Jennifer L. Oliver's Blog: Magic, Mayhem and Everything In Between, page 5

Behind the Quill with Prudence MacLeod

Welcome back to another Behind the Quill author interview! Today’s guest is the captivating Prudence MacLeod, author of over 30 novels. Her latest release is Hunter, the first book in the Corelian Guard series. I was ready to beg delighted when Prudence agreed to chat with me.

Here’s what she had to say:

Me: Okay, Prudence, you’ve walked a few different career paths in your life, and now you’re an author. When did you first know you wanted to be a writer? Or was this something has always been a part of your life?

PM: I’ve always been a storyteller. I’ve had characters in my head, telling me their adventures, as long as I can remember. And that is a very long time. Tee hee.

Prudence is in the mood for GIVEAWAYS – but only for the rest of September!
Grab your FREE copy of Hunter today by going to her Blog and getting the code!
While you’re there check out what else
she’s offering up!

Me: You’ve published over 30 books, with Hunter being your most recent. Tell us about the very first time you had a book published. What did you do? How did you feel? And was that experience any different when you published Hunter?

PM: The first one was a collection of short stories based on the Norse settlers in Greenland and Northern Newfoundland. It was absolutely thrilling. At the big celebrations of 2000CE I was at L’Anse Aux Meadows. I sold quite a few copies there and basked in my fifteen minutes of fame.

Me: What was the biggest challenge you faced while going through the self-publishing process?

PM: Promotion, there’s no doubt about it. I’m great at promoting everybody else, but not so great at blowing my own horn. Help me people, promote my books!! Oops, sorry, don’t know what came over me there…

Me: If you could be a character from one of your books for a day, which one would you be and why?

PM: Calan MacLeod from the book Calan; she is the woman I strive to be.

Me: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

PM: Oh gee, all of them for certain, but right now I’m focused on fantasy with romance worked in. I’m not really sure what to call it, but I have three series in the works on this line of thought. One is contemporary fantasy, one is Sci-fi, and the others is paranormal.

Me: What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

PM: Oh, as an author you will hear it all and it sure can get nasty at times. This means you provoked an emotion in the reader. Good stuff. I was told my work was shit and should be burned.

The best compliment? “Oh my god, you’re Prudence MacLeod, can I get your autograph? Please?”

Me: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

PM: Oh this is easy, and fun. The folks of Newfoundland (where I live) have a very distinctive dialect. I occasionally slip into that without realizing it.

Me: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

PM: Marion Zimmer Bradley and Diana Paxon come to mind as well as Terry Brooks. I found The Mists of Avalon very powerful.

Me: When you aren’t writing, what do you like to do?

PM: I have many hobbies, but reading or hanging out with friends and family top the list. An afternoon spent with friends monopolizing a coffee shop is my idea of heaven.

Me: What is your favorite food? If you cook, what type of food is your favorite and would you mind sharing a recipe?

PM: Oh, I’m a big carnivore so if you can barbeque it, I’m right there. I also love veggies stir fried in olive oil with lots of walnuts mixed in. The walnuts are like candy.

Me: Are you a pet owner? If so, what pets do you have and their names?

PM: I am an animal lover and do keep pets, always. Perhaps I should say they keep me and let me stay at their house. Right now I have four dogs, all rescues. They are Odie, Bran, Jokko, and Piper. I couldn’t manage without proper canine supervision as I write.

Me: What would you like your readers to know about your books or you in general? What do you want readers to see in your books?

PM: I want my readers to come play in my world for a while. Forget the stress, forget the to-do list, forget the darn phone; come have an adventure with me. You will have an adventure, get a smattering of my life philosophy, and you will get a happy ending because I firmly believe in them. My books may not have the best world building or most flowing descriptions, but they have people, very human people who face huge challenges and must rise to the occasion. My books are about people most of all.

Me: Tell us about your current or upcoming release. Will you have a new book coming out soon?

