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Archive for the ‘Dystopian’ Category

Author Denise R. Stephenson shares with us what drove her to write Isolation

Posted: July 22, 2014 in Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, Guest Post, Science Fiction, thriller
Tags: Author Denise R. Stephenson, dystopian, Isolation, Science Fiction, thriller

Yesterday I shared my thoughts about Isolation by Denise R. Stephenson.

Today, I’m thrilled to turn over my blog to the author for a guest post.

Be sure to check out the rest of the post for more about the book and how to enter the giveaways. There’s two.

So Denise, tell us.

What drove you to write this book?

I was driven to write this book by a little boy who found a pornographic image in his mother’s garage. Before that all I had were ideas from contemporary events suggesting I had something to write. The germs of my novel Isolation came from the fear of a swine flu epidemic in the fall of 2009, the CDC changing our behavior by teaching us to sleeve the sneeze, and my concerns about the overuse of 99% bacterial killing soaps and sanitizers. But it was hearing this line in my head: “and laying a finger aside of his nose” that told me I had something worth pursuing. In that line, I suddenly imagined a world in which face-touching had been outlawed—an outrageous idea, one worthy of a dystopia.

The gift of a sabbatical in the Spring of 2012 gave me the time to create this particular world torn apart, not by a virus, but by a variety of bacteria no longer within medical control. I did a great deal of research, some over the two years of gestation and lots during the first month of the actual writing. I probably spent at least a couple of hours every day researching food-borne bacterial contaminants, produce recalls, genetically modified foods, and the practices of agri-business. I watched many documentaries and a few fictional movies like Contagion. I also read many, many dystopias, discovering intuitively how to build a world falling apart.

I consider myself an organic writer, meaning I don’t outline, but rather, allow a story to grow organically from the seed of an idea or the voice of a character. Typically I have no idea where a story is going and find ways to push myself to just keep writing until plot develops, usually through characters’ interactions more than through exterior devices like chase scenes or explosions.

My characters reveal their lives to me. Sometimes they do so in excruciating detail that I have to sift through, discovering which aspects are important to a particular story. Other times characters show me only a swipe of the canvas and I need to imagine what fills the rest of it. Either way, I don’t plan or outline. I find myself sitting in a coffee shop, walking along a beach, or reading for pleasure and suddenly needing to take notes or capture a line of dialog. Once I have an opening, I’m at the computer drawing the characters actions in words, making sure to capture the emotional tone of the details.

In the case of Isolation, though Gary was a tweener who found The Night Before Christmas children’s book in his mother’s old belongings and recognized that Santa Claus touching his own nose was an illicit image, it was taking Gary into adulthood which became a driving force that kept me working toward a novel. Isolation is epic in scope, spanning three generations. Figuring out that I could use Gary both in his adolescent years and then as an adult really helped me develop that timeline.

In the end, Gary was only one of a cast of six characters who form the central story of the novel. He was the first I imagined, but not the first I wrote. In fact, the first character I developed ended up being cut from the novel altogether. And in the end, Gary’s was one of the story-lines that took the longest for me to close. I think I wanted something for Gary that a dystopia couldn’t give him, so it took me awhile to be willing to end his story as it had to end.

No spoilers, so I’ll stop there. The drive to write Isolation was a combination of world events and a line from a children’s book which brought with it a concept I’d never imagined and wouldn’t want to live with—a world without touch.

Thanks so much Denise. I just wanted to add that the ending was special. I’m glad you stayed with it.

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Publisher: Mill City Press (April 15, 2014)
Category: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic, Political Thriller, Medical Thriller
ISBN: 13: 978-1-62652-760-7
Tour Dates: June 15-July 30, 2014
Available in: Print and ebook, 383 Pages

Isolation depicts a bleak but recognizable future in which the fear of contagion reaches a fever pitch as a bacterial epidemic catapults the US into an apocalyptic crisis.

Touch is outlawed. Mothers like Maggie bind their infants’ hands, terrified they might slip fingers into mouths. Gary, a Sterilizer, uses robots to scour the infected, avoiding all contact with human flesh. Trevor, the Chief Enforcer, watches, eager to report any and all infractions.

One inadvertent touch will change all of their lives.

For those of you who missed my post yesterday, click HERE to read my review and enter the giveaways.

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About Denise R. Stephenson:

DENISE R. STEPHENSON resides in Oceanside, CA, but she has lived in all the isolated locales of this novel at one time or another. Her publishing history is primarily academic, though as a member of Attention Deficit Drama, she has written and produced monologs and short plays. This is her first novel.

Website: http://denisestephenson.com/

Facebook: h ttps://www.facebook.com/DeniseStephensonIsolation
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookArts_Denise

Buy Isolation:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Depository

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

I have two giveaways!

You can enter both!

The first one is for an eBook copy of Isolation (Open Internationally)

Now for the second giveaway!

5 Print copies of Isolation

Go HERE to enter.

