Arman Lance was supposed to travel the galaxy with his father, not watch him die. He was supposed to experience the adventures from his father’s stories, not isolate himself from the world. He was going to join the Embassy Program, fly across the galaxy, and find Ladia Purnell, a girl from another planet whom he loved years before.
Clinging to his fading hopes and dreams, Arman joins the Embassy Program to fulfill that last promise. If he can reach Ladia, he’ll never have to worry, never have to feel alone. But it doesn’t take long for his plan to fall apart when he’s confronted by his fellow Embassy recruit, Glacia Haverns, the ever-smiling adrenaline junkie who decides it’s her job to show Arman there’s more to life than chasing a desperate obsession.
Embassy blew me away. Martin clearly thought this book out with amazing detail to bring different meanings to each page. I have high expectations for any science fiction novel. I grew up watching every show and movie I was allowed. Then I was venturing into reading sci-fi and now writing it. What I hope to achieve in my own book is what Embassy offers. I had a good feeling about this one and it paid off. Embassy is packed full of those intriguing science fiction elements that broaden the way you see the future. Along with the confident tone of scientific elements, is the strong backbone of emotional turmoil and challenges that can interest anyone.
Martin does an excellent job of world building as well. The imagery given allows the reader to expand in their imagination, without the over-exhaustion of too much detail. Certain details are still explained clearly and were very exciting to read. Such as a game invented called Hologis, a holographic dodgeball type of game that I would likely last one minute in. The overall pace and first person point of view works really well with the clarity of what Arman is facing. Another note, though it’s not important to everyone, was my love of all the character names, planets, and so on. They weren’t too complicated for one. I can find myself reading a book and getting confused or lost in all the different words that try to be different from every other book. Embassy may have a larger than life world but it seemed more exciting than overwhelming.
Characters were refreshing. I use that word a lot but it fits. Arman is complicated, not always likable, but creative and chasing a love from years ago. Suffering a tragic loss and feeling his own guilt over what happened, he isolates himself and leaves everything behind. Including his family that are also suffering from the loss. Like I said, not always likable. Arman adapts and grows to his new ship life. Another character, Glacia, was my favorite. She, along with others, make Arman gain perspective about how he had been spending his life and the opportunities in front of him. Glacia is tough, smart, and was a very real character to easily connect with for me. I really enjoyed this book and encourage others to check it out! I know that I’ll be adding the rest of the series to my list of what to read next!
S. Alex Martin grew up fascinated with astronomy and reading Harry Potter. His books reflect his vision for the future of humanity in the way of space exploration. He hopes to help inspire that same love of the final frontier in another generation to do his part to help progress humanity a little further.
In the words of Stephen Hawking: “There should be no boundary to human endeavor.”
Ricki Sheridan traveled a long way to seek refuge at Wolf Den’s Lodge high in the mountains after a devastating betrayal. Heartbroken, she signed up for a survivalist backpacking trip to live off the land and forget.
An injury on the first day puts her in the capable hands of the handsome trail boss, Kory Littleton. The attraction is instant, mutual, and terrifying. She trusted her emotions once and vowed never to make the same mistake again.
Kory’s heart, trampled and bruised, is unprepared to ever love again, until his unexpected reaction to Ricki reveals some things are worth taking a chance on.
When evil finds its way back into Ricki’s world, their fragile bond is tested, forcing them to face their greatest fear: can a wounded heart ever trust anew?
Patty Wiseman, as well as anyone and better than most, sure knows how to write the three basic ingredients of a page-turning and unforgettable novel: mystery, suspense, and romance.
— Caleb & Linda Pirtle ~ Here Comes a Mystery
“It was pure perfection!” — Jessa, Amazon Reviewer
“Author Patty Wiseman does a good job of injecting so much action into just the first two pages that I had high expectations for this story. And That One Moment does not disappoint.”
— Natasha Jackson for Readers’ Favorite
INTERVIEW WITH RICKI SHERIDAN
Main Character from THAT ONE MOMENT
By Patty Wiseman
From the written word, main character Ricki Sheridan has materialized in person to introduce herself and talk to us about her journey through the pages of That One Moment. Welcome Ricki!
Thank you! You can’t imagine how it feels to rise from the pages of a book and actually talk with you. I am very delighted to be here.
