As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
The Calling (The Descendants Series Book 2) by Destiny Hawkins
She was given a second chance to prove that she could fall in line, but with her lack of power, that would be impossible.
Rayah’s entire life, she’d always been different from everyone else, and in Lytonia, being different was treated as a crime, but in her case, she was granted a pass. In only a few months, she had to present her abilities to the council and prove to them that she was worthy of walking the halls of Monroe Academy, but Artemis, her tormentor and superior officer, would stop at nothing to keep her from excelling. Being powerless and not proving herself meant that she would be transitioned into a slave, and Artemis would become her master. What Rayah realized was that she wasn’t as powerless as she thought. For weeks she had been able to do things that only the elite lighters could do, and even though this meant that she was strong, it made her more different than she could have ever imagined. Rayah went from being weak to possibly being as strong as a Gods Daughter, and she couldn’t tell anyone. The standard colors of a Lytonians powers are white, royal blue, and turquoise blue. Hers were black…
Bestselling author Destiny Hawkins brings you the second installment of a gripping dark fantasy where a powerless girl must survive in a society that doesn’t accept the weak…or the defective.
Destiny Hawkins is a multi-genre author with a dark imagination and a love for magic.
She enjoys working on her graphic designing business : Vibrant Designs LLC, writing, listening to music, reading, and of course watching some anime! Her favorite genres to read and work in are Fantasy, LGBT, Paranormal, Romance, Dystopian, Sci-fi, and young adult.
Destiny loves creating stories and building worlds that both teach and entertain! When writing she sticks to her slogan: Where beauty can be found in darkness.
Get ready for The Unbroken, Book Three of The Descendants Series!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Fail the tests and become a slave. Display defectiveness and be put to death.
Monroe Academy was built to separate the weak from the strong. Pass the biyearly leveling and be released into society upon graduation. Fail to be promoted and be stripped of rank and forced into servitude. That was a rule that applied to all but Rayah Bardeau. A student of Monroe Academy, branded as a Null because of her absence of Lighter energy.
With her mother standing as a slave in her place, Rayah was given until the age of twenty to make level six, but at nineteen-years-old and with only eight months until her twentieth birthday, she was only a mere level one. The same level she’s been since she was ten. With the stress of her upcoming test, the loss of a friend, and the constant wrongdoings towards her, Rayah could only dream of escaping from Lytonia, and escape she did. Only, when she awakened in her dorm, she couldn’t distinguish if she had only dreamt of meeting Soren, a wild and adventurous defect in the Wild Lands, or if she had somehow used her Lighter Form to get there.
But only the elite ― the most powerful of Lighters ― could tap into their Lighter Forms. Right? And what was the dark energy she used when she and Soren were attacked by Depleters? Was Rayah really as powerless as she thought? Was she a defect? And if she used dark energy, could she call herself a Lighter at all?
Bestselling author Destiny Hawkins brings you the first installment of a gripping dark fantasy where a powerless girl must survive in a society that doesn’t accept the weak…or the defective.
Content Advisory: The following book contains vivid depictions of violence and death. Reader discretion is advised.
Destiny Hawkins is a multi-genre author with a dark imagination and a love for magic.
She enjoys working on her graphic designing business : Vibrant Designs LLC, writing, listening to music, reading, and of course watching some anime! Her favorite genres to read and work in are Fantasy, LGBT, Paranormal, Romance, Dystopian, Sci-fi, and young adult.
Destiny loves creating stories and building worlds that both teach and entertain! When writing she sticks to her slogan: Where beauty can be found in darkness.
Get ready for The Unbroken, Book Three of The Descendants Series!
Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on Tiktok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!
Describe your writing style. Generally speaking, I have a really lyrical and emotionally grounded writing style. It’s more pronounced in my solo works like my debut YA Fantasy novel ‘Songs Of Autumn’, but there’s a definite lyrical quality to the sections I write. I’m a fan of alliteration with purpose and finding almost musical beats in storytelling. I think just like the composition of a great song, story structure is very similar and that probably has something to do with it.
What makes a good story? Relatable characters with flaws and realistic stakes. I read somewhere that a problem a character can walk away from is a book a reader can put down and I don’t think I’ve ever felt any piece of writing advice so acutely before. The characters don’t necessarily have to be likeable, but they should be relatable. What’s more relatable than a person who isn’t perfect struggling with a problem that seems overwhelming or impossible to solve? I think I’ve felt that way in my own life so often that it just makes sense to me that other people will have too.
