About the Books:
Prismatic
Rare
glimpses of birds are the only reminder of the freedoms Rain Hawkins once had.
Now segregated into a mixed-race zone within the United Zones of the Authority,
under tyrannical rule of President Nicks, Rain is forced to endure the bleak
conditions set upon her. The possibility of a way out arises when Rain
discovers an organized resistance called The Freedom Front, and learns that
she, along with many other multi-racial people, has special abilities.
Determined to overcome her situation, Rain sets out on a mission with the
resistance that will fill her life with wonder, romance, and the undying hope
for a better world.
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Opalescent
Still enslaved in a mixed-race
zone within the United Zones of the Authority, Rain Hawkins is part of a secret
resistance preparing to take on the tyrannical President Nicks before plans to
kill the mixed zones across UZTA are executed. When unsettling dreams and a
mysterious voice begin to haunt the dark nights, Rain fears someone more
powerful than she has discovered the resistance and their secret abilities.
With a known Authority spy on her heels, and her boyfriend, Jabari, suddenly
acting strange, Rain doesn't know who to trust and if the voices calling to her
are friend or foe. As conditions across all of the zones get worse and the
stakes rise, Rain embarks on a quest for answers that will put the people she
cares about most in more danger or take them one step closer to the truth and
their eventual freedom.
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Chatoyant
In the wake of an interrogation
led by the UZTA's dictator, President Nicks, Rain Hawkins and her friends must
deal with the consequences of their defiance as the countdown continues towards
the execution of the mixed-zone citizens across the United Zones of The
Authority. The Freedom Front faces new challenges as Rain's cousin, Calista,
prepares for her impending relocation to the pure zone, and Rain sets out to
solve the mystery surrounding her mother's torment while being followed by an
officer of the Elizabeth Guard. As she uses her abilities to dodge The
Authority and follows the strange clues from her dreams, Rain is determined to
persevere, to secure the future she and Jabari have been fighting for, and to
earn The Freedom Front's ultimate goal of liberation.
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Nacreous
After two members of The Freedom
Front are arrested and interrogated by the UZTA’s tyrannical President Nicks,
Rain Hawkins and her friends face the alarming reality that their plans to
liberate the mixed zones across the United Zones of The Authority might not
come to fruition. While the resistance movement is growing outside the walls of
the zones, the president’s forces are strengthening and putting citizens
everywhere in more peril than ever. When Rain receives warnings that her
cousin, Calista, has agreed to support plans to kill the mixed zones, and that
her life could be on the line at the upcoming pure zone initiation ceremony,
she must decide where her loyalties lie and if all of her allies can be
trusted. As The Freedom Front use their abilities to unravel the mystery of the
ceremony, The Authority captures some of their friends, forcing TFF to either
go into hiding, or plan a rescue mission that could jeopardize everything
they’ve been fighting for.
Buy now at Amazon
Paperback I Kindle
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Excerpt from Nacreous, Harmony Run Series,
Book Four :
For
the rest of the walk I tried not to let fear creep over me, but the more I
thought about Nata coming, the harder it was. Still, Takara had said we’d be
okay. Help was on the way. I just had to believe.
We
were led down a series of hallways and through somewhat familiar doors until
finally we were pushed into a fairly large interrogation room. I recognized the
set-up from my last trip here. But this room was larger. There were chairs
lined up in a long row, twice as many chairs as there were people and a bright
solar light illuminated the chairs in an otherwise dark, concrete room. My eyes
instinctively searched the ground, checking for holes or iron bars like the
last room I’d been questioned in. Either there weren’t any holes to lock people
in here or I couldn’t find them. Part of me knew they’d be located in the dark
corners, away from the light and though it should have made me more afraid, the
hole was beginning to concern me less as I thought about the impending arrival
of Nata.
Hands
pushed me forward, and I was shoved into a metal chair. Glancing in either
direction, I noticed that Marcello was right next to me on one side, and the
crazy man was right beside him on the other side. But there were still six more
empty chairs to my right.