PM: I recently released Hunter. Hunter takes a young woman who has spent her life on the run because of a unique ability and tosses her into conflict with something very nasty. Her challenge is to overcome her natural instinct to run and hide, to embrace her uniqueness and face the danger. She gains an unpredictable and extremely dangerous ally, but will she prove worthy. Even if she does find her strength, will it be enough? Will it be in time? The book is free on my blog right now. Download it and see for yourself.

The download will make you eligible for prizes too. Check it out.

Me: What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?

PM: Never give up, never stop writing, there is an audience out there, waiting for you to share your gifts. Keep writing, and if necessary, publish it yourself.

Me: Such great advice, and so very inspiring. Thank you for being here with me today, Prudence!

Here’s a little more about Prudence MacLeod:

So, what’s my super power? I’m a storyteller, an entertainer. As you begin to read my words the stress of the day, nay, the stress of everyday begins to magically fade away. Transported into another world, your worries and troubles are forgotten for a time as you share adventures with me and my friends. My art, my power is as old as humankind, for the magic of the storyteller has ever been with us and it will always be.

I am a spiritual seeker, dog trainer, official Reiki Master and Interior designer, and personal trainer who has turned her hand to writing. I am also an avid chess player, not a great one, but an avid one. I build, I bake, I knit, and I tell stories.

I have roamed far and wide for over sixty years in this realm, and I have seen much; some I wish I had not, and a great deal that I would love to see again. Some days I feel like Bilbo Baggins, for I have been there and come back again. No, I haven’t written a book about my wanderings, but much that I have experienced, observed, learned, surmised, or imagined, is woven into the tales I have written. I do hope you enjoy them.

Wanna know more? Of course you do! So go check out her blog, Valkyrie Rising. You can also find her on Smashwords and Amazon, and don’t forget to follow her on Facebook, too!

So, what did you think? Have any more questions for Prudence MacLeod? If so, post them in the comments and I’ll see if I can get her to answer a few of them for us.

Behind the Quill with Fabio Bueno

Behind the Quill is totally rockin’ with debut authors lately! This week I’m featuring the exceptional Fabio Bueno, author of Wicked Sense. This awesome YA paranormal romance was released to the masses this week but I was able to cast a spell on Fabio to make him answer my questions – ahem – catch up with him during all the excitement.

Here’s what he had to say:

Me: Your debut novel, Wicked Sense was released Monday. How does it feel to finally have it finished and out there for the world to read? What did you do to celebrate its release?

FB: It feels great—and weird. It was my baby, and I only let a few people read it: critique partners, family, beta-readers, editors… But now the novel is out there, on its own. It feels like a having a kid leaving for college, I guess: you’re ecstatic for her, but at the same time, the little kid is no more and doesn’t belong to you anymore.

Me: What was the biggest challenge you faced while going through the self-publishing process?

Want a great weekend read? Grab your copy of Wicked Sense today! Available through Amazon and Goodreads!
Don’t forget to check out the
Goodreads giveaway (until Sep 19th). Win 1 of 5 signed copies!

 

FB: Self-publishing gives you total control. You can do everything. On the other hand, you must do everything : ) Of course, I’ve hired professional editors and designers, but I’ve decided to do other things myself, like laying out the printed book and designing the website. It’s a lot of work, a lot of fun, and a lot of research. The biggest challenge was the overwhelming amount of information I had to absorb in a relatively small period.

Me: Did your wife read Wicked Sense? Your kids? If so, what do they think about it?

FB: My kids ask me to read it all the time, but they’re too young. Wonder Wife can be a tough critic, but she loved it. I knew then that I had a winner 

Me: Tell us about the prestigious Sandy contest and what it felt like when you received word that Wicked Sense had won first place.

FB: It’s a great honor for any writer just to be among the three finalists. But when they told me my novel had been awarded first place in the YA category, it felt unreal. It was at a time that I needed a push, an incentive, and the award certainly helped me in that aspect.

Me: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

FB: A scene that takes place at Green Lake Park in Seattle is my favorite. In this scene, all the sights and sounds are, well, not fiction. I wanted to capture the exact unique flavor of the city, so I went a few times to the park and registered the people and the place. And I wrote the chapters there too. It was almost as if the characters were alive, strolling through the park. A great experience.

