It’s such an awesome opportunity to introduce to all of our BOD members the incredible authors among us! So, thank you, Drew Avera, for taking part in the BOD author spotlight interview. I’m excited for everyone to get to know you.

Thank you. I’m excited to be here and love being part of the group!

I love learning about when authors discovered they wanted to be writers. So, tell us, how or when did you know that writing was for you? What are your aspirations as a writer?

Growing up I didn’t enjoy reading, since my mother usually made it part of punishment for something. When my parents split I started getting into comic books. I watched Batman the Animated Series and the X-Men cartoon. My dad bought the comic books, provided I’d read them. He probably spent hundreds of dollars on my comic addiction. Eventually I got into reading real books. Ever since I was sixteen and read “The Incredible Hulk: What Savage Beast” by Peter David, I’ve wanted to write a book. It was a novelized version of a comic book. It took fifteen years later for me to write a book. But we can get to that later.

You’ve mentioned on BOD that you serve in the military. Can you tell us what you do, (without having to kill us) and how your current job has influenced your writing?

Absolutely, I’m an Aviation Electricians Mate First Class. Most of my career was spent working on electrical systems on the F18. It’s two parts awesome and one part anguish with deployment. I’ve seen some really cool stuff, but I’d prefer to be home with my family. My job is different now that I’m not working on Hornets any more. I don’t know how my job influences my writing, but I definitely use the personalities I’ve met in my books. But usually not in a good way. I encounter unpleasant people lol.

I love sci-fi, and I’ve noticed that your stories definitely have that feel to them. What are some of your favorite sci-fi mediums, whether books or movies, that have influenced your stories?

Like I said, I’m a huge comic book fan and I think that has influenced me most of all. If you notice, most of my books are short and there’s always some kind of action or drama happening in some way. Most comic books follow that kind of rhythm. I also love sci-fi influenced art, especially landscapes. Most are very beautifully done and I can imagine what those worlds would be like. But let’s not forget all the awesome movies coming out. It’s like a sci-fi buffet!

I totally agree. Some of the dystopian/apocalyptic sci-fi movies that are out or coming soon are incredible. Kind of along those lines, tell us a little bit about Exodus and how this story came to be.

When I turned thirty I looked at what I had accomplished on my dream list. Rock star? No. Comic book artist? Nope. Self-made millionaire? Lololololol…no. Wrote a book? Not even close.

So, with that list of potential things to accomplish I decided to focus on one. I eventually decided to write a book and began the painstaking task of writing one with pencil and paper. That was a travesty and I was ready to quit, but then I found a little something called National Novel Writing Month. I decided to give it a go as a last ditch effort. Twenty six days and fifty some odd thousand words later I was an author. What I didn’t realize was it would become an addiction. At least it’s not cocaine or heroin though, right?

As far as Exodus goes I’m not real sure where the idea came from. I was watching Falling Skies and based my character, Serus, off of the actor, Drew Roy. I guess I wanted a flawed superhero with a tortured past. Exodus is what I eventually created, lol.

I have read a couple of books lately that deal with law enforcement and government using their positions in an imbalanced way in order to achieve personal goals. Have any of the recent supposed imbalance between law enforcement and everyday civilians had an impact on the creative process of writing Exodus or any of your other books?

Truthfully I don’t like watching the news. I come up with bad enough ideas of what the future will be like without it. But I don’t live in a void and I hear about things. I think growing up in the Bible Belt and knowing about what Revelations said the future is supposed to be like, coupled with my own personal views, gives me enough to roll out about a hundred different futures without happy endings. It’s easy to see how people come to those conclusions when you look at how corrupt government is worldwide. It’s actually scary to think about.

Tell us a little bit about the other books you’ve written. Are they strictly dystopian/apocalyptic? What other projects are you working on?

Most of my books are dystopian science fiction. But I am also part of a multi-author urban fantasy series called The Twin Cities Series. We are doing a big push in February to bring in readers and recruit more authors into the series.

I’m also trying to wrap up The Dead Planet Series this year. It’s been a long road completing the series so I’m excited to have the trilogy done. After that I want to write a Batman fanfic and finish other projects.

Now tell us some fun facts about yourself. If you could write yourself as a character into any book series or movie, who would you want to be and why?

You know that meme that says to be Batman? Yeah…

That’s a pretty hard question because I’ve seen a bunch of movies with awesome characters. I think the only prerequisite is that I not die…that would suck lol.

Give us a list of things on your bucket list. What have you done already, and what do you still want to do?

I want to see the world and retire from the navy, live in the country, and be a full-time author. I’ve only seen parts of the world at this point 😉

Again Drew, thank you so much, for being a part of BOD and for sharing a little bit about yourself and your awesome stories with all of us!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Amazon

Drew Avera is an active duty navy veteran and science fiction author. After growing up in rural Mississippi, Drew joined the US Navy at the ripe old age of seventeen. It required parental consent and only ten days after high school Drew was in boot camp. It wasn’t fun, but it was a necessary obstacle that taught him how to commit and achieve something so challenging. After graduating in the summer of 2000 his career started as an aviation electrician working on F18s. Since then he has met his wife and had two awesome daughters, he’s seen the world, and he’s achieved one of the dreams he had as a kid; to be a published author.

If you’re into fast-paced, action-packed, science fiction thrillers; then look no further. Drew creates dystopian fiction for those who love post-apocalyptic worlds ruled by corrupt governments. Get your fill with science fiction thrillers with The Dead Planet Series. You can also find urban fantasy thrillers in the multi-author created titles called The Twin Cities Series. There’s a little something for everyone who enjoys speculative fiction, so have a look at Drew’s author page and pick up a few free dystopian short stories.

Thank you so much, Mara, for taking part in the BOD author spotlight interview! Our BOD family is in for a treat to get to know you.

Thank you so much for having me! I’m thrilled to be part of BOD. It’s one of my favorite places to browse on Facebook!

What was the first book you read that made you know you wanted to be a writer?

Honestly, I didn’t always know that I wanted to be a writer. I first fell in love with reading with Romeo and Juliet in middle school, but at the time my love of the characters and the story fueled my passion for acting. It’s funny, because that drive led me to write stories on my own—the kinds I would want to see. But I never called myself a writer. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-twenties that I sat down and wrote a book. That’s when I sat back and realized that I’ve kind of always been a writer, just never owned it until now. It was just something I did, something that was part of me.

Who have been your greatest inspirations for writing, and how have they helped you achieve your writing goals?

Jane Austen, as cliché as that sounds. Her story is just so amazing. A woman, in a time where women were meant to find a husband and take care of a household, who had so much passion for writing that she just had to do it, regardless of the consequences. And the stories she told still live on today, which just amazes me. On the fantasy end of things, I love Terry Goodkind and am way overdo for rereading the Sword of Truth series (and catching up now—there are more books! More Kahlan and Richard!!). His ability to build such a rich fantasy world with characters that are strong but also flawed and vulnerable just amazes me.

The Altar of Reality is the third book you’ve published and the first in a sci-fi dystopian series. Tell us a little bit about this book and where you came up with the idea.

Altar of Reality follows the story of sixteen year-old Madeline, whose epilepsy triggers an ability to slip between alternate realities. She doesn’t know she can do this, so she thinks she’s losing her mind as she flips back and forth between the life she’s always known and a reality where she finds herself in the aftermath of the Cold War turned hot.