Tell us a little about yourself. Where do you live, what do you do for a living?
Dallas, Texas is my home and I make my living as a game warden. I’ve always wanted to work outdoors and I love animals, so it was a perfect fit for me.
Wow, a game warden. That’s pretty cool. So, tell me what is the first thing a person would notice about you?
That I wear a gun. Most people turn their attention to the weapon on my hip first, or my uniform. If I’m in civilian clothes, I’d say my short, curly hair.
What is your biggest vulnerability?
Trust is an issue with me. Since childhood, it seems betrayal follows me in every relationship. Especially men. I’ve suffered the worst betrayals imaginable. It tends to make you put up a wall, think the worst, you know, glass half empty.
Do you believe in true love?
Well, what is love anyway? Isn’t it opening your heart to someone, baring your soul, your very essence. Think about it. It’s kind of like open-heart surgery. The doctor exposes your pulsating heart. It’s out there, beating where everyone can see. To find true love, you must be willing to trust that person fully. I believe it can happen. My journey in That One Moment is about learning to trust again. It’s difficult. Love and trust. To me, they are the same thing.
The protagonist in That One Moment, is he the one who betrayed you?
Russ, yes. I spent two years of my life with blinders on. How naïve of me. I didn’t see the signs, wanted to believe I’d found the man I wanted to spend my life with. Boy, was I wrong. How can you live so close to pure evil and not see it? I beat myself up over my stupidity. I am in law enforcement. You’d think I could spot the kind of man he really was. The heart plays tricks on you. But for me—never again.
Are you telling us there is no happy ending in That One Moment?
If there is a happy ending it is hard fought. I ran. Ran from my broken heart to the Rocky Mountains. I thought I could clear my mind, set myself right, start over. But, evil followed me, and I was alone. Except for…well, I can’t tell you that, now can I? I will tell you there are two compatriots in That One Moment who I’ve grown very fond of. I can tell you about them. Wolf owns the mountain lodge and Martha is a long-lost love who comes back into his life. Talk about trust issues! Forty years worth. But I count them among my best friends now that this journey is over. They want me to tell their story.
Ricki Sheridan, we’ve enjoyed talking with you and hearing your story. As we wave good-bye, we wish you well and are looking forward to discovering if you find your happy ending.
Award Winning Author Patty Wiseman is a native of the Seattle, Washington area and attended The Wesleyan College in Bartlesville Oklahoma. Northeast Texas is home now, along with her husband Ron. She is the president of East Texas Writer’s Association, a Lifetime Member of the Worldwide Who’s Who for Professional Women (and named VIP for 2013), and a member of the Northeast Texas Writer’s Organization, East Texas Writer’s Guild, and Texas Association of Authors.
Her Revolution by C.S. Hand Genre: YA Dystopian Release date: August 8th 2018
Summary
For fans of Divergent, Red Rising, and The Hunger Games comes a gripping new tale of ambition, treachery, and love.
When what appears as a prank on arrogant ambassadors at an exotic vacation city turns out to be the first tremors of a revolution, the Enlightened Council of Castillia turns to its 11-year old undefeated military prodigy and her loyal Guardians for help.
After all, it was Innocence who liberated the Jewel of All Cities in the first place. Everyone knows she will be the last to let it slip from her grasp.
But why would anyone want to leave Castillia? Its laws are just. Its Council is democratically elected. It has liberated more cities than any other Republic, past or present.
But Castillia has enemies, that’s for sure.
Sedition is the favorite trick of the southern Republic Ausonia. In fact, the exotic vacation city used to belong to Ausonia—and they have always wanted it back.
But could those hedonists really organize anything between all their dancing and drinking?
Or has Vesper, the mighty Republic to the North finally woken from its slumber? It has plenty of old scores to settle with Castillia and it’s palm-lined streets.
Squashing the uprising and re-uniting the town and her city could be the perfect way to end the most legendary military career Castillia has ever known and begin a new, exhilarating life as a prominent politician.
But it also might just be the perfect way to start what Innocence has secretly always yearned for: her own Empire.
It’s 50% off on launch day for the eBook (August 8, 2018)
Her Revolution is a gripping science fiction and dystopian themed book. Definitely one that demands your attention with descriptive scenes and steadily changing events throughout. A quiet room is a must when reading this for sure.
