Fiber
by Jennifer-Crystal Johnson
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GENRE: Science Fiction
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BLURB:
Anna Reynolds is caught up in the middle of a secret interdimensional government agreement... and she doesn't even know it.
There's a medical anomaly loosely dubbed Morgellons disease afflicting a number of people. Symptoms include open sores that produce colorful string-like fibers, fatigue, and nightmarish visions of shadowy figures. No one knows where it came from. No one knows what causes it. There is no cure.
When Anna begins having nightmares and waking hallucinations of the shadow people, her uneasiness about her condition grows. Enlisting the help of her doctor and some friends, Anna is determined to find out what's really going on and why Morgellons is such a mystery.
With her health declining and doubts about whom she can trust, is Anna doomed to become a slave to her condition? Or will she and her unlikely group of would-be heroes come through, saving her... and, ultimately, the world?
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Excerpt One:
As Anna walked home through the glistening streets of Deeplake, Washington, she adjusted her scarf and wrapped her coat around herself tightly, her breath fogging up the air in front of her. After a brief glance over her shoulder, she quickened her pace, her bag of groceries teetering in her arms momentarily as she readjusted her grip.
She’d been feeling like someone was watching or following her for weeks. At first she just shrugged it off as her own overactive imagination, but the other day, she could’ve sworn she saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye. When she looked, there was nothing there. That wasn’t the first time she had seen shadows. They were always there, just out of sight, their existence never confirmed by a direct glance. But every time it happened, she got goosebumps and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end like it does when you know someone is watching you.
Her left eye began to feel itchy and grainy as she walked, and she cursed herself for not driving. She blinked several times, but after a few moments her eye felt like it had sand in it again. This was accompanied by an unpleasant tickling sensation, which became annoying very quickly.
Her thoughts wandered as her eye got worse. She felt guilty but justified for not mentioning her problems to Casey, who had more than enough on her plate already. She also didn’t want to come across as crazy; Anna was certain she wasn’t. Some of the recent events in her life were crazy, but she was definitely sane.
Do crazy people think they’re sane?
My Review:
This book literally had my skin crawling. In the book Anna Reynolds skin is breaking out with sores that itch and take forever to heal. At times there are red and blue fibers coming from the sores. She also feel like things are crawling under the skin. She decides to go to the hospital and have the fibers analyzed in the lab instead she is tossed into the psychiatric ward. While in the hospital she meets a doctor who is studying her condition as it is happening all over. They give the disease a name but no one knows where it cam from, how it started, and there is no cure for it. Anna agrees to being a test subject so to speak. Now it is up to Anna, the doctor, and her friends to figure out what this disease and try and save Anna. And also uncover the secret inter-dimensional government agreement along the way.
This really is a intense book it's probably not for the really squeamish. It does grab you and drag you in holding you with the little blue and red fibers.
This is my first book by Jennifer-Crystal Johnson. I really liked her writing style an they way she kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the book. I love how her descriptions are to the point instead of filling you with a bunch or stuff you that really has nothing to do with this story or anything else for that matter. I really liked her characters. She has done a great job of really bringing them all to life. I also loved the way that she wrote this story well enough to make you wonder if this could actually happen.
I was given my copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
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Jennifer-Crystal Johnson is originally from Germany, but was raised an Army brat. She has published one novella under her former last name, The Outside Girl: Perception is Reality (Publish America, 2005 - out of print as of 2013), a poetry book, Napkin Poetry (Broken Publications, 2010), and a collection of poetry, art, and prose called Strangers with Familiar Faces (Broken Publications, 2011). She's also published a collection of short creature horror stories called If You're Human Don't Open the Door (Broken Publications, 2012), a personal development book called The Ten Pillars of a Happy Relationship (Broken Publications, 2014), and a collection of more horror stories (no creatures this time, just people) called Our Capacity for Evil (Broken Publications, 2015). She has several poems and short stories published on Every Writer's Resource and has recently published a science fiction novel called Fibers, the first book in the Infiltration Trilogy. Jen owns and operates Broken Publications (www.BrokenPublications.com) and publishes an annual anthology to raise awareness about domestic violence called Soul Vomit (www.SoulVomit.com). When she isn't writing or editing, she enjoys playing games with her three kids, watching crime shows on Netflix, or reading. She lives in WA State with her three children, three cats, and a crazy puppy named Thor. You can connect with her at www.JenniferCrystalJohnson.com, @brokenpoet, or www.Facebook.com/JenniferCrystalJohnson.
Interview with Jennifer-Crystal Johnson
I’d like to start by saying thank you so much for having me as a guest on your blog! I hope that you and your readers enjoy this interview, and that you have a great time participating in the comments section as well as the contest/raffle. If you enjoy my style, I invite you to purchase a copy of my novel, Fibers, and enjoy the ride!
As a kid did you write or make up stories?
Of course! If I wasn’t playing the piano, writing songs, and singing, I was writing or reading (or, as my mom always says, “eating,” books lol). I’ve always had a big imagination, and telling stories is part of my nature. I can’t help it! Even in person, one thing or another will remind me of some life event I’ve experienced and I tend to launch into story mode whenever I can. I find stories very entertaining and also love to listen to others’ stories about life – especially the crazy ones! They can really make you think =).
Where does most of your Character inspiration come from?
I tend to base characters on different versions of myself at first, just as a sort of foundation. When I was in first and second grade, I was super popular… then I moved and went from popular to a total outcast. I’ve been shy, outgoing, walked on, super bitchy, and all kinds of different variations in between. As an Army Brat, I had to adapt to whatever situation was thrown at me, which often made me feel like I had no idea who I was – just who I needed to be to survive the next place until I settled in.
Once a character has a foundation, I add different aspects to their personality to make them less like me and more like themselves. I usually just need somewhere to begin, and the easiest and most believable way for me to do that is to base them on some aspect of myself =).
Do some qualities of your characters come from real people?
Oh, yes… almost always! I use some real life events and experiences, too, which is hilarious because people who know me and read the book can pick out those parts based on stories I’ve told verbally about my experiences =). I think real life is an excellent source of inspiration and can help make the story more realistic because of the details real people and experiences provide.
What was the inspiration for your book?
Fibers was inspired by doing research on Morgellons disease that originally started out as research on creatures and cryptozoology for some short horror story fodder. As you can see, it turned into an idea for a whole trilogy! I’m super excited to work on the second installment of the trilogy this summer.
What is your favorite spot to write?
I have a home office in my bedroom but recently purchased a laptop, so my current favorite spot to write is wherever I can find a moment. I like to write in bed, outside, in the kitchen while I cook dinner, and wherever else I am and happen to have a little time on my hands. My family’s life is in a state of upheaval right now, so being mobile for work is almost the only option I have to continue getting things done.
What advice would you give budding writers?
Keep writing! Plan, plot, or don’t – just keep writing as much and as often as you can. It’s like any other skill – the more you do it, the better you become. If you really want to step it up a notch, read some of the top books on writing such as On Writing by Stephen King, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, and The Breakout Novelist by Donald Maass. Those are some of my personal favorite books on writing and they can really help you expand your skills =).
On that note, thanks again so much for spending some time with me here! Don’t forget to purchase or borrow your copy of Fibers on Amazon today =).
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Video excerpts – watch the author read!
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
The author will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