Me: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with in the future?

FB: Wicked Sense is the first book in the Singularity series, so I’ll be revisiting its characters and themes soon. In a new project I’d like to explore the theme of the nature of good vs. evil; what makes a person one or the other, and if those labels stick in extreme situations.

Me: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

FB: Playing hard rock really loud while writing : )

Me: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

FB: Strangely, the authors that influenced me the most are from the nineteenth century: Jules Verne (love his imagination and the way he explored the unknown) and Mark Twain (for his fine observations and sharp tongue). I try to bring these characteristic into my work, with a modern spin, of course.

Me: What is your favorite food? If you cook, what type of food is your favorite and would you mind sharing a recipe?

FB: Please don’t laugh, but I love popcorn. I’ve watched a Good Eats this year that explained the best method: use a wok pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil, popcorn, and salt, and cover it with aluminum foil. Then pop them on high heat, always shaking the wok pan so the kernels don’t burn. Perfect popcorn!

Me: I’m totally going to share this with my husband. He loves popcorn, too!

Are you a pet owner? If so, what pets do you have and their names?

FB: We have two parakeets at home: Blueberry Jell-o and Fluffy Feather. Captain America was also with us, but he decided to move away from home : (

Me: What would you like your readers to know about this book or you in general? What do you want readers to see in your books?

FB: In this book, I thought it’d be fun to give a voice to both sides of the relationship in a YA paranormal romance: Wicked Sense is told in alternate chapters between the male and female protagonists. The reader gets a glimpse of the male dynamics as well, which is an aspect seldom explored in the paranormal genre.

Me: Tell us about your current or upcoming release. Will you have a new book coming out soon?

FB: I’m currently working on a sequel for Wicked Sense. Another project is a darker YA novel with an original premise.

Me: What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?

FB: This is going to sound very cliché, but here it is: read and write. A lot. Sorry, but there’s no secret. It’s just “read, write, repeat.” If you’re starting, you’ll get better. If you’re already good, you’ll get even better! Grow at your own pace; don’t worry about time or other writers. When you’re ready, you’ll know (and you’ll keep reading and writing, like all writers .

Me: Excellent advice, Fabio! I’m excited to hear that you’re working on a sequel to Wicked Sense and you’ve already piqued my interest with the dark YA novel as well. Thank you so much for letting me steal some of your time!

For all you YA lovers, don’t forget to check out the Goodreads giveaway (until Sep 19th). Win 1 of 5 signed copies!

Here’s the blurb for Fabio’s debut novel, Wicked Sense:

Witches inhabit our world, organized in covens and hiding behind a shroud of secrecy—the Veil.

Skye’s London coven sends her to Seattle’s Greenwood High to find the Singularity, an unusually gifted witch who may break the Veil and trigger a dangerous new era of witch-hunting. Things get complicated when Skye meets a charming new classmate, Drake. Skye’s job becomes even trickier when she clashes with Jane, an intimidating rival witch.

Drake falls for the mysterious Skye, but odd accidents, potion mix-ups, and the occasional brush with death kind of get in the way of romance. Once he discovers Skye is a witch, he goes to war for her, even though his only weapons are a nice set of abs and a sharp sense of humor.

Fighting off wicked Jane and the other dark forces hell-bent on seizing the Singularity’s immense power, Skye and Drake will risk everything to save the covens.

Going on a date has never been harder.

Here’s a little more about Fabio:

Young Adult writer, book lover, SCBWIer, family man, gamer, runner, sports fan, movie snob, coffee drinker, blogger, geek, engineer, x-men hopeful, daydreamer. I live near sunny Seattle, WA.

Want to know more? Of course you do! So go check out Fabio’s website here, follow him on Goodreads and Facebook, too!

 

So, what did you think? Have any more questions for Fabio Bueno? If so, post them in the comments and I’ll see if I can get him answer a few of them for us.

The Next Big Thing

A few weeks ago, the lovely Debra Kristi tagged me in her post about The Next Big Thing.