Funnily enough, Neil Gaiman is tied to the inspiration for my book directly. A friend of mine took me to see his storytelling event when it was here in Columbia. The idea is that a group of people, along with Neil Gaiman, get up on stage and tell stories. Like sitting around a campfire. It was really amazing, but I digress. The emcee for the event told his story in bits and pieces in between the others. He spoke about his wife and their experience with her epilepsy. And at some point, he said, “What happens to her when she has a seizure? What does she see, even if she doesn’t remember it? Does she go somewhere else?” And the thought struck me: What if she went to another reality? Thus, Altar of Reality was born. I used some characters I had created when I was around 19 or so for a screenplay that I had been wanting to play with again. And then I wrote the book for NaNoWriMo, pitched it during the Twitter PitchMas event the next month, and got a contract with Curiosity Quills.

I love that you tie sci-fi with the dystopian genre. How do you think this genre is affecting the young adult writing/reading scene?

Thank you! Dystopian seems to be all the craze right now with The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and so many other huge hits out there. I think as far as genres go, the scene kind of comes and goes, so I’m not all that surprised to see dystopians as popular now. Personally, I love it. Reading is such an escape, and sometimes it is really great to read about characters who overcome the worst situations and persevere. That’s not an uncommon theme in literature, of course, but throwing in the brink of an apocalypse does tend to put things in perspective. =)

What can you tell us about what is going to happen to Madeline in the next book in the Altar of Reality series, and can you tell us if there is going to be just one obvious love interest for her? (That’s the question I really want to know.)

I can tell you that Madeline is going to be very torn in the next book. Without giving too much away, obviously she finds herself in a very difficult situation and surrounded by faces that used to give her comfort and a sense of security that are now potential threats. She doesn’t know who to trust, or if she can even trust herself. And she might be seeing that the Lord Commander isn’t as evil as she thought. It isn’t always black and white in a war or a time of struggle, and she starts to see that, which is very difficult for her. That doesn’t mean she can forgive him, though, even if she might find herself in a situation where she has to choose between playing the good dutiful would-be daughter or getting tortured.

As for the love interest, I think I wrote myself into a love triangle on accident. Austin was supposed to be a minor character, but now he has a POV in book two. But then again, Brandon will have a POV in book three. I might be just as torn as Madeline on this one. 😉

Why don’t you tell us about the other books you’ve written and do you have any other writing projects you’re working on?

My other series is a new adult fantasy series called Heirs of War. It’s very much a family driven story. The Duillaine are the ruling body of all the worlds, the four most powerful women born into the same bloodline and each representing an element. They’ve been fighting against a brewing rebellion for generations, and things are getting really bad. When the fifth is born into the next generation, it causes a ripple effect due to a prophecy about the five uniting all worlds as one. The five girls are sent away, and four are sent to our world with the protectors blood-bound to them. They don’t remember anything of this magical world or their real families. When the rebels discover them, they are forced to come back early and thrust into the middle of a world and a war they know nothing about. Zelene and Ariana are the twins, the two youngest, and they drive a lot of the story. They’ve never met and have lived very different lives—Ariana growing up in a normal and loving household (and a bit spoiled) picked out for her, and Zelene bouncing around from foster home to foster home when our laws prevent their shared protector from adopting her. Zelene is very much a solo act, so all of this is a lot to take in for her when she finds herself surrounded by relatives and people clamoring for her attention. She wants nothing to do with any of it and basically tells them all to screw themselves. But when she finds out she has a twin that has been captured… her priorities shift. She’s deadest on saving Ariana, and isn’t content to wait around for the current generation of Duillaine to get off their royal butts and do something.

The second book in the series (Heirs of War, Crown of Flames) came out in October and I’m hoping to release the third book by the end of this year. I’m also already working on book two in the Shifted Realities series, which I might call Fractured Minds. The two series keep me busy, but I have been discussing a superhero serial with a good friend of mine, so we’ll see. 😉

Now on to some fun facts about yourself. I love the idea that there are alternate realities that we could exist in. If you lived in an alternate reality, what would it be and which reality would you choose to stay in?

Definitely not the one Madeline lands herself in! I don’t know… When you hit 30, you kind of look back on your life and wonder “What if?” so I think I’d just like to skip through all of those possibilities and answer that question. What if I had moved to New York when I was younger like I always wanted to? What if I had pursued a career in acting? What if I had pursued a career in writing earlier? What if I dyed my hair blue? Those kind of things.

If there is one author or time period you could travel to for a writing conference, who or what time would it be and why?

I would want to bring Jane Austen here, really. I wouldn’t necessarily want to be a writer in her time, but I’d love to get a one on one with her. I’d love to one day attend BEA, or attend a conference with Susan Kaye Quinn. She’s such an inspiration, and always has an abundance of knowledge and experience to drop on you at any given second. (Can you tell that I Facebook stalk her from time to time? Hehe)

It’s been a pleasure to get to know your writing and getting to share your awesome talent with the members of BOD. Thank you so much for being a part of the BOD family!

Thank you ALL for being so amazing!

ALTAR OF REALITY

by Mara Valderran
Genre: young-adult, dystopian, science-fiction romance
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Date of Publication: January 22, 2015
Cover Artist: Alexandria Thompson at Gothic Fate

Sixteen year-old Madeline has struggled with epilepsy for most of her adolescent life, leaving her something of a social pariah. Things go from bad to worse when she wakes up from her first grand mal seizure in an extremely unfamiliar world but surrounded but familiar faces. Her hometown is in ruins, the aftermath of a Cold War turned hot.

Madeline isn’t sure what to believe. The brothers insist her memories must be of a dream life she created while in her coma. But when she returns to the reality she knows, they insist this war-torn world must be the dream. She doesn’t know if she’s truly caught in the middle of a brewing rebellion or teetering on the brink of insanity. As she finds herself flipping between the two lives, her heart becomes torn between two versions of the same boy and the lines between her realities begin to blur.

Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK

ABOUT MARA

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Mara Valderran is an author of young adult and new adult books, but she’s more than just a madwoman with a writing box. She is an avid reader and fan of all things sci-fi and fantasy. She loves roller skating and movies, though typically not together. She hopes to one day meet Daniel Jackson from SG1, or at least the actor who played him. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, playing video games, or counting down the days until DragonCon.

Her debut novel, HEIRS OF WAR, has been met with great reviews and was featured on Wattpad in 2013, raking in over 600k reads. The series continues with the second book, HEIRS OF WAR, CROWN OF FLAMES, released in Summer 2014. Her short story “The Austenation” will is included in the Borderlands Anthology and she is looking forward to publishing her young adult dystopian ALTAR OF REALITY with Curiosity Quills Spring 2015.

Post by Angie Taylor

Happy New Year to all our BOD members! What a fantastic year we’ve had. I’m sure the next year will prove to be even better.

As a way to celebrate this awesome group, I thought it would be fun to let everyone get to know how it all started. So please welcome Author ER Arroyo and Cheer Papworth!

Thank you so much ER and Cheer for bringing us all together. We so appreciate all you do.

Will you two tell us how your friendship started, and where you came up with the amazing idea to start BOD? What did you have to do to make it all work?

ER: Well, this might be a long answer! Cheer came across my debut novel, Sovereign, in a Goodreads giveaway and she ended up picking up the e-book and reviewing it. I can’t really remember who initiated contact with whom. At some point, she had reached out to me to let me know I had been nominated in a monthly book club which got a dialogue going between us. Her passion for getting the word out about my books was kind of magnetic so I asked her to help me start a street team. A couple months after that, I approached her about starting Band of Dystopian.

The idea for Band of Dystopian actually came about when I was promoting my second novel, The Offering. A good friend of mine (a book publicist) had told me to find a dystopian Facebook group. At the time, I couldn’t find a single one. I knew there had to be other authors like me, because I KNEW there were plenty of dystopian books out there waiting to be discovered and talked about. I needed to find my tribe, a home for authors and fans of the kinds of books that I love. Since it didn’t exist yet, Cheer and I created it.

