I have such a wonderful post to share with you today.
Author Jeremy Flagg is here with a fun interview.
I have his science fiction/dystopian book, Nighthawks to show you.
And a thrilling excerpt.
Plus a giveaway. So don’t forget to enter!
~~~~~
An interview with Jeremy Flagg
Can you describe your dream home?
My dream home would be a cabin in the woods. I grew up in Northern Maine and I have always wanted to go back when I’m ready to retire. I figure I could build a cabin, live a simple life and try very hard to stay off the grid. There’s something romantic about it. I love the idea of seclusion and being able to sit with my thoughts and just pick apart the universe. The only thing I would need is wifi, without that I wouldn’t be able to look up how to plant a garden or watch repeats of House.
If we were to come to your house for a meal, what would you give us to eat?
It would most likely be steak tips on the grill. If I have the time, I love firing it up and marinating some tips for dinner. However, with my writing schedule, I’m noticing more and more often I’ve been eating out again. I need to curb that, I enjoy cooking and it gives me a break from the laptop. It also doesn’t hurt that I look dashing in an apron!
Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received.
My Suburban Zombie High series is largely inspired by the outlandish students I deal with as a teacher. There are times when I can’t resist talking about with them. Last summer I received a message from one of my students who showed a picture of her reading my book. I was flattered she was reading it and looked forward to what she had to say. She revealed to me she had gotten permission from her English teacher to use it as her optional summer reading. I had to admit I was amused with her exuberance, but I was extremely flattered that she would pick my novel as her optional summer reading. Still to this day, I’m not quite sure how her teacher felt about the whole zombies eating all the teachers in a school. This could be why he avoids me at staff meetings.
If there was a piece of research you could do in person, what would it be?
Part of Children of Nostradamus takes place in a radiation riddled post-apocalyptic Boston. Since I can’t visit that, there are some scenes in the sequel novel I’m working on now that would take me into the abandoned subway tunnels below Boston. Otherwise, the book has parts that happen in a warehouse in New York City and I’d love to see it in person. Right now, I’m making a lot of assumptions based on what I saw on the subway, so it would be awesome to see it up close and let my senses soak it up.
Who designed the book cover for the book you are touring?
This book jacket was designed by the lovely folks over at http://www.derangeddoctordesign.com. I was nervous at first since I work in graphic design and have a fairly high standard of design. Designers are notoriously egotistical, but I was happy to see my fears were quickly set aside. They listened to my notes on the cover from liking grunge, to being inspired by dark horror, and my love of typography. When I saw the preliminary cover I was nervous to give a critique but they were beyond professional. We batted around some ideas and they quickly turned my ideas into a great book cover. I’m very pleased with how they collaborated, definitely somebody I hope to work again with in the future.
~~~~~
Nighthawks
Children Of Nostradamus #1
by Jeremy Flagg
Genre: Sci-Fi / Dystopian
Synopsis
Twenty-six-year-old painter Conthan Cowan takes art to a shocking frontier…
His debut exhibit features the transformation of his high school friend, Sarah, as she went from a shy, soft-spoken girl to a Child of Nostradamus—an individual gifted with extraordinary abilities. Living in a society where the Children of Nostradamus are captured by the government, Conthan’s exhibit draws attention from officials and protesters alike.
A government psychic may be dead, but that doesn’t stop her from manipulating the future…
The deceased White House aide is only remembered for her failed assassination attempt on the president decades before Conthan was born. Foreseeing her own death, she scribed letters to bring together specific Children of Nostradamus on a mission that will change the world.
On the night of the gallery exhibition, Conthan receives one of those letters…
Whispers from the past direct him to visit Sarah, the subject of his paintings, who like many Children of Nostradamus, is being detained in a government research facility. It’s there he finds himself aligned with a rogue group of Children on a mission to prevent a dark future.
As a dark future unfolds, there’s only one hope to stop the destruction of the world…
The Children of Nostradamus.
~~~~~
Excerpt
Conthan Cowan,
As you ponder the situation laid out in front of you, it is clear that things will never be the same. Before you are many decisions, but alas, beyond this point I cannot see nor predict your future.
You are an element that seems to defy the strands of probability. I fear that before you lies a path that will test the fortitude of your soul. I wish I could give you more than a simple direction. I have done everything in my power to see you safe to this point. I wish I could tell you that somewhere on the other side of the darkness will be you, standing triumphant. However, I cannot. For that, I am sorry. What I can do is start you on your hero’s journey.
Go to Sarah.
With Regards,
Eleanor P. Valentine
~~~~~
Author Jeremy Flagg
I’m high school graphic design and marketing teacher, at a large suburban high school in Massachusetts. Working as a high school educator and observing the outlandish world of adolescence was the inspiration for my first young adult novel, “Suburban Zombie High.”
My inspiration for writing stems from being a youth who struggled with reading in school. While I found school assigned novels incredibly difficult to digest, I devoured comics and later fantasy novels. Their influences can be seen in the tall tales I spin.
I took the long route to becoming a writer. For a brief time, I majored in Creative Writing but exchanged one passion for another as I switched to Art and Design. My passion for reading about superheroes, fantastical worlds, and panic-stricken situations would become the foundation of my writing career.
I participated in my first NaNoWriMo in 2006 and continue to write an entire novel every November. Now I am the NaNoWriMo Municipal Liaison to the Massachusetts Metrowest Region. I also belong the New England Horror Writer’s Association and to a weekly writing group, the Metrowest Writers.
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Instagram
~~~~~
~~~~~
Click on the banner below to follow the tour and comment.
The more you comment, the more chances to win!
~~~~~
Your path to writing sounds amazing!
Thanks for hosting!
My pleasure!
Sounds like a great book (I enjoyed reading the excerpt from the book).
It sure does, Jen. It all sounds good:)
Great interview! This book sounds like a very interesting and intriguing read! Can’t wait to read this book!
I’m thrilled to share this fabulous post!
What’s more important: characters or plot?
Looks like an interesting one.
And that’s a good thing!
Looks extremely interesting!
That excerpt sure grabs ya. And the cover is splendid!
Thanks so much for sharing this giveaway with us.
I love to share. Especially authors and their wonderful books!
A captivating and intriguing book. The excerpt was excellent. Thanks for this great feature and giveaway.
You’re welcome. Sharing is fun:)
Sounds like a good read.
I second that!
I enjoy cooking, too!
vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com
What is the best joke that you have heard recently? Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win.
A great interview. I would need my cabin near the ocean.
Me too, Mary!
Thanks for all the feedback guys! I always appreciate the kind words, it’s been a labor of love getting this up and out there. Now onto the sequel!
Thank you for stopping by! I’m sure I’ll enjoy your book and it’s exciting to hear there will be a sequel.
Sci-Fi is not my usual choice of books, however this sounds like a good book.
I’ve been getting back into the genre recently and really enjoying the new authors I’ve discovered.
Thanks for sharing 🙂
It’s always a pleasure to share:)
Enjoyed reading the synopsis, thank you!
Sounds interesting…
sherry @ fundinmental
Yep. I think we’d both like this book, Sherry:)