Before
I could wonder about the empty chairs any longer, the door opened and tension
filled me anew. Was it Nata? She was here?
Surprise
and relief replaced my tension as a tall man with light brown hair, Officer
Eric Collins, our secret ally from the Elizabeth Guard, spared me a quick
glance as he entered the room. Maybe Takara had sent him here. I closed my eyes.
“Marcello, maybe Eric is our help. He’ll
help us get out of here,” I said
excitedly.
“I’m not sure about that,” Marcello
replied.
I
opened my eyes and glanced towards Marcello, noting his alarmed expression. I
snapped my head back to the door, expecting to see Nata. Why else would
Marcello’s eyes have seemed so fearful?
But
as my eyes settled on the doorway it wasn’t our evil dictator who was entering
the room. It was a group of more prisoners, six to be exact, staggering into
the room with another Droid Dog behind them. Their mouths weren’t covered with
tape like our own, but their hands were cuffed.
The
second prisoner in line stopped dead in her tracks as our eyes met. A drumming
sound filled my ears. No. This
couldn’t be happening. It wasn’t Nata, but it was worse.
The
Authority had arrested my mom.
*Excerpt compliments of Winter Goose
Publishing*
Thanks so much
for stopping by the blog tour. If you read any of the books, I’d be flattered
if you left a review and connected with my page on Facebook, where I’ll keep
you updated on future books. J
~Sarah
About the Author:
Young-adult dystopian and women's fiction author, Sarah Elle Emm, is a native of Evansville, Indiana and graduate of The University of Evansville. She has lived in Germany, England, Mexico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and traveled extensively beyond. Sarah is the author of the Harmony Run Series, which includes PRISMATIC, OPALESCENT, CHATOYANT, and NACREOUS. She is also the author of MARRYING MISSY, a #1 Amazon Best Seller. Sarah currently resides in Florida with her family. When she's not walking the plank of her daughters' imaginary pirate ship, she is writing.
Brief synopsis of your book:
After two members of The Freedom Front are arrested and interrogated by the UZTA’s tyrannical President Nicks, Rain Hawkins and her friends face the alarming reality that their plans to liberate the mixed zones across the United Zones of The Authority might not come to fruition. While the resistance movement is growing outside the walls of the zones, the president’s forces are strengthening and putting citizens everywhere in more peril than ever. When Rain receives warnings that her cousin, Calista, has agreed to support plans to kill the mixed zones, and that her life could be on the line at the upcoming pure zone initiation ceremony, she must decide where her loyalties lie and if all of her allies can be trusted. As The Freedom Front use their abilities to unravel the mystery of the ceremony, The Authority captures some of their friends, forcing TFF to either go into hiding, or plan a rescue mission that could jeopardize everything they’ve been fighting for.
Book title: Nacreous
Current book or project you’re working on:
I am editing a suspense novel I wrote.
What moment or event sparked the inspiration for your novel?
When I was twelve-years-old and visiting Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany for the first time, the seed was planted. I remember standing in the replica bunk beds for the prisoners, the replica gas chambers and crematorium and thinking, “What was it like for the pre-teens and teenagers who were sent here? Did they have any hope? Could they have had any hope?” I went back there three times over the years, and the feeling never left me. I also visited Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin and was intrigued by the post-war oppression with the spies and all of the ways the people tried to escape the former East. I couldn’t imagine living in a place like that. Later I learned about apartheid, and of course I learned a lot about segregation in the USA, as well. So many forms of oppression because of skin color or religion influenced this series. I’ve seen prejudice and racism all around the world, in places I never would have expected it, and having a very diverse family my entire life, the issue has always hurt my heart. About five years ago, I had a dream about the Harmony Run Series and decided to write the first book, Prismatic. I knew it would have parallels to different historical events and also current issues, and that was fine with me. I just had to tell this story.
