Tag: Dystopian
Return of Anarchy


Claire Buss
Claire Buss and I met through social media. She interviewed me for her blog and I’m returning the favor. Her books look interesting and are on my to read list.
Author Bio
Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet based in the UK. She wanted to be Lois Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening. Instead, Claire went on to work in a variety of admin roles for over a decade but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and Pinterest addict Claire won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition in 2015 with her debut novel, The Gaia Effect, setting her writing career in motion. She continues to write passionately and is hopelessly addicted to cake.

Tell us about yourself.
Hi! I’m Claire, a stay at home mum and multi-genre author. By day I wrangle my little monsters and by night I attempt to wrangle words. I love to read, drink tea and eat cake.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I’ve always wanted to write but felt for a long time that I just couldn’t. It wasn’t until I joined a Writers Workshop at my local library that I began to gain the confidence to write and share my words with others. I’ve always loved to read and explore my own imagination, but I still have to pinch myself sometimes when other people tell me they enjoy reading my books lol.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
My go to genres are fantasy and sci-fi but I will read anything, apart from horror. An overactive imagination means that horror stories scare me too much! I belong to several book clubs so I’m always trying something new and I like that they push me to try different things. I have a firm 50 pages rule – if I’m not enjoying the book by that point then I move on to something else.
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?
My books are mainly for adults although younger readers would probably enjoy my humorous fantasy Roshaven books.
What is your current release or project?

My current book is The Gaia Solution, book 3 in The Gaia Collection, my hopeful dystopia series, and it’s out today in paperback and ebook. I’m really excited to have finished writing this trilogy especially as book one was my debut novel, so it feels like a real achievement.
Tell us about the key characters
I have several main characters because they are a group of friends. Kira and Jed Jenkins, Martha Hamble, Ruth Maddocks, Dina Grey and Max Carter. Now that we’re in book three, things have changed dramatically for all of them but their friendship has remained strong.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
Kira, Jed and their friends have fled New Corporation and joined the Resistance, but their relief is short-lived as they discover how decimated the human race has become and learn of an environmental crisis that threatens to destroy their existence. Kira and Jed must travel up the mountain to the New Corporation stronghold, City 50, to bargain for sanctuary while Martha and Dina risk everything to return to City 42 and save those who are left. With the last of her reserves Gaia, the fading spirit of the Earth uses her remaining influence to guide Kira and her friends but ultimately, it’s up to humanity to make the right choice.
Share an excerpt.

Zac stood in his office and scanned the briefing file in front of him, looking up briefly as Colonel Archer arrived. He was aware of her standing to his left but said nothing as he finished looking over the report.
‘So, not what we’d hoped, Archer.’
‘No, Sir. Fewer groups of refugees are arriving. I don’t think there will be many more. We can clear cities 24, 30 and 11 from the board. They’re not viable.’
Zac glanced at the map on the wall. It was accurate as they had been able to make it. Everyone who arrived at their camp was questioned carefully to determine which city they came from, which cities they passed and other important environmental information.
‘You can take 36 off the map, as well as 15.’
‘Were they both destroyed by New Corp?’
‘No. 36 is full of radiation, it won’t be safe to inhabit for decades to come. Shame really, a stronghold in the mountains would have been a tactical advantage.’
‘Not when you read the latest report, Sir.’ Archer bit her lip as she waited for her superior to catch up on the results of weeks of investigation. She caught herself tapping her fingers impatiently and held back the urge to speak before he’d finished reading. Finally, Zac put the handheld down and leaned heavily on the desk in front of him.
‘The entire country?’
‘That’s what it looks like, Sir.’
‘And the calculations are correct?’
‘To the best of our knowledge.’ Archer paused. ‘Who are the people you brought with you, Sir?’
Zac pushed himself to standing and began ticking names off his fingers. ‘Artem you know. From City 42 we have their former rebel leader, Martha Hamble with her son as well as Archivist Kira Jenkins and former Force detective Jed Jenkins with their children. Dr Max Carter and Dina Grey are scientists, originally from Camp Eden, and Ash is one of Jed’s men.’
‘Perhaps their scientists can independently verify the data for us. It might also make them join our cause, when they know some of the facts.’
‘I don’t think we need to worry about whether they will join or not. None of them are pro New Corp.’
‘How do you know, Sir?’
Zac closed down his info wall, indicating that he wanted to leave the room, and Archer came with him as he swiped to exit.
‘New Corp wiped out Artem’s complex…’
‘Yes, we know that, Sir.’ Archer interrupted.
‘Kira’s parents were there. As was one of the new mothers from City 42. With her child.’
Wide-eyed, Archer paled and took a step back.
‘Are they all… dead?’