I was intrigued by the characters and C.S. Hand’s poetic style of writing. From the beginning, this seemed more New Adult with some phrasing and context in the book. It surprised me since the character is young in comparison. Most of the plot was quite interesting but could get a bit wordy at times. I do enjoy the artistic style of writing but found myself skipping the quotes before the chapters. Of course, that could be because I tend to overthink poems or quotes and could spend hours getting lost reading more.
Overall, this first person narrative could be chilling and calculating in her planning and perspective. I recommend it for those that want to read a challenging and chess-like point of view.
About the Author
C. S. Hand loves philosophy, literature, and science-fiction and fantasy books. He studied British Romanticism at Cambridge before leaving to translate great science-fiction and fantasy books. You can read more about his 3 great loves here.
Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance Date of Publication: July 3, 2018 Publisher: Revell
Number of Pages: 336
ABOUT THE BOOK: Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em finally arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the Western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won’t be able to do it alone.
For Azure Springs Sheriff Caleb Reynolds, securing justice for the waifish and injured Em is just part of his job. He’s determined to solve every case put before him in order to impress his parents and make a name for himself. Caleb expects to succeed. What he doesn’t expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.
Welcome to the charming town of Azure Springs, Iowa, where people care deeply for one another and, sometimes, even fall in love.
PRAISE FOR THE HOPE OF AZURE SPRINGS: “In her promising first novel, Fordham assembles an endearing cast of characters in the rugged Midwest plains for a tale about surviving and thriving. . . .Fordham depicts heartbreaking emotional and physical suffering, while beautifully illustrating the power in simple acts of kindness to foster healing, hope, and happiness.”
—Booklist
EXCERPT: PROLOGUE FROM THE HOPE OF AZURE SPRINGS
Iowa, 1881
She dead?”
Em heard a man’s voice from somewhere above her. A strange thumping pulsed through her with each word he spoke. Her throat burned, screaming for water, but she could not cry out.
“There’s life in her. Not much of it though,” a second, raspier voice answered. She felt a hand press against her throat and then move over her body, gently probing. “She’s bleeding pretty bad.”
“Gunshot?” the first voice asked.
If only her eyes would open, and she could see them. Straining, she struggled to pull her heavy eyelids open. Finally, bits of light darted in front of her eyes, but she could not focus. The faces above her were fuzzy and indiscernible.
Fear swept through her, suddenly waking her battered body. Afraid the men from before had returned, she opened her eyes wide, finding strength that only moments before she had lacked. With thrashing arms, she flailed at the men. Her arms flopped about but offered little defense—she was too weak from blood loss. And then they moved no longer, subdued by large, strong hands.
“Easy, girl. We aren’t going to hurt you. We just want to help. Take you into town, that’s all. There’s a good doctor there.” The man’s deep voice sounded gentle, but still she did not trust him. Voices could be deceiving. Arms could hurt as well as help. She knew these things well.
Soon she felt her body being raised above the ground, and moments later the hard planks of a wagon became the resting place for her injured frame. Too weak to move, she lay looking at the sky, wishing there were a way to end the agony, but knowing that for Lucy she would fight on.
Once the wagon lurched forward, she lost track of everything again. The wheels bouncing over ruts made her pain so intense that everything closed around her and then faded to black.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rachel Fordham started writing when her children began begging her for stories at night. She’d pull a book from the shelf, but they’d insist she make one up. She hasn’t stopped since. She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington.
Publication Date: August 7th 2018
Publisher: Bleeding Ink Publishing
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale Adaptations
Pages: 360
ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR QUEEN
Ever since the outbreak of the Plague, life hasn’t been easy, and for seventeen-year-old Alice Carroll, it just got worse. Her sister, Dinah, has contracted the ‘un-deadly’ Momerath Virus and without a cure, will soon be worse than dead. She’ll be momerath.
Alice must leave the safety of the Sector and venture into Momerath Territory to find the antidote – if it exists. Chasing a rumor about a mysterious doctor with the cure, Alice falls down the rabbit hole into Wanderland, where ravenous momerath aren’t the only danger lurking.
Coming August 7th 2018!