Cheer: I feel like I have known ER for a long time, but in reality we have never met in person or even so much as had a conversation over the phone (gasp). But as ER said, we did in fact meet on Goodreads. This may be shocking to some of you, but I am always on the lookout for a great dystopian read and when I stumbled upon Sovereign I was intrigued by the blurb and immediately purchased the book and read it in one sitting.

I eventually became a moderator for the Goodreads group YA Apocalyptic and Dystopian Fiction, my primary responsibility being Book of the Month. Sovereign was nominated for BOTM and I desperately wanted it to win, so I sent her a message to make sure she was aware of the nomination and that was the beginning of an ongoing dialogue that led to friendship. When ER asked me to join her in creating BOD, I was thrilled. We jumped in with both feet and we are having a fantastic time.

BOD has grown so much over the last six months. Did you guys know this group could become what it is? What kind of goals or vision do you have for BOD, and are those goals being met?

ER: My goals, expectations, hopes – whatever – have been far exceeded. This whole endeavor has been one of those where you cross your fingers, squint your eyes at the screen, and just hope something happens. And fortunately for us, something did. The most important thing to me is that people LOVE this group. They have a good time, they feel safe talking about the stuff they love (with no one judging them), they have made friends, and they have discovered books and authors they really love.

Cheer: I know this sounds crazy, but within a few days of ER asking me to help her start BOD, we were up and running. Our only goal was to help connect fans and authors of dystopian fiction, as well as create a friendly place for people like us to interact and share. We didn’t really have a clear vision or goals; we were just flying by the seat of our pants. We sort of faked it and figured it out as we went along. With that being said, ER is the consummate professional and I have some marketing experience. So we aren’t total amateurs, but the truth is we somehow muddled through it and managed to get it right.

Since this groups is all about authors finding readers, and readers finding authors can you tell us how you fit into either category?

ER: Well, I’m an author of young adult fiction. So far I have released the majority of my Dystopian series, The Sovereign Series. The two novels that compose Sovereign Series proper are Sovereign and The Offering. There are a total of three short stories that are technically prequels to the series, but are best enjoyed after the novels. The first of the three has already been released; it’s called Transgression. I do also read books, so I fit into both categories. 🙂

Cheer: I’m an avid reader and I’ll pretty much read anything and everything. As a child, my grandmother had a beautiful set of the classics, bound in leather and untouchable. I would sneak those books off of her shelf and stay up all night reading and then return them during the early morning hours. I discovered Treasure Island, The Odyssey, and my favorite, Pride and Prejudice. I eventually got caught and was handed a box of The Bobbsey Twin Mysteries and Nancy Drew, which I enjoyed, but I longed for the big girl books. Lucky for me, the library kept me well supplied and happy.

ER, I have read all of your books. I love the world you have created in the Sovereign Series. When did you start writing these books? What did you do before you wrote, and how have your other responsibilities helped you with your creative process?

ER: I was actually in cosmetology school when I began writing Sovereign. I never intended on it becoming a novel, much less a series. I was trying to pawn it off as a short story. I’ve always been writing one thing or another. Sovereign was just my first attempt at prose. Before that I wrote scripts, before that I wrote songs, before that I wrote poetry. Always something. How have other things helped my creative process? No idea, but I can tell you motherhood has been an incredible attempt at thwarting my creativity altogether. (lol)

Are you currently writing something, and if so, can you give us a snippet of what we can expect?

ER: So the motherhood thing… yeah that’s for real. I am about a hundred times slower at churning out material. BUT like I said earlier, I am working on two short stories to complete the Sovereign Series. One is from the perspective of a Book 1 fan favorite, Titus. The middle story is from the POV of someone who might know a little something about another fan favorite, who will remain nameless for now. A snippet? Here’s a little excerpt from my WIP (not the Titus one).

Today feels special somehow. That’s how I know I need to make sure and bring my gun. When I get a funny feeling, that little uneasiness in my belly, that’s how I know – danger’s coming. While I’ve learned to expect it, I haven’t yet figured out how to avoid it, and this is no different. So I pluck a loaded clip from my suitcase before I lock the case and stash it in the top of the closet.

See, it’s never really what you think when you first get into a serious situation. Any situation really. You find yourself standing on the outside looking in and you figure, if that were me I’d do it different – do it better. Then you get involved and before you know it, you’re in too deep and you can’t go back.

Every day I wonder if I’ve done it – if I’ve crossed the line that’ll end my life. If today I’ll get somebody killed. Or if I can somehow make a difference in someone’s life before whatever it’ll be that does me in finally comes up and says, “Hello. I’m here to take you.” If I can touch just one person’s life in a profound way, then I can go quietly saying, “Yes sir, Mr. Death, hold my coat while I say goodbye to my friends.”

Cheer: Where the heck is the Titus story?

ER: **blushes**

Cheer: Wait, can I ask ER a question?

Angie: Sure…

Cheer: ER, do you have an idea for a new series after the Sovereign Series is complete? Will you continue to write dystopia or possibly try another genre? Do you have any literary goals for this year?

ER: I have a couple of unfinished manuscripts I’m eager to get back to, both in different genres. I haven’t decided yet which one I’ll get to first! One’s a YA contemporary, and the other is more along the lines of speculative fiction, there just isn’t any sci-fi like there is in Sovereign. My goals for this year are pretty much to get those short stories out and then decide which book to get back to. The content is a passion project (it’s about music) but the other is more like my current work. Tough call! I think I am done with dystopian, but probably not done with post-apocalypse.

Cheer, you and I met through Goodreads as well. We both love books. Can you tell us where your love for books and authors comes from, and how this has helped you with BOD? What are some of your additional goals as a reader? As a writer?

Cheer: I think some people are born to be readers, while others grow into it. Me? Genetically predisposed to become a reader, I’m sure of it. If someone has a question about a book, I often have the answer. I love to give book recommendations and help other book lovers find the perfect book tailored to their interests, but I also really enjoy helping talented authors promote their work.

As far as writing goes, I’m not a writer and I’m not sure I am meant to be. What I can tell you is that I have been making up characters and stories in my head since childhood and I still do it today, but isn’t that just daydreaming? A few years ago my kids begged me to write down a story I made up and I did. Yes, it is dystopian and 60k words later, I’m still at it. My kids love it, I hate it. Enough said.

Along with all the hard work you both put into BOD, what other responsibilities do you hold, and how do you balance getting everything done?

ER: I have an 18-month-old who keeps me pretty busy. I am a hairdresser but I haven’t gotten back into a salon since moving to Tennessee, so I’m not really working (in that field) for the time being. What takes up most of my time involves music. It’s a position that enables me to use my experience as a singer and musician (guitar). That’s kind of vague but I’m pretty private, so I’ll just hold on to the mystery there. 😉

Balance getting everything done? Well, I have to bounce around a lot between the tasks that are most pressing. I go to bed every night with an unfinished to-do list that I estimate will never be empty. It’s a constant effort of re-prioritizing each day or each week. Cheer and I, along with yourself (Angie), are usually able to help each other with any BOD activities or needs that could become burdensome. Yay team work!

Cheer: Life is busy as a wife, mother of three teenagers, full-time dental hygienist and an active member of my church and community. I love my life and I love BOD. I try to keep a healthy balance, but there is not enough time in the day to do everything. Angie, you are a lifesaver, ER keeps me organized, and my family encourages me in all that I do. Oh and one more thing, I don’t require a lot of sleep.

ER: #jealous — My life would be so much easier if I didn’t require much sleep!! I often think about pulling all nighters but I tucker out before too much progress has been made.

Thank you for all your hard work. We love you and so appreciate what you guys do for all the authors and fans. What can we do to help BOD this next year be the best it can be?

