Rachel Rossano is one of the sweetest and most talented people you could ever meet! I’m so excited to take part in the release of her newest book baby, Living Sacrifice. What’s it about? Let’s take a look!

Separated, but still joined, they strive for freedom.

Left behind at the sept son’s compound, Zezilia Ilar struggles with the after effects of her prolonged commisceo-link with Hadrian. She devotes herself to caring for the wounded arriving almost daily from the battlefields. Pressed to perform procedures and make decisions far beyond her training, Zez grows in confidence and skill. All the while, she wonders if she’ll see Hadrian again, fearing the worst possible news will arrive any day.

Sept Son Hadrian Aleron fights to bring peace to his home nation. Allied with the new high king, he and a small army of Talented struggle to retake the capital city. Elitists, though scattered, continue to pick off the strongest of his men. As he battles the remnants of the commisceo-link and tries to organize the campaign, he begins losing himself to exhaustion. Only a miracle will keep him alive.

Rachel is here today to talk to us about a reoccurring theme we can find in The Talented Series…Communication. Themes are important in storytelling and the present many opportunities for writers to teach important lessons. I love this about Rachel. She puts real life issues and struggles into her books.

Communication in Relationships

By Rachel Rossano

Communication is at the heart of any relationship. Parents, children, siblings, and spouses, we need to learn good communication skills to maintain our relationships. Yet, even the best communicators among us can fall short. Communication is a reoccurring theme examined in The Talented series, especially in The Defender and Living Sacrifice.

As leader of the Talented, Hadrian spends a great deal of his time communicating with those below him and others in the government. Letters go back and forth. During the times of war, he holds meetings with his generals, aides, and various other officials. In these venues, Hadrian excels. Parceling out exactly what everyone needs to know is his forte. However, when it comes to communicating his needs, he falls short.

Now, add into this mix, someone with a direct link into Hadrian’s thoughts. In the second novel, The Defender, Hadrian and Zezilia join minds in a way that lets them each access the other’s thoughts to a certain extent. This jump in closeness correlates directly with an unexpected increase in intimacy (not of the physical kind) between the two of them. Despite this sudden decrease in barriers, Zezilia discovers Hadrian has a bad habit of not communicating important needs and concerns. They spend most of the rest of the book working out the issues. At the end of the second book Hadrian leaves Zez behind. Hadrian is unable to remain so vulnerable and open with Zez without a commitment, one he isn’t ready to make. So, he distances himself.

In the third book, Living Sacrifice, Hadrian is called on his bad communication skills many times. From not letting his aides know his plans to not writing Zez, his lack of communication becomes a defensive measure. He closes in and controls what he can to his own eventual harm. I can’t give any more details away. You will have to read the book.

In life, communication is a demonstration of intimacy and trust. I discuss things with my friends that I wouldn’t with a stranger. I communicate even more guarded things with my spouse. How does one show that they are friendly to someone they have just met? A greeting, questions about their likes and dislikes, are all efforts to find common ground. Communication is vital for establishing and maintaining a relationship. That is why learning to communicate effectively, listen well, and express what one feels is so vital.

Rachel Rossano is a happily married mother of three children. She spends her days teaching, mothering, and keeping the chaos at bay. After the kids are in bed, she immerses herself in the fantasy worlds of her books. Tales of romance, adventure, and virtue set in a medieval fantasy world are her preference, but she also writes speculative fantasy and a bit of science fiction.

Interested in Rachel’s work? You can find her books at by visiting here or here.

To get in touch with Rachel, here are all the amazing places to find her:

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RachelRossanoRambles

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/anavrea/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/RachelRossano

Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1430209.Rachel_Rossano

Website – http://www.rachelrossano.com/

Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Rossano/e/B004MV17GE/

Buy Links – https://books2read.com/ap/RWmP68/Rachel-Rossano

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