ASIN: B00C0YRLJ2
Series: Troubled Times Series
Publisher: Cherry House Publishing
Pages/File Size: 234pages/413KB
Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book
BLURB from Goodreads
With their own water and power supplies, fourteen year old Nairne, her brother Zane and father Daniel are well prepared to cope with the effects of climate change, but most people are less fortunate. Thousands are fleeing the chaos and social unrest brought about by severe floods, heat waves and droughts which are sweeping across the UK.
When Nairne persuades her father to house some of the evacuees on their small holding in the south of Scotland she plunges the family into a world of violence, deception and murder.
Nairne soon discovers the truth. With society at breaking point, she has to grow up quickly as she alone can take revenge on those responsible. She discovers that the fortress Daniel built to give his children a chance, has become the prize in a struggle where winning can mean the difference between life and death.
PURCHASE LINKS
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
What is
your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
Rachel
Meehan. I was born in Dumfries and now live in the Scottish Borders.
Did you
always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I always
wanted to do something creative and trained in fine art but it was a few years
later that I realised that creating art was just another way of telling stories
and that perhaps telling stories was a better fit.
When did
you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
I am not
sure, I guess once I had completed a couple of books to my own satisfaction.
Did it
take a long time to get your first book published?
It took me
a long time to finish the first one which has not yet been published (Eternal
Inheritance) .
Water’s Edge was faster
although I still spent a lot longer prevaricating than I should have. It is the first in a series of three
(Troubled times Series). The two accompanying books are proving to be
quicker.
Book Two, Power’s Out, is due
for release in October 2013 and the third and final book is currently being
worked on.
Do you
work another job as well as your writing work?
Unfortunately
yes, it involves lots of paperwork, lots of meetings and lots of time away from
writing.....
What is
the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20
words what would you say?
Water’s
Edge – pre-apocalyptic, climate change thriller set in Scotland aimed at YA
market. This is what happens when the system breaks down...
Who is
your publisher? or do you self publish?
I have set
up www.CherryHousePublishing.co.uk which is publishing my work and a
couple of other new authors who specialise in YA literature.
What can
we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books
of a different genre?
Water’s
Edge is the first in the Troubled Times Series following the same characters as
climate change destroys our current way of life so two more books to go, Power’s
Out and Earth’s Descent. After that I
think possibly a change of genre although I think I will always want to write
books with strong themes and action.
What genre
would you place your books into?
Pre-apocalyptic,
Cli Fi (Climate Change Fiction) Thriller
What made
you decide to write that genre of book?
I have
always liked end of the world books and books where ordinary people are placed
in extraordinary circumstances, where the rules of society no longer apply. I also have a keen interest in the
environment so climate change is a topic I have concerns about.
Do you
have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release
them? ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
Yes, my
partner, friends and other family members have all been roped into reading my
work.
Do you
gift books to readers to do reviews?
Yes and I
have done so through site such as Goodreads.
I think it is a great way of reaching readers and getting feedback.
Do you
read all the reviews of your book/books?
I have so
far........
What was
the toughest/best review you have ever had?
I had a
lovely review on amazon.com from an American living in Taiwan who had come
across my book as it was featured in a Taiwanese newspaper in an article on Cli
Fi. This reviewer, Dan Bloom invented
the term Cli Fi , saw the article bought my book and posted a great
review. It was great to see the review
and also great to find out the book had made it into the press in Taiwan!
How do you
come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the
Cover of your books?
The title
was quite hard but Water is one of the key themes within Water’s Edge and in
the next book Power’s Out, power both in terms of energy and power over others
are key themes. I design the covers myself
and wanted something different and stark to represent the pre apocalyptic
content of the books.
Do you
choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
Book first
then the title.
How do you
come up with characters names and place names in your books?
For
Water’s Edge all the character names were chosen due to their meanings e.g.
Nairne means of the water, Garrick means spear carrier etc. So each character had a name which for me
bore some link to their role in the book.
Do you
basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do
you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
It is a
bit of both! I usually have an idea of
the overall plot but I don’t plan out each chapter, more just a direction of travel. Sometimes characters just develop and take
the plot in a direction I could not have anticipated.
Have you
ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have
happened to you?
In the
first book I finished, which is due for publication soon, Eternal Inheritance,
I based two characters and the location on my parents and their house. I also gave one of the ‘baddies’ the same
name as one of my brothers. I think he was quite touched to have made it into
the book even if he was a wrong un.
Are there
any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like
Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
I guess
for the Troubled Times Series there is a bit of a moral as the books deal with
climate change and are not set after the great freeze or tidal wave but examine
what happens when the climate conditions reach a point where the way we live is
no longer viable so the moral is....... act now before it is too late....
Which
format of book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback?
Paperback
What is
your favourite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?
This is a
tough one and probably for longevity I would say the Day of the Triffids which
I read as a teenager and still love. In
fact all John Wyndham’s novels are among my most treasured.
What are
you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback
or paperback)
Paperback
– just finished The Road by Cormack McCarthy – not sure enjoy was the word as
it was very bleak but certainly thought provoking.
Did you
have a favourite author as a child?
Yes,
Robert C O’Brien, author of Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, The Silver Crown
and Z for Zachariah They are three of my favourite books which I have read many
times.
If you
could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy
chatting with?
I assume
they do not need to be living so I would go with
JohnWyndham:
because it would be great to find
out where the Triffids idea came from.
Gurdun Pausewang: (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/127734.Gudrun_Pausewang) a German author who has written
fantastic books for young adults dealing with nuclear accidents, the holocaust
and the second world war.
Donna Tartt:
As the Little Friend is one of my favourite books, especially
on audio and she has the most fantastic writing style and wonderful voice for reading.
Where can readers follow you?
Your Website? www.cherryhousepublishing.co.uk
Your Website? www.cherryhousepublishing.co.uk
Your Facebook Page? https://www.facebook.com/CherryHousePublishing?ref=stream
Your Goodreads Author Page? http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7075545.Rachel_Meehan
Your Shelfari Page?
Your LibraryThing Page?
And any other information you wish to supply?
Water’s
Edge is available as a Kindle or paperback from Amazon
or as an e
book from Kobo
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