Final Stretch for 2016 Christmas Project

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Christmas Coloring Book by E and P Lewis
Final checks to the illustrations for the Christmas carol coloring book.

Who doesn’t love a cheerfully bright and colorful Christmas? This year, my husband (the embodiment of multi-facetted creativity) and I set out to develop a cheerful, creative product that would embrace the best of Christmas. We wanted this to be a joint creative project that would pool our individual talents, and yield something that would give people a real-time break from all the craziness that Christmas has devolved into. We chose to embark on a project that would blend the visual and hearing senses in an experience that revisits the joy and peace of Christmas. The end of this project is in sight, and the product (which is perfect for gifting) is due for early release in October 2016.

My husband’s half of the project is the listening experience. And it is an experience you will want to have – the music is hauntingly beautiful, and will put you in the mood for the best kind of Christmas. When you have brain-fry and mall-fog from the Christmas shopping that makes you wish you could skip Christmas this year, this is the music you need to be listening to. The CD (which will also be available as a digital download) features a blend of old (read that as VERY well known) and not-so-common Christmas carols. What sets this collection of Christmas carols apart is that the entire album is played exclusively on trumpet. (Technically, it’s not just trumpet, as some of the recordings do feature flugelhorn, but I think of the flugelhorn as falling under the instrumental umbrella of the trumpet.)  The CD is perfect for listening to on its own, but it comes into its own when you couple it with my half of the project.

My responsibility was to develop an adult-friendly coloring book that would amplify the experience of listening to the Christmas carols on the CD. Coloring is a great way to unwind at the end of a stressful day, and the festive season has become notorious for taking our stress levels up more than just a few notches. We wanted to develop a coloring experience that would keep the user’s attention on the Christmas story (after all, that is central to why we celebrate at Christmas), and provide plenty of opportunity to indulge in the use of uplifting, vibrant colors. And we wanted to double the relaxation and joy-infusing effect of the coloring by coupling it with mood-uplifting music.

Each page in the coloring book represents a stage in the development of the Christmas story. Those familiar with my drawing style will know that this book won’t look like most of the coloring books you find stacked up on the shelves at the grocery checkout. I like freestyle drawing, and the blending of reality with the abstract. This book is an expression of how I see the Christmas story: a little humor, a little abstract patterning, many fun spaces to color, and a lot of Jesus. And each page is directly related to one or more of the carols on the accompanying CD. Each full-page illustration comes with a list of the carols that are referenced by the illustration, an extract from a carol, and the scripture that forms the foundation for the illustration (and the carols).

With the release date set for October 2016, we are definitely in the final stretch. The music has been recorded, the illustrations are finished, and the final product is coming together. The combo product will initially be sold through Tiger Music, an online music store that ships internationally, but you will be able to buy the CD and the coloring book separately at a later stage. Stay updated by subscribing to my blog (there’s a button on the side of this page), or to my husband’s blog.

If you are looking for a Christmas gift that is cheerful, uplifting, colorful, joy-inducing, stress-relieving, and plain FUN to use, this CD and coloring book combo fits the bill.

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Return to the Handwritten Note

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One-of-a-Kind Cards and Envelopes to set your snail mail apart.
Living in the pond is all about not getting eaten #pondlife
What’s a pond without a frog family? #pondlife
Tiny creatures that escape detection by the naked eye are abundant in your backyard pond #pondlife

Life has become so busy that we have all but forgotten the joy of opening a physical envelope containing a letter or card from a loved one. Remember how much fun it was to run to the mailbox when you were knee-high to a grasshopper? Remember how exciting it was to open that birthday card from your grandma or to unfold the crisp pages of the letter (all written in perfect cursive) from that great-great-aunt that you had never actually met in person? Of course, when bills entered your life, some of that joy was translated into “oh no, not another one” – but the pleasure that came from opening and reading a personal, handwritten note could never be entirely erased by the bill collector. Then the bills stopped coming? Did you notice that? Your mailbox became a collection point for glossy print junk mail as e-mail and text messages threatened to make snail mail and voice calls (with real people – not the automated message systems) a thing of the past.

