Rejoice with me! My dream is coming true! My debut novel, The Long Shadow, comes out June 1 from Elk Lake Publishing. It’s an anti-racist novel for kids 10-14. I’ve been wanting to write a children’s book since I was 13!

What’s The Long Shadow about?

Aunt Trudy never wanted kids. Now that she’s Richie’s guardian, she makes his life miserable. Richie just wants to escape, so he seeks refuge in the deep Missouri woods he loves so much.

Suddenly it’s not summer, but late fall. How did that happen? Did the trucker who just gave him a ride somehow whisk him back fifty years in time?

The woods aren’t for Richie the haven they used to be. After a freak storm, he finds himself at the mercy of Morris, a mysterious black man who also calls the woods home. Is Morris a savior? Or is he someone to fear?

“Searching for a new favorite book? Look no further than The Long Shadow by Phyllis Wheeler. This is a great book for fans of To Kill a Mockingbird but with a time-travel twist. Richie grabs your attention and doesn’t let go until the very end.”—Elsie G, age 13.

“Sometimes we need to escape our own time and place to walk a few miles in someone else’s shoes. Phyllis Wheeler’s The Long Shadow will open your eyes, rend your heart, and take you on an invaluable journey.” —Wayne Thomas Batson, bestselling author of The Door Within Trilogy

“I could not stop reading it once I had begun.  It is a delightful story, as well as a very painful one, told very well without a wasted word.  I gladly recommend it to anyone.”  –Jerram Barrs, professor at Covenant Theological Seminary and author of Echoes of Eden: Reflections on Christianity, Literature, and the Arts.

“Full of interesting characters . . . [The Long Shadow has] heart, humor, and a great overall theme. . . . Complex subject matter, woven into enjoyable fantasy. . .”—John Hendrix, NYT bestselling illustrator and author

“I’ve read this book and enjoyed the characters in the story. I like the friendship that blossomed in the story and how the story came full circle in the end. It was a good history lesson without being offensive to anyone.”—LaShaunda Hoffman, sensitivity reader and author

 “This compelling and engaging story is a must read!” —Rob Currie, author of Hunger Winter: A World War II Novel.

Pre-order the Kindle version here. There will be a paperback version as well.

I’m deep into figuring out how to launch a book. If you’d love to help me promote it, shoot me a message through my contact page!