EXCERPT
The Dead Room
(The Dead Room Trilogy Book 1)
(The Dead Room Trilogy Book 1)
by Stephanie
Erickson
The Dead Room is currently on tour with Reading Addiction Book Tours. The tour stops here
today for an excerpt. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
322 years after the apocalypse, the world has changed, but her people
have not. Secrets, lies, and manipulations endure among a small group of
survivors taking refuge on an island in the Northern Pacific.
No one knows what claimed so many lives over three centuries ago, and no
one asks, except Ashley Wortham. She can feel the secrets all around her,
begging to be uncovered.
But the nine elders who govern the island guard their secrets jealously.
They believe the islanders know what they need to, and they hide their secrets
behind a ruse of peace. But when Ashley, and her best friend Mason, go down the
rabbit hole, no one is prepared for truths they uncover. What will they do when
they discover the downfall of humanity lies within their own island, deep inside
the dead room?
Excerpt
The body lay on a
two-piece metal pyre in the center of the clearing. Nothing more than the
skeleton of a table, the pyre was simply used for the display and transport of
the bodies. Burning the dead was a custom from the time before.
The corpse’s blue
cotton, long-sleeved shirt was buttoned all the way to the top to hide his
injuries, and the matching navy slacks had recently been pressed. With his hands
folded over his abdomen, Wesley looked rather dashing. Ashley wished her match had
actually been dashing in life.
She wondered who
would wear that outfit next. Nothing was ever wasted on the island. Not even
the clothes of a dead man. She herself had worn the clothes off a dead woman’s
back. Squeamishness was a luxury no one could afford.
Although “new”
clothes were made on the island, from animal skins and the cotton grown in the
farmlands, they were typically reserved for the higher ups—elders, doctors, and
the like. Cotton was difficult to grow in the cold climate, and the clothes
were made entirely by hand. Once it had been worn and patched a few times by those
with power, new clothing was eventually passed down to the lower branches of society.
But, it wasn’t just
clothing that moved on after an islander died. All of their belongings were
redistributed among those in need. The dead’s family wasn’t allowed to keep
anything they didn’ tneed. Sentimentality was a lost emotion to the islanders.
Reusing everything was essential, even if the previous owner was a dead man.
It had only bothered
her once—the first time she’d seen one of her father’s outfits on another man.
Even then, at the tender age of ten, she’d understood it was bound to happen
eventually. She just hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. Only a week after
his funeral, she’d spotted one of her neighbors walking down the road in
herfather’s clothes. She ran to him, hoping her father’s scent might still linger
on his shirt. But the man neither embraced her nor offered her any sympathy. He
only looked at her with wide eyes,the horror and disgust plain on his face.
Death on the island
was such a strange thing. She’d lost track of how many funerals she’d been to
in her lifetime—at least one a month. Unexpected deaths, like that of her
match, added to the average.
Only three of the
losses had actually meant something to her—her mother, her father, and now
Wesley. Her father’s funeral was, of course, devastating, made more so by the fact
that they’d shared the same first name. Everything the elders said about him could
have also been applied to her. How they were thankful for “Ashley’s life,” how they
wished “Ashley peace.”It sent shivers down her spine.
Once, she’d asked
him why they shared a name. His mother’s name had been Ashley, he’d explained,
as had her mother, and her father before that. On and on, down the line, the
name had traveled, until it had reached Ashley. And one day, as was their tradition,
it would go to her own child.
The funeral for her
mother, who had been taken by a simple cold that escalated into something much
worse, was nothing more than a hazy memory. Still, Ashley missed her mother
terribly and felt incomplete without her. She searched for her whenever the jasmine
got caught on the wind, because her mother had loved to wear the flower behind
her ear.
Wesley’s funeral was
a problem. She wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about it. The loss of her
parents had left her feeling completely alone. She’d hoped to find love again
with her match, but he’d left her terribly disappointed.
Now that he was
gone, her emotions warred with themselves. Relief was the biggest player
fighting for space in her mind. Relief to have escaped the abuse and the pressures
of being the next elder’s wife. Guilt came in at a close second, but not because
she regretted killing her match.
It was because her
best friend was being blamed for it.
Praise for the Book
"The story was
absolutely amazing and a page turner for sure." ~ Antoinette, on Goodreads
"Get this
intriguing book and try to figure out the secrets!" ~ Lindy Lu Book Review, on Goodreads
"This is a well
written novel with characters that blend well together, the plot is well
defined and the ending leaves the reader waiting for the next book. Lots of
unanswered questions for the reader to ponder for the next few months. Most
highly recommended." ~ A Navy
Vet...VT town
"I loved this book! The characters came alive. The
twists and turns kept me on my toes. I was constantly saying to myself
'didn't see that coming'. I would recommend this book to anyone who
loves mystery, a little sci fi, and surprises. My one complaint is that
September is so far away. Write faster Stephanie!" ~ sgperry
"I was sucked
into the book within the first few chapters, and really enjoyed the characters,
the writing style was great and the author did a great job of explaining what
was going on. The book kept me in suspense and the plot twists, well let’s just
say that you will not see what’s coming! Just when you think you figure
it out, plot twist! I will be awaiting the next books in the series." ~ Heather
About the Author
Stephanie Erickson has always had a passion for the written word. She
pursued her love of literature at Flagler College, in St. Augustine, Florida,
where she graduated with a BA in English. She has received several honors in
her writing career, including recognition in the 72nd Annual Writer's Digest
Competition.
After graduation, she married and followed her husband in pursuit of his
dream. The Cure (FREE) and The Blackout were written to reignite Stephanie's passion, when she found the time.
Now that he is settled in his career, it's her turn to devote more time and
energy into writing.
Stephanie latest release, The Dead Room, is a post-apocalyptic novel set on a lonely island 300 years in the
future. Stephanie has 3 projects left for 2015. Her next book, Unforgiven (Unseen Trilogy Nook 2) is slated for a June 2015 release, while
book 2 in The Dead Room Trilogy will
be out in September 2015.
Stephanie, of course, loves to read and write. She also enjoys living on
the beach on the Florida's Treasure Coast. Most of all, she and her husband are
in love with their baby girl.
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