest “A Bright One” just a month ago. Junek says he enjoys writing fantasy and the 4-book chronicle has been a labor of love for 20 years, “I’m super excited to have it finally out because I’ve been working on it for over 20 years and it’s been a big big part of my life, It’s been quite a process and the story is pretty deep and a lot of stuff that happens, in the beginning, comes back around so it affects the books so I couldn’t release the first book until I had done the whole series.”

It’s clear that Junek had a special bond with his mother and she was quite influential in his writing and his cast of characters in his latest chronicle series. “It is a tribute to my mom, my middle name is my mother’s birth name, and in the book series and because it’s a matriarchal society, it’s the woman’s name that are so important, and when I have myself a pen name I wanted to give my mom’s name to be apart of it, B. Burgess Junek and I’ve written some travel books but I’ve used as Bruce B. Junek but with this book, I wanted my mom’s name in there too and to honor the book and the whole culture of the book and the society of the book.”

Junek describes the complete chronicles of the 4-book series as a coming-of-age, low-fantasy adventure series about friendship, commitment, sacrifice, love, life, and death with captivating characters in a female predominant culture shaped by mysticism and spiritual awakenings. Junek gives us a peek as to why he decided to write the books, “I wanted to write an exciting and fun adventure filled with introspection and thoughtful questions about life, with endearing characters that grow and develop throughout the whole series. Most fantasy is a replication of traditional European mythology with the heroes battling the forces of evil and justifying the killing of their enemies in the name of a greater good. I wanted to challenge everything about the premise of a Just war and have a story that embodies spirituality in new and provocative ways. I also wanted to create a matriarchal culture with the mirror opposite of our own societies’ paternalistic prejudices in religion, politics, business, and day-to-day life. The subtle and profound ways these contrasting beliefs affect the lives of the characters is explored in thought-provoking dimensions.”

Junek says his travels throughout more than 50 countries with his wife which has exposed them to a variety of cultures and ancient traditions and served as a backdrop for several of his books. Junek writes, “I’ve bicycled with my wife, Tass Thacker, through more than 50 countries. In 1987 the two photographers created Images of the World to share photos and stories of their insightful and continuing travels. More than 2 million students have seen their educational assembly programs. A Bright One Chronicles is rich with influences from their many journeys, including bicycling through the Kalahari, Sahara, and Gobi deserts. The desert environment in the book is factually based on real-world deserts, plants, and animals. Their travels and immersion into different cultures helped the author build a totally unique and enthralling civilization. Their pilgrimages to sacred shrines and temples around the world helped give voice to the universal longing to find meaning through personal practice, spiritual beliefs, and mystical teachings. Bruce has written two travel narratives, The Road of Dreams: A Two-Year Bicycling and Hiking Adventure Around the World, and Andes to the Amazon: Seven Journeys in Mexico, Central and South America. He has also written a rock-climbing guidebook, Spearfish Canyon Limestone, and created a feature-length documentary film, Bruce & Tass Bicycle China.”

All of Junek’s books are available on Amazon and the following are the names of the chronicles; “The Foundling of Dayr Castle”, “The Death of Innocence”, “The Way of The World”, and the newly released “A Bright One”.

Now that he’s finished the 4-book chronicles, he says he and his wife still continue to travel and is now enthralled with salsa dancing. Their website is Images of the World.

Watch the video above for the full interview.

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