The Shadow Guard

All is not well in Tequende. The Earth Guild, frequently looked down upon by the Sun and Moon guilds, is beginning to demand fairer treatment by the queen, and whispers of revolution are spreading like wild fire. Brindl Tacora of the Zipa Mines, an earth guilder and now Master of Messages for the Princess, might have to choose sides: join the rebellion, or stay loyal to the crown. But their true enemy remains hidden, and Brindl may be the only one who can help unite the rebels against their foe before it's too late.

J. D. Vaughn is the pen name of Julia Durango and Tracie Vaughn, two friends who are also writing partners. Together they've written the middle grade novel The Second Guard, and its sequel, The Shadow Guard. Julia is a former school librarian from Illinois and a winner of the Golden Kite Award. Tracie, a high school English teacher from Ohio, has also received critical acclaim, including the Schneider Family Book Award. Together they share a love of travel, reading, chicken biscuits, and the teenagers who call them Mom.