‘Completely annihilated. I don’t think we need to be worried about them being motivated to help us. We might have to hold them back.’ Zac gestured at the discarded handheld on the table. ‘Make sure they get a copy of your latest report. I want them to have all the facts.’
Do you have a favorite scene?
I really like the ending of The Gaia Solution. It felt right when I was writing it and I’m pleased where the characters have ended up. There are actually lots of scenes I love but I can’t tell you about them because of *spoilers*!
What advice would you give a beginner?
Never give up! Never surrender! If you want to write, make time for it and understand that when you get to the end of your story, that’s not the end of your author journey.
Social media links:
Facebook – www.facebook.com/busswriter
Twitter – www.twitter.com/grasshopper2407
Instagram – @grasshopper2407
Other – https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard
Blog link – http://butidontlikesalad.blogspot.com/
Purchasing links – tinyurl.com/clairebussbooks
The Gaia Solution
The Gaia Solution, book 3 of The Gaia Collection
AVAILABLE ON KINDLE PREORDER – mybook.to/gaiasolution
Releases 8th November 2019 in paperback & ebook
The Blurb:

Kira, Jed and their friends have fled New Corporation and joined the Resistance, but their relief is short-lived as they discover how decimated the human race has become and learn of an environmental crisis that threatens to destroy their existence. Kira and Jed must travel up the mountain to the New Corporation stronghold, City 50, to bargain for sanctuary while Martha and Dina risk everything to return to City 42 and save those who are left. With the last of her reserves Gaia, the fading spirit of the Earth uses her remaining influence to guide Kira and her friends but ultimately, it’s up to humanity to make the right choice.
More about The Gaia Collection series
The Gaia Collection is Claire’s hopeful dystopian trilogy set 200 years in the future after much of the planet and the human race have been decimated during The Event, when the world went to war with high-energy radiation weapons. In The Gaia Effect, Kira and Jed Jenkins – a young couple who were recently allocated a child – together with their closest friends, discover Corporation have been deliberately lying to them and forcing them to remain sterile. With help from Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, the group of friends begin to fight back against Corporation eventually winning and taking over the governance of City 42.
In The Gaia Project, Corporation fight back under a new, more terrifying organization called New Corp and Kira, Jed and their friends end up fleeing for their lives trying to find a safe place to live. They travel to City 36 and City 9 in vain and must go further afield.
In the final book, The Gaia Solution, the main characters have ended up with the Resistance and not only do they have to deal with surviving against New Corp but an extinction environmental event is looming on the horizon and they’re running out of time to save what’s left of the human race.
Book Buy Links
The Gaia Effect – mybook.to/gaiaeffect
The Gaia Project – mybook.to/gaiaproject
The Gaia Solution – mybook.to/gaiasolution
What Readers Say
Praise for The Gaia Effect, winner of the 2017 Raven Award for best sci-fi/fantasy book
‘A story filled with emotion, angst & hope’
‘Brilliant post-apocalyptic science fantasy’
‘Wonderfully written, with a warm friendship at its heart’
‘A fantastic debut novel’
Praise for The Gaia Project
‘A fantastic read from start to end’
‘Great book, thought-provoking read’
‘Mums are the heroes of the story and it’s the relationships that make it all work’
About the Author
Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet based in the UK. She wanted to be Lois Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening. Instead, Claire went on to work in a variety of admin roles for over a decade but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and Pinterest addict Claire won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition in 2015 with her debut novel, The Gaia Effect, setting her writing career in motion. She continues to write passionately and is hopelessly addicted to cake.
Social Media Links
Facebook: www.facebook.com/busswriter
FB Group: www.facebook.com/groups/BussBookStop
Twitter: www.twitter.com/grasshopper2407
Website: www.cbvisions.weebly.com
Sean Vlk
Sean Vlk and I met through social media. His debut novel was publishing in August.
Author Bio