ER: You’re welcome! Just keep participating and making BOD such a fun place!

Cheer: I really believe that BOD will continue to grow because of the support of amazing authors and kind, enthusiastic fans, so keep it up! I see great things in BOD’s future.

ER: P.s. These ladies are amazing. I could never have done ANY of this without Cheer, and Angie brings such an incredible energy and joy to our team. Thank you both!

THE SOVEREIGN SERIES

Sovereign (Book 1) FREE – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – iBooks – more links…
The Offering (Book 2) – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – iBooks – more links…
Transgression (Short Story) – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – iBooks – more links…

Interview by Angie Taylor

Thank you, Chris Bostic, for being a part of this week’s BOD author spotlight interview. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to get to know you as a writer and fellow member.

It sure is. It’s a huge pleasure to be here. I’ve been watching the group grow from the very beginning, and it’s amazing how large BOD has become.

I’m thrilled to share a few words about me. Especially since I hate talking about myself without being prompted, so it really helps that you’re asking the questions.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, where you come from, what influences your writing, and how and when you knew you wanted to be a writer?

I was born in the suburbs of Chicago. While not completely set against the urban lifestyle, the lure of the country was much stronger. So after college in central and southern Illinois, I ended up in the suburbs of St. Louis, and I try to get away to rural Missouri as often as I can.

I’m a civil engineer by trade. I live with my wife of nearly twenty years and our three children. The kids are all spread out—from a 16 year old boy to a 4 year old daughter. There’s one more daughter midway in between. It’s sort of the perfect plan for spacing out those future college payments.

I suppose I found myself wanting to write somewhere around the third grade. I always enjoyed writing fiction, but my aptitude was math and science. And my dad was a math teacher. So a pair of engineering degrees came first, where I made it my goal to write my reports as little like a stuffy engineer as possible. Fugitives is my first published story of any kind, and I started working on it in early 2012—more than 30 years since the third grade.

Tell us about the first book in the Northwoods series, Fugitives from Northwoods.

The story is set in a not-too-distant future America. The economy has collapsed, cities have crumbled, and dictators have seized power to restore order. Think Great Depression-style New Deal gone wrong. In a corrupted take on the old Civilian Conservation Corps, teens fourteen and older are basically imprisoned in work camps to provide for the common good. Tired of their mistreatment, planning begins to break out and brave the wild.

The newly 18-year-old male lead, Penn, runs a fishing crew in the lakes of northern Minnesota. He’s about to be assigned a new adult job and split up from the others once the prime fishing season comes to a close. Despite the huge risks, he has convinced his bunkmates, and the girls in the adjacent bunkhouse, to make a risky run for north of the border.

The challenges compound as they are pursued by ruthless guards, tracking dogs, patrol boats and float planes. It’s a tight thriller story filled with loss and adversity.

Whenever I read a book where the characters spend a vast majority of the story trying to survive in the wilderness, I wonder how much of the knowledgeable survival skills come from the author’s personal experience. Can you tell us what personal training you have in regards to wilderness survival and how this helped in writing Fugitives from Northwoods?

The novel is set in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) of northeastern Minnesota. I’ve canoed there several times, most recently in 2012 with my son and others from his Boy Scout troop. The book is at least 90% geographically accurate, with only a few liberties taken to up the ante a bit.

Wilderness Survival definitely influences my writing the most. I suppose it’s the Boy Scout training, but a healthy love for the outdoors definitely factors in. There’s always some wilderness aspect in my books, and usually something that’s gone horribly wrong that makes it a survival novel. Thankfully, I’ve never had a truly awful hunting/camping trip, but it pays to Be Prepared.
 
What is your preferred genre to read? Do you have a favorite series?

It’s probably not a shocking revelation that I’m heavily into dystopian. The Hunger Games trilogy really started all that for me. I still need to get through Divergent and about a thousand other books on BOD before I claim a favorite, but I’m working my way through the list.

Most may not know that I read a fair amount of non-fiction too, which is generally war history about battles, generals, etc…

What drew you to write in the dystopian genre, and why do you think this category appeals so well to young adult readers?

I was hugely influenced by The Hunger Games. It’s really what drew me to writing. I used to read at lunch hour every day, now I mostly write. It all came about after reading THG. I read the full series once, then immediately restarted it. Made it all the way through a second time and started for a third. I couldn’t bring myself to read Mockingjay one more time. It’s my least favorite, so I took a break and decided that I ought to try to write something, which was right about the time I was researching maps and planning canoe routes for the BWCAW trip.

As for the genre, I believe most of the great dystopian books have strong Libertarian leanings. Basically, it’s the idea that not many people want to be told what to do—especially not forced to do something. I think teens can easily relate to that.

Do you write any other genres and are you currently working on anything?

So far, all I’ve managed to write are young adult adventure stories. It’s really what influences me.

I’m thrilled to announce I have a brand new adventure book coming out around the end of January 2015. It’s not dystopian, but it’s a little dark and edgy along with a hint of romance. So I invite everyone to look for Game Changer, a ‘float trip gone wrong’ book, to be released soon. It’s set in my home state of Missouri and can be thought of as a bit like Deliverance…for teens.

Also, the third book in the Northwoods Trilogy will be starting production soon. Return to Northwoods will hopefully be out in (relatively) early 2015.

In lieu of the holidays, tell us some fun holiday facts about yourself. What would be your ideal Christmas presents or vacation?

Fun facts, hmm… Uhm, so I have to tell you I’m really not that exciting. As an adult, Christmas is all about the kids now, which is nice, but different.

For the ideal part, I’d have to go with vacation over presents. Every time I’m lucky enough to have a little time off work and travel away from home, it seems like inspiration strikes. There’s something about new places that brings adventure stories to mind. Thankfully, I’ve never had any epically bad experiences like my characters always seem to be running into.

For Christmas, I’d like to go to Disneyworld. Halloween was very cool there, and I’d like to see the park lit up for Christmas. Anywhere else warm would be a close second.

Do you have a favorite tradition you look forward to at this time of year? What tradition would you like to start?

We put the tree up around Thanksgiving. Artificial. Tried a real one once and it was fine. The house didn’t burn down, and it wasn’t a big deal to get rid of it after the holiday. Life is extra busy around the holiday, so I remember it being a bit of a hassle to go cut one down and bring it back. And cold. So it was fun, but time consuming and chilly. I don’t think I’d buy one at a tree lot—not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Christmas is all about the family, so board games, playing cards, sipping a few beverages—and generally taking off the week from Christmas to New Years. I’m pretty old-fashioned, so not one to come up with new traditions. But it’s fun to think about. Let me get through this holiday, and I’ll let you know if anything comes to mind for next year.

Are you an eggnog kind of guy or an apple cider man?

I can’t say that I’m a big fan of the nog, not even with a little something extra added. I’ll have to go with apple cider, though I’d really rather warm up with a nice fire and some Wild Turkey and Sprite.

Thank you so much, Chris, for taking time to share your writing and yourself with all of us at BOD!

Thank you for the opportunity! It’s my pleasure. You all work so hard at the group keeping it fun. And tons of giveaways. I’m really happy to have found this group so long ago. Or did you guys find me? I forget. Anyway…all I know is it’s always a joy to see the latest contests or read the insanely funny comments. Keep up the great work!

ABOUT CHRIS BOSTIC

Chris Bostic is an author of young adult novels from St. Louis, Missouri. An avid outdoorsman, Chris uses his experiences to write ultra-realistic, gripping action/adventure, wilderness survival books that appeal to young and old alike.

A father of three and husband to one, Chris shares his outdoors passion with his loving wife, three wonderful children, and a Boy Scout troop. Chris’ teenage son, Jonathan, is an Eagle Scout. His red-headed middle child, Helena, has a passion for reading (and is a budding young author). His youngest child, Julia, is a very smart preschooler who is growing up too fast–but keeps him young at heart.

