The Shore of Monsters represents the first half of a two-part story. Although the ending takes the story to a satisfactory resolution, it leaves unanswered many questions - particularly about Thomas, and the origin of the plague.
I am making good progress on the sequel, having reached the halfway point of the rough draft. I expect to release it in e-book form in February. The working title is "A Descent of Darkness".
In short, the story covers the journey of Sky southward toward The Saints, perhaps the only other surviving community outside of Sky's people. However, Sky and her party soon learn that there are others, and their intentions may point the way toward human extinction. Up against monsters, new enemies, and members of her own party, Sky must find Thomas, reach The Saints, and hope that time enough remains for a final cure before the light of humanity is snuffed.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Available on Kindle: The Shore of Monsters
My new post-apocalyptic novel is now available for Kindle download on Amazon.com. I am shopping for an agent to represent the manuscript, so wish me luck!
Amazon Link: The Shore of Monsters
Summary:
A pair of woeful facts define seventeen-year-old Sky Calloway’s world. One, a horde of murderous monsters devastated humanity five generations earlier, driving the few survivors to island refuges. Two, she has never seen a grown man – only infant boys who soon disappear.
Because a monster-initiated plague kills or ruins all males in infancy, iron-willed women maintain the human race through medical means and gritty determination. The secretive and restrictive Order guards the isolated island community where Sky lives, sequestering the surviving boys while burying the painful past. When independent-minded Sky joins a perilous trek to the monster-infested shore to scavenge precious resources, she finds long craved freedom. After a horrific monster attack shatters the expedition, Sky must survive alone amongst the evil creatures that prowl the ruins. Her hopeless situation alters wildly with unexpected aid from a very astonishing source. What she initially believes to be just another monster is actually a plague-free young man – the first she has ever seen. Sky's subsequent journey leads her toward the answers to questions that have long plagued her. What are the monsters, and from where did they come? What is the Order hiding from the community? And what are the strange emotions she feels for the young man? Mystery, action, and romance abound as Sky faces the most important question of all: what makes us human?
Amazon Link: The Shore of Monsters
Summary:
A pair of woeful facts define seventeen-year-old Sky Calloway’s world. One, a horde of murderous monsters devastated humanity five generations earlier, driving the few survivors to island refuges. Two, she has never seen a grown man – only infant boys who soon disappear.
Because a monster-initiated plague kills or ruins all males in infancy, iron-willed women maintain the human race through medical means and gritty determination. The secretive and restrictive Order guards the isolated island community where Sky lives, sequestering the surviving boys while burying the painful past. When independent-minded Sky joins a perilous trek to the monster-infested shore to scavenge precious resources, she finds long craved freedom. After a horrific monster attack shatters the expedition, Sky must survive alone amongst the evil creatures that prowl the ruins. Her hopeless situation alters wildly with unexpected aid from a very astonishing source. What she initially believes to be just another monster is actually a plague-free young man – the first she has ever seen. Sky's subsequent journey leads her toward the answers to questions that have long plagued her. What are the monsters, and from where did they come? What is the Order hiding from the community? And what are the strange emotions she feels for the young man? Mystery, action, and romance abound as Sky faces the most important question of all: what makes us human?
Thursday, June 2, 2011
New Project: The Shore of Monsters
Since childhood, I have loved post-apocalyptic stories. How things fall apart has always interested me, and nothing is more dramatic than the end of the world. However, it is not the end of all things that I care about. Instead, I love to see what people do after the end of the world. How do they survive? How do they maintain hope? How do they rebuild? I love it!
Because of my love for that genre, I have always desired to write in that area. The explosion of zombie fiction (which is inherently end-of-the-world) kept me away for a while. However, the itch has become too great. In April I started a new novel that takes place 100 years after the fall of civilization. The world has been overrun by soulless monsters, and the only safety is found on islands off the coast. A community of women thrives there, hoping to outlast the creatures. The story focuses on one of the residents, 16 year old Sky Calloway. She has a lot of questions. What are the monsters? Why does nobody talk about them? Why are all of the boys born to the community ruined by plague? And what would do they look like grown up?
The story follows Sky as she joins a shore expedition to look for precious resources in a fallen city. Of course, everything goes wrong, and soon she is running for her life. Eventually she joins forces with a particular monster who is different from the rest - not evil or violent. In fact, it is more like a human than a monster. An odd attraction develops between the two, which leads them into greater peril from the monsters and the community of women alike.
I expect to finish the draft in late June, and publish by August.
Because of my love for that genre, I have always desired to write in that area. The explosion of zombie fiction (which is inherently end-of-the-world) kept me away for a while. However, the itch has become too great. In April I started a new novel that takes place 100 years after the fall of civilization. The world has been overrun by soulless monsters, and the only safety is found on islands off the coast. A community of women thrives there, hoping to outlast the creatures. The story focuses on one of the residents, 16 year old Sky Calloway. She has a lot of questions. What are the monsters? Why does nobody talk about them? Why are all of the boys born to the community ruined by plague? And what would do they look like grown up?
The story follows Sky as she joins a shore expedition to look for precious resources in a fallen city. Of course, everything goes wrong, and soon she is running for her life. Eventually she joins forces with a particular monster who is different from the rest - not evil or violent. In fact, it is more like a human than a monster. An odd attraction develops between the two, which leads them into greater peril from the monsters and the community of women alike.
I expect to finish the draft in late June, and publish by August.
Available on Kindle: Down the Dead Road
My new novel, Down the Dead Road, is now available on Kindle. This was formerly published under the title "A Gathering of Night". A new title, a new cover, and here we go.
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