Everything Under the Sun
Jessica Redmerski
Genre: Dystopian YA/NA Crossover
Jessica Redmerski
Genre: Dystopian YA/NA Crossover
Date of Publication: August 28, 2017
ISBN: 1546413081
ASIN: B074W372G6
Number of pages: 657
Word Count: 203K
Cover Image by Perrywinkle Photography
Cover Design by Okay Creations
Tagline: Can love survive in such dark times, or is it fated to die with them?
Book Description:
Thais Fenwick was eleven-years-old when civilization fell, devastated by a virus that killed off the majority of the world’s population. For seven years, Thais and her family lived in a community of survivors deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. But when her town is attacked by raiders, she and her blind sister are taken away to the East-Central Territory where she is destined to live the cruel and unjust kind of life her late mother warned her about.
Atticus Hunt is a troubled soldier in Lexington City who has spent the past seven years trying to conform to the vicious nature of men in a post-apocalyptic society. He knows that in order to survive, he must abandon his morals and his conscience and become like those he is surrounded by. But when he meets Thais, morals and conscience win out over conformity, and he risks his rank and his life to help her. They escape the city and set out together on a long and perilous journey to find safety in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Struggling to survive in a world without electricity, food, shelter, and clean water, Atticus and Thais shed their fear of growing too close, and they fall hopelessly in love. But can love survive in such dark times, or is it fated to die with them?
Excerpt
2
2
It
wasn’t supposed to be this way. I was supposed to travel with him until he got
me out of Lexington City and then I was to make a run for it, kill him if I had
to—but I didn’t. I was supposed to stay with these people and leave Atticus to
do what he wanted, go where he wanted, without me—but I couldn’t. I was
supposed to be afraid of him not only because of the terrible man he was when I
first laid eyes on him, but also because he was a man—but I wasn’t. I wasn’t afraid of him.
wasn’t supposed to be this way. I was supposed to travel with him until he got
me out of Lexington City and then I was to make a run for it, kill him if I had
to—but I didn’t. I was supposed to stay with these people and leave Atticus to
do what he wanted, go where he wanted, without me—but I couldn’t. I was
supposed to be afraid of him not only because of the terrible man he was when I
first laid eyes on him, but also because he was a man—but I wasn’t. I wasn’t afraid of him.
I was
afraid for him.
afraid for him.
I was
afraid of being without him…
afraid of being without him…
“Thais?”
I looked
up; my bottom lip quivered.
up; my bottom lip quivered.
“I will
wait for you,” I said, trying to be strong. I wiped my tears, swallowed hard
and nodded.
wait for you,” I said, trying to be strong. I wiped my tears, swallowed hard
and nodded.
Atticus
dashed outside, pushing the barn door out of his way. Seconds later he came
back with the horse. He tossed the quilt we’d slept on the night in the barn,
over the horse’s back. Then he went over to the backpacks, stepping around
Rachel’s unconscious body, and shoved everything back inside. He helped my arms
into the straps of the larger backpack.
dashed outside, pushing the barn door out of his way. Seconds later he came
back with the horse. He tossed the quilt we’d slept on the night in the barn,
over the horse’s back. Then he went over to the backpacks, stepping around
Rachel’s unconscious body, and shoved everything back inside. He helped my arms
into the straps of the larger backpack.
Fitting
his hands on my hips, Atticus hoisted me up and set me on the horse; I grabbed
a hold of the horse’s reins.
his hands on my hips, Atticus hoisted me up and set me on the horse; I grabbed
a hold of the horse’s reins.
“Stay
out of sight of the house,” he said as he fitted the smaller backpack and his
jacket between my legs. “And cut through the woods there”—he pointed toward the
back of the barn—“that’s west; just keep as straight as you can in that
direction, but don’t leave the woods.”
out of sight of the house,” he said as he fitted the smaller backpack and his
jacket between my legs. “And cut through the woods there”—he pointed toward the
back of the barn—“that’s west; just keep as straight as you can in that
direction, but don’t leave the woods.”