Tired of finding only adverts and other meaningless scraps of paper in your mailbox? Be part of the change. The tide is turning, as people are rediscovering the value of a handwritten note. Communication is about connecting with people, but modern communication takes the personal element out of the connection. Each of us has the power to reintroduce that personal element and add some sunshine to someone’s life. We can choose to invest in our relationships – and no, it doesn’t take nearly as long as you think it does. Pick up the phone and actually call your friend. Instead of sending an emoticon and half a sentence to sum up your state of mind, tell them (with your voice) how you feel. Take the time to ask how they are feeling, and then wait on the line to listen for their response. Or better still, pick up a pen and a piece of paper and invest a few minutes in putting your thoughts down on paper. You don’t have to be a wordsmith to send a love letter, some encouragement, a birthday card, or a simple line or two to let someone know you are thinking of them. If you can send a text message, you are more than qualified to send snail mail. And you are likely to make someone’s day if you take that step and actually drop a mail piece in the mail, push a note (no complaints, please) under your neighbor’s door, or place a cheerful card on someone’s desk when they least expect it. Before you mention it, let me say that having chicken scratch for handwriting does not excuse you. I have received letters in the past that were… how shall I say this… rather difficult to decipher. But I appreciated that it gave my mind a small workout to figure out what was written between the punctuation marks. Chicken scratched notes provide ample opportunity to chuckle at the possibilities as you try to guess the totally illegible words – and everyone knows laughter is good for you. So, if you have ambiguous handwriting, remember that by putting it down on paper and sending it to a loved one, you are actually giving them a double sized gift: a good laugh and a nifty puzzle all wrapped into one.

In celebration of the return to handwritten notes and cards, I am working on a creative project that shares the joy of sending and receiving physical mail. The images in this post include examples of some of my one-of-a-kind, illustrated cards and envelopes that are available in my craft store. These original art pieces can be hand-delivered or mailed (check with the postal system in your country to ensure they comply with your local postal restrictions). These are ORIGINAL artworks (not reproductions), so when you add your own words, you will have something to share that is entirely unique.

I still have family members and friends that make the time to send me snail mail. It remains a delight to find their piece of mail in my mailbox. I do the same for others, so I appreciate that it takes effort and the cost of a stamp to send a handwritten note.  Most – perhaps all – people I know are worth the effort (and a stamp). You don’t outgrow this small pleasure – not only of receiving snail mail, but also of sending it. So make this week the week you buy a stamp and write to that person you haven’t written to in many years. Go on – just do it!

Need stationery? Try the family-friendly DIY card kits from Zisubu Artique.

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Love in Scripture: Free Adult Coloring Pages

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Fruit of the Spirit: LoveIn celebration of the release of my latest coloring book, “Fruit of the Spirit Colouring Book“, I have a gift for you. You can collect your own FREE copy of “LOVE” in my store. Visit the FREEBIE section of the store to load your cart with digital products that are currently offered as gifts to all my readers.

Why do I give some products away?

I believe most customers are not true risk takers when it comes to shopping (and rightly so). Most want to be able to open the box and look inside BEFORE they hand over their hard-earned money. Digital products (which, by their very “virtual” nature, cannot come with a return option) are particularly challenging for the less adventurous shopper. I want my customers to purchase my digital products with confidence, and having the opportunity to look inside a book or color a sample page goes a long way to building confidence in the products I create.

Is there a catch?

No. Free is free! If the price tag says ZERO, then you won’t be charged anything at checkout. You don’t need to add other products to the cart to be able to receive a FREEBIE. Of course, I would love to have you buy other items from my store, but you are not obliged to. I want you to enjoy using the FREE products, and I would appreciate hearing how you experience the items. Feel free to stop by and leave a comment here.

 

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Fruit of the Spirit Adult Coloring Book

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inPRINT_RELEASE_fruitofspiritBible study meets therapeutic coloring in my newest illustration project: “Fruit of the Spirit Colouring Book“. Galations 5:22-23 forms the foundation for this book. The “fruit” mentioned in this well-known scripture is dissected, and each of the nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit is explored through illustration and scripture.

LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL – the Bible has a lot to say about each of these characteristics. This book invites you to open your Bible and make a few discoveries of your own as you fill the  fruity illustrations with color.

The book balances full page, abstract illustrations alongside pages of Bible reading and study activities. The large illustrations feature key words from Galations 5:22-23 embedded in quasi-abstract, retro-styled designs. The study pages are designed with decorative borders, so you can continue to color while you read and reflect on what the Bible has to teach us about the fruit of the Spirit.

The “Fruit of the Spirit Colouring Book” is now available in print, and can be ordered from various online book sellers. If your favorite bookstore does not stock this book, ask them to add it to their inventory listing. I recommend ordering your copy from Lulu. Remember to check their website for any coupons before you order, as Lulu often has special deals for book lovers. If you live in South Africa, I recommend ordering from Megabooks – in many cases, their prices of my books beat any of their international competitors.

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Cape Town in Colour

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Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation by Pearl LewisCape Town, the Mother City of South Africa, is an advert for a great country. As a city with a colourful personality and arms wide open to embrace cultural diversity, Cape Town stands as tall as the mountain that casts a shadow over it. Big. Bold. And proudly South African. Even those who have never visited South Africa are quick to recognize Cape Town’s iconic landmarks: Table Mountain, the City Bowl, Devil’s Peak, Kirstenbosch Gardens, V&A Waterfront, and the list goes on.

Cape Town cannot help but serve as muse. The inspiration it has to offer shrouds the curious mind, dampening the creativity with its salty essence. It spills over thoughts in much the same way that the Cape Doctor’s ghostly breath drapes itself over Table Mountain’s plateau. You will find Cape Town’s special brand of inspiration reflected in the hot, African rhythms that eminate from the crowded jazz venues, in the ghoema beat to which the “Kaapse Klopse” parade dances its way into the new year, in the flavours of the rich Malay curries, in the vibrant street art that tells the city’s collective story, and in the classic and contemporary poetry that bares the city’s soul. A little of Cape Town’s inspiration has soaked into me over the years, and planted the seed for the first book in a new series: Colour the Rainbow Nation.

“Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation” is a celebration of Cape Town’s warm personality and beautiful environment. This book is my way of paying tribute to the Mother City. Since there is much to see and experience in such a magnificent city, and a colouring book can only have SO MANY pages, I had to put some boundaries in place. Instead of simply focusing exclusively on the obvious tourist traps, I built my illustrations on the foundation that Cape Town had laid in my own memories and experiences. I will admit that I have done a few of the touristy things like riding the cable car up the mountain, and sitting on the quayside at V&A Waterfront watching the seals sunbathe. But “Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation” is about more than the things everyone should have the opportunity to experince at least once in their lives. It is the story of how a non-Capetonian (like myself) experiences the city, and it is told in a series of ready-to-colour pages.

I like to think that the story I tell has a page for everyone. Take the “mountain king” page as an example. If you have been to Cape Town and never seen a baboon roaming the streets before dawn, then you left the city too soon or got up too late. The baboon may not be one of South Africa’s BIG FIVE, but it certainly is big and bold enough to be the featured wildlife of Cape Town. Then there are the street parades that happen every year on the second of January. I remember first witnessing (thanks to television) the annual Kaapse Klopse as a child. The images and sounds of this Cape Town street parade captivated my young imagination, and remained with me to become another page in the book. Don’t forget the legend of Van Hunks and the vice he shared with the devil. Such a story surely deserves its own page.  You get the idea, don’t you? It’s not just a colouring book about the grand, old Table Mountain (although the majestic mountain did demand it’s own page, which it received).

