Retha Groenewald's Blog: RETHA Groenewald AUTHOR, page 51
April 6, 2013
The Four Faces in the Forest?
The Four Faces left the Royal Province and crossed the wooden bridge to the Green Province and then…
What do you think happened?
Is there a difference between the forest and the jungle? Or are they the same?
The Forest People love their forest.
Is this forest their forest or is this the forest where there was a fire? Or is this the forest where Thunderbolt ….
Perhaps this is the forest close to the palace.
Do all forests look the same?
What do you think a forest should look like?
About The Four Faces
The king continued:
“From this day forward we will refer to our four sons as The Four Faces.
The future of the kingdom is in the hands of The Four Faces.
It’s vital that they find the right answer.
I don’t even want to think of the possibility that they could come back without the answer.”
Human, Lion, Ox, and Eagle are sent on a journey to find out what their purpose is.
On their quest, they journey through interesting and wonderful places;
they meet strangers,
friends and foes;
they are challenged with the unknown and
with themselves.
Will they succeed?
About the Author
Retha Groenewald, passionate about the Bible since childhood, was a storyteller before she could read or write, which followed soon thereafter. She has degrees in nutrition, business, law, and theology. She is a member of Elim in Durbanville. She lives in Western Cape, in beautiful South Africa.
Find my book
Here are some places where you can find The Four Faces. The book is available in paperback and hard cover. The eBook will also be available shortly.
When you have read The Four Face, come and share.
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April 5, 2013
2013 Ultimate Blog Party
Welcome to the party
What: The Ultimate Blog Party is an annual event. This is my first UBP, and I can’t wait to join, write a post about my blog and to meet other bloggers and make new friends.
Let’s party!
Oops almost forgot to give you directions and
details about the Ultimate Blog Party.
Where: Our hosts are Janice and Susan at 5 Minutes Mom
When: 5 April – 13 April 2013
What should I bring: Write a post on your site sharing a bit about yourself and what your blog is all about and then add the URL link to the party page here
Is it for me: Of course! It is for everyone! There are 9 category lists where you can add your blog post to and 3 social medial profile links.
My Blogs and I
My name is Retha Groenewald and I am a Christian who is passionate about the Bible, and am a permanent Bible student. Yes, I love to read, meditate on, and teach the Bible.
I have three blogs:
Bible Fascination – getting to know the Bible better
Discover Bible Treasures – Journey with other heroes and heroines and solve Bible puzzles and quests
Retha Groenewald – Author blog – Fantasy novel The Four Faces
Welcome to my AUTHOR blog – Retha Groenewald
Retha Groenewald is my author blog. I have written a Christian fantasy novel, The Four Faces. I launched this blog on 1 April 2013, a week after The Four Faces had gone live. The blog is about the book The Four Faces and biblical principles we can learn from the book.
I have divided the pages into two main groups THE FOUR FACES and TEACHINGS pages.
Under THE FOUR FACES you will find the following categories:
General – posts about The Four Faces that have not been categorized e.g. the first chapter of The Four Faces.
Holidays – Posts regarding the different holidays in the kingdom.
Interviews – Interviews of my characters and perhaps I will be interviewed as well.
Quotes – The Four Faces have a lot to say and sometimes they can be short and sweet so that we can quote them, or quote quotes they like.
Reviews – Reviews written by wonderful readers.
The TEACHING page is posts about the things we can learn from The Four Faces.
Some of the posts could be spoilers, so I will mark it accordingly.
If you want to know more about The Four Faces, read the first chapter here.
(If you want to know more about Bible Fascination click hereand about Discover Bible Treasures click here)
See you later
Thank you for stopping by. I trust you enjoyed the visit.
I would love to stay in touch, so leave a comment and tell me about you, and feel free to ask me questions about The Four Faces. What are your favourite books to read? Join me also by subscribing to this blog or follow me at these connections:
Have a wonderful week and see you soon!
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March 30, 2013
FOUR FACES: The Question
Excerpt – Chapter One
The Question
That Changed Everything
Interested in knowing what the book The Four Faces is about? Are you wondering what is the question that changed everything? Here is an excerpt from the book The Four Faces.
