Five by Five—Showing the power of love and unity

By Max Bowen 

In her debut book, “R.A.T.S: Revolutionary Army of Teens, We Are One,” Claudia Daher shares a genuine desire to “lift the spirit instead of bringing it down.”

The book follows a diverse group of teenagers who discover they are Earth’s last line of defense against an alien race determined to steal Earth’s water. Secretly training in a high stakes alternate reality game called R.A.T.S, David and his allies work to hone their skills to fight real-world ecological and extraterrestrial threats. 

In this Five by Five, Claudia shares the book’s origin, introduces us to the diverse cast, and shares her message for readers.


I really like the story. Where did the idea come from and how did you develop it?
The idea came to me in 2012, when my children were still teenagers. I felt a deep concern for the new generation — so many young people were losing touch with family values, social awareness and even with the beauty of our planet. Technology was advancing quickly, but human connection seemed to be fading.

I would turn on the TV and see nothing but violence, low language, families fighting, promiscuity, and stories about drugs and crime. And I thought, “What kind of world are our children growing up in?” That question stayed in my heart. I wanted to write something completely different — a story with no negativity, no bad language, no darkness — something that could lift the spirit instead of bringing it down.

So, little by little, I began. It all started with a simple desire: to imagine a better world for all our children — a world where love, respect, and unity could still shine. From that dream, R.A.T.S: Revolutionary Army of Teens, We Are One was born.

Who are the group of teens?
The R.A.T.S are a group of extraordinary teens between the ages of 15 and 18, coming from very different parts of the world — Aruba, the United States, India, Dubai, Israel and beyond. Each of them has a unique background, nationality and faith—yet when humanity becomes threatened and the world begins to fall into an apocalyptic state, they are mysteriously brought together through what they believe is just a virtual game.

But this “game” is much more — it is actually a secret training program designed to prepare them to pilot real spacecrafts and defend the planet. They are led by David, a young man with a noble and pure heart. He doesn’t follow trends or social pressure; he is authentic, charismatic, and just — a true leader of light.

Each teen has a mother, a father, a grandmother, a grandfather, an aunt, an uncle, or a tutor — because, in the end, no matter our religion, nationality or social class, families are always part of the story. Our children and teenagers are the light of the world. Without them, life would simply have no color, no joy and no purpose.

When the teens finally realize that the game was real, they choose to rise together. Despite their differences in culture, religion, and social status, they unite with courage and purpose to protect Earth and restore hope to humanity. They discover that helping one another doesn’t diminish our own light — like a candle lighting another, we don’t lose our flame by sharing it; on the contrary, the light grows stronger, and together, we make the world brighter. 

What kind of worldbuilding did you have to do?
I created a world that reflects the one we live in — a planet in crisis, where values, compassion and family ties are fading. The young generation is growing up witnessing wars, sadness, and hunger, while the sense of unity and purpose seems to be slipping away.

In this story, the teens are our future. Through them, I wanted to show that there is still hope — that even in the darkest times, love, forgiveness, and faith can rebuild what has been lost. The book became a way to bring these essential topics back into the conversation: family, mutual respect, and emotional connection.

After all, we live in two worlds — our inner world and our social world. If we are not strong, peaceful, and loved within, it becomes difficult to make the right choices outside. The story reflects this balance — that healing the world begins with healing ourselves.

As a debut writer, what led you to write a book in the first place?
Writing this book was not just an artistic project — it was a calling of the soul. For many years, I have been involved in community work, supporting families, immigrants and humanitarian causes. I have seen how much the world needs messages of kindness, understanding and purpose.

I wanted to create a story free from negativity — no drugs, no violence, no vulgarity — something that schools, parents, and young readers could embrace with pride. R.A.T.S was my way of offering light, of reminding people that goodness and faith are not outdated — they are essential. It was time to give this generation a story that shows that love and unity are still the most powerful forces on Earth.

Is there a message for the readers?
Yes. The message is simple but powerful: We are one. We belong to the same world, and we are responsible for one another. Even a small act of goodness can change everything. Faith, love, and respect can rebuild the future — and it all begins within each of us.

I truly believe that together we can still change our destiny for the better and create a brighter world. We are all tired of bad news — it is time for good news, for peace and for health. This book is an invitation to believe again — to believe in goodness, in light, and in the beauty of a world where we care for each other.

Because if God is One, then We Are One.

Five by Five: Children’s author gets second chance to develop her story

Andrea Torrey Balsara

By Max Bowen

Ever get your book released and realize only after the fact that there’s something you could have done better?

Such was the case with Andrea Torrey Balsara, author of “The Great & The Small,” originally published in 2017. Shortly after its release she saw a serious issue—but not a permanent one. Recently, she published a second edition through Common Deer Press and in this interview, she talks about said issue and how she was able to resolve it and the new cover. We also learn about the element of trauma and how it’s reflected in her own life.