Sean Vlk was born in St. Petersburg, FL on July 5, 1988 to parents, Mark Vlk and Valerie Beasley. At age 3, his parents divorced, and he went to live primarily with his father in Lincoln, CA. His father, through no fault of his own, was working the majority of the time for the US Coast Guard; a 20 year veteran, leaving Sean alone to his own devices. Throughout his childhood he enjoyed many pleasures: cinema; music; reading; and most importantly–discovering his passion for writing. He began writing small poems, short stories, and novella for his friends and acquaintances in school, finding that most found his work to be amazing, creative and detailed.
Today, he resides in the scenic countryside of Odessa, WA, with his partner, Tasha, and his three children: Jude; Kyla; and Riley. He released his first novel, The State, through self-publishing on August 24, 2019
Tell us about yourself.
My name is Sean K Vlk. I recently self-published my debut novel, The State, back in August of this year. I’m a lover of all literature. Reading and writing have always been two of my biggest hobbies in life. I always wanted to see my story, my words, between pages. Always. It’s an amazing feeling, it truly is.
When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Honestly, since I was a young child–perhaps, around age ten or so. I used to write shorts, poetry, and novella for friends and family, who all seemed to like the work. I always enjoyed that fact: creating fictional characters and stories which people could relate to. There was, and is, just something special about that connection between the writer and their readers.
What genres do you like to read? Are these the same genres you write in?
I am very eclectic when it comes to reading. Very. I simply cannot stress that enough. For example, I just finished doing an ARC reading for a fellow author (a wonderful horror piece by the title of A Necessary End). Now, I am rereading the philosophical piece, Simulacra and Simulation by Baudrillard. I have always been like that, one mixed bag of genres. From King to Fitzgerald, Bellamy to Huxley, Bradbury to Tolstoy. As such, yes, my writing reflects that eclectic mix.
My first novel, The State, is an adult dystopian with a mixture of themes ranging from love and hate, life and death, to philosophical ideals on existentialism and perceptional altruism. My current project, The First Sacrament, is a horror novel battling the guises of modern comforts, technology, the social hierarchies, death, and the overall duplicitous nature of people in general. After, I have a wide range of projects for consideration, ranging from crime thriller, to sci-fi, and even to western.
So, all in all; to answer the question, yes, the entirety of my body of work will eventually reflect my reading habits. Moreover, I will always sprinkle more into a certain genre than the norm. Besides, nobody likes reading something too one dimensional, right?
Is your book for adults, young adults or children?

