Welcome to this stop in
the blog tour for
The School of Ministry: The Windgate,
sponsored by
Bewitching Book Tours!!
About the Book
Braxton A. Cosby
Trade Paperback, 367 pages
Keith Publications, LLC
August 21, 2013
Adventure, Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Young Adult Fiction
Goodreads Synopsis:
TO CHOOSE, IS FATE!
A young man named Ziv struggles to find his place in life after both of his parents are murdered. Orphaned and alone by the age of six, he bounces in and out of foster homes hopeless and afraid, wondering if he will ever find a path to happiness. He resolves to accept a life of depravity, until one day he discovers he possesses the gift of sight: to see creatures from the afterlife, but not angels...demons! Ziv is recruited by The School of Ministry, a secret society that promises to help him find his best friend Stephanie, who has gone missing. But there is one catch: he must agree to join them in their quest to eradicate evil and protect the weak. Ziv learns that he is a "Conduit," which allow him to cross over into the spirit world and transcend time itself. When he is partnered with two other young men who have similar gifts, the unlikely trio is trained in the mastery of weapons and the art of Shouting, during treacherous challenges of the tortuous Quad in preparation for their mission: to secure the Windgate. Ziv becomes entrenched in a quest of identity, love, and will, until comes face to face with pure evil itself--Akabod, the spiritual prodigal son to the School of Ministry and a master of talents.
A young man named Ziv struggles to find his place in life after both of his parents are murdered. Orphaned and alone by the age of six, he bounces in and out of foster homes hopeless and afraid, wondering if he will ever find a path to happiness. He resolves to accept a life of depravity, until one day he discovers he possesses the gift of sight: to see creatures from the afterlife, but not angels...demons! Ziv is recruited by The School of Ministry, a secret society that promises to help him find his best friend Stephanie, who has gone missing. But there is one catch: he must agree to join them in their quest to eradicate evil and protect the weak. Ziv learns that he is a "Conduit," which allow him to cross over into the spirit world and transcend time itself. When he is partnered with two other young men who have similar gifts, the unlikely trio is trained in the mastery of weapons and the art of Shouting, during treacherous challenges of the tortuous Quad in preparation for their mission: to secure the Windgate. Ziv becomes entrenched in a quest of identity, love, and will, until comes face to face with pure evil itself--Akabod, the spiritual prodigal son to the School of Ministry and a master of talents.
Excerpt
Maxwell's words echoed clearly now more than ever. "Time is very relative, and a split second can cost you dearly," he'd said at the table that day. A lesson I finally understood, regardless of whether Sir Isaac Newton was thinking on these same terms or not.
The beige bamboo staff waves at me -- taunting me to move in -- no more than a few feet away. I stay my distance, hopeful that somehow I will be able to dodge the next attack. I steady my feet and bend my knees, giving a little bounce from side to side, just the way he taught me. My hands tighten around my own bamboo staff, as I try to ignore the sweat beads rolling off my eyelids. I will myself to overlook them -- too afraid to blink -- as one split second of lost focus could cost me a deposit of painful toll.
All of my training over the past weeks has come to this moment. I'm sensitive to every subtle noise around me: the flow of the air, the sound of approaching feet, and the vehement bounding inside my chest. My form is perfect. Shoulders square, arms flexed, and my left foot staggered just behind my right one -- to brace for a forceful advance. This will be my moment for sure. Once complete, they will all pay me the penance of all my perseverance and labor -- my respect!
My abdominals tense as he yells out, "Attack!"
The ground shakes as he rushes toward me. His body sways from right to left with each pounce, making it difficult for me to predict his next move. He closes in -- squeezing the dense air between us -- before I can complete my first thought to retreating. I breathe in deeply before slowly lunging backward and stabbing forward -- cobra-like -- with my bamboo staff fully extended from my outstretched arms.
Unable to resist the urge any longer, I submit, regretfully blinking. The sweat beads merge into one large droplet that catapults from my eyelashes, cascading down to the floor. I open my eyes, terrified that my would-be attacker has passed beyond my extended arms and is now posted next to me. A bitter cold streak passes down the center of my back, freezing the space between my shoulder blades. But it pales in comparison to the deep heat coming from the bottom of my chin, as the sound of fresh cracked bamboo rings through my ears.
I spin awkwardly, swaying sideways, hitting the floor a fraction before the sweat droplet explodes on the ground before me. A surge of fluid fills my mouth and I belt out a barking cough, expelling a handful of red saliva. Dazed, I scrape myself off the floor to take a knee, shaking my head quickly. The room grows cloudy as my eyes fill with water.
From the corner of my vision I make out the shape of an open hand reaching toward me. Disgusted, I refuse the offering and rise to my feet. No time to be weak....no time to wallow in self-pity or acknowledge the throbbing pain ringing through my head. The only time I'm concerned with at the moment is the split second I just took for granted. It's the same split second I willfully traded for my dignity. I rip my bamboo staff from the floor and twirl it in my hands, before clapping it on the ground. I drag a long stream of air into my lungs and count in my head.
Three, two, one.
A quick crack of the neck and a roll of my shoulders later, I drop my left foot behind my right. Steady, I point my weapon, splitting the vision of my opponent. Round one is over, lesson learned.
The next second, is mine.
About the Author
Braxton A. Cosby
A graduate of the University of Miami, Cosby earned his Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees in Physical Therapy. He is also certified by the American Physical Therapists and is a certified Sports Nutritionist.
And now he's getting you in shape. "I feel that God has given me a calling to help people," says Cosby. It was his own injury that taught Cosby about "getting people back to their prior level of function". He says he wants to motivate "people to stay on the course" so they can meet their own individual goals.
Cosby is a personal trainer, nutritionist, and physical therapist, and is using his talents and knowledge to help bring attention to health issues and disparities such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
He was the featured keynote speaker at the 2012 Atlanta CARES STEMFest for Children and Young Adults event. He was also a presenter for Mercer College School of Medicine and the Louisiana Medical Society's "Focus on Exercise and Fitness". He has partnered with Emory University as a clinical instructor and worked with a major rehabilitation company in geriatrics.
The host of a weekly radio show -- "Ask the Fat Doctors" -- Cosby is also an award-winning author, and has been seen on CBS, Fox, and "Atlanta Live".
His first novel, Protostar: the Star-Crossed Saga, won the 2012 Readers' Favorite Book of the Year Award for Romance, Fantasy Sci-Fi category, and is slated for publication in February, 2014, under Winter Goose Publishing. He has since gone on to pen a new Christian, Young Adult adventure series, The School of Ministry.
He's also filming the Christian-based film, "The Snare", starring Stephen Baldwin.
"Ask the Fat Doctors" is where Cosby, Dukes, and radio personality Tee Foxx cover a variety of topics, from current events to obesity to disease prevention. Cosby also shares tips on how to lose pounds. He's teamed up with retired offensive lineman and NFL analyst Jamie Dukes to create a workout video for men titled, "Chachersize" (C_4).
Cosby's goal is to share information on how to create healthy habits, and how they can counteract serious health ailments. His articles can be found in "OMTimes" Magazine, and "Skinny Limits". Cosby also posts regular workout tips on his YouTube page.
As the nephew of actor and comedian Bill Cosby, Dr. Braxton A. Cosby has charted his own path, but embodies his uncle's creativity and passion for a healthy America. "Of course he was an influence," the younger Cosby says. "He taught me how to develop a passion for what you do."
Braxton lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, three girls, and a troop of adventurous African Cichlids.
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