This is a new version of your original story. What are some of the changes you made?
Thank you for having me on your blog! “The Great & the Small” is an illustrated urban fantasy novel about Fin, a young tunnel rat, and Ananda, a teenager. Fin’s uncle, the Stalinesque, charismatic “Beloved Chairman” of the tunnels, has declared war on humans, with Fin as his lead henchman. Leading a squad of plague-infested rats to a cancer researcher’s house, Fin gets caught in a rat trap and is rescued by the researcher’s daughter, Ananda, who secretly nurses him back to health.

As Fin heals, he learns to trust and love Ananda. Fin now faces a stark choice: continue the war until every last human is dead, including the one he loves, or betray his adored uncle and choose a new path.

After the first edition came out in 2017, I realized (with a sinking heart!) that the two main characters, Fin and Ananda, weren’t evenly balanced. Fin’s story ran true; it had depth and resonance. Ananda’s character felt a little forced. In this second edition, Ananda’s story is deepened as she struggles with buried trauma.

What made you want to release this expanded version?
I thought I’d missed my chance to fully develop Ananda’s character, but in 2022, I was offered the opportunity to revise the book for a second edition. It was a rare and exciting chance to revisit a beloved story. Only an Indie publisher like Common Deer Press would offer this kind of opportunity. Indie publishers can be great champions of authors, focusing on bringing great stories into the world.

With this expanded second edition, I wanted to finally do justice to Ananda’s story and add to it the depth it deserved. I revised not only her story but also the accompanying illustrations.

I really liked the new cover. What went into developing it?
Thank you! I love the cover too. Usually illustrating the finished cover comes after much hand-wringing and about a million revisions. This one came together so quickly that it felt somewhat miraculous. For this digitally rendered cover, I layered photos and used those as my base for the finished illustration. I carefully chose a color palette to ensure it was eye-catching, even as a thumbnail image on a smartphone.

Although I am self-taught both in traditional and digital art, which can make the process challenging, I am always learning and adapting with each project.

What inspired this story and how did it change from first draft to final version?
As a writer and artist, I write and illustrate to help me understand things. While I always have the reader at the back of my mind, especially when it comes to the final polish and revisions, I write first for myself. The initial book was in response to going through a concentration camp museum in Dachau, Germany when I was 10, and seeing what human beings are capable of when we divide each other into groups of “Us and Them.” I focused on questions of good and evil that have fascinated (and terrified) me since that time. Questions about free will, for example, and how if someone were born into the orbit of a moral black hole like a Stalin, or a Hitler, were they lost? Was there still hope for them to find their way as a human being? If so, how did they break out of that trajectory?

The second edition explored the effects that buried trauma and childhood abuse has on a person, and its reverberations through their life. The same questions I asked in the first edition were asked but in a different context: was there hope? If you hurt so badly that you couldn’t bear living for another moment, was there a way forward? It is an exploration of how someone who is a stranger to their true self finds their way back home.

In revising the book, I aimed to balance Fin and Ananda’s narratives without compromising the original story. The result is a stronger, more resonant tale where their journeys mirror each other. It is a story about hope, and about walking through the darkness. Basically, the Hero’s Journey is told through the eyes of a rat and a girl.

I read that many of the main character’s experiences reflect your own. Was it difficult to write about this?
It was. I had grown up with buried trauma from an incident that happened while visiting my grandparents in Missouri when I was 5. A trusted family friend molested me and told me I had caused him to do it. I was terrified my family would find out “what I had done.” I buried the memory deep, with it resurfacing in my 20s, but it came out through violent nightmares, body dysmorphia and disassociation, bulimia, a constant draw towards suicide, and chasing after all the wrong people to love. There are many, many people who have gone through what I have. I wanted to write a book that I would have wanted to read when I was a teenager. It would have helped me realize that I was not alone.

While writing the second edition was a painful process, it was also the first time I had ever been able to view my own troubled past with an objective eye. The compassion I felt for Ananda, I realized with shock as I was writing, was compassion for myself. As any childhood abuse survivor can tell you, we are very hard on ourselves, and feelings of compassion, worthiness and inner peace can feel like impossible dreams that only happen for others. I found a new relationship to myself and my past by retelling it, albeit fictionalized, through Ananda’s eyes.

Writing this second edition also helped me see how much I’d been helped, by both seen and unseen forces. There is a scene in the book where Ananda feels arms encircle her, hugging her tight, although she is the only one in the room. This scene was pulled directly from my own life. So, while the story is difficult to tell, and is a story of walking blindly through the darkness, it is also a story where flashes of brilliant light break through the darkness, lighting the way forward. I believe this story will resonate with anyone trying to deal with difficult times, and I hope it will resonate with anyone who has ever considered giving up, especially for those who contemplate suicide. As someone who has been there, I want to say that behind the pain there is love. There is joy. There is something more than the darkness. While this story doesn’t turn away from the devastation that abuse causes in a person’s life, this is ultimately a story of hope and of rising above. I would love to hear from readers about what they got from the book and would welcome them contacting me.

Thank you again for having me on your blog!