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Follow the Tour:

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus June 16 Excerpt & Giveaway
Library Educated June 17 Review
Creating Serenity June 18 Review
Room With Books June 18 Interview & Giveaway
Reviews From The Heart June 19 Review & Giveaway
Paranormal Romance & Authors June 24 Review
Always a Book Lover June 25 Guest Post
Lightning Chronicles June 27 Review
Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author July 1 Interview
Deal Sharing Aunt July 2 Review
Deal Sharing Aunt July 3 Interview & Giveaway
Books & Quilts July 9 Review
Mary’s Cup of Tea July 10 Review & Giveaway
Manic Mama of 2 July 10 Review
TreeHouseJuly 12 Giveaway
Book Talk With Alana July 14 Review
Book Talk With Alana July 14 Interview
Nerdophiles July 15 Review
Nerdophiles July 16 Interview & Giveaway
She Treads Softly July 17 Review
Kritters Ramblings July 18 Review
fuonlyknew July 21 Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway
Open Book Society July 23 Review & Giveaway
Cassandra M’s Place July 24 Review & Giveaway
Giveaways and Glitter July 25 Review
Two Children & a Migraine July 28 Review, Guest Post & Giveaway
JeanzBookReadNReview July 30 Interview & Giveaway
Heart of a Philanthropist July 31 Review, Interview & Giveaway

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Could this be our future? ~ Isolation by Denise R. Stephenson ! Tour Review and Two Giveaways

Posted: July 21, 2014 in apocalypse, Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, reviews, Science Fiction, thriller
Tags: Author Denise Stephenson, dystopian, Isolation, Science Fiction, thriller

I’ll admit it. The cover art caught my attention first.

Then I read the blurb and had to read Isolation. I love reading about a scenario that could happen, that may be happening as we speak.

Check out Isolation, enjoy my review, and don’t forget to enter the giveaways. Yep, there’s two!

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MY REVIEW

Imagine not being able to touch yourself or others for fear of punishment. Imagine a world where so many have died from bacterial infection that it’s now a law, strongly enforced, of no touching of any kind.

We already see signs of this in some countries. People going out in public wearing face masks and gloves. Sanitizer stations in business entryways.

The author approaches this clinically and emotionally.

I couldn’t imagine not being able to kiss my babies face, hug a friend, or even wipe the tears from my own face.

For those born before the outbreaks, old habits die hard. It’s a slip of the mind to reach up and scratch your nose if it itches, and if you are spotted, you’re reported and punished.

Enforcers and Sterilizers are recruited and put in place supposedly for your own protection. This is where big brother thinks they know what’s best for everyone. And putting fear into the equation makes most people go along with their mandate.

But there are some who feel differently. Who secretly break the rules. Who dare to want more.

I don’t read reviews for a book until after mine has been published, but I’m betting a lot of people have said the same thing. This could happen and it might not be too far off. How often do you turn on the news and hear about this or that food product being pulled from the shelves because it’s contaminated? How people have sickened from it and even died?

The author approached this scenario with a dystopian and science fiction genre. At least that’s how it felt to me.

While I didn’t have a favorite character, there was one I wish had chosen a different employment, and three I wish could have prevailed together.

The ending is deeply moving. Profound.

I enjoyed this glimpse into a possible future and highly recommend it.

4 STARS

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Isolation depicts a bleak but recognizable future in which the fear of contagion reaches a fever pitch as a bacterial epidemic catapults the US into an apocalyptic crisis.

One inadvertent touch will change all of their lives.

Read or Listen to An Excerpt

Praise for Isolation:

“I was fortunate enough to read a preview copy of Isolation and I have to say it is a timely and thought provoking, if not haunting, look into the future. I can’t imagine simple day-to-day tasks like getting food at the market being either impossible or dangerous. Written from a variety of perspectives and far-reaching communities, it kept the reader wondering, “Could this really happen to me? Could this be part of my world?” This book made me look into the foods I eat, the lifestyle I live and the value of my friends and family. To what extent would I go to keep those I love safe? Looking for answers kept me turning the pages.”– Michelle Keeton

“Denise Stephenson’s novel Isolation is situated in a not-too-distant future, one we can all imagine, in which bacterial diseases decimate human populations world-wide. Though other novelists and filmmakers have relied on viruses to frighten us with tales of pandemic diseases, Stephenson makes bacteria seem much, much more dangerous—in part, because the vast majority of bacteria we come in contact with are necessary for our survival. For one thing, we can’t digest food without the help of bacteria in our stomachs.

In Isolation, government agencies struggle with the question of how to isolate the dangerous bacteria from the life-saving sort. Eventually, hospitals are turned into Anti-Bacterial Centers, robots are used to cleanse individuals who are exposed, touching one’s face is banned, then touching others is banned, and finally everyone is quarantined inside their own homes in a final, desperate attempt to stop the spread of the lethal bacteria. It’s a frightening vision, but each step, each decision, makes perfect sense in light of the threat of contagion.

It’s a gripping tale, at once outrageous and yet plausible. Through news articles, a scientific report and a press release inserted throughout the novel, Stephenson reveals how woefully unprepared American society is for this sort of calamity.

In spite of the doomsday vision the book presents, it remains hopeful and optimistic by focusing on the lives of individuals. In the direst of circumstances, their humanity, their compassion, and their hope shines through.”– Bob Mayberry

“Isolation” paints a bleak picture. In order to keep humankind safe, the government imposes increasingly stricter bans on touching. From Do-not-touch one’s own nose and eyes to, in the end, the Total-Touch-Ban. People live in ever more isolation; at times, confined to their homes like prisoners.

While the prospect of living in, or even reading, about such a world may not sound appealing to everyone, Stephenson’s lovingly created characters, who accompany the reader from the present to a future two to three generations away, confirm that our species can adapt and survive.