Becca
Alice is a fast paced, apocalyptic zombie tale with a kick ass heroine. This Wanderland is not your typical Wonderland, and the deeper you follow Alice down the rabbit hole, the more dark it gets. This is not the tale you grew up with. Alice: The Wanderland Chronicles is about a girl who is set out on a mission to save her sister whom she suspects is sick with a virus. A virus that changes you into a momerath. Alice’s journey leads you to Chess, a handsome and charming young man, whom decides to help her as she searches for the doctor who rumors say, is on the hunt for the cure. Their paths take Alice to meet the Red Queen, whom is just as violent and terrible as she is in the original Wonderland tale. And the question is, does the Red Queen actually want to help Alice find a cure? Or is the Red Queen more evil than Alice realizes?
If you are a fan of Wonderland tales, then this tale sure won’t disappoint. One thing I loved about reading it was that it was so refreshing to read a story that was based on a fairy tale, and yet did not fall into the typical fairy tale category. It honestly felt more like a horror/supernatural story with just slight hints of the original. In fact, JM’s story is very creative and unique, which is one thing I just loved about it. Another thing I enjoyed was figuring out which characters came from the original story. I had a lot of fun with that! And speaking of characters, my favorites are Chess and the Red Queen. They are both cleverly written and fans of Wonderland will simply love them!
There’s so much to love about JM Sullivan’s Alice. It’s action packed, with amazing world building, and characters to die for!
Haley
Alice runs headfirst in her mission with no hesitation. First, she needs to find a mysterious doctor that is rumored to have the cure. Second, bring it back and save her sister Dinah. Overall..don’t die? It seems love can make you do the impossible and become anything in the process. That’s what happens to Alice. I have to say even I underestimated her when the book first began. Despite, Alice’s experience going out into the momerath territory with Dinah, she seemed unprepared to last a day. Her determination moves her forward though. With the help of a speedy and joking boy named Chess, she has her first clue.
A bug. A building. A queen. Just maybe a cure. Alice becomes the wandering of Wanderland and unfolds secrets about the plague.
I read Alice In Wonderland as a young kid and watched the movie but never really got into the characters and story enough to love it. I really liked the characters in this book though. They’re complicated. All mostly crazy as you would expect in this world. Some spout nonsense that somehow can make sense and even convinces Alice at some points. Others take a shine to Alice and become allies to her mission.
What I most enjoyed in this book were the play on words and characters from the original Alice books. J.M. Sullivan cleverly ties in characters and expands on their background in this chilling tale. I mean chilling. Knowing the old characters may bring you recognition of who they are but the twists and turns to them keep this story surprising. Alice finds herself fighting nearly every moment to survive not just against the plague-ridden momeraths but the monsters yet discovered. There’s even more to unfold. Alice was always going to be part of the story versus just discovering it. While I’ll shy from too many spoilers, expect to end this book on a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more.
J.M. Sullivan is a Science Teacher by day, and an author by night. Although known to dabble in adulting, J.M. is a big kid at heart who still believes in true love, magic, and most of all, the power of coffee.
If you would like to connect with her for a healthy dose of sparkle, positivity, and a touch of crazy, you can find her on Twitter or Instagram @jmsullivanbooks.
Kiss of the Royal by Lindsey Duga Genre: YA Fantasy Release Date: July 3rd 2018 Entangled Teen
Summary: In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that.
Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that. With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that.
Lindsey Duga developed a deep love for courageous heroes, dastardly villains, and enchanting worlds from the cartoon shows, books, and graphic novels she read as a kid. Drawing inspiration from these fantastical works of fiction, she wrote her first novel in college while she was getting her bachelor’s in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University. By day, Lindsey is an account manager at a digital marketing agency based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. By night, and the wee hours of the morning, she writes both middle grade and young adult. She has a weakness for magic, anything classical, all kinds of mythology, and falls in love with tragic heroes. Other than writing and cuddling with her morkie puppy, Delphi, Lindsey loves catching up on the latest superhero TV show, practicing yoga, and listening (and belting) to her favorite music artists and show tunes. KISS OF THE ROYAL is her YA debut novel.
When optimistic seventeen-year-old orphan Deirdre travels to Neo-London, a city created after a near-apocalyptic attack by Unseelie faeries, she is caught in the tension between faeries and the Iron Guard, a militarized faction created to keep the peace. After a banshee tells her fortune, Deirdre develops destructive magical abilities but quickly discovers she cannot control them. These powers soon make her a target of Alan Callaghan, an extreme anti-faery general.
