Luke Nielsen Media
Working to put a little good in the world
Working to put a little good in the world
I'm pleased to announce that Ernest from Earth has won the gold medal for "Adventure Fiction" at the 2020 Living Now Book Awards.
The Living Now Book Awards recognize books aimed at making a positive impact, and I'm honored to be included in this year's winners.
Thank you to everyone who has read the book. Thank you to Dreaming Big Publications, and thank you to the people at the Living Now Book Awards.
More details to come.
Ernest is a twelve-year-old boy growing up on Earth in the Twenty-Second Century, an Earth that exists free of poverty, bigotry, famine, or war. The citizens of Earth live in peace, traveling the cosmos as readily as they once navigated country highways; but Ernest is separated from his family on one such trip and finds himself on a planet eerily similar to Earth’s past, with the exception of its red- and blue-skinned inhabitants. Ernest befriends a red boy named Dat, and he is forced to live in a world of racial tension and division the likes of which he has never known. Ernest operates as both an observer and a participant in the struggles around him, all while facing the challenges of growing up. Ernest and his friend Dat face bullies and a sense of isolation. They learn of tragedy and friendship, and they are thrown into a powerful legal battle that continues to shape their understanding of existence and their places in it. Ernest’s experiences leave him torn between his desire to return to his family and his idyllic life and the kinship he has formed with his adopted family, especially as they struggle through a glaringly unjust world. Ultimately, Ernest begins to question what is really right, and if his own world is as perfect as it seems.
This week, we're looking at social awareness and relationship skills. Specifically, we 're talking about connecting on an emotional level.
Recently, my eight-year-old daughter Claire wrote my epitaph.
Recently, my eight-year-old daughter Claire wrote my epitaph.
Janae Marie Kroc is an inspiring person with a powerful message. She is a transgender woman who also identifies as gender fluid and non-binary. Janae is a former United States Marine, body builder, and world record holding power lifter. She's a cancer survivor, a licensed pharmacist, and a dedicated parent. I was very fortunate to sit down for a talk with Janae, and she shared many wonderful insights about overcoming adversity, achieving success, and being our truest selves.