What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first? What are common traps for aspiring writers? I am notoriously bad at outlining and having any sort of plan whatsoever when writing. Abbie is actually the one of us who keeps me in line and on track. She usually helps keep timelines on track, and points out when a character’s perspective is missing. Or when we need to accomplish actual plot things in a chapter instead of it being all fluff and nonsense. Honestly, our readers should thank her for the fact that the book isn’t just an absolute mess. LOL! No, but really, drafting for me is all about discovery writing, while editing is where I’m able to tame the story into a believable plot and really make it shine. Abbie helps us to stay on track so that we can draft cleaner and have less overhaul to do in the editing process.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?Personally, a bit of both. Just like in life, writing is all about balance. We’re conscious of reader expectations but still make decisions based on what feels right for the characters and the story. Overall, we want readers to be satisfied but sometimes that means making decisions that aren’t exactly what they expect. It’s that moment of ‘Oh, I didn’t see that coming’ that will help them keep turning pages and keep being invested in the tale we’re weaving. But to completely ignore your audience and the genre expectations is really just asking for poor reviews. So, we try to balance both as best as we can to deliver a novel that’s familiar but new at the same time. Something that peaks your interest but you can’t predict where it’s going to end up.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex? Lauren has always told me that I am really good at writing men. As a CIS woman, I think one of the most difficult things about writing male characters is getting into the little nuances of being a male that aren’t inherently female. For example, Jesse was almost a little too polished, which is because I like to write male characters in how I would like to see a man. So including genitalia jokes isn’t something that comes naturally to me like it would a man, but it’s those little things that really make a character feel real to readers.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?Drafting a novel together is actually really quick for Abbie and I. We wrote the first draft of Guns & Smoke (it’s current iteration) in less than a month, and the sequel (which is even longer) we cranked out in 26 days. We’re currently working through the first draft of book #3 in the series so that we can hopefully cut down on time between publications for reader satisfaction.
Do you believe in writer’s block?Ha! I’m going to get some heat for this one. Writer’s block doesn’t exist. I thought it did for a really long time. I thought I was stuck in the throes of it for even longer. What I’ve discovered is that you can suffer from lack of confidence in yourself, or you can have an ‘editing block’ where you stop drafting to edit what you already have, psych yourself out, and end up never finishing. Or you can be struggling with ‘imposter syndrome’. Or you can be suffering from not taking enough breaks and refilling your creative well. But the writing is always there. There’s no block to it other than the obstacles you put in your own way. Once I realized that the thing stopping me wasn’t some concept of a ‘writer’s block’ that I couldn’t escape, it was clear to me how to move forward. I won’t say ‘easy’ because I don’t think it’s easy to get out of your own way. In fact, it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But, it’s clear what path to take when you realize that the only person stopping you is yourself.
What can we expect from you in the future? So much! Guns & Smoke is the first in a four book series. In addition to those four, we have a couple of sequel series, a prequel series, a few novellas and an anthology set in The Fools Adventure world. We also have plans to write a Victorian-esque fantasy romance as well as a paranormal romance series together. Individually, Lauren is working diligently on the sequel to her YA Fantasy debut, Songs of Autumn, and I’m working on a Fantasy Romance novel with the intention to traditionally publish.
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters in Guns & Smoke? There is one side character in Guns & Smoke who pops up out of nowhere. It’s someone who was a big part of one of the main characters’ lives.
Where did you come up with the names in the story?Love this question! So, because this novel is a Dystopian/Western Romance it’s set in a not-so-distant future where the world has been ravaged by the effects of nuclear warfare. It’s the American Southwest and in a lot of ways, society has reverted back to a time much like the chaos of the Wild West from a not-so-distant past. There are themes in this book about history repeating itself and that’s definitely the case with the names of the characters in this book. Bonnie, for example, is literally name after Bonnie Parker of the infamous Outlaw duo Bonnie & Clyde. She explains in the book how she got her name. Jesse is also literally named after a murderous outlaw from the past. Jesse James. Only in his case, his father thought it would be funny to name him after an outlaw from his childhood and his mother lost a bet. Harry, Jesse’s younger brother, is affectionately coined ‘The Kid’ by Bonnie early on in the novel and this completes the main cast of characters, however, there are several other characters who share their fate with having wonderfully outlaw-inspired names throughout the book and the series as a whole.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book? Really delving into romance. While all of the projects I’ve written before have been centered around a romance, I’ve never embraced the genre until Lauren proposed it to me. Being able to fully dive into these characters in an adult genre really made them pop off of the page and come to life.
What is your favorite part of this book and why? My favorite part of the book are the quiet moments, when Bonnie and Jesse aren’t at each other’s throats and they’re actually being vulnerable with one another. There’s just something about two characters that push past their defenses and come together that really touches my heart. There’s this really great scene between Bonnie and Jesse in chapter ten of Guns & Smoke where they’ve just gone through something really terrible. They open up to one another, which leads them farther into the unknown, but also closer together.
Have you written any other books that are not published? Literally tons. I have a novel that I’ve been working on for fourteen years. I have really terrible depression and anxiety, and I continually get in my head about it. The story has literally changed so many times, and it’s still not ready for the public just yet, but get this: a secret society of witches, New Orleans, and romance. I also have more than a dozen works in various planning stages that I cannot wait to write.
Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre? I read almost anything that I can get my hands on! While Fantasy is probably my favorite genre right now, I have always had a soft spot for dystopian literature like Divergent or The Hunger Games. I’m really big into Sarah J Maas right now. I really love her mental health representation, plus Cassian from A Court of Thorns and Roses is basically my one true love.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why? Silence is the death of my writing! I have to have music. Lauren and I both will find one song when we’re writing a particular scene that encapsulates the mood and listen to it over and over again. When there’s silence or I have background noise, I struggle to focus, so I plug in my earbuds and just go!
If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose? Harry Potter. Because I’d be set for life!
Pen or type writer or computer?Computer. All the way. I’m no good with dictation software and I think I need the textile feel of the keys on the keyboard to get into a good writing rhythm. There are times when I long-hand scenes that I need to sit with and really nurse the words to make them sound exactly right, but that’s when I can take my time with a section. I write a LOT slower than I type, so for initial drafting and not refining or re-writing, it’s always the computer for me.
Tell us about a favorite character from a book. I feel like people are sick of this answer from me, but Kaz Brekker from the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo is currently my favorite character. He’s almost like the rebirth of the anti-hero in modern fiction and I’m living for it. I have a soft spot for misanthropes and anti-heroes in literature, I seriously fall way too hard in love with them. The amount of character development Bardugo was able to write into his character is still something that astounds me to this day.
What advice would you give new authors? I feel like I give this advice so much, but I feel like it is the one thing that has really helped me: read. Read every single thing that you can get your hands on. You have to study the craft of writing, which doesn’t mean just reading non-fiction craft books. It’s important to read what is big in the market and find the things that you enjoy in those novels and figure out how you can incorporate that feeling into your own work.
Would you like a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card? Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Guns & Smoke (The Fool’s Adventure Series Book 1) by Lauren Sevier & A. Smith
Genre: Dystopian Western Romance
In a world where safety is a luxury and honor is found only among outlaws, two people attempt to outrun dangers lurking around each corner and the tragedies that define them.
Bonnie is an outlaw on the run. Beautiful but dangerous; her dark past stalks her like the crater beasts that roam the desert. As the notoriously cruel outlaw Jones sends his henchmen to track her down and retrieve the gun she stole from him, Bonnie hopes she can stay one step ahead. Because if he catches her, a fate worse than death awaits.
Jesse always dreamed of leaving the farm to explore the ruins of the big cities he’d heard about his whole life. He just never imagined he’d be forced to flee after strange men burned down his rural mountain town and murdered everyone he loved. Responsible for his kid brother and searching for an uncle he’s never met before, he isn’t sure he can navigate the perils of life among con artists and thieves long enough to find him.
Their two paths collide as they find themselves thrown together on the adventure of a lifetime.
Together, they may just discover that life is about more than just surviving.
TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains depictions of graphic violence, language, sexual violence, attempted rape, depictions of child abuse, and depictions of human trafficking.
Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future. A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on Tiktok. Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
What made you want to become an author and do you feel it was the right decision?
I can’t say for certain if I wanted to become an author, or it just happened. But I ended up writing and publishing stories. I love books and I love reading them. I also love music and movies and I wouldn’t mind if I was a small wheel in these industries too. Creating is a beautiful thing. Having the gift and ability to make something new and share it with others who appreciate it is rewarding. I like to give a part of me to others that way and share with them the things I love. Whether it was the right decision, time will tell. It will be as long as I enjoy it and it makes me happy. If I can live from my writing, that is another thing. For now, I can’t. What will happen in the future? I don’t know.
A day in the life of the author?
While I was writing or translating years ago, it was me locking myself in my private world and telling everyone to leave me alone. I had breaks for eating, drinking and other stuff you have to do lol. At the end of the day, I was so exhausted that my bed was my best friend.
A day in the author’s life today is not as much about the writing, which seems to be the easiest part. It is also about producing your book (formatting it by yourself and collaborating with your editor and designer) and marketing it. Marketing is the most challenging part for me because I am still learning it and experimenting with what works and what doesn’t work. Not all authors are born for marketing nor they are equally successful. There are lots of online courses and webinars to attend, social networking, blogging, collaborating with other authors and supporting them in marketing their books, which is what I like best. I prefer helping other authors in promoting their books rather than doing that for myself. It may sound weird, but this is me.
When I am not present on social media (which is a rare thing) or browse for new reviewers or do my Amazon ads or write posts and update my website, I go to the store or to the movies or visit my friends to clear my head and rest my eyes from staring at the screen all the time. Later in the evening is my reading time. I enjoy the company of other authors while reading their books and it is a perfect way to relax before bedtime. I don’t watch much TV lately.
Advice they would give new authors?
Writing a book is easy. Publishing it is harder. Marketing is the hardest thing. Keep that in mind before you sit to write a book. It’s a long road with thousands of authors out there dreaming the same dream. But go for it if you feel that writing is your call and not something that will last a week or two. Arm yourself with persistence and patience, don’t be afraid of failure, and be ready to help others. Then you may stand a chance to make your dream come true and find happiness in doing what you love.
Describe your writing style.