His sons, Iain and James, cross paths with Deirdre. Iain is a rookie soldier in the Iron Guard trying to atone for past mistakes and keep his younger brother from harm. James, a fourteen-year-old aspiring scholar fascinated by faeries, becomes fast friends with Deirdre. They soon plot to escape the barriers and lies of the city to find answers about her magic and James’s disappeared mother.
However, when Deirdre is framed for a treasonous crime, their search for answers soon becomes a quest for freedom. Beyond the iron walls of Neo-London that protect the city from the Winter Court lies a landscape of unchecked magic, faeries, and monsters.
They were following a deer trail between two groves of trees when suddenly the birds shot up from the branches around them, beating their wings fast into the sky, crying out in alarm. They both stopped, looking around.
“Do you see anything?” James asked, sidling beside her.
She shook her head and was about to reply when the ground shook hard beneath them, knocking them both off their feet. Immediately she pushed herself up, her gaze darting up and down, searching through the darkening groves.
The ground shook again, but this time they were ready; they both got to their feet, and Deirdre tugged on James’s shirt for him to follow her. Staying low, they continued down the narrow path, both alert as hunted rabbits.
Once again the earth shuddered, making them stagger.
“What is going on? What’s happening? This can’t be an earthquake,” James began to ramble in a hoarse whisper. “It could be a giant monster or something with earth-shaking magic or—”
“James.” Deirdre grabbed his shoulder hard, nodding up above the nearest tree, her mouth a grim line.
He followed her gaze and gasped.
Behind the nearest tree was what first looked like a gigantic, grey-green boulder, thick as five trees. But through the leafy branches a gigantic, single eye looked at them. The eye was humanoid save for its size and deep bloodshot color, and it stared at them without blinking. The rest of the face was hidden.
James was gibbering, perhaps trying to guess what it was but falling short of pronouncing anything clearly. They were frozen as the eye considered them, looking from one to the other.
Then it shifted, and they heard a low growl as the eye rose up higher, narrowing slightly, fixed on them.
Run. Deirdre willed her frozen legs. We need to run. Run. Run…
Then the eye stopped and there was a slow sniffing sound. It continued on for nearly half a minute, the pupil of the eye looking away and around, an invisible nose loudly smelling the breeze.
Then, without another glance at them, the eyeball disappeared and the ground shook again and again. With each stomp, the hidden giant moved farther and farther away, the clomping and sniffing fading off into the distance.
“W-w-what was that?” James finally gasped. “Was that… what…”
“A…” Deirdre gulped. “It was a giant or something, I guess. And it didn’t seem to be all that interested in us.” She giggled hysterically. “Lucky us!”
“It could have been a giant. But wasn’t it a bit small? And there aren’t many giants.” James rambled on, “Probably it was something else, like a Red Cap or troll or a Fachan, or maybe…”
“A Fachan? Fachans come down this far? I thought they were only in Scotland.”
James nodded; some color was coming back into his cheeks as he talked. “They used to just be up there, but they and other Winter Court creatures have been coming farther and farther down south. I think the Court sends them. I heard my father talking about it once.” He shivered. “Should we… What are we going to do?”
About The Authors
M. C. Aquila graduated from Winthrop University with a degree in English. She grew up in Pittsburgh, PA but currently resides in South Carolina. When she is not co-writing the Winter’s Blight series, she tutors both native and ESL students in English, giving her a renewed love for the strange wonderfulness of the language. She also enjoys drawing daily, baking recklessly, hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains, searching for the best red wine in existence, and reading any story with a villain she loves to hate.
K.C. Lannon graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in English. When she is not co-writing the Winter’s Blight book series, she tutors English, walks dogs, and dabbles in painting, drawing, or just making a general mess on paper. She enjoys cooking vegetarian meals, daydreaming she is a Gothic Heroine, and playing tabletop RPGs.
Seventh Born By Monica Sanz Genre: YA Paranormal/Mystery & Suspense Release Date: September 4th 2018 Entangled Teen
Book Summary
Abomination. Curse. Murderer. All names hurled at eighteen-year-old Seraphina Dovetail. As the seventh-born daughter to a witch, she’s the cause of her mother losing her powers and, in turn, her life.