Does this mean I’m writing the next huge, blockbuster novel? One can only hope this will be the case, but most likely it will just be a good book. Or at least that’s the goal anyway. But hey, if the fates want to be kind, I’ll accept blockbuster novel status. No problems!

Anyway, back to reality.

So what is this thing I got tagged in? Well, its sort of like an interview, where tagged authors get to answer 10 questions about one of their works-in-progress or WIPs.  I should have posted sooner, but I couldn’t decide which WIP to talk about. I’m bouncing between three of them lately, and they all excited me.

So after a coin toss (or two, or three) I finally chose one. So here’s my 10 questions and the answers. Hope you enjoy!

What is the working title of your book?

Retribution

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It came from the “protective mom” side of me. I was shopping one day and say a poster for a missing child. I felt so bad for the parents because most of those children aren’t found alive, and from that point I thought about how I would have handled the situation if someone had killed one of my girls. There’s no doubt I would do anything I could to find the person responsible. And then I had to wonder what I would do if I found them? Would I turn them over to law enforcement? Would I take the law into my own hands? Just how far would I, or any loving parent, go to make sure justice was served? I’d like to think I’d do the right thing but if I were filled with grief and rage, would my perception of “the right thing” be skewed?

What genre does your book fall under?

Paranormal thriller

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

OH, wow, this is a tough one.

After seeing Anne Hathaway’s performance as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, I think she could pull off my protagonist, Allie, with no problem. I could totally see Tom Hardy as Jack, and Channing Tatum would work as Brad. Yep, sexy dangerous men – gotta love that combination!

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Fighting to prove her sanity, a regional federal investigator of paranormal crimes must delve into the world of dark magic to find her daughter’s killer.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I plan on self-publishing. Though, I’d seriously consider representation if approached, I’m not actively out there seeking it right now.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

So far I’m about 20% of the way through and I’ve been working on it for a month.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Another tough question! I’m terrible at comparisons like this. I think I’ll have to wait until the manuscript is finished and then decide.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I write because I love to create characters and hear the stories they have to tell. I find inspiration for that all around me. Just the slightest comment or interesting person can trigger a “what if” thought that could turn into a book.

What else about your book might piqué the reader’s interest?

For me, writing this is challenging and fun. Its taking me into new depths of the human psyche I’ve never examined and into darker territory. I’ve always tended to walk the fine-line with my characters being inherently good or bad with an occasional slip up but never really crossing over. I think this time I dive head on into that gray area where motives and intentions are twisted and complex.

That was fun! I know I’m supposed to tag other people now, but I think I’m going to break the rules. I love hearing about what everyone is working on these days. How about anyone working on a WIP pick one question above and answer it in the comments? And if you aren’t a writer, then tell me about the characters in your favorite novel and what you like about them. Come on, peeps, don’t be shy. Share with me!

Behind the Quill with Myndi Shafer

I have a treat for you on Behind the Quill today! No, it’s not chocolate, but close. It’s an interview with the spectacular , Myndi Shafer, author of Shrilugh. Not only does this woman know how to write a darn good novel, but she’s also a wife, a mother of FOUR little Shafer people, and she maintains a rocking blog. I was totally prepared to sneak over to Kansas and kidnap her for just a little while to find out how she does it all without the help of a clone excited when she agreed to chat with me.

Here’s what she had to say:

Me: Let me just start out by saying I absolutely adore your blog. Where do you come up with your content and ideas for posts?

MS: Aw, thanks! Everyday life is the best inspiration! Every now and then I’ll get stuck and have to troll the web for ideas, but I try to stick to stuff that comes naturally. I always want my blog to feel comfy, like having iced tea on the front porch with an old friend.

Me: It does feel just like that! Do you enjoy blogging as much as writing your novels?

MS: *squinches nose* Not as much, no. I do enjoy blogging, but it’s different than writing a novel. I get to escape when I’m writing a novel. Since my blogs are almost always about some aspect of my life, I don’t get that euphoric ‘gee-I’ve-just-been-to-another-world’ high. BUT, I love, love, love interacting with people on my blog. Since I’m a SAHM I don’t get a whole lot of grown-up interaction, and blogging has really helped to fill a need there.

