The Twelfth Window, set in a fantasy 1980s high school, is an allegory where a teenaged girl and her friends are the direct participants in supernatural phenomenons.
Book One in a series of seven, The Twelfth Window follows the heroine, Lisa Chess, and her friends throughout their school years. Their sophomore year brings the arrival of a new student who ends up dramatically changing the lives of everyone he meets. As The Twelfth Window story unfolds, Lisa and her friends become direct participants in an ancient prophecy in the meantime, eventually leading them all to fulfill their unlikely destinies.
The author, J.M. Norwood, resides in the New York City metropolitan area and currently holds down a successful career in the music industry. She was previously an editor at HITS Magazine. She holds a B.A. in communication from Howard University and has traveled extensively around the world. Last year J.M. Norwood joined the American Christian Fiction Writers association. She is an active member of St. Paul Of The Cross church in the New York City area.
The Twelfth Window, a finalist title in Foreword Magazine's Book Of The Year 2007 Award, is J.M. Norwood's first major publication.
That afternoon after school and later than usual, Michael walked into the diner—dubbed Dave’s Café after David Lechner, the owner and manager. David Lechner was Michael’s guardian and a retired clergyman who had inherited the restaurant from his brother in order to prevent it from being auctioned off. It provided income for himself and his distant family members, finally freeing him to pursue an old dream of his to run his own neighborhood diner—years before he had decided to dedicate his life to Atael’s service.
Five patrons who were waiting patiently and expectantly for Michael to arrive occupied the larger table by the window. They were—in human form—the mighty covering seraphim that escorted the Throne of the Universe.
At the head of the table sat Archangel Lucius. Once counted among the least of the innumerable host, he was now their chosen leader and the captain of the covering seraphim—the only angels who could speak face-to-face with Atael at any time. Lucius was the perfect leader of the entire angelic host because of his discerning, quiet and prayerful nature. Atael had set him above the rest for the way he fought in the second war of rebellion in the Highest Heaven. It was not that he was the fiercest fighter; it was that he loved, trusted and served the most fiercely.
To Lucius’ left was Ysima, the angel who had power over the air; she communicated Atael’s commands to the entire Universe. Her presence was the most fearsome of all the angels, more often than not striking terror into anyone she spoke to while her Sovereign, Atael, was the still, small Voice Whom she obeyed and loved utterly. Seated on Ysima’s left sat K’iar, the angel who inspired prayer both in Heaven and in the World. He was strong, silent and the most likely—second to Lucius—to bring a resolution to any conflict or distress.
Across the table to Lucius’ right was Tarei, a fighting archangel who spoke with thunder. Tarei was from a far-flung galaxy; he had earned his exalted position because he always carried out Atael’s justice to the letter of His words.
The one seated to Tarei’s right, Luceus, was not created a seraph; he had been a great prophet in a world and time hundreds of thousands of years ago. In reward for his tireless and entirely faithful service, a moment before the end of his life, Atael caught him up to the Throne.
Their presence in this world while escorting Atael was a time of testing for them. Atael was here to perform something new in the Universe and they would witness it firsthand. As a part of this work, they would now have to obey flesh, not merely carry Atael’s messages to them. They, with all angelic beings, were about to see the beginning of what He called “saving work,” the start of the unraveling of the evil committed a hundred million years ago by Uriusa—the angel who was at the root of all rebellion—at the foot of Atael’s throne.