What would you say are three things that you found to be the most interesting part of writing stories about mixed-races.
1) It was interesting and still is to get emails from people who say they are multiracial and that they connected so much with the story. One reader told me she had never been able to identify with the lead character in any book she had ever read until now.
2) I found the reaction from the occasional person who said, “This book deals with racism and segregation, and those things aren’t relevant today”, very strange indeed. Ummm, okay… I wrote a series where people of various racial characteristics, if you will, work together to try to show people that it doesn’t matter what we look like on the outside, we are all just humans. Maybe stories like this wouldn’t be written now, if the whole “racism” thing were behind us.
3) I loved hearing my “multiracial” friends say, “Nice, finally a story with some multiracial people in it”.
Were there any issues you or someone you know has dealt with in real life that are brought up in your novel?
Well, I don’t know anyone who has lived in a dictatorship or a concentration camp, but I certainly used real history, from various places in the world to shape this story. And there is racism in this series, which many people I know have dealt with. I have multiracial cousins, friends, nieces, and other family who have shared experience with me as far back as I can remember. I have also witnessed some of the things that have happened to them. And finally, I have multiracial daughters, and trust me, prejudice and racism are very real, current issues. I have had people from a variety of racial backgrounds and different cultures ask me in a very hostile manner in front of my little girls, “What are they anyway?” And when I reply that I’m not sure what they mean, they have said, “What are they? Indian? Black? Mexican?” I know that not everyone who asks me that in front of them in a hostile manner means to sound so rude, but if you could see the look in their eyes. My husband and I both grew up in very multi-cultural families and we have taught our kids that it doesn’t matter what we look like, what are skin color is, or any of that. We learn about our cultural heritage to celebrate or ancestry and know where we came from, but there is so much negativity when it comes to racism and one group sticking with one group, and on and on, it is best just to love everyone. We teach our daughters that it doesn’t matter what racial box, or boxes, they check on medical or school forms. We can check boxes all day, but we’re all just people. It is how we treat each other that matters.
What if any lessons did you learn writing this book?
I learned that writing the last two books in the series was a lot more difficult than I ever would have imagined. And I am glad I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I might have chickened out in the first place!
If you could pick any famous author to review your book, who would you pick and why?
I’d say Lois Lowry because I love her dystopian series, The Giver Series. So many people are put off by the thought of dystopian. They think it sounds too out there. She wrote one of my favorite dystopian series, so I would be so flattered to have her read my series and see what she has to say.
What is probably the most difficult thing you believe people need to overcome?
I think all of us, myself included, need to figure out how to get over ourselves and put other people first.
What would you think is a wonderful blessing about being mixed-race and what would be a difficult aspect on how it affects family?
My family and friends who are multiracial seem to understand more than most people how ridiculous racism is, and that is a blessing. I think that the second part of the question depends on the specific family. Most family, regardless of their opinions on racism, prejudice, and multiracial families, can recognize the bond to their own blood. Some people are ignorant of course, and make an issue out of something that doesn’t need to be an issue. We are all just people.
Genre/Author/Reader and the process:
What genre and age group does your book fall into?
It is young-adult fantasy and dystopian. That is basically age twelve and up. However, most of my readers are adults.
Have you read any books that have inspired you to improve or change yourself in any way?
I’ve read lots of nonfiction stories from the Holocaust that have inspired me. The Upstairs Room is one example. The Bible definitely inspires me to improve myself.
Which three authors have inspired you the most, and why?
1) James Patterson- I love his suspenseful chapters.
2) Nora Roberts- She was one of the first authors I read as an adult, and she weaves such a vivid story. She inspired me to keep trying to write my own book.
3) J.K. Rowling- She inspired me because she showed how a new series for kids could be written that adults would fall in love with also.
How many books have you written?
I have written seven, and five of those have been published.
What would you tell others about acceptance and people?
I’d tell them that we are all God’s children so we should do our best to get along.