Grab your copy of this great novel today! Available at Amazon, iTunes, and Smashwords.

Me: How does it feel now that Shrilugh has been released into the world? What did you do and/or think when you finally hit submit? Did you and the Hubster celebrate?

MS: It’s been a roller-coaster ride. One minute I’m giddy with happiness, the next I’m a nervous wreck. I’ve been really blessed with some fabulous reviews, and the support system of WANA, though. I can honestly say that taking Kristen Lamb’s blogging class changed my life, big time. I don’t think I’d ever have had guts to put Shrilugh out there independently if it hadn’t been for the community of supportive artists I met through that class.

I’m pretty low-maintenance, so the celebrating will be simple. Dinner out is plenty good for me!

Me: What was the biggest challenge you faced while going through the self-publishing process?

MS: SELF DOUBT. Oh my goodness. Those wicked voices in my head that say “This isn’t good enough” “You’re not good enough” “Who do you think you are, trying to write a novel?” “You’ve queried this book nearly a hundred times and you think indie publishing is going to have any different results??” Self doubt is a killer. Thankfully the Hubster is my voice of reason. He’s my bedrock when I get shaky, which is a whole lot of the time.

Me: If your book was made into a movie, who do you picture playing each characters’ part?

MS: Oh gosh, I’m so bad at this! Do you have any suggestions? I love hearing how readers see my characters! Seriously, help me out!

Me: I don’t have any suggestions of my own, but I’m all about the ideas on your Pinterest board – Shrilugh – As You See It. There’s a couple of hotties up there that could totally work for Brig. And Rein. And Sovereign, and… well you get my point. *fanning myself*

Where was I again? OH, yes the interview…

What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

MS: I really enjoyed writing the Sovereign. He’s the kind of bad guy you can really dig your fingers into and hate, and I kinda got a high writing that. I’m so excited to show more of his true colors in the next book. The dude’s a total creep. And lots of fun to write.

Me: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with in the future?

MS: Yes. There are certain characters that we will definitely come back to in the next book (and it’s gonna be sooooo good), and the subsequent books (right now it’s looking as if there will be three more) all loosely follow the theme of revenge vs. justice, and the idea that history repeats itself (hence the poem at the start of the book).

Me: What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

MS: Besides the tin-foil hat I wear to keep the aliens from reading my brain waves, I’m not really very quirky. *snort* No, seriously, I’m such a boring writer. Give me coffee and some quiet, and I’m good to go. I do, however, enjoy smoking a stogie with the Hubster after a productive day of writing. He lets me run my ideas by him and tells me how brilliant I am. It’s a pretty good gig.

Me: When you aren’t writing, what do you like to do?

MS: I read. And read. And read. Anything I can get my hands on. I also play piano and write music. It’s therapeutic. Usually, though, my free time is taken up by the kiddos and housework and cooking.

Me: Speaking of music, tell me who is your favorite musician and/or favorite song?

MS: Oh, gosh, that can vary on any given day. When I was writing Shrilugh I listened to a lot of Punch Brothers and Mumford and Sons and Nickel Creek. Their song Green and Grey is the reason I went with green and silver for eye colors (don’t ask me why – the song doesn’t have anything to do with eyes at all). And I’m totally in love with Avett Brothers. And the Black Keys. They are just straight up, flat out cool.

Me: Are you a pet owner? If so, what pets do you have and their names?

MS: We have a geriatric Golden Retriever named GinnySue. She’s such a sweet old soul. We also have a Budgie named Odysseus. Silly little bird’s got more personality in his tail feathers than most people have in their entire being.

Me: What would you like your readers to know about this book or you in general? What do you want readers to see in your books?

MS: My biggest hope with my work is that I would write books that allow a person to escape for awhile. That’s what I love most about reading, and that’s what I most want to give to my readers.

Me: Tell us about your current or upcoming release. The sequel to Shrilugh is coming out soon, right?