Stephenson’s care to give each of her main characters a distinctive voice makes, in turn, the reader care about them; and that is what makes “Isolation” a pleasure to read.”– Irene Gerold

“Isolation gripped me. It’s a mesmerizing dystopia about the quiet and deadly menaces in our lives. These dangers may be hidden in the jargon of the latest government health report, lurking under the frilly curl of a romaine lettuce leaf, or triggered by a minor cut to a finger while using an ordinary kitchen knife. The characters in Isolation are people I know. It was easy to imagine myself as a sister, friend, or neighbor to any of them – or most of them.

I was in the story wondering, “What would I crave? What would I do for my family and my friends? Isolated, what could I do to fight back?” These questions linger.

The story is well paced, well written, and scary. Stephenson’s research is excellent. It provides a persuasive foundation for explaining why the home-bound isolation of the population becomes the awful solution for stopping the spread of disease. The story compelled me to mull my complacency about the safety of our food, drugs, and government promises to always protect our freedom.“- Karen Baum

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About Denise R. Stephenson:

Website: http://denisestephenson.com/

Facebook: h ttps://www.facebook.com/DeniseStephensonIsolation
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookArts_Denise

Buy Isolation:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Book Depository

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

I have two giveaways today!

You can enter both!

The first one is for an eBook copy of Isolation (Open Internationally)

To enter, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and answer this question:

“Would you break the rules of no touching if you were in the privacy of your own home, if no one could see you?”

Now for the second giveaway!

5 Print copies of Isolation

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

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Follow the Tour:

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Progeny of Time #1 ~ The Grower’s Gift by Vanna Smythe ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

Posted: July 2, 2014 in Book Blast, Dystopian, giveaways, YA
Tags: Author Vanna Smythe, Progeny of Time #1, The Grower's Gift, YA Dystopian

The Spring of 2102 only brought false hope…

Series: Progeny of Time #1

Publication Date: May 15, 2014

Genre: YA Dystopian

The future is bleak in the year 2102. The planet is in chaos and the weather patterns have completely shifted, turning most of the world into an uninhabited wasteland.

The rich and powerful of North America have pulled back into the six remaining megacities, erasing all trace of a central government and leaving millions displaced by the environmental crisis to fend for themselves in the dying world. Sixteen-year-old Maya has a gift, a power she thinks can heal the earth and make it habitable again. A gift that she must learn to harness. The school for the gifted in Neo York is the only place where she can learn to control her power and reach her potential.

Yet the school is not what it seems. Ran by the ruthless head of the city of Neo York, the school’s only objective is to extract the powers of the gifted and then discard them. Only Ty, heir to the city, can keep Maya from being destroyed there.

But Ty has a secret and his loyalty to his family has never wavered. Will his growing love for Maya be strong enough to save them both?

Purchase today on Amazon!

Vanna Smythe is the author of the Anniversary of the Veil fantasy trilogy and The Grower’s Gift, the first book in a new YA dystopian series. She has been writing creatively since her early teens, though one could say her creative writing efforts started long before that. While still in kindergarten, she once tore up a library book to make alphabet soup, and has been fascinated with what words can do, the pictures and worlds they can create, ever since.

The Progeny of Time YA Dystopian series was inspired by the bleak future presented in The Hunger Games, the fight between good and evil played out in Harry Potter, and the TV show Heroes, but with a totally unique story and twist. The story is equally fun for teens as well as adults. The second book in the series will be released in Summer 2014.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter

A $25 Amazon or B&N GIft Card

-OR-

a $25 Book Depository Shopping Spree

Open Internationally

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Ends July 11th.

Void where prohibited

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

A thrilling dystopian series ~ Carrier by Anne Tibbets ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway

Posted: July 1, 2014 in Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, New Adult
Tags: Author Anne Tibbets, Carrier, NA Dystopian, series, The Line: Book One

I just fell in love with the cover art for Carrier and had to be a part of this tour.

I’m a huge fan of dystopian stories and this sounds like an exciting series.

Enjoy the excerpt and book video.

And don’t forget to enter the awesome giveaway!

Carrier by Anne Tibbets
(The Line #1)
Published by: Carina Press
Publication date: June 16th 2014
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult

Synopsis

Twenty-two -year-old Naya has spent nearly half her life as a sex slave in a government institution called The Line. When she’s kicked out after getting pregnant with twins, she’s got no way to earn a living and a horrifying choice to make: find someone to replace her, or have her babies taken in her stead.

A doctor with a history of aiding ex-Line girls, Ric Bennett, wants to help. He runs a team of rebels that can delete Naya’s records and free her forever. But when The Line sniffs out his plan, things get bloody, fast. Naya means more to them than just a chance at fresh faces—her twins are part of the government’s larger plan.

As they hide from government search parties, Ric comes to admire Naya’s quiet strength. And Naya realizes Ric might be a man she can trust. If they make it off the grid, they could build a new life. But first they’ll have to survive the long, vicious reach of The Line.

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Book Video

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Excerpt

When I awoke the next morning, the women of the boarding house were arguing again. It took me a moment to realize what was happening. And it wasn’t what I expected.

The little girl from before was curled into a ball on her bed, sobbing. The blonde lady from the fight was standing over her, barking.

“It’s not like I want to do this, kid. Really! But I can’t find a job, and you’re all set with the shop thing, so I’m gonna take off for a while. I’ll be back once I have a job. I promise.”

The girl wailed in agony.

“I’m sorry, okay?”

The pony-tailed lady and the other women in the room shot looks of contempt at the blonde one. She didn’t notice. She was too busy abandoning the kid.

“Fine. Well, if you’re just gonna sit there and act like a baby, I’m takin’ off.” The blonde turned to leave.

