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The Major Themes In The Neteru Academy Novels

A Note from the Author,

What’s this series really all about? Thank you all so much for sharing the love and supporting this series! While the foundation of the parents’ story is told in The Vampire Huntress Legend Series, which is about the struggle of good against evil, it’s really all about love… the love of humanity, the love of family and the human family, loving the world enough to have a commitment to something greater than oneself… and, of course, the love between a man and a woman. If you think about it in that context, isn’t love the greatest way to defeat evil? That’s how Damali & Carlos Rivera conquer their worst foes and fears every time… their love is unbreakable, as is their love for their family and the world. In the process, they also learn to love themselves and each other better. With that said, in the Neteru Academy Novels, all of the children of the famed parents from The Vampire Huntress Legends are now in high school, and must also learn to love themselves, learn how to care abut something bigger than their own personal concerns, and have to make decisions about what is truly important—what people think about them or ultimately doing the right thing?

In Shadow Walker, book #1 of the series, we’ll watch each character struggle with their own inner demons, their own personal problems, and their own personal woes, but gradually grow to embrace a higher calling. In that regard, we will see them mature in each book, occasionally relapse (because they aren’t perfect), but always end up stronger for their experiences. Their path is imperfect, but the Light within them always prevails. My hope is that a quiet truth will resonate within all who read these series, and that each of you will come away with the quiet messages embedded in each page, each interaction, and each scene. For me, this is truly a labor of love! Thank you for allowing me to share it and my vision with you.

Stay in the Light…

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--L.A. Banks!

Major Themes Underlying The Saga…

• The intrinsic value of the individual – each life can make a difference. Every soul matters.

• The importance of life, parenthood, and creating life when one is ready for the responsibility (and not before then.)

• The serious nature of lyrics, words, and messages in all forms of entertainment (particularly music).

• The relevance of history, and the perspective of elders as guides for growth. Hence the Sankofa bird as an image and tattoo in the VHL series -- “Reach back and fetch it.”

• The exploration of the spiritual versus only considering the material world.

• Cause and effect: understanding that every choice and action bears consequences.

• The power of young women and men to reset the bar and standards, defining their choices based upon integrity.

• The coming together of people, regardless of race or religious preferences, to uphold worthy causes… to function as a world family.

• Once you gain knowledge and “know,” (or awaken), you can never go back to acting like you don’t know… knowledge is forever transformative, therefore is powerful. The journey itself is part of the quest, as it brings with it transformative experiences, hence is the genesis of knowledge. This is why we see the main characters go through “so many changes.”

• Nothing is impossible as long as you keep hope (and The Light) alive within you!

• Answering the call to a gift or positive life purpose through preparedness. Many are called, few are chosen, and even fewer respond to the call.

Rather than delineate these lofty concepts within heavy literature or non-fiction texts, I’ve instead tried to illustrate these themes in fiction metaphors through the characters in the series. My goal was to meet people where ever they were on their own personal journey, to tell the story in accessible, everyday language, and to create an urban legend that entertains and teaches, thus opens the dialogue about images, stereotypes, and major societal issues—while allowing readers to also have fun.

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I leave you on that note to think about all of this… and I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of what all that lies within the full breadth of both series…

Enjoy and Stay in The Light! World Peace, World Love… L.A. Banks!

www.NeteruAcademy.com