MS: Yep! The sequel to Shrilugh is called The Darkening, and I’m planning on releasing it toward the end of October. I’m so excited!

Me: What is one piece of advice you would give to aspiring authors?

MS: Work hard. Even when you don’t feel like it, write. Even when you don’t feel like it, read. Don’t try to conform yourself to someone else’s way of doing things – find what works for you and go with it. Keep your ears open to criticism, but don’t live and breathe by someone else’s word. If a critique doesn’t ring true, toss it. If it does, be brave enough to fix it. Don’t be afraid to stand up for your work.

Me: Awesome advice, Myndi. Thank you so much for taking time out to chat with me today. I can’t wait to read The Darkening!

Here’s a little more about Myndi:

Hi!  I’m Myndi.  Easy-going, happy-go-lucky me.  I am wife to the Hubster, momma to four fabulous kiddos.  I dig them all, a lot.  I also dig music, reading, art, and things that make me laugh.  I also like cheering people on and am a firm believer in doing whatchya love doing.

My first book, SHRILUGH, was recently published. If you’re curious about it, check it out here.

 

Want to know more about Myndi? Check out her blog: Myndi Shafer, Blogging Barefoot, or you can catch her on Twitter or her Facebook author page.

So, what did you think? Any ideas on how to help Myndi pick a celebrity to portray her characters? Have other questions for Myndi Shafer? If so, post them in the comments and I’ll see if I can get her answer a few of them for us.

Kennan’s Diary

As promised, I’m posting the first installment of Kennan’s Diary today.

*swallows lump in throat*

I’m so nervous. I’ve gone over this a zillion times but I’m sure I’ve missed glaring typos and grammatical errors. That’s what nerves do to you… they make you blind! Or something like that. Anyways, I hope you like it and as always, feedback is most welcome!

Without further adieu…

 

***********************************************

Kennan’s Diary

Dear Diary:

I’m writing this so that years from now, when the pieces of our world have been put back together, people will know what happened. They will know what we had to go through just to survive.

My name is Kennan O’Malley. I’m fifteen years old, and I live in a compound that my Dad built to keep us safe. I’m not even sure what day it is anymore. I just know that it feels like it’s been a long time since my life was normal.

I used to be a sophomore in high school, an honor roll student. I had dreams of going to some big college in New York and being a famous fashion designer. I was popular, too. I had lots of friends, and I was a cheerleader. Not to mention, I had a boyfriend, Evan Mason. Well, he wasn’t my boyfriend yet. I mean, we talked all the time and hung out practically every day. Everyone knew it was just a matter of time before he asked me out.

But none of that matters now.

I won’t be cheering. I won’t be going to college. And I won’t ever know what it’s like to be Evan’s girlfriend. Because none of that exists anymore. That was my old life. And it’s gone.

I suppose I should start at the beginning, so you’ll understand.

Everybody thought my Dad was crazy, especially me. He kept duffel bags full of guns, ammo, and food supplies in our hall closet. He insisted on teaching me and my brother, Donovan, how to shoot. At first I thought it was cool. I mean, how many girls do you know that can handle a 30-30 lever-action rifle?

Then he started taking us hunting and fishing with him. Every. Weekend.

The first few times were okay. I thought it was just his way of bonding, you know? That it was some parental phase he was going through and he’d get over it soon enough. But then it got annoying.

It was all he wanted to do. When we weren’t hunting, he made us practice with targets. And he always nagged me about shooting at an animal when I was hunting and not just playing around.

He didn’t get that I didn’t want to shoot Bambi, or Thumper, or any of his freaking friends! And I certainly didn’t want to clean or dress them or whatever you call it. (EW, EW, EWW!) I tried to tell him I didn’t need to know how to do that stuff because I was going to be a fashion designer. Designers make clothes, they don’t hunt their own food. But he wouldn’t listen. He said it was important for me to know how to take care of myself when the time came.