Somehow, between a full time job and a busy family, Chris finds time to write.

Thank you so much Ms. Kelly Van Hull for joining all of us at BOD for an author spotlight interview.  I’m very excited to pick your brain a little bit about what it’s like being a writer among your many other awesome responsibilities.  Thank you!

I feel like I should be thanking you. It doesn’t go unnoticed how much work the BOD administrators do and speaking as one of the authors, we really appreciate it. It’s a really fun way to connect with other readers and talk about all things books! So, thank you.

Kelly, when did you know you wanted to be a writer, and what made you want to write dystopian fiction?

My memories of in utero are a little fuzzy, but I’m pretty sure I had a pen and paper even back then. Who needs an umbilical cord when you have a Sharpie and some notecards? Seriously though, until the self-publishing industry took off, I didn’t even know it was a possibility. It was just something that refused to go away and it never will. I’m obsessed with words. As far as dystopian goes, I was built for it. I’ve been trying to write other stuff, but my true love is dystopian. I think it’s a smashup of all the other things I love. Survival, speculative science fiction, animals (I watch a lot of Animal Planet,) young people in coming of age situations, and best of all THE BIG RESTART BUTTON.

There are tons of biblical references to Tent City and Red River.  Can you explain where you got the idea or why you chose to put ancient prophetic writing in a futuristic setting?

People ask me this all the time and I didn’t have a good answer until the other day when I was cleaning my 6-year-old twins’ room. I was putting away their videos and I ran across the movie “The Prince of Egypt” and it hit me. That story has been living with me for years. I don’t know if I can think of anything scarier than dealing with plagues that come in one right after another with no ability to control it whatsoever. I have a bit of a soft spot for biblical stories. I really like the idea of putting them in real time, in the lives we live now.

Tell us a little bit about Dani and the dystopian world where she finds herself in Tent City and Red River.

Dani’s world is quite sheltered in the beginning, a token from her parents, but it’s unsteady and right off the bat, she finds herself dealing with stuff for the first time and being responsible for someone other than herself. The dystopian setting itself in Tent City was fun for me to write, but really the heart of the story happens between her and her little brother.

I have read a couple of dystopian stories where the characters develop some form of superhuman traits as a result of surviving a disaster, disease, etc.  What do you think draws writers and readers to create or idolize characters in fiction with advanced abilities?

Short answer: Because it’s fun.

Long answer: I can only speak for myself in saying that was integral to the story. Tent City’s advancements were the markers to figure out who belonged in the group that was essentially going to save the world. They had matching abilities, which forced them to recognize it, claim it and essentially seal the circle, which would later be symbols for a new emerging society. Boy, when I put it that way, it sure seems like there needs to be a third book.

You have mentioned on BOD that you are a runner. How much of Dani’s character traits are based on fact?  Did any other real live person inspire you to create characters in Tent City and Red River?

As far as Dani’s ability to run and the logistics of how long things would take her, it’s all very realistic, but turned up just a smidge. In today’s world, she would be a track star somewhere, if not only for her endurance. I turned it up a notch to show that she was different, but realistically it can be done. I have some experience mostly as an adult with some road race wins and a marathon under my belt. The only other thing she inherited from me was her need to be literal all the time and the inability to cope with pillows without cases and beds without sheets. Brody was built from my own children, as the twins were about that age when I wrote the story. I had never met Jack before, but he was one of the first to introduce himself to me and I stole something from my husband when figuring out who Bentley was. The one true thing about Bentley is that no matter what, he sees Dani as his constant. He might be stubborn and do things his own way, but in the end, he’s always looking out for her.

If you were to develop advanced superhuman traits or abilities, what would they be and why?

I’m not sure there is any answer other than wisdom that could lead to a happy ending, so I’m going to have to go with that. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. In fact, I’m certain there is a biblical reference to that somewhere as well.

When you’re not writing, what is the main thing that takes up your time, and how do you balance everyday life with your writing career?

Well, I have six kiddos and the last one is a baby, so there’s not much balance of anything going on, but I know I’m meant to write because I find time to advance the path even when I don’t have time and that’s really how you know you are doing what you should be. Right now, I’m focusing on craft and formulating the outline for the next book.

Are you writing anything right now, and when do you expect to be done?

Sort of, but I dare not say anything. Every time I do, I abandon the project, so I’m going to let this one simmer.

What are some fun facts about you?  Do you have a favorite series you read over and over again?  What is the worst food you’ve had to eat? What is the coolest thing/place you have seen or been to?

Fun facts? I have six kids, but have only given birth three times. Two of those little buggers I inherited when I said I do and two came storming into the world hand in hand. I have a blue uterus, as I only produce boys (thank heavens one I inherited was a girl.) I don’t usually read things over because my to-be-read list is way too long. Worst food? I’m pretty sure I accidentally ate a dog biscuit when I was younger unbeknownst until after ingestion. The coolest place I have ever been to is called Cascade Falls and it’s in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I didn’t know what to expect when we stopped on the way home from vacation, but I will never forget it. It was a scene right out of Twilight with all the native teenagers. I was expecting them to phase into werewolves at any minute. They were beautiful, kind, and generous, very welcoming to share the waterhole that was something out of a fantasy novel where there’s a natural hot tub shape with mini waterfalls, and a place to jump off the edge of the bank, which of course I did.

How cool! Thanks again, Kelly for spending time with us at BOD.  It’s so fun to have you as part of this awesome community of authors and fans. 

Thanks!

FIND KELLY VAN HULL ONLINE

Website  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

Post by Angie Taylor

Many thanks to you, Kelsey Garmendia, for spending some time with all of us at BOD to spotlight you as an author and member. It’s a privilege to share with everyone a little bit about you.

Thank you for having me here! 😀

Kelsey, on Goodreads you mentioned that Burn Our Houses Down was written as part of your participation of NaNoWriMo a couple of years ago. Was this the first time you had written a full novel, or have you been writing forever?

I’ve been writing for what seems like forever, but I mostly focus on microfiction or creative non-fiction. I started several novels, but Burn Our Houses Down (BOHD) was the first novel I was able to complete.

Burn Our Houses Down is the first apocalypse book I have read that focuses so much on how an apocalypse can happen or be perpetuated because of our perception and understanding or lack of reality. Can you tell us a little bit about how this theme came to fruition in this book?

When I write, I like to put the world we live in and the people that we know into the novel. I call myself a supernatural realism author. I believe as a society, we’re very unaware of how vast the world really is and how much we all affect one another. It seems to me that everyone lives in a comfortable bubble. When we’re inside of it, nothing can touch us. We grow our little worlds and walk among everyone else day-to-day without a second thought. In BOHD, I pop that bubble. Now, everyone and everything the characters know is shattered. I focus the storytelling on how they cope with that.

You use dreams as a means to communicate or foreshadow warning events to your characters in Burn Our Houses Down. How much do you feel our dreams play a part in our everyday decision making?

When I have a vivid dream, it’s all I can focus on throughout the day. I’ve had certain ones that steer me clear of doing things sometimes. I think a lot of people trust their dreams as much as they trust gut decisions. If your brain is telling you in your sleep that something is wrong or off, there’s a good chance that you’ll try and steer clear of whatever it may be.

One of the things I enjoyed about your book was how unpredictable it was. So on those lines, and without spoiling the plot of Burn Our Houses Down, can you tell us what a wendigo is?

There’s tons of different lore on wendigos, but I’ll keep a tad bit vague for you. They are believed to be demons that possess humans and make them crave human flesh.

