VBT – THE ABDICATION
The Abdication
by Justin Newland
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GENRE: Supernatural Thriller
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BLURB:
The town of Unity sits perched on the edge of a yawning ravine where, long ago, a charisma of angels provided spiritual succour to a fledgeling human race. Then mankind was granted the gift of free will and had to find its own way, albeit with the guidance of the angels. The people’s first conscious act was to make an exodus from Unity – they built a rope bridge across the ravine and founded the town of Topeth. For a time, the union between the people of Topeth and the angels of Unity was one of mutual benefit. After that early spring advance, there had been a torrid decline in which mankind’s development resembled a crumpled, fading autumnal leaf.
Following the promptings of an inner voice, Tula, a young woman from the city, trudges into Topeth. Her quest is to abide with the angels and thereby discover the right and proper exercise of free will. To do that, she has to cross the bridge – and overcome her vertigo.
Topeth is in upheaval; the townsfolk blame the death of a child on dust from the nearby copper mines. The priests have convinced them that a horde of devils have thrown the angels out of Unity and now occupy the bridge, possessing anyone who trespasses on it. Then there’s the heinous Temple of Moloch!
The Abdication is the story of Tula’s endeavour to step upon the path of a destiny far greater than she could ever have imagined.
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EXCERPT
The Devils’ Bridge
A narrow path snaking down the steep slope linked the town to the bridge. Fearing the guards’ return, she hurried along the winding, uneven path. It was fine for mountain goats, but with her bad ankle and her walking stick, she was nowhere near as fleet of foot as they.
The bridge had a quietening effect, like a warm homecoming after a long absence. Ever since she had heard about the abandoned town of Unity, she had wanted to visit the place for herself. Within touching distance, she felt a keen sense of belonging, even though she had never been near it – until now.
A solitary wicker lantern sat in a cradle, shedding a pale light over a crescent-shaped area covered in flagstones that had been carved out of the side of the mountain. In the middle of it were the bridge pillars and a small wooden shack.
The bridge itself was a slender rope structure slung across the open chasm. Narrow matting formed the bridge deck wide enough for one person to cross. At least there were hand ropes. At the Topeth end, it was attached to two thick, green-coloured pillars. Fingers of mist rose out of the ravine, obscuring the Unity end of the bridge. The structure reminded her of a long, thin hammock tied between two pairs of massive tree trunks.
By the bridge entrance was a large sign:
‘THE DEVILS’ BRIDGE.
DO NOT CROSS.
IGNORE THIS WARNING AT YOUR PERIL.’
It was true. She had heard rumours about the bridge, about how predatory devils prowled the dip in the centre of the rope bridge. It was forbidden to cross it.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers – that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.
His Books
The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of Ancient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind. ISBN 9781789014860.
“The novel is creative, sophisticated, and downright brilliant! I couldn’t ask more of an Egyptian-esque book!” – Lauren, Books Beyond the Story.
The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times. ISBN 9781789015829.
“The author is an excellent storyteller.” – British Fantasy Society.
Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution. ISBN 9781838591885.
“The novel explores the themes of belonging, outsiders… religion and war… filtered through the lens of the other-worldly.” – A. Deane, Page Farer Book Blog.
His latest, The Abdication (July, 2021), is a suspense thriller, a journey of destiny, wisdom and self-discovery. ISBN 9781800463950.
“In Topeth, Tula confronts the truth, her faith in herself, faith in a higher purpose, and ultimately, what it means to abdicate that faith.” – V. Triola, Coast to Coast.
https://www.facebook.com/justin.newland.author/
https://www.instagram.com/drjustinnewland/
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Abdication-Justin-Newland/dp/1800463952
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Justin Newland will be awarding a Paperback copy of the book (International giveaway) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Enter to win a copy of the book – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Q & A With ….
Tell us about you as a person.