I kinda felt sorry for him. Even his friends joked about him. They laughed at him and told him how he used to be cool but now he was just some old, country redneck. They called him a survivalist and said he was preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse or something. He didn’t even deny it. He just laughed and shook his head.

Turns out my Dad wasn’t crazy. Somehow, he knew the world was going to fall apart and he did what he had to in order to protect his family. And all those people who used to laugh at my Dad, they’re probably all dead by now. But it wasn’t zombies that destroyed the world. It was a monster far worse than that. It was us.

Humans.

I don’t know how it happened or why. I never understood all that economics and government crap. I never paid attention to politics. I’m a teenage girl; there are so many other things to worry about than who’s running for president, or mayor, or whatever, you know?

But then things started happening. Weird things. Bad things.

Like this kid, John, that I went to school with; his Dad shot the principal because they wouldn’t let John have free lunch anymore. See, awhile back, John’s mom died from the flu. They didn’t have insurance because they couldn’t afford it. Then his dad lost his job and the bank took their house. They’d been living on the street for the last seven months. There wasn’t a soup kitchen in town any more, it closed down because it couldn’t get the funds to operate. So the only food John got was from school. I heard he used to bring leftovers home for his dad.

But then the school’s policy on free lunches changed because of some law the government passed. It said that every child had to “earn the privilege of education.” Fees had to be paid for classes, books, and even lunches, or you couldn’t go. The school hired as many kids they could, but there weren’t enough jobs for everyone. Parents had to pay the rest. John’s dad couldn’t afford to pay, so I guess he kind of went crazy.

The whole thing happened right in front of me. I was standing at my locker joking around with some of the other cheerleaders about our game later that night, when suddenly we heard someone arguing and yelling. I turned around to see what was going on.

John’s dad was all up in Principal Johnson’s face, pointing and shaking his fists in the air. The principal kept trying to calm him down but the guy kept getting louder. Then John’s dad pulled this gun from his jacket. The shot echoed down the hall and the principal fell to the floor. Kids started screaming and running all around. Blood went everywhere. It was all over my clothes, in my hair.

I just stood there, staring at Principal Johnson’s body on the floor. It was horrible. It wasn’t even the principal’s fault John couldn’t eat lunch, but he was killed because of it. I still get nightmares sometimes.

After that Mom and Dad agreed that my brother, Donovan, and I should be pulled out and home-schooled. It’s the only thing my parents have agreed on since they got divorced. Figures.

Of course, they argued for weeks about who we would live with and who would actually be teaching us. Eventually my Dad won out. He always does.

Apparently, both my parents only went to high school. (I so wish I’d known that when they were fussing about grades and getting into college!) Since my step-mom, Michelle, had the highest level of education, that won her the grand prize of being our teacher. Yay for her. So that meant we had to live with Dad and Michelle. Mom was pissed, but she went along with it.

Not long after that robberies started happening around town. Dad said that there weren’t many jobs any more and that’s what caused the “home invasions”, as he called them. Thieves just barged into people’s homes and took what they wanted. Sometimes it was jewelry or money, sometimes it was just food. People started boarding up their houses and buying dogs, fences, guns, whatever they could use to protect themselves.

Then gangs started coming in from the city. They’d paint graffiti signs on the sides of buildings and in the streets so you could tell whose territory you were in. Michelle wouldn’t let me or Donovan out of the house alone because the next door neighbor’s kid got recruited into one of the gangs. She said she saw his tattoos and that the number of marks on his face represented the amount of people he’d killed. That kid was younger than I am, and he had four marks.

Dad said stuff like this had been happening in a lot of major cities, all over the country, and that it must have finally filtered down to our small town. The police called in the national guard to help out. But instead of helping patrol, they took control. Dad called it Martial Law.

The National Guard put up a fence around the downtown area. They said it was to protect the citizens. Dad said it was really their way of controlling the citizens. He said it’s easier to keep an eye on people when you know where they are all the time.

Curfews were established and everyone had to get this badge made with our fingerprints and stuff. If you didn’t have a badge, you weren’t allowed inside the gate. Guards were posted everywhere and trespassers were shot on sight. No one was allowed to leave, unless it was for good. Once you made that decision, you couldn’t come back. Dad said things were only going to get worse. So he moved us here, to the compound. That was two days ago.

