The Sabbath
by Arthur Nsenga and Shaunakay Francis
Publisher: Say La V Publishing (January 19, 2016)
Publication Date: January 19, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Book Summary:

Would you rather suffer for eternity, or die peacefully?

What if you had no choice?

The morning after witnessing a spectacular meteorite shower, Cory and his girlfriend Lana didn’t expect to wake up immortal.

News bulletins claim the meteorites have released a chemical compound called ATHENS which has caused mutations in the human race. The twisted outcome has left people unable to die but with an increased sensitivity to pain.

Now with the majority of food supplies contaminated, and the rich controlling what little is left, the desperate young couple are force to go on merciless food raids just to stave off the pain.

During which they accidentally discover a secret government device and find themselves caught up in a diabolical plot to control the future of humanity.

Realizing that there is more to ATHENS than what they were led to believe; Cory and Lana set out on a crusade to uncover the truth. Their journey will lead them into the darkest depths of humanity. If they can follow the trail, they may be able to find some answers.

But will the cost of knowing the truth be too much?

Purchase Links:
Amazon

Author Interview:

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing? What inspires you to write?

Wass up! My name is Arthur Nsenga, the other writer of the Sabbath. I’m in the 25^th chapter of my life and a recent college graduate. When I got school out the way, I decided to start writing. I called up Shaunakay and the rest was history. What really inspires me to write are the movies I create in my mind while I’m daydreaming, so I figured I write them down.

Hi all! My name is Shaunakay Francis and I’m the co-author of the Sabbath, I have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. Also, I love reality TV and food of course. I first fell in love with writing in grade 11. My English teacher began a poetry club and encouraged me to attend. When I did, the freeness and non-judgmental atmosphere allowed me to be myself and discover writing as an art and a hobby. I am inspired to write….

Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?

The intended audience for The Sabbath is young adult. I believe they should read our book because it’s thrilling. It’s not the same old tale of the world’s destruction resulting in everyone dying. There are so many other aspects to the store for example, love, family, religion, friendship, politics…
 

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

The Sabbath of course is Biblical and it fit perfectly with the theme of the book. Also, we was greatly inspired by the book of Revelations.
 

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

The cover art was done by a very talented artist by the name of Murray Stennton. It depicts very nicely the chaos and overwhelming life of the characters and the general idea of the story.
 

Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

(Arthur) Cory by far is my favorite character. He’s a bit rough around the edges, but he means well. Yes, he can be a jerk at times, but he has been through a lot. I guess I like Cory because he reminds me of myself. Not saying I’m a jerk, but hey, we all got inner demons we have to face.

(Shaunakay) Lana is my favorite character, she has a little bit of myself in her. Considering this is my first book, when I began developing the characters, I started with what I knew—and that was my friendship with Arthur Nsenga. Creating character with an amazing connection as ours was the first thing that came to mind. I also like Lana because she’s strong and tenacious. She’s a fighter, she wants to be on the front lines protecting all she cares about.

How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

(Arthur) That’s a good question. I would have to say Lana, just because as I was writing her thoughts and actions, I remember thinking, Man, she is so annoying.

(Shaunakay) I wouldn’t say I have a least favorite character but Cory’s character is a bit of a prick.

If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be? Why?

Not a thing, but we’re still emotionally attached to it. Let’s revisit that question in a few months from now.

What other books are similar to your own? What makes them alike?

We don’t believe there is a book out there that is similar. This book is unique and original, and those who read it seems to think the same.

How can we contact you or find out more about your books?

(Arthur) I’m available on twitter @artdagreat or just shoot me an email @ saylavpub@gmail.com

(Shaunakay) Social media is the best form of contact for me. Instagram (@shayykayyy) and Twitter (@shayykayyyy) are my most used.

What can we expect from you in the future?

(Arthur) Currently working on a second novel entitled Zaire.

(Shaunakay) More writing, my first love is poetry and I intend to attend to that more.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

They can read it.  If they enjoy it, they can tell others about it.

Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?

Don’t get discouraged. There is always someone willing to help and there is always another solution to any problems that arise. Don’t rush the process, take the time to enjoy the journey.

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Thank you for the interview and as a token of our appreciation, we will be gifting free ebooks!

And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

“I’m calling in sick tomorrow,” Lana whispered as she shivered into Cory’s car and fumbled with the heating. “There’s no way I will make it to work in the morning. I’m drunk, and it’s already four a.m.”

Cory started the car and lowered the music. “Yeah, you should have just given your shift away,” he teased.

Lana gave him a look, too tired and full of Denny’s late-night pancakes to respond. If not for him, she would have been spending this cool Saturday morning in June snuggled up in her bed; instead, she had her arms folded, staring at the side-view mirror, wondering how she’d let Cory persuade her to go to a house party on a work night.

Truth is, it took little convincing; Lana had been nursing a small crush on Cory for quite a while now. The only problem was she valued their friendship more than the prospect of romance, so she never acted on her feelings. Plus, Cory hid his emotions so well Lana did not know if her feelings would be returned. Rather than pondering their relationship for the hundredth time, she turned up the radio, losing herself in the music as Cory sped down the calm and quiet main street.

“I’m sleeping over; I’m way too tired to drive home,” Cory announced as he pulled into Lana’s apartment driveway.

“Yeah, sure,” she replied, half-asleep, although she wanted her bed to herself. She yearned to crawl half-naked into crisp clean sheets and sleep until three in the afternoon.

Lana got out of the car, dropping her purse as she did so.

“Ugghhh,” she muttered, stumbling like a dipsomaniac to pick it up, her little black dress and six-inch heels added to the difficulty.

She stood up and sighed, then glanced up at the sky, wondering if the sun was rising already. It was a little too bright outside, considering it was before dawn. She froze, unable to speak or even move.

The sky was on fire.

Amazed and confused, Lana stood there, trying to remember if any meteorite showers were scheduled to happen today, when her thoughts were interrupted by the flash of a large flaming object sailing through the air, followed by another, and another.

Soon the sky surged with huge fiery rocks crashing through the atmosphere. There were thousands of them. The entire sky was a blazing inferno. Lana sensed danger, but she was in a trance – too terrified and astonished to do anything but stare in wonder at the beauty of the dancing shades of red, orange, and blue.

There was a thunderous bang as fireballs erupted like Fourth of July fireworks, becoming more horrifying than entrancing. Another rock exploded, disintegrating into millions of pieces – some mere dust, while the rest came crashing down like fiery hailstones. A few splinters, no bigger than a handful of broken eggshells, struck Lana on her forehead almost knocking her down, but the alcohol in her system rendered her numb to the pain. She sensed a quick burst of warmth as they bounced off her and onto the ground.

A howling wind picked up, throwing burning hailstones down harder and faster.

BOOM!

Another enormous bang, followed by yet another burst of blazing stones, filled the heavens. Lana panicked as one by one, the fireballs transformed into deadly projectiles, piercing the night sky.

“Lana…Lana…Lana”

Even through the roar of the smoking skies, she could hear Cory and turned to see him running toward her, nostrils flaring and eyes bulging. Lana had never seen fear from Cory, but still, it did nothing to tear her from the theatrical display in the night sky. She looked back up to the bleeding sky, glued to the spectacle.

“We need to – to go – inside!” he stuttered, his voice loud and trembling. “These rocks will kill us!”

Unable to find her voice, Lana let Cory drag her by the arm into her apartment, not sure whether what she had just witnessed had been real or not.

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