ON
SALE for $0.99
NEW
RELEASE and INTERVIEW
JOLT:
The Paranormal & Dystopian
The Paranormal & Dystopian
by K.
D. McLean
JOLT is currently on tour
with Bewitching Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an interview with the author. You can
get the book for only $0.99 during December, so get your copy now! Make sure you visit the other tour stops as well.
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Description
What if it cost you NOTHING to put gas in your car? What if you paid
nothing to heat your home or cool it in summer? What if your electric bill was
only for new light bulbs? How would that change your life? A real pipe dream,
right?
Joel Heath, PhD has dedicated his career to making this pipe dream a
reality. He’s obsessed with unlocking the secret of cold fusion energy. He’s
come so close, but the final piece of the puzzle eludes him.
Which is a good thing, for Joel actually. You see, Phil Devlin’s energy
conglomerate earns billions in profits with things just the way they are. He’s
been keeping tabs on Joel. Phil was ruthless in attaining his stature of wealth
and influence, and he’d protect his position with ferocity. He can crush
Professor Joel Heath with a text message.
Neither man knows the planet is 90 days away from global slaughter,
triggered by an oil war. One man does know. He has been cursed with prescient
visions. These visions have shattered his life, plummeting him from an
established career to begging on the street.
Joel’s simple gesture of compassion to this homeless derelict is rewarded
with a dazzling insight. He has the key! This jolt of clarity begins with a
touch, a touch that can send the world spinning out of control.
Because Phil Devlin sends that text message.
Excerpt
He kept his head
down. Like blinders on a horse his stringy hair kept the faces of the people
ignoring him from his peripheral vision. He had been out on the street begging
all day and now deep into the night. With each step his feet ached from the
cold. He placed them as softly as he could, every pace agony.
He was muttering to
himself, arguing with the unseen tormentors of schizophrenics everywhere.
“No, no, no! I
won’t! You can’t make me!” repeated over and over again.
The rank stench of
too many clothes and too few baths surrounded him, an unseen barrier between
him and the shoppers and diners rushing home.
He paused for a
moment. “Okay! Okay!” he muttered as he approached the entrance to Odessa’s. He
brushed the hair from the side of his face and peered in the window. Brown
teeth peeked out from behind his salt and pepper beard when he grimaced. He
sidled backwards until his back rested on a telephone pole. He wasn’t even
forty years old and was worn out.
He jingled the
coffee cup at passersby. “Gotta quarter? Gotta dollar? It’s cold out here.
Gotta quarter? Gotta dollar? It’s cold out here.” He remained as unseen as
always.
He waited.
Interview With the
Author
Hi Katie, thanks for joining me today to discuss
your new book, JOLT: The Paranormal & Dystopian.
Which writers have influenced you the most?
Wow. So many. In my newest
book I was inspired by some of the writings of Stephen King of course. But also Naomi Klein, and Paul Krugman for the politics and economic ideas that inform my book.
What age group do you recommend your book for?
While I think it
would appeal to all ages, I’ve been told that it’s really a book for adults
that are sick of paying their utility bills!
What sparked the idea for this book?
An article I read
that told me that we’re paying about 20-25% more for gas for our car than we
need to because of Wall Street speculation. A lot of writers get ideas by
asking a question that begins with ‘what if’. I asked myself, “What if we were
able to discover an alternative source of energy that would make oil, coal and
nuclear power irrelevant?” The book took off from there.
Which comes first? The character's story or the
idea for the novel?
A good story is
always about a person in a situation and how they handle it. So as soon as I
asked my ‘What if’ question, my next question what ‘Who did?’ From there, it
took on a life of its own.
What was the hardest part to write in this book?
The science research
on fusion energy! I had to make the development of the LITE (Low-cost, Infinite,
Total Energy) device plausible. Then the research on the political and economic
power wielded by oil companies today - that part was pretty frightening, to
tell you the truth.
How do you hope this book affects its readers?