What can we expect from Hayley, Xavier, and Aisley in the next book, and when we will be able to read it?

The second book in the series, If I Lose, is out and available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, the iBookstore, Kobo and Lulu.com. This book continues the story right where you left off in BOHD (I won’t give away any spoilers for you all who haven’t read it 😉 )

Painted Red, the third (and possibly final) installment is due to hit electronic shelves in early 2015!

Do you write in any other genres?

Yes, I do! I just recently released a supernatural realism novel entitled, Disenchanted. It’s about two extraordinary people being thrown into everyday life. It’s available now!

I know you recently got married. Has your real life romance played a part in writing the love story of Hayley and Xavier? Has it influenced any of your other writing?

It actually hasn’t surprisingly. Each love story is different. I believe knowing what love feels like helps big time. But with Hayley and Xavier, their entire backstory is different from mine and my husband’s. That’s what makes love so interesting. It’s unique for everyone.

If you could be mentored by any author of your choice, who would it be and why?

I would love to be mentored by Edgar Allan Poe. I know he’s long gone, but the way he compelled me to keep chugging through his stories was something that I try and recreate in all of my work. It would be amazing if I could just experience him telling and writing a story.

What is an odd, quirky detail about yourself that no one knows about until they meet you in person?

I sing covers of songs on YouTube. I have an affair with music that I don’t think I’ll ever break off.

Thank you so much, Kelsey, for taking this time to share a little bit about yourself and your writing. As a fellow BOD member, and from all of us, we wish you the best.

Thank you so much again for allowing me to be featured here! It means the world!

Burn Our Houses Down (Book 1)

Hayley and Xavier, two young adults from the small town of Pine Bush, N.Y. have been friends since childhood.

After Hayley’s twin sister dies in a car accident, Xavier is determined to get her out of her funk. They go on a camping trip that is ended abruptly by a wildfire.

When they make into the town in the valley of the Shawangunk Mountains, everyone is missing, all the food is gone and something is in the woods.

Something, not quite human, is at the top of the food chain now.

Amazon  |  Goodreads

ABOUT KELSEY

Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Blog  |  Goodreads

Kelsey D. Garmendia, 24, is an alumnus of the State University of New York at New Paltz. She obtained a Bachelors Degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. Garmendia is featured in Confettifall, Embodied Effigies, Penduline Press, The Stonesthrow Review, My Unfinished Novel, Poydras Review, and Midnight Screaming. She also has three self-published novels: Burn Our Houses Down and If I Lose are both part of a book series with the next installment to be published early in 2015 and her newest novel, Disenchanted, is a stand-alone. Besides writing, she has sports photography published on the student-run journalism site, The Little Rebellion.

Post by Angie Taylor

Thank you Allen Longstreet for taking part of this week’s BOD author spotlight interview!  It’s a great chance for all of us to peek into the mind of one of our member authors.  So, thank you!

It’s my pleasure! Usually I’m the one asking other authors questions, to try and better myself… So, this is a nice change. 🙂

Your bio mentions you’ve been writing all your life.  What is the first story you wrote, and when did you know writing was one of your passions?

When I was in second grade I wrote poems.  I tried to sell them around my neighborhood.  My teachers told me I was ahead of my classmates in writing.  I got a level 4 on the state mandated writing tests in 4th and 10th grade. The first story I wrote was called “Fantasy.” I was in 5th grade.  At the time I was into Kingdom Hearts and especially Final Fantasy X video games. I’d dream up different characters with superpowers. I loved a world where every person had a power.  I wrote “Fantasy” with an ink pen on a 180 page 5 subject notebook.  In middle school, I put it on the backburner. I still have it.  Maybe I’ll make it into a YA series someday.

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

I always reply with the same answer, and it will never change…My favorite part of being a writer is creating a world, a story, and people that didn’t exist before I made them. I also love that the written word can bring tears to a reader’s eyes.  It’s the most beautiful thing.

Rebearth is your first published book.   Can you tell us a little about it and what inspired you to write it?

Rebearth is a story about the Rebirth of Earth.  Hence the name. It follows Everett Tucker and Ellie Andrews as they struggle to survive with minimal resources after the largest solar flare to hit earth since the Carrington Event in 1859—which to this day was the biggest flare to have ever hit the Earth.  I used to be obsessed with Mexican/Central American/South American culture for a while. Especially the Mayans.  So, placing the event on Christmas Eve of 2012 felt natural.  My favorite author is Wade Davis.  He is a non-fiction author with a PhD in Ethnobotany; the scientific study of the relationships between plants and humans.  Also, my Botany teacher from high school, Mr. Campbell, gave me the inspiration to put my ideas on paper. The man changed my life, in a good way!

Many post-apocalyptic books deal with humankind searching for higher meaning and purpose in humanity when faced with destructive and uncertain futures.  Can you tell us how this idea resonates with Rebearth?

Like you said, this idea is found in many apocalyptic works, and for good reason. In Rebearth, the main characters, especially Ellie, realize that the “Old World,” as they begin to call it, isn’t coming back. During the first two days they are faced with circumstances they never even imagined having to think twice about: using the bathroom, keeping a fire burning, and conserving drinking water.  Early on, after Everett’s supply of canned goods runs out, he and Ellie go 72 hours without food.  Everett sees weakness overcoming Ellie, and he realizes the catch 22 of their new life.  They have to keep themselves nourished in order to hunt, and hunting is the only way to keep themselves nourished.  As an author, this is one of my favorite moments. In a post-apocalyptic world, everything becomes more difficult.

In the climax of the novel, Everett is faced with something he could have never imagined. How do you think this affects his agency to choose and become what he wants, and do you think this same idea pertains to humans off the page?

Yikes! Answering a question about the climax…. How can I answer this without giving the climax away?… Well, for one, the lessons that were learned throughout the novel definitely resonate with the main characters, as with the supporting characters they meet towards the end. I feel it does affect his agency to choose.  But in reality he doesn’t have a choice, because he was chosen, in a sense. The Earth is being reborn, and regardless of if he chooses to turn a blind eye or not—things will still keep moving on in the direction the climax indicates. Book 2 of the Rebearth Trilogy, Reconnect, will move into a lot more of a dystopian setting.

One of the things I really enjoyed about Rebearth was the importance of creating strong familial and friendship bonds.  Are Everett’s relationships influenced from personal experience?

Yes. I have to admit, a few of the characters are based off of real people, some of the names changed to protect the people.  As a newbie author, I thought to myself, “If I want to create vivid imagery for the reader, what better way than to base it off of some experiences and locations I know in real life.”  I wanted to give the reader the movie-reel feel as they read.  Mr. Campbell was the only character that I had permission to use his real name, including his son, Jack Campbell.  He was such a sport through the whole thing! He helped me with many of the plants I chose to use in the book. Keep in mind, every location, school, street, etc., is a real place in Hickory, North Carolina.

What can you tell us about your soon to be released book, The Gambit, and are there other projects you’re working on?

If you look up the definition of “Gambit” here is what you will find.

1)    (in chess) an opening in which a player makes a sacrifice, typically of a pawn, for the sake of some compensating advantage.

2)    device, action, or opening remark, typically one entailing a degree of risk, that is calculated to gain an advantage.

The Gambit is a Political-Thriller, but part of me wonders if I should classify it as a dystopian thriller. I had this idea as I was finishing up Rebearth of a story involving a main character who in a sense was a pawn, a sacrifice, to a more ominous plan. All I can say is I wanted to create something that was a fast paced page turner.  Something like The Bourne Series movies combined with the complexity of a Christopher Nolan film. I like my novels to come full-circle. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, unless it’s in a series.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be, why would you go there, and who would you go with?