If you have seen any of my earlier colouring books, you will know that I prefer freestyle drawing. My colouring book pages are not computer-generated models of perfection as has become typical of adult colouring books. I go where the lines lead, and yes, sometimes my hand-drawn lines are a little wonky. Where you see wonky, I see a story unfolding. I like the adjective “organic” – hand-drawn lines are natural, and just a little earthy. The thickness of a hand-drawn line varies as the pen glides across the paper, and sometimes the ink makes a joyful, little ink blob where you didn’t expect to place a blob. The sweep of a hand-drawn curve cannot be described with a very simple mathematical equation – you will need to apply some hefty calculus to write organic lines in mathematics. Yes, hand-drawn illustrations are wonderfully quirky. My illustrations are indeed organic: real-life stories sketched in a thin flow of monotone – stories that are begging you to bring them to life with colour.

“Cape Town: Colour the Rainbow Nation” is already available in print and digital formats from a couple of retailers, and you can expect to see the book listed at the major stores (e.g. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Book Depository) within the next four to six weeks.  You can purchase the print and digital (pdf) versions of this book from Lulu. Lulu offers shipping from various depots across the globe, so your order will ship from the location nearest to you. If you live in South Africa, I recommend ordering your print copy from MegaBooks (a book seller based in Cape Town). Megabooks is offering a special introductory price for this book, so you will not only save a lot on the cover price of the book, but also bypass any international customs clearance fees that are levied when you order from Europe or USA.

If you decide to invest in a copy, please do come back and let me know how you experienced the book. If colouring the pages triggered memories, made you laugh, or if you simply enjoyed filling the pages with colour, I would love to hear about it.

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NEW RELEASE: Blessed

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Blessed Coloring for the Soul by Pearl R. Lewis“BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul“, my latest book of abstract illustrations, is now in print. This adult coloring book is available in coil-bound and perfect-bound paperback format. There is also a digital version for those who prefer to print their own book at home.

Curious about what it means to be BLESSED, but don’t see yourself as a serious Bible student? Now is your chance to explore what the Bible has to say about this topic in a colorful, creative way. “BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul” includes fifty  ready-to-color, full-page designs which gracefully weave together scripture and organic, abstract illustrations.  This is a coloring book, so obviously the focus is on providing a space for you to express yourself with color. However, for coloring to be as relaxing and therapeutic as it should be, it makes sense that you be thinking encouraging, uplifting thoughts while you color. As you fill the pages of “BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul” with your choice of vibrant colors, you have the opportunity to reflect on scripture. The fifty full-page illustrations are built around ten core scriptures. Each scripture reveals a little of what it means to be blessed.

The scientist in me is always asking questions, so an “Ask the Illustrator” chapter was inevitable. “How” and “why” questions are a natural part of how I think,  and I expect that a few of you are like that, too. You will flip through a book and immediately have questions about the designs or the other content of the book. When I wrote this chapter, I tried to answer a few of the questions I might ask. Given that book space is limited, I didn’t address a lot of questions, and left some to be answered on this blog. If the book doesn’t satisfy your curiosity, and I haven’t covered your question in a blog post, please do send me your question via this website’s contact form.

For the coloring enthusiasts that love a little extra, you will find a BONUS eighteen-page, illustrated Bible reading guide at the back of “BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul“. This reading (or study) guide blends coloring spaces with Bible references. If you are not interested in following up on the topic of blessing in the Bible, you can simply color the reference pages (which are decorated to match the theme of the book). However, if you want to know more about what God has to say about blessing, the reference list gives you a starting place for looking up the topic in the Bible. You can look up as many of the scriptures as you like, and meditate on what you have read as you color. The study guide is a simple way to start your own adventure of discovering the truths buried in the Bible.

“BLESSED: Coloring for the Soul” is all about the joy of coloring abstract illustrations, but it also offers soul nutrition. This adult coloring book encourages you to relax and consciously meditate on God’s Word, while you play with color and tap into the many health benefits of art therapy.

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NEW RELEASE: Color the Realm of Fractonia

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Color the Realm of Fractonia by Pearl LewisThe ORIGINS of COLOR the REALM of FRACTONIA

“FRACTONIA” is a sci-fi adventure story for pre-teen and teen readers. To tickle the imagination a little more, some chapters also include line illustrations. The style of the illustrations and the story they are able to tell on their own, without text, encouraged the release of a book of ready-to-color illustrations, “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA“.