Chapter One
The Question
That Changed Everything
He was the ruler of the kingdom and the most powerful man in the whole empire, yet he was powerless when it came to his son. As he looked down at his son and his son’s three friends, the loving father concealed his emotion and asked, “Son, what is your purpose in life? What is your three friends’ purpose in life? Think carefully before you speak, because your answer will determine what type of king you will be, and whether you are ready to assume a king’s duties.”
The son smiled broadly and answered with confidence, “Oh, that’s very easy, Father; Lion is here to protect us, Eagle is here to provide food, Ox is here to carry our possessions, and I am here to rule them, and to tell them what to do.”
A shocked silence descended on the throne room. Mostly out of respect for their king, and so they would not add injury to insult, the elders bowed their heads, preventing them from seeing the shock in one another’s faces.
The king felt as if a fi st had hit his heart and smashed it into pieces. A single tear began to form, but the king quickly gained control, and with a soft voice, he addressed the four young ones in front of him: “Lion, Eagle, and Ox, do you have anything to add to my son’s answer?” A gasp ran through the room because asking for their thoughts was unprecedented. The heir to the throne needed to answer this question; it was not the place for others to take part in the conversation, because it was between father and son.
Lion, Ox, and Eagle looked at each other and shook their heads, and then each smiled broadly. The elders and leaders saw the smiles and sighed with relief. Clenched fi sts and raised shoulders relaxed. The tension that had built up disappeared. The relaxed atmosphere returned. One by one, Lion, Eagle, and Ox stepped closer to the throne. They looked up to the king, and answered him with confi dence: “We four are friends, and we three are bound to your son. His answer is good enough for us because we have no other purpose than to be friends with your son.”
The parents of these three were part of the king’s council, and they had to control every nerve in their bodies to resist stepping forward and forcing some sense into their sons. Eagle’s father snapped his beak shut from shock. At the same time, Lion’s father clenched his teeth but the growl slipped through. Ox’s father snorted so intensely his nostrils fl ared. Nobody else made a sound. The parents stood with the rest of the leaders and elders, aghast at the folly of these four, the future of the kingdom. Then the king looked at the parents of his son’s companions. Each bowed deeply before the king, showing their respect for their ruler. The king knew they were in agreement, and in affirmation he gave each a slight nod before he turned his face back to Human, Lion, Ox, and Eagle, who were staring at him.
The reaction of their fathers did not go unnoticed. Slowly, Human, Lion, Ox, and Eagle came to the realization that perhaps their answers were not so clever after all. “I think we are in trouble,” Human whispered. Their smiles disappeared. Different emotions ran across their faces. Their faces settled into question marks, which said it all. “What did we do wrong? What is the correct answer?” they wondered.
The king looked at each one individually, hoping for a flicker of understanding, but he saw nothing. Therefore he gave his verdict: “Gather what you need and leave the palace and the city before nightfall. Do not come back until you know who you are and what your purpose is. Remember, the future of this kingdom rests upon you finding the truth. Now go!”
Totally astonished, Human, Lion, Ox, and Eagle stared at the king as if they did not comprehend what he had said. Their blank expressions changed into unbelief and, finally, fear was written all over their faces. They were scared, but they did not want to show it. Stiffly, they bowed before their king and left his presence.
The king called a private meeting with the fathers of Lion, Eagle, and Ox. Behind closed doors, four fathers came together in privacy to discuss their sons’ future, and the kingdom’s interlinking future. The king and his three advisors ruled the kingdom with wisdom and love. They had grown up together. They knew each other well. Together they had seen and done many things, but they had never been in a situation such as this. When they looked at each other, for a split second the mirror image of their emotions refl ected in the other’s eyes. They were fathers. They were also the leaders of the kingdom. Each sat down at the table with a heavy heart, ready to discuss the future of their children and the kingdom.
It was a difficult meeting. Ox’s father asked the question on everybody’s minds: “Have we failed as parents? How is it possible for our children to be so immature, and so naive regarding their purpose in life?”
Eagle’s father stopped staring outside and turned his head to join the conversation: “Now is not the time to discuss that question. What’s more important is how this will affect the kingdom.”
