RUN Ragged
by Kari Aguila
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GENRE: Dystopian Women’s Fiction
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BLURB:
In
a devastated country, those in charge rule by fear, inequality, and oppression.
Rhia, a strong and independent sea captain, just wants to keep her head down
and do her job, unitl she finds herself trapped in a re-education facility
designed to help people fit into the rules of the New Way Forward. The warden
claims to be guiding those in her care, but Rhia quickly sees the cracks in the
system. As she is faced with torture and brainwashing, those cracks become
gaping holes that threaten to pull her down into the depths of despair. Can
Rhia resist the slow subversion of re-education and become the reluctant hero
the new world needs?
RUN Ragged is the thrilling second story by the award-winning author of Women’s
Work. This brilliantly imagined novel is both a scathing satire and a
profoundly poignant look at the price we are willing to pay for peace and what
we are willing to ignore to keep our conscience clear.
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Exclusive Excerpt :
Rhia was moving her hand to her throbbing forehead when she
saw a dark shadow loom outside the tent door. Holding her breath, she listened
to the rapid clicks of the zipper as it was pulled open from the bottom and
tugged around the top curve of the door. The flap folded in and a large man
squatted before her.
His hair and beard were thick and dark, his bushy eyebrows
heavy above deep-set eyes. For a moment he stared at Rhia, chewing one side of
his mustache at the corner of his mouth. Finally, he cleared his throat and
said, “You woke up.”
Rhia tugged the edge of the sleeping bag tighter to her
chin. When the man didn’t say any more, she mustered the courage to ask, “Where
am I?” Her voice sounded scratchy and dry.
“You’re in our tent. We found you on the beach. We brought
you here.”
“Who are you?”
“No one important.”
Rhia’s chest heaved. Her eyes darted around the tent and
past the man to the woods outside.
“Your jacket’s almost dry,” he said gruffly as he stood and
turned. “I’ll bring you some water.”
Tears sprang to Rhia’s eyes as she watched him walk away.
She was too tired and achy to move, and overwhelmed by her incapacity. Alone,
with a strange man who could be one of the raiders she’d heard so much about,
naked, and helpless. She squeezed her eyes closed and tried to stifle her
growing dread. To show fear would be to give this man power. Her mind still
foggy, she couldn’t think of any way to escape. Even if she could get out of
the tent without him noticing, she wouldn’t get far while injured.
The man returned a moment later with a small metal cup in
his hand. He slipped off his worn sneakers and crouched carefully into the
tent, cautious not to tread on any part of the sleeping bag that held Rhia. He
knelt beside her and awkwardly moved his left hand toward her head.
“Um, I guess you’ll want to sit up to drink this.” He
slipped his warm, rough hand behind her neck and slid it several inches down
the back of her spine.
Rhia’s whole body tensed at the feel of the man’s wide palm
pressing against her skin, but she tucked her elbows beneath her and let him
help lift her torso. He braced her back and put the cup to her lips. She drank
the cool water timidly at first, but finished it greedily. When it was empty,
he gently lowered her back to the ground, and she pulled the sleeping bag back
to her chin.
“Do you want more?”
Rhia shook her head.
Nodding, he took a deep breath and crawled out of the tent,
zipping it closed behind him.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kari Aguila was
the recipient of an IndieReader Discovery Award for her first novel, Women’s
Work. Her stories are gripping and thought-provoking looks at gender
stereotypes and relationships set in a dystopic future. She is also an avid
gardener, geologist, outdoor enthusiast and mother of three. Aguila lives in
Seattle with her family. RUN Ragged is her second novel.
Website:
Twitter:
Facebook:
Goodreads:
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
Kari will be awarding a $20 Amazon or
B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $20
Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn host.