FRACTONIA’S COLORING BOOK

“COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” (by Pearl R. Lewis) is a small-format, modern-style coloring book for “big” kids (and those who are young at heart). This coloring book matches the design and size of the paperback, “FRACTONIA“, and is also perfect-bound.  The coloring book references the novel, and is the logical accompaniment to “FRACTONIA“, particularly if you prefer to give physical books as gifts or prizes. The size of the coloring book makes is convenient and light-weight to slip into a backpack or take along on a car trip.

What is inside “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA”?

The book starts with a brief reference to “FRACTONIA” as a way of introducing the characters that are waiting for your color input. You will encounter all of your favorites: King Spudski, Matthew Roberts, Merc, QM, the memory beasts, and the Parts. Each character has a part to play, but you are the one in charge of how they look when they play that part. While the book does hint about the appearance of the characters, you are free to paint these strange beings in colors that you believe belong with them. No restrictions. You color them as you think they should look.

Of course, King Spudski, Merc, QM, Matthew, and the fraction folk are not new to you. You met them in “FRACTONIA” and ended the book with an idea of how they looked. What “FRACTONIA” failed to reveal was that there were other Fractonians lurking in the shadows that did not get featured in the novel. As a special bonus, “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” introduces you to a few new characters that you may not have noticed before: Diffractoids, Angularicans, the Master of Relativity, and the curious young Nietsnie.

How do I use “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA”?

If you have never heard about the Realm of Fractonia, but enjoy coloring strange creatures you know little to nothing about, this book is for you. Man those colored pencils and colorize the world and the creatures of Fractonia without another moment’s hesitation. There is, however, an advantage to first reading “FRACTONIA” before you attempt to color the pages. Submerging yourself in the story allows you to approach the coloring from a position of familiarity. The illustrations won’t just be lines and forms on the page, but personalities you have come to like or dislike. Having an emotional connection with the characters can help to make your coloring more expressive – you will probably feel more engaged, and might find it easier to daydream about the story as you color. Parents and teachers may prefer to read “FRACTONIA” out aloud to a younger audience. The children can  use the telling of the story as a way to stimulate their creativity while they color pictures from “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA“.

Is this a coloring book for little children?

Anyone capable of coloring a line illustration can add color to this book. It was, however, created as a supplement to the book, “FRACTONIA“, so the ideal user of the coloring book will be pre-teen or older. Yes, adults are welcome to indulge in a little coloring.

Should a teen be seen with a coloring book?

Yes, but only if they are smart. Adult coloring is rapidly gaining ground as a healthy activity: it reduces stress, stimulates creativity, and encouraging physical and psychological healing. If adults are recognizing the health benefits of splashing color on the page, smart (i.e. cool) teens will do the same. “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” will appeal most to youth that are interested in science fiction or fantasy. Coupling the coloring book with the novel produces an interesting gift set for the young and curious in your life. It’s a great way to get readers to explore art, and artists to indulge in a little reading.

Where can I buy a copy of “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTION”?

The conveniently sized 6″ x 9″ paperback version of “COLOR THE REALM OF FRACTONIA” is currently available from Lulu. You can also find it at other online book stores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Ingram, and The Book Depository.

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Art Therapy Adult Coloring Kit

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Healing Patterns Adult Coloring Art Therapy Kit for Christians“Healing Patterns: A Coloring Book for Adults” has become the focal point for a new art therapy kit. The scripture-centered coloring book, which has been available since May 2015, has now been released as part of a ready-to-give gift set. These gift sets are currently sold in ETSY’s Zisubu Artique craft store. 

While using a book like “Healing Patterns: A Coloring Book for Adults” is relaxing and therapeutic no matter what your state of health, adult coloring books are especially beneficial for those facing illness or battling through a difficult recovery period. Often people are unsure of what gifts would be appropriate for someone who is ill, facing surgery, in a rehabilitation facility, or confined to a sick bed. An adult coloring book is a great way to combine entertainment with health benefits. It doesn’t require a great deal of concentration to color an illustration, so even those too medicated to enjoy much reading may still be able to engage in coloring. And an illustration can be colored in tiny increments, so a patient can do as much or as little coloring as they have energy for. An earlier blog post entitled “The Effect of Art of Healing” details some of the physical health benefits of an activity like coloring.