Generally, my novels (as well as my shorts) would not be appropriate for anyone other than adults. I am usually very detailed, and my tales are heavy with violence, gore, some language, and even a little coitus. Now, that is just a broad description, as it were, not necessary describing my work as a whole. However, in the case of my debut novel, The State, these all happen to ring true. Fancy it as a movie with an R rating, if you wish. So, if you wouldn’t take your child or teenager to an R-rated movie, you probably wouldn’t want to let them read my books. Of course, that’s all a matter of parental perspective. I allow my oldest daughter, age twelve, to read my work. She both grasps and enjoys it, much as I did at her age. To each their own, I suppose.
What is your current release or project?
The State would be the newest book released, however, The First Sacrament is my current WIP.
Tell us about the key characters
The key characters in The State:
Agent 216 is the protagonist. Sort of a Winston-type character of Orwellian design, however, with one minor adjustment–he’s not simply a paper pusher. No. Agent 216 is a brutal, antihero in the beginning of the tale, committing grave atrocities and ruthless acts of callousness against innocents. In all honesty, he begins as someone you absolutely love to hate. A narcissistic, violent, sociopath.
However, throughout the book, he transitions from his position within the State, eventually becoming the leader of the rebellion, the Resistance. His journey is so moving, that most (not all, mind you) have been rooting for him by the end of the book. I won’t give away any details, but it gets a little tense in the third act.
Other mentionables (though, not all) would be Ophelia (his love interest), the Commander (Resistance leader), the Chancellor (State leader) , and the Prime Minister (the voice and face of the State).
In The First Sacrament:
Sawyer Briggs is the protagonist. A dark, lonely teen battling his own demons. Rowan is his love interest. The Giant or Elgin would be one of the main antagonists of the tale, although, characters such as Colton and KC run close seconds. Again, there are plenty more, but, just a taste is all for now.
What is your blurb or synopsis of the book?
The State
Embrace! Respect! Submit! The State is the last, and only symbol of control in the not-so-distant future. Fear is the only existence most know. Servitude is the brand upon all. The Resistance is the last, and only semblance of hope; of freedom. Journey with the struggles of the protagonist, Agent 216, as he makes the tumultuous transition from top Agent of the State to the eventual leader of the Resistance. It is a journey hard-fought, wrought with love and hate, death and life, violence and compassion, loss and gain. Yet, with determination and purpose he, as all within the Resistance, continues to fight for the one thing essential to existence—freedom. Will the Resistance prevail? Or will the State?
The First Sacrament ( WIP synopsis currently)
Twenty-four high school teens awaken in an abandoned slaughterhouse in Rosemont, WA. How did they get there? Why are they there? Answers, unfortunately, that come with a price. Beware the commencement of the ritual, the twenty-four pitted against one another for the amusement of a cult of unknown origin. Twenty-four hours to kill twenty-three of the others. Kill or be killed. No way around it. Death is inevitable. No one but the victor may leave the slaughterhouse alive. Who will it be?
Share an excerpt
The State, Pg. 24
(I’ll skip the excerpt from the other)
In essence, he was the State and the State was him. A singularly combined entity, one formed and stabilized by the diligence of statesmen like himself. That was the power of the State — a virtually unbridaled sense of entitlement enhanced by blind obedience and aggregate ferociousness. It was his duty therein to facilitate that power, to keep the cogs of the machine turning. If not for him and others like him, the State would cease to exist. Their very way of life would shatter in a cataclysm of anarchy and degradation rivaling that of ancient roaming barbarians. The State was the only way to survive.
Do you have a favorite scene?
Hmm. That’s a tough one. I really don’t want to give spoilers. For me, its probably a scene during the Hanging Day; a public execution of sorts, where someone is placed in the gallows that was not supposed to be there. That scene, writing and reading it, had me pumping my fist in the air with joy. The ‘fighting the system’ moment come to fruition, so to speak. For most, it’s one of the favorite parts of the book.
What advice would you give a beginner?
I would definitely advise someone starting out to do their research, as far as marketing is concerned. Find your target audience, explore what your genre has to offer, and most definitely, place your work on preorder while doing so. Reviews are what you need. That will help you reach your audience. And, read. Again, that’s: read. Reading gives the most basic blocks to writing in any field. As such, the more you read, the better your writing will become.
Social media links:
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thestatenovel/
All works can be found on this website:
Purchasing links
The State
Ebook
Paperback
Hardcover
http://www.lulu.com/shop/sean-k-vlk/the-state/hardcover/product-24237773.html