What can I say about my writing style? A mix of descriptive and narrative? Lots of emotions, passion, realistic characters, vivid dialogues, a cinematic experience while reading a book. A story is important, and I like to make myself and my readers feel, laugh and cry. Poetic prose, sometimes deep thoughts. I am a cross-genre and multi-genre author so expect anything. Be ready for an emotional experience of watching a tearjerker in a movie theater.
What makes a good story?
A capturing plot, believable characters, natural and entertaining dialogues, emotions, passion and honesty in writing make a good story. Readers will recognize which story is written with heart and which is written for money.
What are they currently reading?
Currently, I am reading Hades Forrest by a new talented young author Simon Elson and The Great Centurion: Punic Wars 3 by Angelus Maximus aka Angel Ramon Medina. After that I will read Weathering Old Souls by James J. Cudney & Didi Oviatt.
What is your writing process? For instance do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?
My writing process depends on the length of the book I am writing. For two of my novellas, I had nothing. Everything was in my head and the words just poured out of me. For my two novels, January River and especially Cruel Summer, I had notes for the whole story which I broke down into chapters as I was writing it. I was rearranging and moving sections from here to there with new ideas popping up. Fun time, right? 😉
What are common traps for aspiring writers?
Maybe the most common trap for aspiring writers is to expect to become successful and famous authors the moment they publish their book. Be aware! Life doesn’t work that way.
Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I am cursed by originality. I can write any kind of book under the sun but the readers will recognize if it is not honest writing. I write about the things I feel about, stories that carry a message or are an eye-opener. Stories that beg me to write them and share them with others. I didn’t explore the pulse of the market when I wrote my stories many years ago. They came as a natural extension of my intellectual and emotional being. I can only hope that readers will want to pick and read them, and I will be grateful to those who recognize and embrace them.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Be smarter, learn the tricks of the business so you won’t have a hard time selling yourself later lol.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
I guess it is experiencing them, their mindset, emotions, expectations. But when you get to empathize with your characters from the opposite sex and feel and think like them, it shouldn’t be too hard. Besides, we are not just this or that, we all have some of both sexes in us.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
From three days (A World Without Color) to six months (Cruel Summer). If I remember well.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
What is that? I’m kidding! I know life can get in the way and it’s not always easy to deal with your situation and write a story. But I wouldn’t call it a writing block. I never had it. When I felt like writing a story, I wrote it. When I didn’t feel like writing, I didn’t write. I know it is a popular belief that we shall write every day, but it is not me. Writing every day will improve your writing skills, no argument about that. But I am not a man of discipline when it comes to writing, I am inclined to listen to how my mind and body react to a story. Then I write. Writing should be fun and creative. When it becomes a burden, maybe it’s time to take a break and enjoy other things in life. Like reading other authors and helping them achieve their goals and dreams, perhaps.
AUTHOR BIO
“There is no greater joy than to share what you love with those who appreciate it.”–Bernard Jan
My pen name is Bernard Jan. I am an award-winning novelist and a poet from Croatia, and I have released four books in English. I am Readers’ Favorite Gold Medalist 2020 and Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medalist 2019.
“A World Without Color” is a true story of the last three days I spent with my cat, while “Look for Me Under the Rainbow” in a unique and gentle way sheds light on the plight of harp seal pups in Canada. It warms the heart of all readers concerned about our planet and its treasures. “January River” is a heartwarming cross-genre novel about five friends, one dog, and one river carrying a secret. “Cruel Summer” is a gripping young adult cross-genre novel about an abused teenager from New Manhattan who only wants to skate, but they have other plans for him.
My first two books were written at the beginning of the war in Croatia in 1991 amidst air alerts and illusory attempts when I wanted to believe and think that life is normal, that everything is all right with the world. I have published five novels, two novellas, and one book of poems in Croatian. Four of my books, including the book of poems, were translated into English.
My passion for music and entertainment resulted in my becoming a partner of Tom’s Music Place, which was established in 2009 by my friend Thomas Carley Jr., whose objective was to raise the respect of music.
My desire to help others came to the fore during my years advocating environmental protection and advocacy of animal rights. I did volunteering work for the refugees, because suffering does not know any borders. When it comes within your reach in your home, you simply have to do something. As part of my animal advocacy activities, it has been a great honor and pleasure to translate “Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust” by Charles Patterson into Croatian.
Would you like a chance to win?
Cruel Summer paperback – 1 winner,
Cruel Summer eBooks – 2 winners,
January River eBooks – 2 winners,
Look for Me Under the Rainbow eBooks – 2 winners,
A World Without Color eBooks – 2 winners,
$10 Amazon gift card – 1 winner
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, when you purchase a book using an Amazon link on this site, I earn an affiliate commission. All commission earnings go back into funding my books; editing, cover design, etc.
Genre: YA Cross-Genre, Dystopian, Sexual Abuse, Skateboarding
All he wants to do is skate. But they have other plans for him.
