Below you’ll find books written by L.A. Grabins, the author behind Striving Author. The titles below are available on Amazon.com to purchase in various formats.
The Defy Series
*Note: This series is currently still in the process of being completed. Updates will be posted as the publication of the subsequent books progresses. Thank you!
What would you do if your entire life was suddenly changed in the blink of an eye by war? Would you run to the front lines and fight as a soldier? Or would you flee in hopes of surviving? Maybe, just maybe, what if you decided to stay?
Paris, France. 1940s. Not long after the beginning of the war, Paris found itself under the occupation of the Nazis. The lives of those who chose to remain were changed drastically, yet not everyone took the occupation lying down. Hidden out of sight, there were those who chose to rise up and fight from the shadows. Everyday people who were forced to make this choice, but did not backdown when it got tough.
Within the Defy Series, three such people exist, each with their own reasons for fighting back. Although on the surface not all of them appeared to be on the same side, beneath the surface, they had one common goal – resistance. The series follows three distinct characters who have found themselves in the midst of divided loyalties and hidden lives. Under constant threat of discovery, they struggle each day to walk the line and avoid detection, however, with the threat of losing their freedom forever, they continue to Defy, Resist, and Elude.
Defy
Defy is the story of Annabelle Dietmar, a young woman living in Nazi-occupied France during World War 2. Instead of fleeing the country when the Nazis came, Annabelle chose to fight for freedom, but not in a conventional manner. Follow Annabelle’s life as she works to free her country and keep her cover at the same time, all while experiencing life during a global conflict.
Defy is a historical fiction novel, full of romance and espionage. The book is written in vignette form with some dialogue written in French and German.
Available in paperback and kindle. NOW ALSO IN HARDCOVER!
The paperback of this book is also available on other online bookstore websites, Saxo.com, Williamdam.dk, Wook.pt, and Albris.com.
View a preview right here!
Resist
Resist is the second book of the Defy series.
Resist is the second book in the Defy series. Resist dives into the life of Dimitri Florimond, a French farmer whose life was drastically changed by the arrival of World War 2. No longer able to carry on normally, Dimitri is faced with only one real option to protect and save his fellow Frenchmen – resist. However, it isn’t easy to remain neutral during the day and vicious under the guise of the night; slowly but surely, the lines between his secret life and real life blur, taking down Dimitri’s own sanity with them.
Similar to Defy, Resist also has dialogue in French and German and explores Dimitri’s life in vignette style.
Available in all forms – E-book, Paperback, and Hardcover.
Elude
Elude is the grand finale of the Defy Series – OUT NOW ON AMAZON.COM!
Would you become the monster you’re fighting against just to save your fleeting future? Could you make that difficult choice?
With the beginning of World War 2 on the horizon, Albrecht Fitzi, a man who only wanted to live a quiet life away from the chaos of his homeland, Germany, was forced to make a choice and find a way to survive. Divided between loyalty to his homeland and escaping to a better life, Albrecht was forced to don a mask of deception and walk the thin line between reality and lies. Can he still remain the same man who once believed in a better world or has Albrecht become the monster he feared?
Elude, the finale of the Defy Series, is the climatic conclusion to the historical fiction series, taking place in war-torn Paris, France in the years of World War 2. Following the life of Albrecht, Elude is no stranger to diving into the depths of a life undercover and what it means to elude the eye of suspicion. As the third book of the series, it follows the same vignette story telling of the first two, Defy and Resist, and also includes dialogue in French and German.
PAPERBACK, HARDCOVER, & EBOOK available for purchase on Amazon.com!
Kindle Vella Stories
These books are available on Kindle Vella!
The first three “episodes” are up for FREE, with each episode afterward costing “tokens”. You receive 200 free tokens upon signing up for Kindle Vella, then afterward, it costs about $2 for a pack of 200 tokens.
Unless noted, each series is ongoing. Subscribe to get notifications for each new episode that is published!
Secrets of the Forest
It’s the year 2300. The earth as we know it has been completely changed by war and a new civilization has arisen from the rubble. It seems like everything is good and fair – no one is hungry, no one is in poverty, and violence seems nonexistent. Maybe that’s what got Annalise Bella Mason’s attention. If their life is so perfect and wonderful, why are people banned from venturing into the forest? The laws were clear. No one was EVER allowed to go there. No one. Yet, Annalise Bella Mason was determined to go there. She wanted answers. She wanted to know. Now, there’s no going back.
Currently on a hiatus! Coming back soon!
One-Act Plays
Yes, you read that right – One-Act Plays! Much to the surprise of many, I dabbled a bit in the realm of playwriting and have a play that was performed on April 7th at the University of Mary!
A Play About… Something?
What happens to stories when the Author forgets she’s writing them? Well, they come alive, of course! These stories have been forgotten so long and now they’re coming alive in the hard drive of the Author’s computer! What hilarities will they come up with? “A Play About… Something” is a one-act play that explores this secret world of the Author’s Hard Drive written by student L.A. Grabins; join this fun adventure into what must be going on inside of a computer’s hard drive when we’re not looking!
Check Out The Original Cast Performance on YouTube!