What is your favorite and least favorite part of writing dialogue?
My least favorite part is writing dialogue when there is a huge group gathered. I hate deciding who I want to have the lines in that case. My favorite is when I am writing a dialogue with maybe a smaller group, like just Rain and her friends, and seeing where they will take me. I’ll start out with a general idea about what I want to happen, but then just sort of watch as it unfolds while I am writing the scene.
Name three things that you researched for your book.
1) malnourishment
2) methods Hitler’s Nazi doctors used to torture people
3) birds of Indiana
If you were to recommend anything to someone planning on writing their first book, what would it be?
I’d say, sit down and go for it. When you want to write a book and you just keep planning and thinking about it, you end up putting it off. Just take a chance, and go for it. You’ve got nothing but time to lose.
What is the most important things you’ve learned about writing a series?
If the release date is one year between each book, like it was in my case, prepare yourself for emails and even mild threats from your readers that they are so mad they have to wait another year to find out what happens next.
What should an author who wrote their first book and then later decided to make a series, do?
I think they should try to include the most important characters in the following books and include the readers’ favorite characters as well. They should think about their end goal for the series, and plan so that each book takes you a step closer to that end goal.
What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?
I love getting to the end of a chapter. When I complete a chapter, even if it is early on in the book I am writing, I don’t care. It is just the best feeling.
When you write which do you prefer: handwritten, computer, laptop, or typewriter? Are notes, notebooks, or bulletin boards part of your process?
I have a stack of papers an inch and a half thick of handwritten notes I took while writing the Harmony Run Series. I love to take notes with pen in my notebook, but I also take notes on the computer. I write the draft on my computer. I have post it notes and pieces of paper everywhere when I am working on a book.
What are your thoughts about the decline of the printed novel?
I read both printed, paperback novels and also e-books. I prefer paperback or hardback, and I just hope that there are enough people out there who will continue to buy printed novels so we can always have them. I love the scent of the pages and the feel of the book in my hands. There have to be other people that feel the same!
Do you have any ideas for your book and Hollywood? Actors, directors, music.
The lead characters would have to be relatively unknown actors, I don’t care who the director is, and I have only two songs I would request be included in the films…Team and A World Alone by Lorde.
Which book to movie conversion is your favorite?
Twilight
What marketing strategies would you recommend to a new author?
Work with the World Literary Café, use Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and reply to emails from readers.
What do you hope readers will come away with, after reading your stories?
I hope that all of my readers will be inspired to have hope, even in dark times. And I hope that they realize that it truly doesn’t matter what our outward differences might appear to me, we are all humans, and we all matter.
What lesson do you think we can all learn about love and acceptance?
I think we all need to learn how to be more forgiving, to love and accept others who we might not feel connected to.
If you had one do over in life, what would it be?
Just one? I would have decided to take better care of my health at an earlier age.
What and who first inspired you to write?
My mom was always writing when I was little, and she truly inspired me. I wanted to write my own story, and she gladly let me borrow her typewriter…when I was only seven.
Personal info:
Favorite:
Drink – fresh made, organic green juice
Food – watermelon
Vacation – U.S. Virgin Islands
TV show – The Walking Dead
Movie – Forest Gump
Animal – dog
Sport – yoga (That counts right?)
Song – Feeling Good (Nina Simone)
Comedy – Everybody Loves Raymond
Struggle – becoming a published author
Stalk the Author:
Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon Author Page
Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon Author Page
People
occasionally ask me why I write dystopian fiction. I like writing dystopian
because it is a release of all of the crazy things running through my mind.
Dystopian allows you to explore questions like…What if the government became a
dictatorship? What if people weren’t allowed to go to school? What if teenagers
could save the world because their parents have lost hope? What if?