Well, first of all,
I hope they enjoy the story! While I’d love to be the spark that increases
awareness of our lack of research in this field, I want my readers to enjoy the
adventure that Joel, Elise, Charlie and the rest of my characters have.
How long did it take you to write this book?
This book took
almost a year to write. There were a lot of research questions I had to get
right in order for the plot to stay plausible and interesting.
What is your writing routine?
I’m more of an
outliner than a seat-of-the-pants writer. So, when I get my first idea, I write
up a couple of paragraphs about the story. Then I flesh out my characters - I
write a bio for each of them (in this book, that took quite a while, because
there’s such a cast!). Then I outline the book chapter by chapter.
When that’s all
done, I start writing, and commit to 2,000 words a day for my first draft.
How did you get your book published?
I clicked a button!
I’m independently published and this novel is exclusive to Amazon.com.
What advice do you have for someone who would like
to become a published writer?
All I can comment on
is the independent route of course. The first thing I would advise is to finish
what you start. Whether it’s a short story, or a novel, once you begin writing
it, keep at it every day until you type ‘The End’. There are so many writers
with unfinished works, so many ‘The Ends’ that have yet to be written.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I have so many
interests! I love to read (that’s almost a cliché, isn’t it, that writers are
readers, no?). I’m also a sculptor, and enjoy working on that physical art as
well.
What does your family think of your writing?
My partner, Desmond,
is completely supportive. I bounce ideas off him, and he’s always the first to
read my work. He tells me when things are working, and also when my writing
isn’t firing on all cylinders.
Please tell us a bit about your childhood.
It was a pretty good
childhood. I grew up with my sister, and we’re very close.
Did you enjoy school?
Yes, I did. From
elementary all the way through college. I was never crazy about homework (who
is?) but I had great teachers and went to good schools.
Did you like reading when you were a child?
I couldn’t get
enough of it. I was constantly reading.
What was your favorite book as a child?
I started ‘seriously
reading’ early and got hooked on the Nancy Drew mysteries. They were numbered on the spine, and my library had the
entire series. One summer I remember wanting to read every one of the books.
Who were your favorite authors as a child?
Carolyn Keene who was the author of the Nancy
Drew mysteries and the Henry Huggins
books by Beverly Cleary. When I got older I loved reading Colleen McCullough (The Thorn Birds) and
also Jean M. Auel’s Clan of The Cave Bear
series.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a
writer?
Not very long ago. I
started my first book two years ago and finished the first manuscript in six
weeks. By the end of it I was hooked.
Did your childhood experiences influence your
writing?
I think so. My
parents were big on ‘finish what you start’. They instilled in me a sense of
self discipline that I can still see in my work process today.
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of
things do they say?
It’s great hearing
from my readers! It’s really cool that people who don’t care for my work leave
bad reviews of course, but people who really enjoy my books take the time to
email me. I honestly can say getting that first email from a reader is one of
my most gratifying memories.
What can we look forward to from you in the future?
I’m currently
working on a ghost story. I’m not going to say anything more about it for fear
of jinxing anything other than saying it’s scaring the bejeezus out of me as
I’m writing it!
Thanks so much for stopping by today, Katie. Best
of luck with your new project.
About the Author
Katie lives in Canada near Lake Ontario with her partner Desmond. They
are living the life that they’ve always dreamed about - writing, editing and
collaborating on books. Both are alumni of Queen’s University in Kingston and
are frequent visitors to the Tyendinaga reservation, where the novel JOLT
is set. She has published a series of adult romance books as well as a romantic
comedy, recently released – Funny Business.
For relaxation (what is that?) she and Desmond enjoy walking their
neurotic pug, trying different recipes together (Des cooks, Katie helps) and
watching HBO movies, followed by immersion in their hot tub. There’s almost
nothing better than star gazing in the frigid air while being toasty warm … Well
maybe skiing at Mont St. Anne is a close second.
In taking on an epic of the scale of JOLT,
Katie has been inspired by the words of Goethe.
“Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.”
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