The king sighed. Within seconds the father resumed his role as the king. “You’re right. We’re in the unique position of considering the future of the kingdom simultaneously with the future of our sons. Years ago, before our children were born, we had discussed the possibility of such a situation. Are we all still in agreement that if we have to choose, the kingdom comes first?” The other three nodded their heads and answered in unison, “Yes.”
The king continued: “From this day forward we will refer to our four sons as The Four Faces. The future of the kingdom is in the hands of The Four Faces. It’s vital that they find the right answer. I don’t even want to think of the possibility that they could come back without the answer.”
“Are we going to lend them any assistance on their journey?” Ox’s father wanted to know. This was a serious and very important question. They discussed it for a long time and decided nobody would accompany The Four Faces.
“So we’re in agreement, The Four Faces will not be accompanied by any servants or soldiers. We have enough trustworthy servants throughout the kingdom who can assist them if their lives are in danger. Send messengers to these loyal servants, and inform them that they are only allowed to observe. They may assist only if The Four Faces’ lives are in danger and there is no other option. The Four Faces will not be told about this arrangement.”
“What happens if they come back with the wrong answer?” Lion’s father asked.
The king looked down for a split second, then he looked up and, facing the other three, he answered the question: “Then, my son will not succeed me as king, and your sons will not be his council. We will then have to fi nd a new successor for the throne and a new council.” Abruptly, the king stood up. “This meeting is adjourned. We have a few hours to spend with our sons before they leave. I suggest we use the time well.”
With heavy hearts, the meeting was adjourned, and each father left to say good-bye to his son, and to give last-minute advice.
Trembling slightly but with excitement to go on an adventure, The Four Faces packed their bags and said their good-byes. They would not easily admit it, but their mothers’ embraces were comforting.
Ox’s little sister clung to him as if she would never see him again. He hugged her and whispered in her ear: “Don’t cry, I’ll be back before you know it. I promise to tell you about all our adventures.” Ox hugged her again, and left before she saw his tears. By the time he reached the gate, his emotions were under control. Ox was not the only one.
“I guess the time has come to be kicked out of the nest,” Eagle joked. His mother knew her son very well. She saw through the charade; she saw the little boy who needed his mother’s comfort and approval. His mother looked at him with sad, tearful eyes, and stroked his beak.
Lion’s mother gave him last-minute instructions regarding hunting, while she brushed his mane. Lion pretended to be irritated with the attention.
What’s going to happen to us? What if we don’t find the answer? Will I ever see my family again? Human could not restrain his emotions any longer. He began crying in his mother’s arms. The disappointment on his father’s face is something he would not easily forget. His mother’s arms comforted him, but he could not stay there forever. It was time to let go and say goodbye. He took control of his thoughts and his emotions, kissed his mother goodbye and left for the gate.
The Four Faces were glad they could say their goodbyes in the privacy of their homes. It would be very embarrassing if one of them would break down and cry in front of the crowd of people who had gathered at the gate. They were thankful only their fathers would greet them at the city gates. The Four Faces had their emotions under control by the time they reached the city gate. With great bravado they said goodbye to their fathers and waved to the crowd.
It was late afternoon when The Four Faces walked through the gates of the capital city to begin an adventure of discovery. They had mixed emotions; they were sad to leave family and friends behind, and they were also excited to go on an adventure. Deep down, they were slightly anxious of the unknown. They had never been alone outside the city gates. They did not know what to expect. Not one of the Four Faces was prepared to admit these emotions, not even to themselves. Instead of dealing with it, they pushed negative thoughts away and put their trust in each other. What could go wrong if we stay together? Lifting their heads, they looked at each other, and excitement took over.
They began walking down the King’s Highway, chatting merrily about the adventures that lay ahead. “This is so exiting; we’re on our way to see the world, without chaperones. For the first time in our lives we’re going to make our own decisions without adults intervening,” Human announced to his three friends.
“I wonder where we’re going to fi nd the answer,” Eagle thought out loud.
“Who cares? We have all the time in the world. After all, my father, the king, ordered us not to return without the answer. I don’t know about you three, but I’m planning to enjoy myself.
I’m not in a hurry to return. I’ll return when I want to,” Human declared.