Abandoned as a child, Sera dreams of becoming an inspector and finding her family. To do that, she must be referred into the Advanced Studies Program at the Aetherium’s Witchling Academy. Her birth order, quick temper, and tendency to set things on fire, however, have left her an outcast with failing marks…and just what Professor Nikolai Barrington is looking for.
The tall, brooding, yet exceedingly handsome young professor makes her a proposition: become his assistant and he’ll give her the referral she needs. Sera is quickly thrust into a world where witches are being kidnapped, bodies are raised from the dead, and someone is burning seventhborns alive. As Sera and Barrington grow ever closer, she’ll discover that some secrets are best left buried…and fire isn’t the only thing that makes a witch burn.
Monica Sanz has been writing from the moment she could string together a sentence. Her stories have come a long way from mysterious portals opening in the school cafeteria, transporting classmates to distant worlds. A classic by the name Wuthering Heights is responsible for that. She’s been lost to dark romances and brooding fictional men ever sense. Now she writes about grumpy professors, cursed ringmaster, tortured soul collectors, and the girls they fall in love with.
Monica’s books have received many accolades on the social writing website Wattpad. She’s accumulated over six million reads, eighty thousand votes, and fifteen thousand comments since posting her books on the website. She is also a member of the Wattpad4, a group of writers who host weekly Twitter chats on the subjects of writing and publishing.
Stricken By C.K. Kelly Martin Publisher: CBD Release Date: January 27, 2018
Genre: Middle Grade/Young Adult Dystopian Adventure/SciFi
About the Book
Naomi doesn’t expect anything unusual from her annual family trip to visit her grandparents in Ireland. What she expects is to celebrate her thirteenth birthday, hang out with her friends Ciara and Shehan, and deal with her gran’s Alzheimer’s. What she finds is a country hit by an unexpected virus that rapidly infects the majority of the Irish population over the age of twenty-one.
Amnestic-Delirium Syndrome (ADS) starts off with memory loss, but the virus soon turns its victims aggravated, blank, or violent. Naomi and her friends must survive on their own, without lucid adults, cut off from the rest of the world, until a cure is found.
But there are whispers that ADS is not terrestrial, and soon Naomi and her friends learn the frightening truth: we are not alone.
Guest Post
If I Knew Then What I Know Now About Writing.
If I knew then what know I now about writing, whoa boy, I would have had a much better understanding of just how long it takes to achieve a passable level of proficiency in writing a novel. And longer still to really be any good. Kicking around my apartment somewhere there’s an old floppy disk with a 51,000 word version of my first young adult book on it. I haven’t looked at that particular copy of the manuscript in over ten years (because who has a disc drive anymore?), but the last time I peeked at it I remember wincing.
Objectively it wasn’t the worst thing ever—it didn’t reek of egg salad left baking in the sun—but it was limp and skeletal. The most painful thing about the book was that it lacked voice, something that a character-driven novel (which it was) sorely needs. I wrote two sequels to that novel. I even eventually landed an agent for it, who gave me extensive notes on the book and who then sent the revised copy out to several editors. By then it was a competent enough entity, but still lacked presence and depth. I didn’t know my main character the way I thought I did so her characterization felt flimsy and weak, generic. I’d let her down.
At the time I didn’t truly know what I wanted to accomplish with the book and as a result there were too many elements that didn’t work together. I’d thrown everything in like a stew with fridge leftovers. This is the revised version, I’m talking about remember. So it was an improvement on the novel I’d started out with but not by much, not by enough. Okay, I’m being harsh because once you see the problems with your work you can’t unsee them (they kick dirt in your face and stab at your eyes!), but in effect, that whole trilogy was like a bicycle with training wheels for me.
Unsurprisingly, that first book didn’t sell, but the mistakes I made in it helped me grow as a writer. Over time, as I read more, wrote more, and received more feedback, I grew as a writer. The fourth book I wrote was called I Know It’s Over and it became my first published novel when Random House released it in 2008. Ten years later, after having worked with two editors and authored numerous other books, I believe in some ways I’m a better writer than when my first book came out. I don’t know that I could write a better version of I Know It’s Over todaybutI believe I’m more capable of writing different sorts ofbooks (in various genres and for various age groups). Probably in another ten years times I’ll look back on 2018 in wonderment at all I’ve learned since then. I hope so. I hope the learning and growing never ends.
