By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Fresh off the success of his debut novel, “Guardians of the Latte Stones,” CHamoru author M.K. Aleja announced the upcoming release of his second paranormal thriller, “The Makåna's Legacy.”
Scheduled for release on March 3, the novel is marked by a unique blend of CHamoru lore and modern suspense.
Growing up in Guam, Aleja is familiar with the legend and personal accounts involving the taotaomo’na, which he brings to life in “The Makåna's Legacy.”
“Like many families in Guam, my family and I have our own experiences. I felt that a paranormal thriller would be perfect for this,” said Aleja, who lives in Kenai, Alaska with his wife and son. “I thought that including the lore of the taotaomo’na and the makåna would make for an interesting story.”
“The Makåna's Legacy” follows the journey of a young CHamoru man gifted with divine healing power, a sacred endowment bestowed by his ancestors, the CHamoru makåna.
As his extraordinary ability unfolds, sinister forces from the spirit world take notice. Evil spirits, intent on harnessing his power for malevolent purposes, relentlessly pursue him. Caught between the realms of the supernatural and the physical, he must rely on his deep-rooted faith and the luminous legacy of his ancestors to confront and overcome the darkness that stalks him.
“Because the story involved ancient spirits more directly, I got to include more of the CHamoru language in this novel compared to my first,” Aleja said.
The book includes a glossary that translates CHamoru words and phrases—with corresponding phonetic pronunciation—used in the story.
“‘The Makåna's Legacy’ is meant to be the first installment of a Suruhanu trilogy. I have outlines for the next two installments,” Aleja said. “But self-publishing is expensive and I won't be able to afford any editing or cover design for another year or two. I will keep working on them though so that they are ready whenever funding becomes available.”
Pre-release reviews from Readers' Favorite and Literary Titan gave "The Makåna's Legacy" five stars.
Aleja is a trailblazing CHamoru author dedicated to sharing the rich cultural heritage of the CHamoru people through novels in the paranormal thriller genre.
His first novel, “Guardians of the Latte Stones,” released in March 2024, has received favorable reviews.
The Makåna’s Legacy will be available in both print and digital formats at Amazon.com and from major bookstores. The ebook version is already available for pre- order at Amazon.com.Email: mkaleja@mkaleja.com Visit the official website at https://mkaleja.com.
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