But it was only yesterday when we learned about the bombs.

We’d been unloading furniture and boxes from the truck all day. I can’t be sure, but I think pulled every muscle in my entire body. It hurt to move. I was so tired all I wanted to do was sleep, but Dad insisted we sit down and eat dinner like a family. Michelle had cooked for us. She never cooked, so I’m sure it probably sucked but I was really too tired to care.

Dad made us listen to the radio while we ate. He said it’s the only way we would really know what’s going on “out there.” He made it sound like we were in our own little world or something. Which come to think of it, wasn’t far off since he confiscated our cell phones when we got here. Not to mention, there’s no cable or internet service way out here in the middle of God knows where. He said it was a good thing to live off the grid. I just rolled my eyes. Dad can be a bit melodramatic sometimes.

But when he turned on the radio there was nothing but static. Every station had gone off the air. Dad looked at Michelle and I knew that there was something wrong.

He ran into the office where he had set up his own radio equipment and started fiddling with buttons. I kept asking what was wrong but he just yelled at me to be quiet. Donovan and I stood in the doorway and watched. Michelle came up behind us and put her hand on my shoulder. She and I have never been that close but I remember thinking that I was really glad she was there.

Finally, Dad found someone talking. The guy said there were huge explosions in a bunch of major cities. No one knew what was really going on. Rumors of terrorists and invasions couldn’t be confirmed. There was mass chaos everywhere. He said a bunch of other stuff that I didn’t understand. And then he said something that I’ll never forget as long as I live.

He said, “What the hell? The ground just shook, like there was an earthquake or something. I’m gonna look to see – looks like another explosion. Wait, what’s that? Oh God! No! It can’t be… I don’t know if anyone can hear me, but if you’re anywhere near the Atlanta, Ga. area, please, please get to safety immediately.” And then there was nothing.

Nobody said a word. We just stood there. I think we were all in shock.

Donovan started asking questions and I just looked at my Dad. I’d never seen my Dad scared of anything before. But right then, with his face so pale and his lips thinned in a small line, I knew that whatever was going on, it was something awful.

Every thing’s kind of a blur after that. We grabbed as much stuff as we could and boarded up a bunch of windows. Then Dad led us down this endless flight of stairs. My legs screamed at me because of all the moving I’d done earlier. Why he made the basement so far underground is beyond me.

But it wasn’t really a basement. It was more like some underground shelter. He said we only had to stay down here for a few days, just in case there was some type of fallout from all the bombs. So, that’s where I am right now, sitting in the shelter my Dad built under the compound that’s supposed to be my new home.

I don’t even know what to think right now. Its like none of this is real. I mean I feel like, I don’t know, like I’m stuck in some kind of warped nightmare or something. Like I’m gonna wake up any minute and everything will be back to normal.

But that’s not going to happen. Its never going to be like it was before. Never.

My brother said to try to pretend we’re camping and it wouldn’t feel so weird. But I can’t. When we go camping we use a tent or a cabin that has windows. We don’t stay in some cinder block room with a steel door.

I’m trying to be strong, but I can’t help wondering what happened to Mom. Is she okay? Is she even still alive? And what about all my friends? Did any of them make it? What about Evan? Will I ever see him again? And all those people out there that didn’t have a shelter to go to, what happened to them? What’s the world going to be like now? How are we going to live?

Dad says we’ll be fine. He doesn’t know if Mom made it or not, but he said he’s been preparing for something like this for a long time and that she knows where this place is. So if she’s alive, he knows she’ll find a way to get here. We just have to hope for the best.

He says the food and supplies we have won’t last forever, so we will have to learn to live off the land. And that people are going to find us here eventually. That they’re going to want what we have, our food, our shelter, our supplies. But we can only help so many without endangering ourselves. And when we starting telling people we can’t help them, then that’s when we’ll need to know how to protect ourselves. Because that’s when it will really get bad.