Amber Renee Turba of Pleasantville recently released her second published book, Price of Loyalty, at the age of 22 — and she’s not stopping there.

Turba, also a journalist for The Bradford Era, said the newly released novel is part of a three-part series titled Pawns. Her first, Spin of Fate, was published in December of 2014; she was only 20.

“I began writing when I was a sophomore in high school, and I’ve always had a love and respect for literature,” Turba said. “I did a lot of free-writing throughout my high school career, but Spin of Fate was primarily written long before I graduated. It wasn’t until my second year of college that I was able to set aside the time, energy and resources to have it published.”

Once she did, Turba said having “a tangible copy” of her own work was an “immensely humbling” opportunity. An opportunity that she’s experiencing again.

“I’m really excited for readers to check out this new book which, ultimately, picks up right where the first one left off,” Turba said.

Turba graduated from West Forest High School in 2012. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in 2016, and has been “diligently” writing the series, Pawns, throughout her time at both academic institutions.

Pawns is a fictional military/war series set several years in the future where America is at open war with the Middle East. Amidst a controversial election, political tensions in the United States are high, creating a ripple effect of fear across the nation — fear that some aim to use as ammunition in a much more dangerous arms race.

Spin of Fate introduces young Leah Venn, a troubled girl who wakes up on the beach in California one day to a shirtless soldier, Beau Moiré, who somehow finds a way to turn her world upside down with one dark truth — “D79.”

“Leah is a particularly relatable character because she’s been through a lot of family and identity issues in her life that affect the way she feels and acts, and I think there’s a wide range of people who can really empathize with her sense of brokenness as a lead character,” Turba described. “Beau is a completely different character. Though his past is as colored as Leah’s with tragedy and pain, his outlook on life is a bit more cynical, stemming from his military background. And as readers will come to realize, Leah and Beau’s differences in perspective are what bring them together in Spin of Fate and, in Price of Loyalty, what just might tear them apart.”

With the introduction of the deadly assassin, Michael, and a few key players that test the limits of Beau and Leah’s love for one another and their loyalties to America, the couple face quite possibly their hardest battle in book two — discovering, and accepting, their own pasts.

“Price of Loyalty certainly raises the stakes for both Leah and Beau, as well as the United States’ position on the world stage,” Turba stated. “Sacrifices will be required of the young vigilantes who, while on enemy soil, are discovering that love, loyalty and war all have a cost that the American people will pay if they aren’t successful in what becomes a race against time itself. And that’s ultimately what this series is about — the notion that even the smallest, seemingly insignificant pawn can change the fate of many.”

Price of Loyalty, 378 pages, was released on Jan. 2, and is available for purchase on Amazon.com and Amazon Kindle in print or electronic version.

Turba will conduct a book tour to market Spin of Fate and Price of Loyalty, and is anticipated to publish the series’ final installment, Soldier of War and Peace, before the end of 2017.

For more information, contact Turba at (814) 331-5976.