Michael Daniels is seventeen and dreams to enter professional skateboarding contests. But beneath New Manhattan, a city under the oppressive shadow of climate change, exists another world altogether—secret laboratories which threaten society as he knows it.
Those with power will get what they want. No price is too high, even if it means making someone special or robbing them of their dignity, freedom . . . or life.
The price is too high for Michael, though. He has endured his stepfather’s abuse and mind games for almost as long as he remembers. Until one day he takes matters into his own hands, ruining the lives of those he loves most. And his skateboarding friends, Alien and Victor, are his only hope for freedom.
When there is no hope left, friendship is what remains.
Order your copy of this gripping, unexpected, strong, and emotional, Young Adult cross-genre novel by Bernard Jan, the author of January River, Look for Me Under the Rainbow, and A World Without Color.
“There is no greater joy than to share what you love with those who appreciate it.”–Bernard Jan
My pen name is Bernard Jan. I am an award-winning novelist and a poet from Croatia, and I have released four books in English. I am Readers’ Favorite Gold Medalist 2020 and Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medalist 2019.
“A World Without Color” is a true story of the last three days I spent with my cat, while “Look for Me Under the Rainbow” in a unique and gentle way sheds light on the plight of harp seal pups in Canada. It warms the heart of all readers concerned about our planet and its treasures. “January River” is a heartwarming cross-genre novel about five friends, one dog, and one river carrying a secret. “Cruel Summer” is a gripping young adult cross-genre novel about an abused teenager from New Manhattan who only wants to skate, but they have other plans for him.
My first two books were written at the beginning of the war in Croatia in 1991 amidst air alerts and illusory attempts when I wanted to believe and think that life is normal, that everything is all right with the world. I have published five novels, two novellas, and one book of poems in Croatian. Four of my books, including the book of poems, were translated into English.
My passion for music and entertainment resulted in my becoming a partner of Tom’s Music Place, which was established in 2009 by my friend Thomas Carley Jr., whose objective was to raise the respect of music.
My desire to help others came to the fore during my years advocating environmental protection and advocacy of animal rights. I did volunteering work for the refugees, because suffering does not know any borders. When it comes within your reach in your home, you simply have to do something. As part of my animal advocacy activities, it has been a great honor and pleasure to translate “Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust” by Charles Patterson into Croatian.
Would you like a chance to win?
Cruel Summer paperback – 1 winner,
Cruel Summer eBooks – 2 winners,
January River eBooks – 2 winners,
Look for Me Under the Rainbow eBooks – 2 winners,
A World Without Color eBooks – 2 winners,
$10 Amazon gift card – 1 winner
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Two words: why not? Okay but seriously…I really love end of the world stories. But as with most tales, I also love something with a paranormal twist. I wondered what it would be like for a set of people to have the entire world at their fingertips because there are just so little people left.
So what if a disease wiped out humanity and all that was left were immune supernatural creatures? And what if one of them didn’t even know what she was?
Daphne doesn’t know what she is, and has to navigate being potentially the last person on earth. This obviously isn’t a new idea, but I thought it would be so interesting to look at it through the lens of what on the surface seems like an everywoman. Imagine having to watch everyone around you die horribly, and somehow come through unscathed? I wanted to explore what that would do to a person, how she would deal with it (or not deal with it), and what she would do with her time.
What would you do if you were the last person on earth?
Emily hails from rural Nova Scotia, curled up on a tree stump with a bubblegum pink notebook and a steaming mug of French roast coffee. She is a thirtysomething mom of a toddler and a fur-baby. Her lumbersexual husband doesn’t actually work in lumber anymore, but he still wears the plaid and the beard.
When she’s not writing and/or momming, she’s sipping espresso, crocheting, and listening to audiobooks. She’s an established freelance writer and editor.
The Beginning of the End (Bloodlines Vol. 1) by Emily S. Hurricane ~ Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Daphne Rhodes would tell anyone: being ‘the one’ sucks.
At least, she would if there was anyone left to tell. She’s the one who’d survived. The one with the magic immune system that saved her.
The only one left on this whole miserable planet.
Daphne spends her days alone and craving answers as to why it had to be her. Why did she have to watch everyone she’d ever known and loved die a horrific death?
On her mother’s deathbed, Daphne learns long-hidden family secrets that send her on a quest across Canada to not only discover where she came from, why she survived, and who she is…but what she is, as well.
C. A. Campbell hails from Kansas City (The Missouri side, if you please), where she shares her writing space with her husband and three ridiculous dogs. She splits her time between writing, saving tiny lives, and teaching students how not to kill people as a neonatal intensive care nurse and nurse educator. When she’s not working, she can be found (likely, in her pajamas) making things out of yarn, listening to a true crime podcast, or yelling at medical errors in television shows. Heresy is her debut novel.
Heresy (The Heretics Saga Book 1) by C.A. Campbell ~ Genre: YA Dystopian
In Arcadia, being different is HERESY.
Heresy is DEATH.
