Book & Author Details:
Sunset Rising by S.M. McEachern
(Sunset Rising #1)
Publication date: November 12th 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult
Synopsis:
February 2024: Desperate to find refuge from the nuclear storm, a group of civilians discover a secret government bio-dome. Greeted by a hail of bullets and told to turn back, the frantic refugees stand their ground and are grudgingly permitted entry. But the price of admission is high.
283 years later… Life as a slave in the Pit had never been easy, but for seventeen-year-old Sunny O’Donnell it was quickly careening out of control. Her mother was killed in the annual spring Cull, leaving her alone with a father who decided to give up on life. It’s not that she blamed him for grieving, but if they didn’t earn enough credits to keep their place inside the Pit, they would be kicked out into a world still teeming with radiation. That left her to earn the credits for both of them. It didn’t help that her boyfriend, Reyes Crowe, was pressuring her to get married and abandon her father.
Sunny didn’t think life could get any worse, until she was forced upstairs to the Dome to serve and entertain the elite at a bachelor party. That's where she met Leisel Holt, the president's daughter, and her fiancé, Jack Kenner. Now Sunny is wanted for treason. If they catch her, she'll be executed.
She thought Leisel's betrayal was the end for her…but it turns out it was just the beginning.
She thought Leisel's betrayal was the end for her…but it turns out it was just the beginning.
Sunset Rising is Book One of a series.
Purchase:
Excerpt from “Sunset
Rising” (Book One)
“Oh, Summer. If you weren’t so picky, you could have been married by
now. But whenever a boy is interested in you, you’re suddenly not interested in
him. I think you like flirting more than actually having a boyfriend.”
“That’s not true. I just haven’t met the right one yet.”
“Though you do bring up a good point. You’re running out of time.”
Summer could have had her pick of any boy in the Pit. A full head
shorter than me, her small stature and delicate limbs gave her an elegant,
feminine quality. I always felt large and clumsy next to her.
“You know, we’re always talking about me,” Summer said. “How are
you? How’s your dad?”
She might regret asking that question, but I gave her an honest
answer. “Dad lost his job yesterday because he didn’t show up for work.”
“Oh, Sunny. What are you going to do?”
I heard sympathy in her voice, and exasperation, too. My father had
always been a little self-destructive. My mother had done a fairly good job of
protecting me from it, but without her, I was on my own with him. “I told Reyes
last night I couldn’t marry him until after the next Cull.”
“You’re postponing? Again?” she asked. “That’s a bit drastic. I’m
sure your father can get another job. He’s had a lot of experience in the
mines.”
“He’s barely been eating since Mom left, and now he’s too weak to
get out of bed.”
“But you’ve put your marriage on hold once before, and I can’t
imagine Reyes is happy with postponing again. And you’re not getting any
younger, Sunny. You’re almost eighteen. Aren’t you afraid Reyes is going to get
fed up with waiting and move on to someone else?”
I had never thought about Reyes being with someone else. We had been
together forever. And at our age, it was getting kind of late to go looking for
a new partner. Of course he would wait for me. If I gave him enough time, he
would eventually understand that my father needed me right now, and I couldn’t
leave him.
But there was wisdom in her words. At seventeen, I was middle-aged,
and that didn’t bode well for getting approval to have a child. Population
control in the Pit was getting stricter all the time. Reyes really wanted a
child, but if I was being honest with myself, I didn’t. I guessed that was why
I didn’t feel an urgent need to get married right away.
AUTHOR BIO
S.M. McEachern (also known as Susan) comes from the rocky shores of Canada’s East Coast. As a resident of Halifax during her early adult years, she attended Dalhousie University and earned an Honors Degree in International Development Studies with a focus on ocean development. Throughout her academic studies and early career, Susan had the privilege to work with many developing countries on resource management projects.
Becoming an author has been a lifelong dream for Susan. “Sunset Rising” is her debut novel and the first of many she plans to write.
Becoming an author has been a lifelong dream for Susan. “Sunset Rising” is her debut novel and the first of many she plans to write.
Author links:
Author Interview with S.M.
McEachern
How did the idea for Sunset Rising come to you?
I’m
asked this question a lot and it really is one of the most difficult questions
to answer. I’ve always wanted to write
and attempted to pen a few novels in the past, but I never found a topic
interesting enough to stick with it.
When my oldest daughter started reading young adult fiction, we decided
to do buddy reads together and that’s when I discovered the YA genre. I fell in
love. I suddenly had tons of ideas for a plot, but only one really
persisted. Back in my university days, I
did some research on a biodome in Arizona and had to ask myself the obvious
question of why would humanity need a
hermetically sealed environment capable of sustaining life? Given the
current geo-political climate, it wasn’t difficult for me to come up with a
good reason, and the foundation for the “Sunset Rising” series was born.
Sunset Rising
is a series? Where do you see the story
going?
If
someone hit the reset button on Earth, how would you change the future? Would
you try to rebuild what was already here or go in a different direction? The
series is a cautionary tale and I try to show an entertaining, yet realistic,
vision of how civilization might rebuild itself.