I was born three days before the end of the year. That makes me a Capricorn. We’re a strange hybrid of half-fish, half-goat. I mean, who would want to be one of those? Capricorns don’t tend to get invited to parties because a. The hosts don’t know whether to feed us plankton or tufts of grass and b. We’re boring, practical people, plodders who just work, work, work. You could either end up with a nasty kettle of fish like Al Capone or Howard Shipman or, better still, a person with deep religious and spiritual views such as Martin Luther King or Jesus Christ. You’ll be relieved to hear I’m more inclined towards the religious/spiritual Capricorn spectrum.
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
He may not be alive today, but I’d like to go back in time, and into the mists of history to hang out with my famous person. I’d return to the First Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, the setting for my debut novel, The Genes of Isis.
I’d hang out with King Zoser. I’d ask him how was life in those long distant days, when there were Kings of Egypt, and not Pharaohs. I’d ask him about all the things that were formed in those days, that now govern our lives today.
What’s the story behind your latest book?
The Abdication is a departure from my normal genre. The previous three novels were all based in historical or semi-historical settings, but this wasn’t the case with The Abdication.
The premise of the novel is set out in the preface, which is as follows:
“When a man loses his way, he feels desperate.
When a nation abandons its purpose, it slides into anarchy.
When Homo sapiens shuns its nature as the wise, the kind and the humane, it can only be called… The Abdication.”
This tells the reader that the story is about free will, and about how Homo Sapiens Sapiens – that’s man the twice-wise – has employed that gift. Before free will, we were like animals, in that we had no voluntary choice. We could only do what we were pre-coded to do. With free will, we could and do code or program ourselves.
The novel tells the story of a young woman’s journey to explore whether or not we have abdicated from the right and proper use of free will.
What is your writing process?
When I am not writing, I contemplate a lot, to try to imagine the next scene, what the characters are saying, and where they are going with their lives. I keep a notebook with me. I’ve learnt my muse speaks clearest when I’m in the middle of something completely unrelated to writing.
The writing process seems to vary from book to book. My first novel took 6 years. As I learnt the art of writing and the craft of editing, and how to manage my work, the second, third and fourth novels took 1-2 years each. Yet my fifth novel, my Work In Progress, is taking longer than I expected, and I’m having to learn different ways to adapt to its demands.
It’s almost as if the muse, the inspiration, for each novel is different, and you have to entice, or persuade the muse to give of her secrets so that you can write the next chapter, the next scene, the next sentence, of the drama.
If your book was to be turned into a movie, who would play the lead role(s) and why.
Tula – Zendaya.
Damien – Tom Hardy.
Sarah – Helena Bonham Carter.
Geb – Ralph Fiennes.
Enoch – Anthony Hopkins.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
There are three ways to approach marketing your book.
One is to engage in in-person meetings. These include author talks (say at local libraries or associations), panels (at writers’ conferences), and book signings (in local bookshops).
The second is online marketing. This includes having an online presence such as a website, a twitter account, a Facebook author page, a LinkedIn site etc. It also includes promoting your books and writing through blog tours.
The third is an engagement with the media, such as local radio stations, internet radio stations, TV, as well as local newspapers, magazines, periodicals. Make contacts, meet people, engage with them. They are looking for stories to tell. You have a story to tell.
List 5 things on your bucket list.
I’m not a bucket list kind of person, so this one is difficult to answer. Having said that, I’ve plenty of things I want to do, but that doesn’t mean they are on a bucket list. I’ll do them anyway, come what may, so long as I can. One of them is to be the best writer I can be.
In what way do you think that this current pandemic has changed the book & publishing industry?
I think it’s a short-term blip. Sooner or later, the pandemic will be history, and the book industry will still be there, because people love stories, they always have and always will. If you’re a good story-teller, and can tell a story that catches the zeitgeist, the spirit of our times – then the readers will read it, and the book industry will be happy.
Any final thoughts?
Hang in there, because tomorrow’s another day. It might just hold the key to your future.
