This prompt from December 11th was one of the creepier ones we’ve done and the image inspired such neat stories! Our winner was Katy Walker! Read her story below.

View the original photo and prompt here. The prompt reads, “It was the spookiest scene I’d ever stumbled upon. I wondered three things: how long had they been here, who had put them here, and was it too late to turn back?”

Katy Walker’s winning entry:

When I was diagnosed with Cancer, I felt the breath rush out of me. I couldn’t breathe. Of course, it was the cancer in my lungs, but it felt like hearing the ‘C’ word automatically made them function at a lower level. As I grew weaker, the dreams began. I couldn’t remember them at first, but upon awakening each time I felt as if I was destined for something different than my now familiar hospital bed. One day, my family surrounded me, eyes moist. I was dying. I closed my eyes to block out their tears. Another dream began. I was walking down a black pebbled beach towards the sound of a harp. It was the spookiest scene I’d ever stumbled upon. I wondered three things: how long had they been here, who had put them here, and was it too late to turn back? But I couldn’t stop. And I didn’t want to. Two pale figures’ appearance echoed my condition with bald heads and too-thin bodies. But they were the most beautiful people I had ever seen. One conducted the other playing the harp and both smiled at me as I took a seat. I picked up the violin laying at my feet and began to play with a smile. In the back of my mind I heard my family…”She looks so happy. Goodbye.”

One of our very favorite features on Band of Dystopian is the Writing Prompt, and many of our members love it as well! We’re a bit behind on posting winners, so we’re going to get caught up over the next few days.

This prompt was back on December 5th and we actually ruled it as a tie! Here is the original photo and prompt. The intro to the prompt read, “I couldn’t believe my eyes. And worse, no one else reacted at all. They all still saw the beautiful brunette I saw moments ago.”

Caroline Gill’s winning entry:

“Edna!” I couldn’t believe my eyes. And worse, no one else reacted at all. They all still saw the beautiful brunette I saw moments ago. “Edna!” I whispered, raising my second eyebrow.

Flustered, she quickly adjusted the force field. “We don’t have time for sloppiness!” I grumped.”Target spotted. Ahead. By the side door.” Turning her compound eyes around the restaurant, Edna focused. Then she jumped across three tables.

Loudly, I stood up and yelled, “Drinks all around!” in the most jovial manner. Commotion surrounded the bar as everyone demanded refills. Swiping one cocktail off the corner, I slurped at the sugar water with the strange cherry taste. I preferred the honest scent of latrines. Lifting my glass high, I toasted the bar, the bar owner, the patrons and the American way of life. Everyone was jovial. Everyone was laughing.

In the backcorner, Edna and the scientist grappled. Her eyes saw everything. And she had strength on her side. But the scientist was clever, far more so. From his pocket, the crazed man drew pepper spray. Full in the face, he unloaded the poison directly at Edna’s eyes.

She was down. “What a waste,” I muttered. Shouting out “Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne?”

Gathering all the tipsy people together, we proudly sang the chorus. I thanked the Gods we were hunting in Chicago. Quietly, I pushed my way to the back. Crept up on the asshole scientist and knocked him hard with my beer bottle on the back of his head. He went down. I stomped repeatedly on his neck. His brains started to stick to my boots. I guess I should have cared. He did create us.

But Edna and I, we had plans.

Author John Gregory Hancock’s winning entry: 

I couldn’t believe my eyes. And worse, no one else reacted at all. They all still saw the beautiful brunette I saw moments ago. But of course they would. It’s the way this thing works. The way it’s always worked. The way it’s always worked against me.

I’m not saying God hates me, though he very well might. I’m saying he is amused by the outrageous things that happen to me. He might even cause them directly.

At the very least, he is amused my suffering. This is my conclusion because my suffering keeps happening. If not him, then who?

So there I am, in the Electroclub that so hip no one can get in, unless they’re like me and work there, or they’re not like me and are somebody important. I work the lights. They’re in the floor and the walls, every square inch, and it requires constant maintenance. Everyone else was watching my light show in pulsing in patterns around the dance floor.

I was the only one looking directly at her when she shifted.

From a person to a thing. Alien, I think. Or maybe demonic. That would be about right. God sending a demon after me.

I waved at her, and she shyly waved back, apparently believing she still appeared human to me, like she did to everyone else.

“Hi,” she said, as if she were innocent.

“Got no time for demons,” I said. I looked up at the ceiling. “You hear me, God? I got no time!”

She started to look worried. She looked at me as if I were crazy. She was right to. God made me this crazy.

Luckily a silver knife will kill a demon. At the base of the neck.

As she died, with the techno music drowning out her words, I heard her say, “I’m your sister.”

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

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December is here and we’re excited to bring back Writing Prompt this coming Friday! Last time we played, our winner was Kathy Pepper! You can view the original image and prompt here. Read on to see Kathy’s winning story. Congratulations Kathy!

The end came with a whimper and a sneeze. As I looked over the dead city I thought of my own luck. In those first days many fell ill. It started with a cough that would not stop, a sore throat, and an inferno-like fever. I was one of the first to become ill. I brought the virus into my home.

I lay in my bed while people around me surrendered and died quietly at home.

The day I woke up, the first thing I noticed was the smell. Fetid and decay, and it came from my bed. I looked at my side. My husband’s cold body lay there. I tried to stand. My legs shook. My head hurt. My heart ached. I stumbled into the bathroom. I tried the taps. Water came out and I tried my best to wash the stench off me.

I dressed quietly, unsure what had happened. I went downstairs. Nothing stirred. I opened the cupboard door. Fresh food had gone stale. I opened a can of peaches and ate the succulent fruit, the juice sweet and reviving.

I found a newspaper. The headlines shouted of the death of the world.

I left my home with a bag on my back. So now I stand alone. Looking at a dead army camp that had been set up in the football ground. I had hoped to find survivors like me. But no.

So I shall keep walking, hoping that I am not the only one left.

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

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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

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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

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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.

BOD group member Genesis Blue won our most recent writing prompt contest and we’ve posted her story below for your enjoyment!

To view the photo and original prompt, visit this post. 

“Yeah, this place looks safe…” With the way he said it, I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but it was definitely not safe. I turned around, surveying the walls. The place was built in colonial style, like many of the houses we’d seen here in Guatemala, all the rooms opening into a central courtyard. This building, though, housed the prisoners that had been collected over the past two weeks.

“Let’s find Grant and get out of here.” I moved toward the first door. We’d taken out the guards, but there would be more coming, I was certain.

“Wait up, we don’t know who’s in these cells,” Jake trotted to catch up. “We could be letting some really nasty felons out.”

“An enemy of the government is no enemy of mine,” I said, lifting the heavy latch and throwing the first door open.

Light streamed through the door, highlighting the huddled women against the back wall. A quick glance told me that Grant wasn’t here and I moved on, leaving them to trickle out the open door like frail leaves in a breeze.

The next room held men, none of them familiar. I heard shouts in the distance. The slain guards had been discovered. “Hurry!” I called to Jake and we ran to the next room. More women. It wasn’t until the fifth door that we finally found him.

“Mama!” His voice rang through the large room, packed with children. Grant hurled himself into my arms, burrowing his face in my neck. “I knew you’d find me, Mama.”

“Hey, kiddo,” Jake ruffled our son’s blond hair. “Hon, we have to get moving. There’s an army headed this way.”

I looked at the small, dirty faces staring at me from the dimness. “We can’t leave them.”