The list is gigantic, but if I had to, I would choose to go to the Seychelles Islands; an archipelago that lies in the trade winds, perfect weather all year round and no cyclones, and some of the best beaches in the world.

Thanks again Allen for spending time with all of us at BOD!

Glad I could join!

REBEARTH

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Smashwords

Hunt, eat, starve, repeat. This is the new life of Everett Tucker, and Ellie Andrews. On Christmas Eve, a colossal X-Class solar flare larger than any in history directly hits the Earth. All technology is useless. Their parents are gone; Everett has only a shotgun and a backpack filled with survival gear to assist them. They are alone. The Western North Carolina winter is brutal, and the people cruel. Despite the hardship, there is a small flame of hope on the horizon. There is a light in the darkness. Something is changing—the Earth is being reborn.

ABOUT ALLEN LONGSTREET

Facebook  |  Website  |  Goodreads

Allen Longstreet is a fiction author who resides in Hickory, North Carolina. Now at 21, he has been writing ever since he was a child, and novels have always been the goal. With a background in Botany and Ecological sciences, he has a preference in Post-Apocalyptic and survival. Allen has a strong interest with contemporary issues and problems society faces in this day and age. He plans on writing across a broad-spectrum of fiction, creating characters and stories we all can become attached to.

Another great BOD author took the win for last week’s Writing Prompt. Check out the original photo prompt: here. 

Congratulations Hanna Elizabeth! Great job! Your story was original and clever. 

I walked into what I was hoping would be a safe haven but there was already someone inside. He looked up and pulling off his mask, said, “Well, this is awkward.”

I gawked. “But. What? What’s going on here?” I stumbled over the jumbled thoughts pouring from my mouth like water. “I don’t understand. You’re…” I broke off, my mouth hanging open. I couldn’t finish the thought.

“Yep. That’s right.”

“But how?”

“You got me. But you’re not the first to traipse through here.”

“What? There’s more?”

“You’ve seen them.”

“I don’t understand. Seen who?” Really needing for him to say the words that lodged in my head and refused to let go.

“Those people out there, you been killin. Who do you think they are?”

The horror sunk all the way to my toes, rooting me to the dirt-covered floorboards. Bending over, I dry-heaved, thankful my stomach was empty.

“Now. Now. You couldn’t have known. I mean, how could you?”

“But. You’re…” There it was again. That same damned word. The one my brain refused to acknowledge. ‘Just say it!’ I screamed at myself. But I couldn’t.

“Why don’t you sit down. You’re as white as a sheet.”

I didn’t want to sit. I wanted to run, but my traitorous body moved to the bed along the wall, my knees creaking as I sat. Cradling my head in my blood and dirt-streaked hands, I said, “I’ve killed so many.”

“There, there. We all have.”

“How’d you get here?”

“The same way as you, I reckon. I woke up this morning and the shooting had already started. I fled. Ended up here.”

Swallowing hard, I managed, “So, we’re at war with ourselves?”

“It would seem that way.”

“I don’t understand, are y’all clones?”

“Hey now, maybe you’re the clone.”

“Well, that’s insulting,” I muttered.

“I thought so,” he said.

Thank you so much, Megan, for being a part of this BOD author spotlight interview.  I feel like even though we have never met in person, I’m getting the chance to interview one of my good friends, and it’s all because of BOD, so thank you.

I feel exactly the same way about you and many of the other BOD members I’ve had the privilege to speak with both on and off the page.  One of the reasons I think BOD works so well is because it brings so many people from various walks of life and centers them around this strange bookish world, some might even say the worlds we enjoy are ‘taboo,’ we have the gore and the ghouls, and no one thinks we’re morbid or weird because we’re just like them. Authors aren’t placed on a pedestal, they are equals, they (we?) are approachable. How BOD created this unspoken equal-footing-for-all on a book-related page is revolutionary and has proven to be a major success. And FUN.

How long you have been a member of BOD, how did you hear about it, and what interested you in joining?

I was added by Cheer about 5 months ago and did a happy dance when I fully realized what the page was about. There are thousands of book pages on Facebook, mostly focused on the romance genre and its subsequent sub-genres, but never have I seen a single one for Dystopian & Apocalyptic/Post-Apoc fans. It was definitely a breath of fresh air to see an invite from a group that was unique and stayed focused on the topics of interest.

As I have interacted with you on BOD and from my reading of “The Supremacy,” I can see that you are one of those people that has such a fun and unique way of expressing yourself through words. Can you tell us how you got into writing or when you first knew you wanted to write?

I have always loved writing and creating new worlds, but I didn’t make the conscious decision to publish until I was faced with a battle I couldn’t physically fight against. When I was 21 I was diagnosed with cancer. To put it lightly, I was angry at the world. All I really had were my stories. When life became too hard to handle, I’d escape into a world that was so unlike my own that I could forget all the bad around me and live vicariously through the characters I created. All the female characters I have ever written had the strength and determination to survive what I didn’t think I had within myself, but through them, I became stronger. I write characters the way I wish to be, not how I really am.

Thank you for sharing that with us. I find it inspiring to know how your characters were created. I bet a lot of your female characters have more of you in them than you think.  So on those line, do you feel like writing is a task or a job that needs to be done, or do you get lost in the process?

Both. Strangely, I feel a duty to these characters that have presented themselves to me to get their story out. It sounds crazy when I type it like that but once I get started on a new story, or a continuation of one of my already exciting stories, I cannot stop until their story in complete. Whether good or bad, we are following someone’s journey that I don’t even know the ending until we get there.

I had such a fun time reading The Supremacy.  It was a scary thriller, and yet had gentle emotion throughout.  Can you tell us a little bit about it and where your idea originated from?

It is always hard to talk about the book without spoiling it, but I’ll try my best. The Supremacy has a very basic premise written in a very complex way. Who are we and what makes us, as humans, better than another species? There was one quote that really grabbed my attention when I first started the beginning drafts of the novel, “If you are not outraged, you are not paying attention.” Many have said The Supremacy was too gory, more like a horror novel than a dystopian novel, and that was the point. I wanted readers to be appalled by what they were reading because, even though it doesn’t happen to us (humans), every scene in the book does happen, every day, not to us, but by us.

Without ruining the book for those that haven’t read it, how would you explain what the beings are that make up The Supremacy?

Without telling exactly what Supremes are in the fictional sense, I can tell you what they are meant to represent in reality—us, humans. Are you angry yet? We are the apex species, but what if we weren’t? What if there was another species out there that was stronger, smarter, faster? What if we weren’t top of the food-chain anymore? We’ve killed entire species out of greed, what if there was a species that thought as little of us as we’ve thought of others?

What can you tell us about the sequel?  When are readers going to be able to find out what happens to Rin and those fighting for freedom from The Supremacy?

Soon! The 2nd book is titled The Keeper and is Declan’s POV from The Supremacy. The Keeper is a book that shows us who Declan really is, what motivated him to turn away from what he is and show so much compassion to a species that he was raised to believe meant as much to Supremes as cattle meant to humans. The Keeper shows us the behind-the-scenes action we missed out on in the first book, and is critical to know for the third, but it doesn’t stop where the first The Supremacy ended.

What was the first book that made you fall in love with reading?

Gosh, I’m not really sure. My parents instilled a love of reading in me from a very young age, but the first book that truly grasped my attention for more than the short time I was reading/being read to was ‘I Am the Cheese’ by Robert Cornier. It was a novel that had my head spinning from the minute I picked it up and it still never stopped. It made you think. It was one of those books that you loved to hate because the questions kept coming even after the book ended.

When you’re not writing or reading, how do you spend your time, and who do you spend it with?