Sunset Rising is the first book in the series
and focuses on how humanity might evolve when forced to live in close quarters
in order to survive a nuclear apocalypse. This book deals with issues like
bonded slavery, caste systems, physical and sexual abuse, and how limited resources
can lead to war. The second book of the series, entitled Worlds Collide, was just released, and I think I surprised a lot of
readers with it. SR was often compared to The
Hunger Games and The City of Embers,
so Worlds Collide blindsided a few
readers. This book picks up exactly where SR leaves off and continues to build
upon the story. I introduce a lot of new characters and construct an entirely
new political system. The third book will pick up where the story leaves off in
WC, but you can probably already guess I’m building a whole new world in this
book as well.
Sometimes it’s hard to keep at
it – what keeps you going?
I love
writing, especially world building, so I don’t actually need any more
motivation for that pursuit. The hard
part is trying to juggle family life with being an independent author. Marketing takes up an enormous amount of
time, leaving little left over for writing. It’s a difficult balance.
What movies do you like to
watch?
I love
watching action movies—especially if there’s a hot guy starring in it! Some of my favorites were The Avengers, Star Trek (all of them!), and Red (the first one). I
don’t usually watch typical “chick flicks”, although I was talked into watching
Crazy Stupid Love on Valentines Day. The
scene when Jacob (played by Ryan Gosling) takes off his shirt in front of
Hannah (played by Emma Stone) and she just stares at him, mouth agape, and
finally says “Seriously? It’s like your Photoshopped!” was hilarious.
Action heroes, huh? Which one—Ironman or Thor?
Although
Thor is hot, he’s a little too melancholy for my liking. Ironman’s not only a
hero, but he’s witty, funny, charming and filthy rich. Definitely Ironman.
As an author, how do you work
through self-doubt and fear?
I think
everybody on the planet has to work through self-doubt and fear no matter what
s/he does for a living. Writing isn’t
any different. I understand that when I
put my work out there for people to read, I invite their opinion. Most of the feedback has been fantastic and a
real confidence boost, but there are some critical reviews that keep me
grounded. Accepting that I’m never going
to write a book that every single person on this planet is going to like is the
first step conquering my fears.
Do you find it hard to share
your work?
Yes! Especially
with people I know. My husband’s still not allowed to read my books.
Is there anyone you’d like to
acknowledge and thank for their support?
I have
a LOT of people to thank for supporting me.
My family for putting up with me locked away in my office for hours; my
husband for his technical expertise on my blog and ebook formatting; and, most
of all, for complete strangers who got in touch with me because they read
Sunset Rising and loved it. I have a lot of beta readers as well that have
taken the time to give me their valuable opinions and critiques. I’m really just blown away and humbled by the
amount of support I’ve received by so many people.
Every writer has
her/his own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success
in writing look like to you?
As a debut author, for me success is being able to
write something that readers want to read!
Luckily, I’ve been able to do that, so I guess it’s time to set the bar
a little higher. I’d like to expand my audience. Quite a few of my readers said
they’d like to see Sunset Rising made into a movie—that would be super cool!
Tell us about your
new book—what’s it about and why did you write it?
Worlds Collide is the second book of
the Sunset Rising series. It picks up
exactly where Sunset Rising leaves off—with the two main characters, Sunny and
Jack, outside the Dome exploring a world they always believed had been
devastated by nuclear war. They discover
the Earth is fine and there are people living outside! As they uncover the
horrifying truth of President Holt’s plans for the Pit, they realize time is
running out to not only save the urchins, but the world.
If you could do any job in the
world, what would you do?
That’s
easy. Be a writer.
What’s the reason for
your life? Have you figured out your reason for being here yet?
I’m here because I was born, so I might as well use my time
wisely. Reading, writing, researching,
interacting with others, teaching, learning, raising two kids, being a wife,
being a friend—this is what life is all about. We take what we need and then we
give back. Learn about the world you live in and see how you can
contribute.
Do
you do much research for your books?
I do a ton of research for my
novels. As a reader, nothing takes me
out of science fiction story faster than bad science. For Sunset
Rising, I had already done quite a bit of research on the Biosphere in
Arizona, so that was a bit easier. For Worlds Collide, I got in touch with a
scientist from the National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT) to advise me on
theme in that novel. I’m currently doing some research for the third book,
which I’ll keep secret for now J
Have you ever had
writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
I’ve had writer’s block a few times and I cured it by
going to see an action-packed movie. A
really good book can get my creative juices flowing too. On a daily basis, I also go for a run with my
iPod loaded up with inspirational music, like Moby, Keane, Cold Play, and Lana
del Rey.
Have you started
another book yet?
I have started the third book in the Sunset Rising
series. I’m doing a lot of research at
the moment, so not many words have put on paper yet.
Do you have any
advice for writers?
