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Sonoma Family Life Magazine

Hero Has High-Seas Showdown

Wannabe sailor Jace Kit dreams of adventures on the high seas, but life has kept him stuck on shore. Until, that is, a mysterious Sea Sprite named Sable washes up, seeking his help to stop a dread pirate from killing the ocean queen and plunging the world into dark storms.

A little naive but equipped with a boyish grin that tends to get him out of most troubles, Jace believes in Sable’s magic, and she believes in his legendary trinket that marks him as the hero she needs ... even though Jace knows it’s a fake.

A Sea of Ships and Souls is the new young adult fantasy from multiple award-winning author Jordan S. Keller. More than a swashbuckling adventure, A Sea of Ships and Souls blends high-seas thrills with a coming-of-age story about courage, honesty, and chasing dreams that feel too big.

“It’s a love letter to Pirates of the Caribbean, my fascination with sunsets over the ocean, and the thrill of crafting your own adventure alongside new friends,” Keller said.

Chosen as a hero by mistake, Jace sets sail with nothing but a handmade boat and a lie. With Jace’s skilled sailing and Sable’s magic, the pair enters a competition to win a ship capable of catching the ruthless pirate. But the only thing darker than the inky depths of the mythical Remos Ocean are the Sea Sprite’s secrets, and Jace realizes too late his adventure might cost a price too high to pay.

Written with readers 12-18 in mind, A Sea of Ships and Souls is a bubbly blend of folklore, tarot readings, and mythical sprites — perfect for fans of pirates, sea shanties, adventure, and magic.

“I hope readers connect with Jace’s struggle,” Keller said. “He knows what he wants, but wonders if his dream is practical for his position in life. As we grow up, we can lose sight of that ‘dream job’ because it isn’t safe or what’s expected of us, but it’s important that we keep dreaming and working for what we want.”

Jordan S. Keller is a Cincinnati-based author who, when not writing, works as a property manager for college rentals. She was born in Oklahoma, raised in Kentucky, and spent many summers on farms in Wisconsin, falling in love with stories and cheese. She received her bachelor’s degree in journalism at Morehead State University, where she worked at the local radio station and was the managing editor for the school newspaper, both of which furthered her love of stories and the people who tell them.

Keller’s last book, Failing Gravity (released May 2025), received the following awards: Book Fest 2025 Best Cyber Punk, Book Fest 2025 Best Sci Fi Dystopian, International Impact Book Awards 2025 Best Young Adult Dystopian, and the International Impact Book Awards 2025 Best Cyber Punk.

ISBN-10: 1509264604

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: March 9, 2026

Available from: Amazon.com


This disclaimer clarifies that the magazine is reporting news from the publishing industry and is not offering an endorsement or review of the books mentioned.