The little girl bolted upright and clung to the woman’s waist. “Mommy, please don’t go! Stay. Please!”

Mommy? That lady was the kid’s mother? I sat up in bed and felt something I hadn’t felt in years. I couldn’t quite place it.

“Please, Mommy. Don’t leave me!”

My eyes went hot.

My fingers touched them.

They were wet.

I hadn’t cried in years, not since my first week on the Line. I hadn’t allowed myself after that, for fear I couldn’t stop.

I rolled the warm tears through my fingertips. They felt alien.

“I’m sorry. Really, I am,” the blonde woman spat, prying her kid off. She didn’t seem upset at all, more like annoyed. “But I gotta go.”

“Mommy, please. Don’t leave me!”

Without another word, the blonde skittered out the door. The child crumpled into a heap of agony.

Giving each other uncertain looks, none of the other women moved.

Before I could stop myself, I was out of my cot and had my arms wrapped around her.

“I want my mommy!” she bellowed, choking on her words and nearly hyperventilating. She buried her face into my chest. “I want my mommy. Mommy! Come back!”

I knew this feeling. I’d said those words.

I had screamed for hours for my mother. Vira, the woman from the restaurant, had taken me from my family and after I’d “misbehaved,” she’d locked me in a closet for three days before opening it to give me some stale bread and a glass of water. By then, starved and thirsty, I would have eaten anything.

In those days, I’d sobbed for Mama just like this.

The memory was suddenly so vivid. I was reliving it right along with the little girl in my arms.

She felt so heavy.