Invest in your craft. Listen to what readers are
telling you through their reviews. Constantly seek to improve your skills. If
you truly like writing and want to make a career of it, join a writer’s group,
take workshops on writing and network with people in the industry. Research is
an important component of being a successful writer, both in terms of writing a
story and selling one. If you’re going
to self-publish, find an editor you can work with, a good cover artist, and
beta readers who can give you critical feedback. Learn to accept that the bad
reviews are just as important as the good reviews.
If you could have a
dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask?
I’m not so sure I’d want to invite a dead person to a
dinner party… ew! I’ve been lucky in
that I’ve met a lot of influential people.
My mentor in university was Elizabeth Mann-Borgese, the daughter of author
and Nobel Prize winner Thomas Mann. Her
entire life was devoted to finding a way to foster world peace and, like her
father, she’s been nominated for the Nobel Prize. I’ve also been to Buckingham Palace for a tea
party with Queen Elizabeth (alongwith 3,000 other of her “closest” friends!). And I once had the opportunity to meet
President Bill Clinton when he was in Halifax for the G-9 Summit meetings, but
got tired of waiting for him and left. I
always regretted that. So, if I had to
choose someone to come to dinner, I’d probably pick the President of the United
States. I wonder if Mr. Obama would come?
When you are not
writing, how do you like to relax?
I have a hectic family life. My oldest daughter is a competitive swimmer
and my youngest is competitive in martial arts.
My husband just returned from a one-year deployment to Afghanistan. So, honestly, I don’t spend much time
relaxing. If I do find some time, I like to read a good book and sip a nice
vintage.
Are you a city
slicker or a country lover?
I’m a city girl who likes to escape to the country
from time to time. I prefer to have
modern amenities within walking distance in my day-to-day life. I’ve lived in
the country before and ended up doing way too much driving for my kids
extra-curricular activities, shopping, doctors, etc. However, I do like to go hiking, kayaking,
bird watching and exploring coastlines, so the occasional escape to the
countryside is fun.
In the (un)Likely
Event of an Apocalypse
The Apocalypse. The end of civilization as we know it. Maybe
even the complete annihilation of the Earth.
The thought is terrifying and has fascinated generations for
decades. There have been thousands of predictions on how, why and when the
world as we know it will come to an abrupt end. It’s the stuff that blockbuster
films and best selling novels are made of (mine included!). But could an
apocalypse actually happen? What are the
odds? And more importantly, can the human race survive the end of the world? As
the author of a post-apocalyptic series, I’ve actually done some research on
apocalyptic scenarios and here are a few of my thoughts:
Nuclear War: Anyone who has read my novel, “Sunset
Rising”, knows nuclear war is my apocalypse of choice (I say tongue in cheek). Consider
the domino effect of just one nuclear explosion set off above a city: a)
buildings and dwellings leveled and set on fire; b) the instantaneous death of
anyone inhabiting the city; c) as the city is engulfed in flames, oil and gas
stores (in vehicles and tanks) explode; e) the cloud from the firestorm rises into
the atmosphere, blocking out the suns rays—the beginning of a nuclear winter;
f) radiation fall-out. One nuclear warhead exploding over one city has the
capability to wipe out millions of people.
There are more than 17,000 known nuclear weapons in the world, many of which are more powerful
than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
In the (un)likely event of a global nuclear war, you might
want to be digging out a bunker in your backyard and stocking it with canned
food and clean water… In the meantime, you can join campaigns and groups
dedicated to abolishing nuclear weapons globally.
Earth hit by an
asteroid: How big does an asteroid
need to be to cause global destruction? NASA says anywhere from 1 to 2 km in
diameter and up will likely end civilization.
Regional damage at the collision site would cause the most immediate
destruction, but it’s the resulting “impact winter” possibly followed by an
“ultraviolet spring” that would end life as we know it. For comparison, the
asteroid responsible for the mass extinction of the dinosaurs was approximately
10 kilometers (6 miles) in diameter.
So what are the odds of Earth suffering a meteorite impact? Pretty
good, actually. Asteroids have collided
with our planet in the past so there’s every reason to expect it will be hit
again. In fact, on March 5, 2014, a
meteor approximately 98 feet in diameter—big enough to cause regional
damage—passed between the Earth and Moon.
In the (un)likely event of a meteorite impact, those people
who already have a bunker dug-out to survive the nuclear war have the best
chance for survival. Although, if you live in a coastal area subject to
tsunamis from the event, forget the bunker and head to high ground. If you’d
like a heads-up before the big bang, check in with the “Near Earth Object
Program” here: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/
Zombies: Can a zombie apocalypse actually happen?! The
movie, “I am Legend” made it somewhat believable since people were turned into
zombies via a rabies-type virus. And
here’s the other thing that makes “I am Legend” mind-blowingly scary—the
zombies could run fast! Biologists keep
warning us we’re overdue for a pandemic. Could the zombie flu be the next one?
In the (un)likely event of a zombie apocalypse, you’ll need
to be in good physical shape, know how to use a rifle, and make sure you’re a
fast runner…or at least faster than your mate ;)
Well, those are just a few ways our civilization could
suffer an apocalypse. Are you prepared?
The End
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