In Dedra L. Stevenson's first work of crime and courtroom drama, Desert Magnolia takes the reader along a turbulent journey with Daniella Pierce, a small town Southern gal who ended up living as a Muslim in Dubai, happy and fulfilled, or at least she thought. Daniella, upon hearing that her father has been murdered as a result of a hate crime, learns that her beloved cousin has been accused and will stand trial for his life.
Daniella comes back to her original home only to be immersed in a full blown Southern mystery, taking her on an emotional journey that proves to be not only therapeutic, but freeing for many skeletons, both real and supernatural. Armed with her quest for the truth and many stops for iced tea and good down home Southern cooking, Daniella doesn't give up on her cousin, even though he has left a trail of broken hearts along the way.
As the two had grown up together, Daniella and Leo always felt like brother and sister, both enduring the home environment of the mighty Ross Pierce, the Second. Ross Pierce was a wealthy businessman and well respected among his peers, but becoming that powerful in a small Southern town means that you will develop enemies along the way. The question is, which one hated him enough to kill him in such a horrific way?
Daniella struggles to unravel the mystery in time to save her cousin, but also faces the racial tension that she left behind when she married an Arab and became a Muslim. With the help and support of a handful of her relatives and her dearest friends, Daniella takes the necessary steps to end the tension once and for all.
In the second book of The Hakima's Tale trilogy, Dedra L. Stevenson offers a mystical fantasy straight from Middle Eastern mythology and folk tales like no other. This best-selling trilogy steams onward to the training years of Phoenix Kassim, as she studies under a wise woman in the desert and learns the ways of a supernatural warrior. Her mentor, Sophia, teaches her how to harness her power and her magical creatures of the desert, the oceans and the forests assist her in gathering the tools of the Hakima. Her adventures take her on many journeys around the world, to many cultures and traditions, including the Native American culture where she is granted the eternal assistance of the wolf. While trying to prevent the release of the Dark Master of the Jinn, Phoenix prepares in every way, in case he is unleashed upon the world. She gathers many tools, including the magic carpet and the amber of the enchanted whale. Phoenix and Sofia continue to build her army and form alliances with friendly types of Jinn, but will it be enough? The Marid army, the Blue Jinni's elite force, grow as well, anticipating the release of their Master. The storm that was prophesied long ago begins, but how will the young hero fare? Will her companions manage to stop the creature from being released? This tale of fantasy fiction for teens will keep readers on the edge as they join Phoenix on her magical journey.
In the final installment of Dedra L. Stevenson's Middle Eastern supernatural folk tale, The Hakima's Tale, the reader is taken around the world as Phoenix Kassim, now a powerful woman and a capable leader, fights for the survival of humanity. The Jinn, magical creatures of Arab folklore, grow in strength and launch their attack on the human world. In peril, the humans don't know how to defend themselves against an enemy that they can't see. Phoenix's army of human friendly jinn and humans, work tirelessly to protect as many as they can and control the horrific damage that ensues, however their strategy proves to be ineffective as it seems that they are only putting out fires. The Marid army seem unstoppable as they launch endless supernatural attacks against the people from every corner of the planet. Studying the jinn tales of the ancient world, Phoenix adopts a more offensive strategy, but will it be enough? In this fantasy fiction adventure trilogy, readers will cheer for the young hero as she strives to discover the secrets of ending the terror and binding humanity as one.
Ben and Leila wanted to be parents for so long, but the beautiful little girl that they brought in the world is no ordinary girl. Phoenix sees children that aren't there, appears in places that she couldn't possibly be, and seems to know things that she shouldn't. As the years go by, her unique destiny is revealed. Phoenix Kassim is destined to be the protector of the human race. The fate of the human world and all benevolent Jinn, are in the hands of this young child, the direct descendant of the Hakima, or medicine woman, of Ghalib, the King of the Ancient Persian Empire. Long ago, prophecy foretold that a descendant of this great woman would arise to prevent the release of a malevolent entity and his army of the 12 tribes of Jinn from ascending to power. Her family moves to the Middle East, their ancestral home, and this is where Phoenix truly comes into her power and steps into her extraordinary role. Many tribes of Jinn join the cause, but even more decide to be her eternal enemy and help the armies of the 12 tribes arise by trying to destroy the young Hakima before she has a chance to take on her role. Will she survive to learn the ways of a Supernatural warrior?