I held her until she passed out, both of us full of remembering and feeling. The weight was unbearable. Her sobs echoed in my ears like thunder claps.

~~~~

Purchase Links

Amazon ~ B&N

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AUTHOR BIO:

Anne Tibbets is an SCBWI award-winning and Smashwords.com Best Selling author. After writing for Children’s television, Anne found her way to young/new adult fiction by following what she loves: books, strong female characters, twisted family dynamics, magic, sword fights, quick moving plots, and ferocious and cuddly animals.Along with CARRIER, Anne is also the author of the young adult fantasy novella, THE BEAST CALL and the young adult contemporary, SHUT UP.Anne divides her time between writing, her family, and three furry creatures that she secretly believes are plotting her assassination.Find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnneTibbetsAuthor or on Twitter @WriteforCoffee. To contact Anne, visit www.annetibbets.com and click the ‘CONTACT’ tab.

Author Links:

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

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Tour wide giveaway

Open INTL – Ends July 22nd

20 $ Amazon gift card

3x eBook copies of Carrier

20x Carrier t-shirts with Auberge pens.

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Click on the banner below to follow the tour.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

The Hunt For Tomorrow ~ 22 Authors. 3 Dystopian Boxed Sets. 1 Massive Giveaway Event

Posted: June 18, 2014 in Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways
Tags: Dystopian scavenger hunt and blast giveaway, multiple authors

THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW

22 AUTHORS. 3 DYSTOPIAN BOXED SETS. 1 MASSIVE EVENT.

A virtual scavenger hunt through twenty-two fictional dystopias.

Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm _(EST) – Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm _(EST).

Join THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW, an on-line scavenger hunt, and embark on a virtual odyssey through twenty-two dystopian futures. Become an intrepid scavenger and solve clues at each of the dystopian author stops as you navigate your way to the finish line where you’ll be entered into a random draw for the Grand Prize. For each correct answer collected along the way you’ll get an additional chance to win. During The Hunt, the authors will offer up their own exclusive material, sneak peeks, contests, and giveaways at their individual stops on The Hunt, giving all scavengers multiple chances to win bonus prizes.

The twenty-two participating indie authors include best-selling, award-winning and emerging writers from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom who all have books included in three dystopian boxed sets – – What Tomorrow May Bring,A Taste Of Tomorrow, and Shattered Worlds.

In a unique collaboration of story-telling, nineteen of the authors will write a progressive short story over nineteen days following The Hunt. The Grand Prize Winner of The Hunt For Tomorrow will name characters and contribute the title for this dystopian world, and all participants in The Hunt will receive an advance copy of the story for an exclusive period before it is made available as a free download. The Grand Prize also includes a signed copy of books included in the boxed sets, an ebook of all the boxed sets, and the first copy of this one-of-a-kind progressive story.

THE HUNT FOR TOMORROWbegins at http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com on Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm_(EST)and ends on Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm _(EST).The Hunt is on for one weekend only, although there is no time-limit for completing the course. The Hunt is open to scavengers around the world; there is no cost to enter and one grand prize winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries.

Go toTHE HUNT FOR TOMORROWfor details and the full list of participating authors.

JOIN THE HUNT. JULY 18-20.

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giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Ends 7/20/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the publisher. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

The Artful by Wilbert Stanton ~ Blitz Giveaway and Character Interview

Posted: June 9, 2014 in apocalypse, Blitz, character interview, Dystopian, giveaways, Uncategorized, YA
Tags: a YA post-apocalyptic dystopian, Author Wilbert Stanton, The Artful

Welcome to fuonlyknew. I have a lot to show you today.

First, feast your eyes on the excellent cover art for The Artful.

Make sure you catch some laughs with the character interview of Twist and Dodger, er, I mean Dodger and Twist!

And don’t forget to enter the giveaways. Yep, there’s two of them!

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The Artful

by Wilbert Stanton

.
(Shadows of the City #1)
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: May 27th 2014
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult

Synopsis:

New York City, 2025: Everything is changed. The city that never sleeps is now a land of death and decay. A rampant virus has taken over and the survivors have become carriers, quarantined from the rest of the world.

Twist and Dodger grew up in the streets, the sewers and underground tunnels – their playground. They aren’t heroes. They just like attention; and stealing meds from the rich and giving them to the poor is their golden ticket.

On their latest raid, they unknowingly steal a cure that puts them square between the ailing Emperor of Manhattan and the war hungry Governor of Brooklyn and forces them on a quest into the darkest shadows of their putrefying world.

Purchase Links

Amazon ~ B&N

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Character Interview with Dodger and Twist:

Wilbert: Hi everyone, today I have a special treat for you, flown in on a secret military chopper from the shadows of New York City, are Twist and Dodger, better known as —

Dodger: Dodger and Twist.

Wilbert: Excuse me?

D: It’s Dodger and Twist.

Twist: Oh come on, really?

D: Well it just sounds better. Straight from the shadows of New York City, Dodger and Twist, better known as the Gutter Punks!

W: Ok, well… sorry about that.

T: It’s really not all that important—

D: We were promised a really attractive female reporter, not a writer… What happened to her?

W: Well she couldn’t make it; she’s conducting an interview with Gia.

T: Gia is getting interviewed too? Did she say anything about me?

D: Here we go again, all you have to do is mention Gia and he falls to pieces.

T: I don’t fall to pieces… I just wanted to know if she mentioned me.

D: Yeah she mentioned what a dork you are. Am I right Wilbert!?

W: Well, no, I’m sure she thinks very highly of you—

T: Really?

W: Yeah, you’re a nice guy. You steal meds from the rich and give them to the poor. I mean that’s what you guys are known for right? Helping out those in need, trying to make New York a better place?

D: I do it for the women, really. I mean not that I have problems in that area, but it’s a really good way to get into a girl’s—

T: He’s lying! We do it to make a difference. It isn’t right that all those rich tower babies get all the meds and live in the safety of their towers, while the rest of us are forced to live underground. We couldn’t, wouldn’t stand for it anymore. So we had to make a difference!

D: Also the women love it, did I mention how they drop their—

T: Oh, god, can we just get on with the interview without you saying something offensive?

D: We can try, but I make no promises. You know the longer I talk the easier it is for me to say something inappropriate.

T: Nice to meet you Wilbert, and thanks for having us… did you have any questions?

W: I… um… yeah, we got a little off track there, didn’t we?

T: Sorry that happens with us, we have the gift of gab.

D: Oh would you let that go? Gia once told him we have the gift of gab and he acts like she wants to date him or something.

T: Let’s talk about something else.

W: Okay, why don’t you tell us how you guys met?

D: That’s easy, I saved his life.

T: He didn’t really save my life—

D: He was a scrawny little orphaned street rat with nowhere to go. If it hadn’t been for me protecting him from some street kids and taking him under my wing, he’d be dead.

T: He tried to rob me, when he saw I didn’t have anything he decided to help.

W: So wait, Dodger and a bunch of street kids tried robbing you?

D: We wouldn’t put it like that… would we?

T: No what actually happened is the street kids were robbing me, and then Dodger joined in!

D: I decided to help in the end though… that counts for something.

T: Then we both got beat up.

D: Yeah, but after that I took you under my wing, and taught you the laws of the street.

T: I will admit I learned a lot from Dodge.

D: See I saved his life!

W: Well… it actually looks like we are running out of time, I guess one last question.

D: Okay, where is the hot interviewer I was promised, the one with the huge—

T: I think he meant he has one last question…

W: What do you guys have planned next?

T: We are going where no one has ever gone before, beyond the quarantined zone.

W: That sounds frightening.

T: It is, we have no way of knowing what’s out there. But it’s something we have to do. For all the people who look to us for help, for a better tomorrow.

D: Oh god, really? Is that what you’re closing with? Let’s just say we are about to save the world. And be done with this interview.

W: Well thanks for your time, I think. I look forward to hearing about your adventures. And um, good luck with everything.

D: Whatever.

T: Thanks, sorry about him. I enjoyed meeting you.

~~~~~

Author Wilbert Stanton

Wilbert Stanton was born and raised in New York City. From an early age, Wilbert decided he would either write books or take over the world; everything else was just a precursor to his end game.Along the way, he has studied Psychology, English, and Computer Science. He’s held jobs in a wide range of fields and met people from all walks of life. Wilbert is constantly learning and growing as a person, in order to solidify his dreams.In the end world domination was a bit tedious, so he decided to focus on writing books.