I am very lucky to be blessed with an amazing, supportive family. And, for me, the question is backwards. When I’m not spending time with my family, I’m writing. I am a mom first and foremost, and when it comes to my writing, I never want my daughter to know the phrase, “Wait, I’m busy.” No fantasy world I could ever create could hold a flame to the reality that my daughter and I are able to share together.

If today was your last day on earth, how would you spend it and what would you want your legacy to be?

However the day would be spent, it would be with family. I think I’d let my daughter decide what we’d do because when the day was over, I’d be gone, but the memories would live on through her.

A legacy? I’ve never really thought about it in the large scheme of things. I am beyond grateful to be alive and try not to think about death and what I will be leaving behind. If I had to choose something to be remembered by, it would be that I loved with all I had and tried every day to remind myself that living is a gift.

ABOUT MEGAN WHITE

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Raised as a ‘Military-Brat’ I’ve had the pleasure of living in many different locals–some amazing and eye-opening, others boring and dull. Being raised in the military lifestyle gifted me the opportunity to meet people and see things I never would have otherwise.I refuse to grow up and become a boring adult. It will never happen.When not writing my stories you can probably find me advocating for Human Rights in many different venues. Some of those topics include the right to your own body, the right to love whomever you choose and the right to speak openly and freely without fear of persecution (whether that be personal or from the government).But most of all, I’m just me and it’s always hard to write a bio on myself. If there’s anything you’d like to know feel free to ask!

Post by Angie Taylor

Thank you D.L. Colon for being a part of BOD’s author spotlight interview.  It’s a fun opportunity for the members to get to know you better.

It’s a pleasure to be here.  I want the members to get to know me better.  I’d like to thank you for taking the time to interview me and for giving me this opportunity.

D.L., why don’t you tell us how long you have been interested in writing, and what first inspired you to write?

I actually never was very interested in writing. When I was younger I found it too hard to do.  But in my high school days I wrote some poems and song lyrics. I didn’t consider it writing though, it was just a hobby.  Now writing has become something I love to do.

I find it immensely daring to write a book in a language that is not your native tongue.  Can you tell us where you got the guts to pull this off, and what has helped you to accomplish this?

Growing up, I actually liked my English classes. I didn’t pay attention to most of my other classes, but I did in English. I first started The Lost City before my last year of high school.  But when my laptop broke down I forgot about.  I remembered about it when an author I liked made the suggestion I should write my own book.

The things that have helped me accomplish writing a book in English are: the US friends I have made through the internet, and most of all, my friend, Christina Escue, who is my editor.

Tell us a little about Drake in The Lost City: Drake’s Revenge, and what the story is about.

Drake’s a Hybrid born from a love that shouldn’t have happened, between an Angel and a Demon.  In The Lost City: Drake’s Revenge, he deals with the loss of his parents, and how he can grow from being a cocky ass boy who doesn’t care about anyone but himself to a man who finds purpose in life and humanity.

The Lost City reads a lot like a fantasy sci-fi book, but the fact that a war between the angels and demons causes the destruction of the world, brings an apocalyptic thread to it.  Can you tell us where this idea came from?

I used to read the Bible when I went to church, and I always liked the idea of an apocalypse. When I started writing in my high school days, and I was trying to figure out what to write about, I remembered the apocalypse parts from the Bible that I really liked.  I have always been a gamer, so I decided to put both worlds in my head and this story came to be.

A couple of your characters in The Lost City have to learn to control their powers in order to find their true potential.  Do you believe people should control their actions, or do you think their emotions should allow them to act however they want?

I believe people have the option to do what they want to do, but I also think people should take responsibility for their actions. I think control is needed, but you must find it inside yourself and not let your actions dictate what will happen to you in the next stage of your life. I have been in control of my choices most of my life, but I had to learn things in a way not many will go through. In my case, I was forced to learn in order to survive, and not because I chose to. It was my only option.

What can we expect for Drake in the future, and where do you see your writing taking you?

Well, you can expect him to go through a lot of situations.  His part is never done, just like many of the characters in my story. We are at war after all, and anything can happen when you least expect it. I hope, in the future, that I can make a movie of the book, or a game.  But mostly I hope my writing will take me to events, help me meet new people, make trips to promote my books (hopefully), and have a peaceful life.

What are some fun facts you’d like all of us at BOD to know about you as a writer?

Hmm, funny. I don’t know.  But I like Japanese music. I listen to music while writing. It helps me concentrate. I don’t like the silence in my room when I write. I sing to the Japanese songs, even though I’m pretty sure I’m messing it up. 🙂

If you weren’t pursuing writing, what other job opportunities would you like to undertake?

Actually, it wasn’t in my plans to become writer.  I have a degree in culinary arts, and I would love to put that to the test.  I will someday.

Dayron, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you better.  Thank you for sharing your time and writing with us!

The pleasure is all mine, and thank you for the opportunity. I appreciate it. I hope we can do this again in the future.

THE LOST CITY: DRAKE’S REVENGE

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Life in the World was simple. As always there was war, poverty, power struggles and a new leader for different years, until 2014. That was when the trumpets were heard.

What many thought was the coming of God was, instead, a race for survival. The heavens opened up, not to receive new souls, but it opened to release the battalions of heaven’s warriors against a known enemy, The Demons of Hell. The Demons of Hell, led by Raphael, came with one thing in mind, Total Annihilation of The Angels of Heaven. The Angels of Heaven, led by Gabriel and given free reign by God, came with one thing in mind, Total Supremacy over The Demons of Hell. Since they needed neutral ground to fight against each other they used the one available, Earth.

Humanity was pushed to the brink of destruction during the war and people with abilities came to exist in the middle of the conflict. There was a decision made by each side to use one of their Lieutenants to gather intelligence from the enemy. The Angels chose Maria Faith for this task and Hell chose Simon Black. What neither side expected was for Maria and Simon to fall for each other. Even though they kept fighting the war for their sides on Earth, they were quickly losing interest in the battle. They decided to leave the war and build a life together. Both Heaven and Hell kept watch on them but left them alone until something happened. Maria became pregnant with Simon’s son. On top of everything else, the boy was half Angel and half Demon.

Heaven and Hell couldn’t let the boy live so they plotted to kill him. Maria and Simon, who named the boy Drake Blackfaith, found out about this before the attack and they took Drake to a Guild named Never Too Late. They left Drake with the Guild and a letter, which he was to be given on his 25th birthday. The day of the attack, instead of killing Maria and Simon, Heaven captured Simon and Hell captured Maria. Both of them were to be tortured into revealing the location of Drake. Both Heaven and Hell wanted him because of a prophecy that was passed down 600 years before that says….

On the eve of his 25th year, Heaven and Hell cannot do anything except hide, his wrath and hate cannot be stopped. Both of his sides will unite, to save or destroy what’s left of Earth. Heed my warning, for it will come to pass. Nothing can stop it, it’s just a matter of time…..
Now the year is 3014 and the war still rages on. Drake is approaching his 25th birthday and this is where our story begins…

ABOUT D.L. COLON

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Hello Readers. My name isn’t really D.L. Colon, but it is a play off of my real name. I am 23 years old and live in Puerto Rico. I started writing my first novel last year and I just recently published it. For me writing was a learning experience because my first language is Spanish and even though I speak English pretty fluently, grammar is not my strong suit. It may surprise you, but until four years ago I hated reading. I found my love for reading, and my inspiration to write, when I read The Summoner by Gail Z. Martin.

I have a Culinary Arts degree, which I’m planning on using when I move to the US early next year. On an interesting note, I got the idea for my first book, The Lost City: Drake’s Revenge, from playing video games. I’m a gamer at heart, a writer by chance and a chef because it’s something I love. I’m currently writing my second novel, which is the second book in The Lost City series. I hope you all enjoy my first novel and continue on with the series when the rest are released.