To survive, citizens must live, dress, and even love according to the United Council’s will. Their power is absolute—until a rebel bomb ignites at a national ceremony and unites the lives of three unlikely people.
When the bombing goes wrong, Nicolette Howell, a young heretic, finds herself alone and on the run, bearing secrets that Arcadia would kill for. When she’s captured, she must escape, but how can she, when her best chance lies with the son of her sworn enemy?
Driven by the execution of an innocent, Jacob Osgood, a United Councilor’s son, hunts for the truth about the heretic movement that Arcadia has hidden. But truth could cost him the one thing he cannot stand to lose: the girl who saved his life at the bombing.
Shiloh Haven, the orphaned daughter of heretics, is forced to become Arcadia’s spy in a sinister plot to destroy the heretic army. She faces a terrible choice: survive or risk everything to save the boy she might just love and the rebels who are her only chance of being free.
As their fates entwine, the three must answer an impossible question.
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Can you, for those who don’t know you already, tell something about yourself and how you became an author?
Sure. I’m C. A. Campbell, and I’ve been writing since I was eleven and Lord of the Rings inspired me to pick up a pen. I live in Kansas City, MO, with my husband and our three ridiculous but adorable dogs. I like to say I have three careers. Besides writing, I’m full time faculty at a nursing university, and a part-time neonatal intensive care nurse. I love my nursing career, but it’s always been a dream of mine to be a write and publish a book, so I decided to figure out a way to make both things happen. And here I am, publishing my first novel. Sometimes, you can have it all.
How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?
Funny story, actually. My characters began as original characters that I put into Harry Potter fanfiction. I’m sure you could find it out on the internet somewhere if you really tried (please don’t). When I knew I wanted to start original fiction, I decided to keep them with me, because I loved all of them so much. I had the concept of being a ‘Heretic’ — being different than the world wanted you to be, so I knew I wanted something along that. And that’s where I struggled for the next ten years while writing this book.
The theme of ‘being different than what the world wants you to be’ is something I felt as a teenager (when I first started this book), strongly. But I had to go on a journey. I had to own that in my own life–truly make the decision to be myself even though the people around me may not like it. I also needed to see many other individuals–much braver than me–who have had to make that decision as well. Only then could I write this story that addresses the topic at the core of my own story.
How do you dare to be different in a world that tells you exactly what to be?
Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick?
The Heretics Saga focused mostly on two main characters–Shiloh Haven and Jacob Osgood–while also following three other ‘main’ characters – and a few friends who join them along the way. In Heresy, we get to see the POV of three of them.
Shiloh Haven is the orphaned daughter of heretics whose grown up in a cruel place, called a Haven, with other children of heretics. As a Haven, she has been despised and had to fight just to survive in Arcadian society. Because of this, she lives by strict rules in order to survive–which is all she really wants. This really gets tested over the whole of Heresy when the survival of people she cares about suddenly depends on her — and saving them might mean signing her own death warrant.
Jacob Osgood comes from the complete opposite of society. As the son of one of the nation’s leaders, he could have anything he wanted–except freedom. Jake’s a rebel without a cause at the beginning–doing anything he can to disrupt the perfect dance his father, United Councilor Samuel Osgood, forces him to perform too. In the story, we get to see what happens when he actually finds a cause to stand with and something worth fighting for. But he makes reckless choices and the consequences will be devastating.
Nicolette Howell is a young rebel who has lived most of her life on the run. She’s driven by loyalty to the cause fighting against Arcadia, but when she’s captured, she’s dumped into a strange world where she’s unsure who to trust, but she knows she can’t escape on her own. And if she doesn’t escape–more than her life will end.
And Val and Stefani…well, you’ll just have to read to know a little more about them.
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?
Oh goodness, so much stories. There were so many things that ultimately couldn’t make it into the book. I’m sure I’ll have to write bonus scenes or novellas to show all the things I know about the characters.
If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?
It would be smoky and woodsy, with a little sweetness– like a fire burning cedar, wth just a hint of cinnamon. I would call it “Smells like Teen Revolution”.
What can we expect from you in the future?
HERESY is the first book in The Heretics Saga. Right now, the series is slated to be four books, but it’s always subject to change. I hope to release them all within two to three years.
Is there something specific you want to tell readers?
I hope you love my book, but more importantly, I hope you learn from it. I hope at the end you choose to be a Heretic–to be fearlessly, unapologetically yourself even in a world where sometimes that feels dangerous. Because who you are is not wrong. Who you are is perfect and amazing. And never let anyone convince you otherwise.
Lastly, a few fun questions: What kind of world ruler would you be?
I don’t know. If it’s anything like being a teacher, it would probably involve a lot of hair pulling of — “Why weren’t they listening?” “I know they hate this new law but can’t they see it will make them better?” “Why do they hate me? All I’ve ever done is love them.” And then I’ll probably have servants stress feed me chocolate.
What book do you think everyone should read?
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. I know, I know, it’s not fiction, but it’s amazing. Here’s just one quote of a million from her book. “Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.”
Advice you’d give new authors?