Author links

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

~~~~~

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

I have two giveaways today!

You can enter both!

The first one is for an eBook copy of The Artful (Open Internationally)

To enter, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win and leave some comment love. Tell us somethin!!

Now for the second giveaway! It’s blitz wide and open Internationally!

A signed print copy of The Artful

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Ends June 17th.

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

The Dystopian Tour ~ A Cornucopia of Dystopia and a Huge Giveaway!

Posted: June 8, 2014 in Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways
Tags: Dystopian Book Tour, giveaway, multiple authors

A Prism Tour with Prism Book Tours

It’s the Grand Finale for
THE DYSTOPIAN TOUR!
What will the future bring? We’ve featuring several possibilities. Did you miss any of them? Check them out now!!

***

May 28: What Tomorrow May Bring #1
– Simplistic Reviews

Tomorrow becomes today.
What will it bring?

Our potential for good is matched by that of destruction. At any moment, change can fall on the world, people fight and die, and our comfortable lives can be lost to corrupt leaders. These are circumstances we can’t imagine, but places like this exist in the world today.

What if tomorrow brings that grave reality to us, and we wake to find our lives in flux, poverty and confusion? Perhaps humanity’s insatiable appetites drive us to the brink of survival where sanity is redefined and life, as we know it, changes forever.

Tomorrow, our lives could be very dark.

Dystopian tales take us to these lightless places where suffering is a daily chore. But they also show us that in the deepest part of the night, pitched against a backdrop of despair, a beam of hope will shine brighter than ever before. And in our darkest moments, it can show us the way back.

Goodreads – Amazon

Follow 11 authors into 11 dystopian tomorrows, where the dark portions of our humanity have taken hold of today, where the fabric of society is torn and greed consumes us all. Follow us down a dark path.

***

May 29: Terra by Gretchen Powell:
– Christy’s Cozy Corners

Creating the Cover of Terra: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

No matter what anybody says, it’s pretty much a fact that people do judge books by their covers. And can you blame them? After all, book covers are an art in and of themselves these days – the beautiful images, illustration, and typography that are blasted across the internet pique our interest and drive our readers’ minds. The cover is a reader’s first impression of what your book will be like. It only takes a second for that instant connection to be made: Bad cover, bad book. Great cover, great book.

Now, that doesn’t always hold true, of course, since I myself have read plenty of incredible books with terrible covers, and vice versa. But it doesn’t change the fact that—especially as a self-published author—covers matter. And I knew from the get-go that I wanted the cover for TERRA to stand out, but still feel appropriate for the genre and would “fit in” with its traditionally-published book brethren. So here’s an exclusive scoop on what went into creating my debut novel’s cover.

Goodreads – Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Kobo – Apple Store

Terra follows protagonist Terra Rhodon through a dystopian future where the planet’s natural resources have been depleted and the rich and powerful have fled to cities in the sky.

***

May 30: Stitch & Shudder by Samantha Durante
– Nocturnal Predators Reviews

**What Everyone Had To Say About This Series**

“Seems like your normal, seemingly average university cross paranormal romance story… until the dystopian sci-fi comes in. Everything from there changes… I am gobsmacked.”
– Behind the Pages

“Quite incredible… grips the reader and won’t let go. Officially entered a good book hangover.”
– Parajunkee

Goodreads – Amazon – Barnes and Noble

Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run… but yet she’s powerless to move.

***

June 1: Contributor & Infiltrator by Nicole Ciacchella
– Author Cindy C Bennett

Unexpected Favorites

One of the things that consistently surprises me when I write is how fond I grow of some characters, especially when they start out as little more than a nebulous concept. Contributor is no exception. When I was peopling the world, I thought a lot about Dara, her parents, her boyfriend, Jonathan, and her mentor, Letizia. I certainly gave consideration to the other characters as well, but this was the core group I focused on, and so imagine my surprise when I developed a major attachment to a couple of the characters I thought would just be minor players.

The first is Javier Gutierrez, one of Dara’s rivals for the position of Assistant to the Head of Engineering…

Goodreads – Amazon

When the Great Famine threatened the existence of mankind, the Creators saved humanity. Humanity has been their loyal subject ever since.

***

June 2: What Tomorrow May Bring #2
– I Am A Reader

THE DYSTOPTOMISTS: PART 1

WHAT TOMORROW MAY BRING, the YA Dystopian boxed set, is a collection of dark yet hopeful stories from eleven different authors. Each wrote a short essay on dystopian fiction calledMy Thoughts On Tomorrow, to introduce their novels. Here are excerpts from six of those essays, the full versions can be found at The Hunt For Tomorrow.

Meet The Dystoptomists: Shining Light on a Dark Future…

Goodreads – Amazon

***

June 3: Among the Joyful by Erin Eastham
– My Devotional Thoughts

Q&A: Among the Joyful

Q: What was your inspiration for Among the Joyful?

A: I happened to see an article about smile surgery, which is a real thing. Some young women in South Korea have a procedure done so that their default facial expression is a smile, no matter what they’re feeling. It made me think about the pressure we all feel at times to act like things are fine when they’re not, to present a happy appearance to the world no matter what’s going on inside. That was what prompted the idea for the world of Among the Joyful, where negative emotion has to be hidden if you want to be a functioning member of society.

Q: What makes Among the Joyful different from all the other YA dystopias out there?

A: I wanted to create a dystopian society that could just as easily be described as utopian. The original founders weren’t setting out to oppress people—they wanted to make life better, and in many ways they succeeded. They created a culture where service to others is valued, where citizens contribute to the public good and take care not to have a negative impact on their community. Of course, there’s a price, and that’s where it gets interesting.

Goodreads – Amazon

Everyone knows that it’s a citizen’s duty to smile; negative emotion is a social contagion, an aggressive act against society. For Alaire Larkin, staying positive has never been a problem.

***

June 4: The Annihilation of Foreverland & Foreverland is Dead by Tony Bertauski
– Mythical Books

AUTHOR’s INTERVIEW

Have you written in any other genres besides ya dystopian? What drew you to you this genre?

I’ve been fascinated by consciousness, identity and what this all means since I was young. I would read my grandfather’s science fiction books with elements of artificial intelligence and wonder what happened when they died? I suppose that’s why all of my writing deals with the big mysteries of life in one way or another. In a way, I write for my own exploration, in a sort of thought experiment approach, pulling apart our identities, exploring what makes us who we are. If I lost my memories, would I still be me? If I had my body parts replaced with synthetic replications, at what point would I not be me? Do I even need a body? What am I?

A few years ago, I figured I’d write a romance novel. Since all of my books have a romantic element, I thought it would be fun. Halfway through the novel, I found myself thinking more and more about the next project—a dystopian idea. So 40,000 words in, I scrapped the romance novel and got back to what I love.

Goodreads – Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Google Play – Kobo – iTunes

When kids awake on an island, they’re told there was an accident. Before they can go home, they will visit Foreverland, an alternate reality that will heal their minds.

***

June 5: The Breeders & The Believers by Katie French
– Beck Valley Books

Take 10 – Author Interview

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I’ve always wanted to be a back-up singer for some awesome artist. You’d get all the joy of meeting fun people and performing, but do not have to lose your freedom or worry about tabloids and paparazzi.

Who would play you in a film of your life?

Brad Pitt. It would be a really weird, concept movie.

Have you ever read or seen yourself as a character in a book or a movie?

All the time. Right now I’m pretty sure I’m Jessica Day from TV show The New Girl. But without the cute bangs. Man, I should really get some bangs.

Goodreads – Amazon – Barnes and Noble

Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world’s last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race.

***

June 6: What Tomorrow May Bring #3
– Bookworm Lisa

Meet The Dystoptomists: Shining Light on a Dark Future.

Part 1 featured excerpts from six of those authors.

Here, with Part 2, are excerpts from the remaining five. The full versions can be found at The Hunt For Tomorrow.

Join the mailing list for news on our upcoming dystopian scavenger hunt…

Goodreads – Amazon

***

giveaway photo: Giveaway Banner for 42nd giveaway.png

Tour-Wide Giveaway
Ends June 15th.

US Only Giveaway
Print copy of Terra + bookmarks
Print copies of Stitch & Shudder + bookmarks
Print copy of Among the Joyful

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

***

Internationally Open Giveaway
Amazon GC $15 (Megan) + $10 (Erin) + $10 (Samantha)
11 ecopies of What Tomorrow May Bring
Ebook of Terra
Ebooks of Stitch & Shudder
10 e-book copies of the complete Contributor trilogy, including book 3 (Kindle only)
Ebook of Among the Joyful
Ebooks of The Annihilation of Foreverland & Foreverland is Dead
Ebook of A Taste of Tomorrow Boxed Set
5 ebooks of The Breeders & The Believers

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

***

To post this Grand Finale and add your Social Media to the Rafflecopter,
email us at PrismBookTours(at)gmail.com with “Dystopian Grand Finale” in the subject line.

***

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Double Cover Reveal ~ E-DAY and AleXXXa by DT Dyllin ~ OH MY!!

Posted: May 21, 2014 in Adult Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Cover Reveal, Dystopian
Tags: aleXXXa, cover reveals, DT Dyllin, E-DAY

Presents

Title: E-Day

Author: D.T. Dyllin

Series: M-Day #2

Genre: Dystopian Romance

Publisher: Tik Tok Press

Cover artist: Lindsay Tiry

Expected Release Date: August 2014

Synopsis: M-Day was the dawn of a brand new harsher world. A world where old lives could be left behind and secrets buried for good. At least that’s exactly what Tammie Miles had planned. But even with her new identity as Evo, she discovers that your past is never far. When a man from her old life tracks her down, will she risk everything to keep her secrets? Or will she finally learn that maybe even she can love the right man?

