All The Write Stuff: The Power of Three

Yesterday, a curse. Today, an inheritance. Tomorrow…may never come.

The Power of Three

by Teri Polen

Genre: YA Horror

“Polen weaves an imaginative paranormal tale brimming with engaging characters, thrilling action, and well-crafted suspense. Perfect for fans of Supernatural and Grimm, The Power of Three will keep you on the edge of your seat until you turn the final page.” –Jane McGarry, fantasy author

Yesterday, a curse. Today, an inheritance. Tomorrow…may never come.

Beck Teller's family bounced from one rental to another his entire life. When his father inherits an ancestral home, he and his siblings are thrilled to finally settle down, especially somewhere his family has roots. And those roots run deep—right to the on-site family cemetery where tombstone dates prove too many members met untimely fates.

When Beck and his two brothers begin experiencing inexplicable things, they grasp for practical explanations. Then their little sister gets a warning from beyond the grave, and the time for rationalizing is over. They pledge to protect their family and set out to identify the source of the danger and a means to defeat it.

They never expected to discover their house is haunted by a vengeful spirit who has vowed to destroy every descendant in the Teller line.

Centuries earlier, three Teller brothers battled the evil entity. Since then, her wrath has caused generations of suffering and untimely deaths. Now, three more Teller brothers will stand against this wicked being. But this time, the curse must be broken. If they win the final fight, they'll banish the malevolent force forever. But if they lose, their family line ends…and they unleash hell on Earth.

GUEST POST

Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?

I have a couple. My ten-year-old niece Janie inspired the character of Harper, the six-year-old sister of teens Beck, Gid, and Lex. Unlike Janie, Harper has three older brothers instead of sisters. I also dedicated the book to her. She didn’t quite understand what that meant and asked if was only included in her copy. When I explained the dedication was in every book, she got pretty excited.

Soon after I completed The Power of Three, two of the characters told me their story wasn’t finished. Oldest brother Gid and his boyfriend Aiden are the focus of a short story entitled A Ghostly Promise. It’s included in All the Promises We Cannot Keep, a FREE anthology releasing in November. Their tale takes place seven years after The Power of Three, and I’m honored they allowed me a glimpse into their future.

What is something unique/quirky about you?

My youngest son was obsessed with Legos when he was little—seriously, we could open a Lego store with his vast collection. That’s when I learned I love building Legos. And still do. I turn on an audiobook and dive in. They give my brain a break from all the clutter swirling around. I recently built a 1700+ piece tuxedo cat. Our cat is a tuxedo named Bond (he prefers his catnip shaken, not stirred), and of course he stretched out across the pieces while I was trying to build. I managed to get a picture of him with the finished Lego cat—something that wasn’t an easy feat. You cat people know what I mean.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in The Power of Three?

The title refers to three brothers—Gideon, Beckett, and Alexander Teller. They’re very close in age, and their mom decided those names were a mouthful when they were younger, and she was kid wrangling. Gid, Beck, and Lex roll off the tongue much easier.

Beck is my main character. As the middle brother he occasionally serves as a referee between Gid and Lex, a role he hates. Nothing makes him happier than books, and he works part time in a bookstore—which naturally has a cat named Mr. Darcy. The only thing that could distract him from reading would be a certain girl he meets during the story.

Gid is headstrong and highly protective of people he cares about. He tends to act before he thinks. Discussion and planning generally fall to the wayside. Don’t speak to him in the mornings until he’s had at least three cups of coffee. Gid may be a hothead, but he’s someone you want on your side when everything goes off the rails. He’s never had much luck with relationships, but his life changes after he’s set up on a blind date with a cute guy.

Lex is…Lex. He believes life is meant to be enjoyed. Snarky comments pour out of him like a waterfall. He and Gid have a …combative history, but both will pound anyone who threatens their brothers. His charm and sense of humor attract girls, and flirting is as natural to him as breathing. But only one girl holds his attention—Harper, his little sister. His hair color changes monthly based on the shades she chooses.

Harper has all three of her big brothers wrapped around her six-year-old finger. They attend her tea parties—in proper attire, of course, and she does their nails, makeup, and hair (see the reference to Lex’s hair color above). Gid, Beck, and Lex would lay down their lives for her if needed—and they may have to in The Power of Three.

EXCERPT

My gaze slid to the headstone beside them. Macie Williams Teller. It looked like Cousin Macie had been their mother. How sad that she’d outlived all three of her children. The pain she’d experienced must have been unfathomable, and she’d lost her sons on the same day. I imagined Mom losing two of us like that. It would destroy her. Dad, too. Sure, they’d still have two of us left, but a loss like that rips your soul apart, and it never quite fits back together the way it once did.

On the other side of Macie’s grave was Thomas Teller, who I presumed was her husband. He’d passed away five years before their sons. My heart ached for Macie. She’d lost her husband and children far too early, then lived in this big house all alone until she died last year.

I turned and once again looked over the sea of graves before me. Dozens and dozens of them. Dad was an only child and beyond his parents, I’d never really known any other family on his side. But this branch of the Tellers wasn’t a small family by any means. All these people were related to me in some way. According to Macie’s attorney, my father was the last of the Tellers.

What happened to this family?

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Book Links:
Amazon: https://a.co/d/gKW2chr

Black Rose Writing: https://www.blackrosewriting.com/youngadult/p/thepowerofthree

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-power-of-three-by-teri-polen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217226271-the-power-of-three

About the Author

Teri Polen is the author of young adult horror, science fiction, and fantasy novels. Sarah, her debut novel, was a horror finalist in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. ReadFREE.ly named Subject A36 one of the 50 Best Indie Books of 2020. An avid reader, movie watcher, and chocolate lover, Teri lives in Bowling Green, KY with her husband and Feline Overlord, Bond. Visit her at TeriPolen.com or on Instagram @Tpolen6

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