Self-doubt is a liar. Punch it in the face, and just write your book.
I am excited to be one of many tour hosts sharing information about Heresy by C.A. Campbell.
Jared K. Chapman is an author, filmmaker, and educator. He is a native Californian who spent his formative years at school in frigid Alberta, Canada with his father and summer vacation in arid central California with his mother. He holds degrees in psychology & religious studies and is currently a doctoral candidate studying the social psychology of extreme groups. He lives in a little oasis just east of Los Angeles with his wife and three sons. 2HVØRHVNØT is his debut novel.
Welcome to Fellowship City, where the Haves are super-powered, and the Have-Nots are just like you.
The Mighty have all the wealth, fame, power, and superpowers, but even they are subject to the monastery’s control. To maintain peace, telepathic monks see into the past, present, and future to police the other Mighty and the minority of powerless Citizens, who have nothing but their identity tags tattooed on their wrists.
Twenty-year-old Mario lives with his kid sister in one of the many camphouses on the island south of the city. Unlike the other citizens he stands in line with every morning waiting to be bussed to work, he actually likes his downtown job and the Mighty restaurateur who employs him.
At least, he did.
This morning, the grisly, undetected murder of his boss changes everything. In a flash, Mario becomes the primary suspect and must race against time to prove his innocence in a world that oppresses the powerless.
Part READY PLAYER ONE. Part DIVERGENT. Part MINORITY REPORT. Totally Superpowered! 2HVØRHVNØT has fast-paced action, suspense, horror, and mature themes that are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Would you like a chance to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card or one of three Exclusive Signed Prints by Derek Smith (cover designer/artist)?Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
What inspired you to write this book?
I had a thought in my head about to be or not to be but applying it to the situation of haves and have-nots, which resulted in the title to have or not to have. I thought that was too presumptuous and cumbersome, so I kept thinking and though To Have or Have Not sounded much better, and I am a Hemingway fan, so there’s a little homage there. I kept thinking and thinking about this title and one day while driving home the numeronym popped into my head 2HVORHVNOT. I thought that would be a cool title for a book, so I began to think what a book with that title would be about.
I immediately thought about a tattooed identity code on someone’s arm. I thought about how it could be scanned and used in the future like credit cards, but I thought that was too obvious and really wasn’t sure what the story would be. Poor people are Have Nots and can’t even use their codes while the reach people can… it seemed like something I’ve seen many times before. So, my mind went somewhere darker. What if only the Have Nots have these identity codes and they’re forced on them? I began to think about the Holocaust and poor lives lost in the camps. I began to think about Nietzche’s idea of the Ubermensch inspiring the Nazis. I began to think about Japanese internment camps and signs that said No Jews Allowed or Colored Only Section. I began thinking about the X-Men stories where normal people wanted to round up the mutants and put them into camps. Then, I thought what if that was flipped. What if the people in power, the majority, were the ones with superpowers.
I started to think about what kind of world that would be. I drew upon a lot of the social psychological theories I had learned through the course of my collegiate life. I found myself really drawn to Sherif, Asch, Milgram, and Zimbardo’s famous experiments. Ultimately, I wanted to delve into conflict resolution between two completely different groups. I also drew upon my religious studies and my interest in science-fiction/fantasy, post-apocalyptic/dystopia speculative fiction, particularly 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, The Dark Tower Series, Running Man, Demolition Man, Minority Report, and Ready Player One. All of these inspired me to create the world of Fellowship City.
In Fellowship City, there is a caste system with the highest, most powerful Mighty being the telepathic seers, monks of Sol & Luna, who police the other Mighty. This creates a world without heroes or villains, because the monks stop any crime or wrongdoing, even wrong-thinking before it happens. They eliminate the bad elements to create a utopian world for them, but in doing so, life is mundane. Their superpowers are meaningless. In this world, a pyrokinetic has a job as a barista reheating coffee in the ceramic mugs of old customers. But in nearly every utopia we find some dystopian element, and for those without powers, this world is a nightmare. They are forced to serve the Mighty, live in camps or slums, and must be tattooed with their scannable identity codes.
What can we expect from you in the future?
This book is launching a world. I am currently working on a prequel trilogy describing the rise of the Mighty. I’m editing the first book, writing the second, and have the third outlined and ready to go. I’m also working on a short story that doesn’t fit in the prequel books or in any sequel books, and I have plans to write more of these short stories to complete the world. I set up 2HVØRHVNØT to have a sequel, which I am currently outlining and expect to release next year. After that, I plan to write a third book in the series, making it a trilogy. I also plan to write three shorter books focusing on three of the character’s origin stories.
Once I have published all the Fellowship City books, I would like to complete the epic novel I started in 1996.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in 2HVØRHVNØT: To Have or Have Not?
There are tons of colorful and interesting characters in my book. The two primary protagonists are Mario and his sister, Zelda. They live in a camphouse on the island south of Fellowship City. Mario works downtown at a trendy restaurant where he has recently been promoted from dish-boy to server. Zelda is still under 18, so she doesn’t have to do “real work,” although she volunteers her time in the orphan house when she’s not the story-keeper for a role playing game called SOFA that she plays with her friends.