~~~

Title: AleXXXa

Author: D.T. Dyllin

Series: Standalone

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Tik Tok Press

Cover artist: Lindsay Tiry

Expected Release Date: August 2014

Synopsis: Love and sex, sex and love… Can you have one without the other? As a world famous porn star, Alexa James thinks she has everything all figured out. But what happens when someone who gets paid to have sex has an existential crisis? Suddenly sex isn’t enough, and love seems out of reach. Will Alexa’s career choice permanently crush her spirit? Or will she discover that real love is about more than just the physical?

About the Author

D.T. Dyllin is a Bestselling Romance Author who writes in both New Adult and Adult genres. She is a member of the RWA (Romance Writers of America) and also her local chapter, the MCRW (Music City Romance Writers).

D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two spoiled GSDs.

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

~~~~

I’ve read many of DT Dyllin’s books and I’m always ready for more.

What do you think of those covers?

Want to know more? Hop over and see what DT is up to on her website HERE.

Get the skinny on what she’s been doing.

It’s a mad, mad, mad world ~ Seventeen by Mark D. Diehl ~ My Review and a giveaway

Posted: April 25, 2014 in Blog Tour, Dystopian, giveaways, otherworldly, reviews, Series
Tags: Mark D. Diehl, Seventeen: Book One, XVII

I had to be a part of this book tour.

Can you imagine it? Federal Angels?

Looks like Mark Diehl is bringing something different to the table.

I had to read XVII and find out.

What’s even better. This is book one in a series!

18514774

SEVENTEEN

Mark Diehl

~~~~

MY REVIEW

Just imagine almost the entire world’s population of 17 billion is asleep, being used like battery powered brains.

There are no sustainable food crops and the big wigs control everything. All you have to do is give yourself, all of yourself, over to the oppressors and all of your needs will be provided.