The HEALING PATTERNS art therapy kit was created to take the work out of getting started with therapeutic coloring. The kit brings together everything you (or the person you gift it to) will need to start coloring. Inside each gift set (packaged in a clear, re-sealable plastic bag) you will find:

  • One SIGNED copy of “Healing Patterns: A Coloring Book for Adults” – I have made signed copies (with a short hand-written message) available for these art therapy kits so the kits offer something different from what is available directly from the book stores (e.g. Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Lulu, Ingram, The Book Depository) in USA and Europe.
  • One ready-to-color greeting card and envelope – the front of the greeting card displays a design that brings together elements of one of the illustrations in the book and a scripture (Mark 10:27). The card can be colored and framed as an artwork, or used a greeting card (with or without coloring it). The card is blank inside to encourage the user to express their own thoughts, write poetry, or simply jot a note for someone else. Part of the joy of being creative lies in sharing your creative efforts with others. This greeting card is a simple opportunity for the user to benefit from a coloring exercise, while also making something useful to share with someone else.
  • One Healing Patterns postcard (4″ x 6″) – the colorful card is printed with a variation of the image from the back of the coloring book. The reverse side of the postcard has space for a message, an address, and a stamp. The postcard can be mailed using a standard postal stamp.
  • A set of pre-sharpened colored pencils (12 pencils)
  • A pencil sharpener (because pencils won’t stay sharp on their own) – anticipating that this kit may be given as a gift to people who are not necessarily in their own home where they have access to everything they need, we included a small pencil sharpener in the kit. That way, there is no need to give up your coloring time just because a pencil tip broke or wore down.

If you don’t want to try coloring for yourself and you don’t know anyone you could gift an art therapy kit to, consider donating one or two kits to your local clinic/hospital or assisted living facility. Many churches also have hospital visitation programs – drop some art therapy kits at your local church and ask them to distribute the kits to people during their hospital or home care visits. Zisubu Artique ships these art therapy kits worldwide.

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FRACTONIA at Amazon

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Fractonia by P.R. Lewis at Amazon.com“Fractonia” is now available for Kindle e-book readers. Unlike Google Play, Amazon is not offering a special introductory price for the ebook. However, Amazon has enabled the popular ” text-to-speech” option for this book. “Text-to-speech” is available on the following devices: Kindle Fire HDX, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle (2nd generation), and Kindle DX.

Amazon does offer a preview of the book, albeit disappointingly short. If you are interested in seeing a little more of the book before you decide to purchase, I recommend a visit to Lulu. Lulu is offering a more detailed, downloadable preview of the book in ePUB format. You can also purchase the ebook or the print version of “Fractonia” directly from the Lulu bookstore.

Purchase the Kindle-formatted version of “Fractonia” from Amazon.com.

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FRACTONIA at Google Play

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Fractonia by Dr P.R. LewisAndroid loyalists can relax. It is your turn. Apple Stores are not the only device stores to stock “Fractonia“ . If you own an Android device and usually shop at the Google Play Store, you can now purchase a copy of “Fractonia” at Google Play. Google is currently offering a new release price, so you can add the book to your e-library at a significant discount.

Books purchased from the Google Play Store are not only readable on tablets and phones. You can settle back and read these books on your computer using your computer’s web browser. 

Join the Fractonian adventure. Take the journey with the lead character, Matthew Roberts. Explore a new world. From silent beasts to the talkative representative of the Royal Service Extraordinaire, there is no shortage of the bizarre and the wonderful in the world of Fractonia. There is much to distract a curious mind in Fractonia and it is easy to fall prey to the passing of the yonkinots. Will Matthew be distracted from discovering the real reason that he was invited to this world? Are you willing to find the answer? The clock is ticking, and time is running out – for Matthew and for Fractonia. 

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