My book has three episodes, and Mario is the main protagonist of the first episode. He likes working at the restaurant, because the Mighty who employs him is a good guy compared to some of the other horror stories he’s heard. He and his sister lost their parents seven years ago and lived in the orphan house until Mario was able to get his own camphouse and take Zelda in as her guardian. He’s always felt responsible for her and even now fears that he may not have prepared her for the world she will soon enter, because he’s treated her like a princess ever since. Mario has an eidetic memory, which serves him well as a server, but it’s not always entirely perfect. He’s filled with internal conflict as he blames the Mighty for the loss of his parents but needs to work for the Mighty to survive.
Zelda becomes prominent in episode two. Her brother is the most important thing to her in the world and when things look bleak, she feels that she needs to do something. Usually, she seems rather level-headed and the leader among her friends, but her brother is her kryptonite. She gets tunnel vision and will stop at nothing to protect her protector. She’s smart, funny, and athletic… a butt-kicking princess.
Where did you come up with the names in the story?
Mario and Zelda are obvious, I think. Their father loved the retro games of yesteryear and named his children after his favorites. Jakandy is actually named after Jack Handey from Deep Thoughts on Saturday Night Live. DerMööve is a telekinetic of German ancestry, so I was going for something that could get that across. The Arcane Sawyer just came to me out of nowhere as a blend of Paul Bunyan and Thor. There are many more names with backstories, but I don’t want to give too much away.
Ordinary (Ordinary Series Book 1) by Starr Z. Davies Genre: YA Sci-Fi Dystopian
Fans of Powerless, The Testing, Hunger Games and the Maze Runner will crave this world of iniquitous secrets, intrigue, and desire to find a place in society.
Divinic. Somatic. Psionic. Naturalist. Who will you be?
Having a superpower is ordinary. Your Power determines your job, social class, and future success.
But Ugene doesn’t have a Power. The only thing special about him is that he isn’t special at all. Ugene is Powerless.
So when the most prominent biomedical research company in the city offers Ugene a solution, he jumps at the possibility to be ordinary. All he has to do is agree to allow them to use him in their research. But the longer he stays at the research facility, the more he realizes something isn’t right.
Friendships are forged. Trust is broken built and broken. And everything Ugene thought he understood and believed is called into question.
Who can Ugene trust in his search for answers? What is he willing to sacrifice for Powers?
Unique (Ordinary Series Book 2) by Starr Z. Davies Genre: YA Sci-Fi Dystopian
He lost everything. His dad, his best friend, and the woman he loves.
Ugene and the other test subjects escaped Paragon. They thought they were finally safe. But the battle for freedom is far from over.
When a rouge group calling themselves the Protectorate offers to help Ugene, he worries that his friends are falling into another dangerous trap. The struggle for freedom becomes a desperate fight for survival. Ugene is determined to stand up for what’s right and save the oppressed citizens of Elpis from persecution by Paragon and the Directorate.
The deeper Ugene digs, the more he uncovers about the Directorate’s sinister secrets, the Protectorate’s true goals . . . and the dangerous game he is about to play.
It’s time for the deception to end. It’s time for the truth to finally come to the surface. And it’s time for everyone to finally learn that being Powerless isn’t weakness.
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STARR Z. DAVIES is a Midwesterner at heart, and lives in Wisconsin with her husband and kids. From a young age, Starr has been obsessed with superheroes like Batman and Captain America, which inspired her novel, ORDINARY. If Starr had a superpower, she would be an Empath, because she is an emotional sponge and easily relates to how others feel.
While pursuing a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin, Starr gained a reputation as the “Character Assassin” because she has a habit of utterly destroying her characters both emotionally and physically.
In her free time, Starr loves watching Doctor Who or anything with superheroes, reading books (duh!), writing about her favorite fantasy stories (Song of Ice and Fire, Mistborn, The Wheel of Time), and staring out the window as she dreams up more stories. Oh, and sometimes she steps out the door.
5 F U N F A C T S A B O U T S T A R R Z . D A V I E S
1. Starr is short for Starrburst, her given Native American name.
2. Starr is a big fan of cheesy puns and 5th grade humor and will often laugh at her own jokes before anyone else. Ex: What’s ET short for? Cuz he’s got small legs!
3. Starr’s favorite quote is from Batman Begins (of course, a superhero!): “It’s not who you are, but what you do that defines you.” She tries to live by this ideology.
4. Starr loves to fantasize about who would star in a film as her characters. In fact, she sometimes “casts” actors on her social media feeds by posting pictures. After seeing Detective Pikachu, no one else but Justice Smith would satisfy her as Ugene.
5. If she were to choose a superhero whose personality is most like her own, Starr would be Spiderman—nerdy, awkward, and witty, but always eager to do the right thing to help others.
Nina Soden 