I
nodded.
nodded.
He
walked with me outside the barn, stopped to look out at the flat land beyond
the highway where those who were coming for us would likely be, and then led me
around the barn. The deep woods beckoned me out ahead; I couldn’t help but feel
intimidated by them, as if they were some kind of final leg of our journey—or
the beginning of my journey alone.
walked with me outside the barn, stopped to look out at the flat land beyond
the highway where those who were coming for us would likely be, and then led me
around the barn. The deep woods beckoned me out ahead; I couldn’t help but feel
intimidated by them, as if they were some kind of final leg of our journey—or
the beginning of my journey alone.
Steadying
my breath, I looked down at Atticus once more, transfixed on his intense blue
eyes, the sculpted shape and rough texture of his handsome face, and I couldn’t
imagine at this point never seeing it again.
my breath, I looked down at Atticus once more, transfixed on his intense blue
eyes, the sculpted shape and rough texture of his handsome face, and I couldn’t
imagine at this point never seeing it again.
“I’ll
come for you,” he promised.
come for you,” he promised.
Tearing
my gaze from his, I faced forward and tightened my grip of the reins.
my gaze from his, I faced forward and tightened my grip of the reins.
About the Author:
Jessica Redmerski is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, international bestseller, and award winner, who juggles several different genres. She began self-publishing in 2012, and later with the success of THE EDGE OF NEVER, signed on with Grand Central Publishing/Forever Romance. Her works have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Jessica is a hybrid author who, in addition to working with a traditional publisher, also continues to self-publish. Her popular crime and suspense series, In the Company of Killers, has been optioned for television in the United States by actor and model William Levy, and a film exclusive to the Dominican Republic.
She also writes as J.A. Redmerski.
Web Site: http://jessicaredmerski.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JRedmerski
Interview with Jessica Redmerski
Daryl and Beth on the television show The Walking Dead - If Beth had been just a little older, a relationship between them, forced by survival and the post-apocalyptic world they lived in, would have been sweet. But because that could never happen, I made it my duty to tell the love story inspired by them, that grew in my heart.
Interview with Jessica Redmerski
What inspired you to write EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN?
Do you personally relate to either of the main characters in the book?
I think so, yes. Thais and I want the same things in this world, so through her I’m expressing them the only way I know how.
How do you plot your novels? Do you outline?
I never outline because I like to let the story and the characters take me where they want to go. Some authors can outline very well and it works for them, but I can’t do it. It has always felt more natural to me to just go along for the ride and see where it takes me, kind of like in real life, I guess. Some scenes in my books were figured out ahead of time, but not ‘planned out’ ahead of time, and there’s a big difference. The only exception to this method is that I do always know my ending before I begin. (Except with my book DIRTY EDEN)
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you
about their work?
I don’t have a favorite – I have several! Anne Rice and Neil Gaiman I have admired for many years. I love Rice’s deep, descriptive style and Gaiman’s unique ideas. But I also love Paullina Simons and Cormac McCarthy – there are just so many! And, of course, there’s J.K. Rowling, but I don’t really have to name her, do I? Isn’t she everybody’s favorite by default? 😊
How important is it to understand the basics of publishing before delving into self‐publishing?
Writers need to understand that self‐publishing is not easy. Sure, you can write a book and upload it and start selling, but there is so much more to it than that. If a writer chooses to self‐publish they must commit to some hardcore self‐promoting and spending a lot of their own money (professional editing, giveaways, review copies, cover art, advertisements, etc.). Bypassing all of this stuff can leave your book buried beneath the avalanche of millions of other books competing for the same exposure.
I love that Jessica was inspired by Daryl and Beth from TWD. I love that show and this book!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy reading author interviews. I always like to learn how they feel about certain characters and what inspires them. (jozywails@gmail.com)
ReplyDelete