I
admit I have an overactive imagination. (I’ve seen every episode of The Walking
Dead, and even though I know zombies aren’t real, I still check my closets and
look under the bed for zombies after each and every episode). Anyhow, I think
my parents had a lot to do with how I write today. One of their favorite dinner
table conversations growing up was deciding which of their children, (there are
three of us), they’d pick to be stranded on the infamous deserted island with,
if they had to be stuck there with only one. They usually chose my sister
because of her internal GPS system and leadership skills. They often decided on
my brother because he has MacGyver-like qualities, and they were sure he could
build a hut out of sand or something. And they never chose me. Though they
often laughed and said they’d take me if they were interested in being
entertained.
Another
usual at our dinner table was Dad asking if the “bad guys” were to enter our
house at that exact moment, what item in the room around us could be turned
into a weapon. My siblings were very talented at this. Surprise, surprise. Me,
not so much. I usually panicked. (I’d think of a hiding place so they could do
the fighting).
Another
family favorite? Dad’s strategy talks about how when you enter a room, you
should look around immediately, assessing the situation and room for possible
exits, windows included, were any emergency to occur.
I
think my parents came by it honestly. My mom’s dad was a WWII vet who fought in
the Battle of the Bulge. He’d rush his family to the basement when it thunder
stormed, never having recovered from the war or the memories of bombs and
explosions. My dad’s parents took us on a family vacation to the Caribbean
every year, and they’d try to split up flights between my aunt and my dad’s
side, just in case there was a crash. They wanted some of the family to survive
to take care of the family business. That always freaked me out. I’d worry the
entire flight. (About not only crashing, but trying to figure out what was
wrong with my family). J
My
family always had movie night growing up. Every Sunday. We would either go see
one at the theater or rent one and watch it in our basement. The genre of
choice was always action, usually a thriller. I remember watching scenes where
someone would go outside to investigate the “strange noise” in the night, and
my family would be yelling at the screen. (If we were home. They were well
behaved in theaters. Mostly). They’d yell for the character to go back inside.
Of course, the character never would. My brother would always be the first to
point out the girl character who was going to get killed by not reacting rationally. He’d yell at the screen as
she tried to start her car but couldn’t even get the keys into the ignition
because her hands couldn’t stop shaking from fear.
I
was sitting in my driveway last week, trying to start my car. I couldn’t get
the key in properly, and I started to panic. The more I panicked, the more my
fingers fumbled and I couldn’t get my key in. I could hear my brother’s voice
in my head saying, “Hurry up, Sarah. You’re gonna die. The bad guys are going
to get you. Start the car!” After a moment, I started laughing at myself.
Eventually, I pulled it together and managed to insert the key properly to
start the car.
Anyhow…Why
do I write dystopian? I think you get the point. I guess never getting chosen
for Survival Island, never quite figuring out what to make a weapon out of, and
just those what if conversations in general really stayed with me. I promise
you right now, that if you were to go to either one of my parents’ houses or my
siblings’, you’d find emergency supplies in their basements complete with
water, food, and back up power supplies in case of an emergency. I barely have
my fridge stocked right now by the way. My plan is to head to one of their
houses when the world ends. I just hope I make it there in time…I guess it
makes sense that I never was picked for that island.
I
smile affectionately when I think of my childhood and when I think of my
family. True, they may have scarred this introvert for life, ha, ha, ha, but
they have to be credited for inspiring me to write some of the dystopian
stories I write today. Thanks so much for stopping by the blog tour. If you’d
like to risk getting inside of this head a little bit, all four books are on
sale right now for only $1.99 each on Kindle. If you read any of the books, I’d
be flattered if you left a review and connected with my page on Facebook, where
I’ll keep you updated on future books. You just never know what this dystopian
writer will come up with next.
~Sarah
How can people connect with you?
Twitter: @SarahElleEmm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Elle-Emm/146731658742629
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5354926.Sarah_Elle_Emm
Where can readers find your book?
They are available in paperback and e-books at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Sarah-Elle-Emm/e/B0063X57K6
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Sarah%20Elle%20Emm%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall
Thanks for hosting me! :)
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