About the Author
Long before I was an author I was a fan of books about Winnie the Pooh, Babar, Madeline, Anne Shirley and anything by Judy Blume. Throughout high school my favourite class was English. No surprise, then, that most of my time spent at York University in Toronto was as an English major—not the traditional way to graduate with a B.A. (Hons) in film studies but a fine way to get a general arts education.
After getting my film studies degree I headed for Dublin, Ireland and spent the majority of the nineties there in forgettable jobs meeting unforgettable people and enjoying the buzz. I always believed I’d get around to writing in earnest eventually, and I began writing my first novel in a flat in Dublin and finished it in a Toronto suburb. By then I’d discovered that fiction about young people felt the freshest and most exciting to me. You have most of your life to be an adult but you only grow up once.
Currently residing near Toronto with my Dub husband, I’m an aunt to twenty-one nieces and nephews, and a great-aunt to two great-nephews. I became an Irish citizen in 2001 and continue to visit Dublin as often as I can while working on novels about young people.
My first young adult book, I Know It’s Over, came out with Random House in September 2008, and was followed by One Lonely Degree, The Lighter Side of Life and Death, My Beating Teenage Heart and sci-fi thriller Yesterday. I released Yesterday’s sequel, Tomorrow, in 2013 and put out my first adult novel, Come See About Me, as an ebook in June 2012. My most recent contemporary YA books, The Sweetest Thing You Can Sing and Delicate, were published by Cormorant Books’ Dancing Cat Books imprint in 2014 and 2015.
Lincoln realizes it’s every man for himself when the big cities are swarming with the military and the law disappears in the tiny town of Dessarillo, Texas, causing chaos to erupt. People Lincoln’s known for years were attacking their friends and family with their minds set on eating them limb by limb. He’d been prepared for this exact moment, waiting for disaster to strike so he could take a front row seat to society’s self destruction.
As an outcast, he learned to rely on no one. Until he unexpectedly finds his life in the hands of his neighbor, Wyatt, the man proving to be trustworthy. Together they try to carve out a safe place while people are turning into flesh eating monsters, decaying from the inside out, and destroying humanity one bite at a time.
This book brought back all the enthusiasm for zombie-esque stories and shows I would constantly watch. Absolutely holding nothing back from the first chapters, you’re smack dab in an on-coming zombie apocalypse. Pretty much a death sentence for most people right? Well, maybe a little hope for a prepper like Lincoln. First and foremost, I didn’t know what a prepper was when I first started reading. Sure, I know such people existed but I didn’t know there was an actual name for it. Which sounds silly when I even type this. Radke eases you into all of this though. Not just the overlying ‘what to do’ and ‘what to have’ but the struggles with it too. Lincoln has his struggles. Such as the people that once scorned him are now expecting him to save them. Lincoln is gruff, rough, and tough. Also kind of a softie? Though he’d rather not admit.
I can only thank my extensive watching of the Walking Dead, Shaun of the Dead, and more that I have a strong stomach. Because this book? It’ll test you. It’s depiction of zombies; from their look to the imagery of their actions will leave little to the imagination. I suggest if you’re reading on a phone or tablet, to have a pillow underneath. Otherwise, you can easily drop it when you gasp at some parts. Also, I covered my eyes at one point like that would help…anyway…
Now reading this review may seem like it’s a lot. I mean it in the best way really. It was exciting! I have a bit of a dark sense of humor sometimes and easily was laughing throughout. Often at the strangest things like the odd reactions of the characters and easily Lincoln’s point of view. Also, Radke manages to fit a bit of romance in the book! The pacing, characters, and setting were all great. I felt like all the buildups and hilarity were really well written. Lincoln is an amazing character with growth and a very real sense of personality. He reminded me of a few people I’ve met growing up in Texas actually. I look forward to seeing just how book two will pick things up!
Settled in Southern Nevada, Kendra spends her time trying to convince her two Yorkies to stop staring at her while she eats. She is a proud spouse of a Veteran and mother of two boys. When she’s not writing about the next adventure for her readers, she’s traveling on her own.Check out her blog keradke.wordpress.com