With food shortages and power hungry officials running the show, you can bet there will be a rebellion. And a young waitress, Eadie, is prophesied to lead it. She’ll be going up against a huge corporation with lethal Federal Angels they use to keep people in line. She’s only nineteen and has no clue what’s coming for her. Especially after she has to kill in self-defense and now she’s a wanted fugitive.

This was a wild read. I can’t even think about how to tell you about it. I’m going to try though.

The story is related to you from multiple points of view. I never felt one character was more central than another, which was good as many died.

The dystopian world the author built is in the future, and it could almost be real. Don’t we all fear big brother and their spies? Imagine giving over your brain, your thoughts, to your employer. Who knows what the implants are putting into your head, and what they are taking out of it.

But if you choose to live in the Zone as an ordinary citizen, you can barely get by. Caught between a rock and a hard place for sure.

Once I became familiar with the characters the pace picked up and I became immersed in the story. It’s not pretty. In fact, it’s brutal and hard to swallow at times. I still can’t get my head around a corporation as God and worshipping them as such. That’s just insane.

I’m not sure these really apply, but the movies Soylent Green and The Matrix came to mind as I read this book.

There are a few things I’d love to mention but I don’t do spoilers. What I can tell you is lots of people die in the frenzied ending. No happily ever after here, but an excellent finale, until the next book.

4 STARS

~~~~

BLURB

Most of the world’s seventeen billion people are unconscious, perpetually serving their employers as part of massive brain trusts. The ecosystem has collapsed, and corporations control all of the world’s resources and governments. A bedraggled alcoholic known as the Prophet predicts nineteen year-old waitress Eadie will lead a revolution, but how can she prevail when hunted by a giant corporation and the Federal Angels it directs?

~~~~

EXCERPT

The mist was clearing. Brian found himself standing in the street outside the bar he had entered earlier. Half a dozen battered and bleeding men stood surrounding him, and at least as many more lay on the gravel, seriously wounded or out cold.

The attack had come from somewhere in the mist, from all directions at once. His head and torso ached and throbbed. He locked his shaking knees to keep them from buckling. Every muscle in his body seemed to be lengthening, pouring downward like water. His eyelids drooped.

One of the standing men took a step toward him, fists raised. Brian tried to turn away from him, his arm flopping behind his back like a fish.

Behind his back! His eyes opened a little wider. He straightened and forced his arm to function, whipping out his revolver and aiming it around at the circle of attackers.

He tried to pull back the hammer but too many of his knuckles were broken. He ended up simply pointing it at the closest one, who backed away cautiously. Once past him, Brian walked backwards, still aiming the gun as long as he could see them. Then he turned, moving as fast as he could manage, back toward Dok’s place.

*****

Mark D. Diehl

Mark D. Diehl writes novels about power dynamics and the way people and organizations influence each other. He believes that obedience and conformity are becoming humanity’s most important survival skills, and that we are thus evolving into a corporate species.

Diehl has: been homeless in Japan, practiced law with a major multinational firm in Chicago, studied in Singapore, fled South Korea as a fugitive, and been stranded in Hong Kong.

After spending most of his youth running around with hoods and thugs, he eventually earned his doctorate in law at the University of Iowa and did graduate work in creative writing at the University of Chicago. He currently lives and writes in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

Author’s Website

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$25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card

Click on the rafflecopter below to enter.

Follow the tour for more fun posts and remember to comment. The more you comment the more chances to win!

Follow the tour by clicking on the banner below.

****

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

To see all of my giveaways click on the lucky horseshoe below!

Teaser Tuesdays #62 ~ The Cold Pools

Posted: March 25, 2014 in Dystopian, Science Fiction, Short stories and collections, Teaser Tuesdays
Tags: Chris Ward, The Cold Pools

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page.

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My Teaser for today is from The Cold Pools

by Chris Ward

13648533

Teaser #1 from

Karen reached over and touched my arm, and when I looked towards her, her smile calmed me. My own cold pool, I thought. My very own.

Teaser #2 from

…here was the only recognized place in the whole world where the air was cool, and as we finally emerged at the top of the bluff, we saw the reason why.

~~~

Synopsis

Meet me at the end of the world …

As civilization comes to an end, Lewis and Karen take their last vacation to the only cold place left on Earth, the remote resort town of Cold Pools. There, they will say goodbye …

The Cold Pools – a short story of 3,000 words, is taken from the author’s collection Ms Ito’s Bird & Other Stories.

~~~~

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

stick out tongue photo: rr-sticking-out-tongue roadrunner-stick-out-tongue.gif

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Archive for the ‘Dystopian’ Category

Author Denise R. Stephenson shares with us what drove her to write Isolation

Could this be our future? ~ Isolation by Denise R. Stephenson ! Tour Review and Two Giveaways

Progeny of Time #1 ~ The Grower’s Gift by Vanna Smythe ~ Book Blast and Giveaway

A thrilling dystopian series ~ Carrier by Anne Tibbets ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway

The Hunt For Tomorrow ~ 22 Authors. 3 Dystopian Boxed Sets. 1 Massive Giveaway Event

The Artful by Wilbert Stanton ~ Blitz Giveaway and Character Interview

The Dystopian Tour ~ A Cornucopia of Dystopia and a Huge Giveaway!

Double Cover Reveal ~ E-DAY and AleXXXa by DT Dyllin ~ OH MY!!

Presents

It’s a mad, mad, mad world ~ Seventeen by Mark D. Diehl ~ My Review and a giveaway

Teaser Tuesdays #62 ~ The Cold Pools