“We can camp outdoors as often as we like,” Lion commented.
“What do you think we’ll find on our journey? Perhaps some treasure?” Ox mumbled out loud. His comment stirred The Four Faces into an unending conversation about treasures. They were so busy discussing treasures they did not even notice their surroundings until Eagle, with his keen eyes, brought everyone back to reality. The sun was setting, and they were not close to a town or a roadside inn.
Lion could barely contain his excitement. “It’s our first night away from home and we’re going to spend the night camping in the open air, away from civilization, noise, and people who ask embarrassing questions!”
The Four Faces decided to find a spot to settle down for the night. They were prepared. Their fathers had helped them pack camping gear, and their mothers had filled their backpacks with food and snacks. Eagle fl ew into the air, had a quick look around, and saw the ideal spot, not too far from the road. They stashed their backpacks against a tree and went to gather wood while it was still light enough for them to see.
Lion could not stop smiling; he was so happy. Life is so good. We’ve found the ideal spot to camp. Firewood is everywhere. There are tree stumps, loose branches, and dry sticks on the ground. The weather is absolutely perfect for camping. What more do we want?
The Four Faces gathered more than enough firewood for a campfire. Human was the first one back at the campsite. He dropped his outstretched arms, and the firewood rolled off onto the ground. Lion and Eagle joined him shortly thereafter. While Lion and Eagle made the fi re, Human went in search of Ox. He saw Ox between the trees. Let’s see how tough he is. Human hid behind a tree. When Ox walked past, he jumped out from behind the tree. Ox almost dropped the bucket of water he was carrying. Human burst out laughing. Ox was trying to keep his balance by zigzagging and lifting the bucket of water higher and higher. A few drops had spilled on top of Ox’s head before Ox had everything under control again. He was surprisingly agile.
“Not so tough, are you? Where did you get the water?” Human asked Ox.
“There’s a little brook not far from here. I could have spilled the water! Lucky for you, I’m steady on my feet.”
“Here, let me help you carry the bucket.”
Then Ox saw the humor and he began to giggle. He was roaring with laughter by the time they returned to the camp. While they waited for the water to boil, Human amused the others by mimicking Ox’s efforts not to spill the water.
The Four Faces had a wonderful time around the campfire. They sang their favorite songs. They made up stories about kingdoms and treasures. After a hearty meal, and with warm drinks in their hands, reality crept in.
“What was wrong with our answers? Why did our fathers send us away?”
Human stood up, yawning. “I’m going to bed. Let’s make plans tomorrow morning. I’m too tired now.” The other three agreed.
The Four Faces woke up refreshed the next morning, early enough to experience the beauty of the dawning day. They had finished their breakfast and were ready to take the next step, but the question was, where should they go?
“We’re on the King’s Highway. We might as well continue on this road until it stops or leads us back home,” Ox suggested.
The days that followed were exactly the way they had imagined. It was wonderful, an adventure that allowed them to see the kingdom; there were so many towns to explore. They had food and shelter in abundance because in every town they were recognized and treated as royalty. They did not need to pay for anything and slept in warm beds every night. When the town life became too boring, The Four Faces would camp outside a town and enjoy the beautiful weather and nature. Life was good, and The Four Faces were not in a hurry.
Days became weeks. The Four Faces completely forgot about the reason for their adventure, until one day . . .
About the Book
Title: THE FOUR FACES
Author: Retha Groenewald
Publisher: Westbow Press division of Thomas Nelson
Publish Date: 22 March 2013
Pages: 210
Format and ISBN
eBook: ISBN 978-1-4497-8826-1
Paperback: ISBN 978-1-4497-8825-4
Hard Cover: ISBN 978-1-4497-8824-7
Genre: Fantasy
About the Author
Retha Groenewald, passionate about the Bible since childhood, was a storyteller before she could read or write, which followed soon thereafter. She has degrees in nutrition, business, law, and theology. She is a member of Elim in Durbanville. She lives in Western Cape, in beautiful South Africa.
Purchase your copy
The Four Faces is available in Paperback, Hard cover and eBook. Here are two links to purchase your own copy.
Amazon - The Four Faces
Barnes&Noble
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