Monday, October 24, 2016

Interview with Ember Raine Winters, author of BORN TO RESIST



Ember Raine Winters is a single mother of 2. Living in Bakersfield California. She has an Associate’s Degree in Political Science and Philosophy from the Local Junior College and she loves to read. Anything she can get her hands on, but mostly Science Fiction and Fantasy. She self-published her first book in March and hopes to publish many more in the future.


About the Book:

“I never thought one moment could change my life forever. In an instant life as I knew it was over. My new life was the stuff of legends. I just hoped I was strong enough to survive it.” 
A series of what were called The Immigration Wars changed the way of life for the former United States. It was thrown into chaos and a dictator came into power. 
On the eve of Alexa's sixteenth birthday her world changes forever. Her father is arrested for treason and she finds out her mother is really alive. She and her best friend Jacob must travel across country to meet her so they can free her father from the tyrannical leader of the government. Everything is not as it seems in the resistance and secrets and lies will be revealed along the way. 
They must rely on each other and their new friends to be successful. But, trust isn't easily given in the resistance and Alexa must find a way to save her father and keep her friends safe while on the run from both the government and the resistance. 

Pick up your copy at

Thanks for this interview, Ember. Can we begin by having you tell us about yourself from a writer’s standpoint?
            I self-published Born To Resist last March.  The second in the series is set to release on Kindle on October 25th. They are both dystopian novels set in a near future where political policies caused the US to fall to a dictator. I like to write about things that mean something, whether it’s political or something else that is close to my heart. I like to put my own feelings and values into my work. I think it makes for better writing.

When not writing, what do you like to do for relaxation and/or fun?
            I love to read! Mainly Science Fiction and Fantasy, but recently I have gotten into Romance. I love a good romance. Fantasy and Sci-Fi romance is even better. I am a huge football fan. Don't judge me, but I love the Oakland Raiders and living in California I go to a game every chance I get. I love helping out with my daughters Girl Scout troop and just snuggling and watching cartoons with my son.

Congratulations on your new book! Can you give us the very first page of your book so that we can get a glimpse inside?

CHAPTER ONE
“Alexa, where are you going?” Dad asked as I picked up my crossbow and strapped my hunting knife to my thigh.
“Hunting, be back before dinner,” I replied just before the large mahogany door slammed behind me.
I went hunting every day and my dad knew that, but he always asked where I was going. I thought it was just him being overprotective. Clearly, there was a reason behind everything he did.
He was my confidant, my teacher, and my friend. In the world we lived in there weren’t any schools like in the old world, so my dad had to teach me everything. He was ex-military before the Immigration wars and taught my best friend Jacob and me everything we needed to know to not only survive, but also defend ourselves. I never understood why we would need to know how to be the perfect soldiers living in our little town in back woods Texas, but I didn’t complain. I loved hunting and shooting. Plus, I was good at it.
Walking through the forest on a hunt has always been somewhat therapeutic for me. I walked through the forest quietly. I always found the sights and sounds intoxicating. The bright yellow sun peeking through the canopy of dense pines. The smell of pine and the sounds of blue jays singing made it feel like home. I walked for miles in the dense underbrush listening intently for any quail, turkeys, or even a rabbit to hunt.

Would you say it’s been a rocky road for you in regards to getting your book written and published or pretty much smooth sailing?  Can you tell us about your journey?
            It has definitely been a rocky road. When I started writing Born To Resist, two years ago, it was my first and I had no idea what it would be like. I had an idea and at first it had seemed like a great idea. After a while I started thinking that I needed a complete re-write because of tense. I found out after I had the book almost finished that publishers and agents weren't accepting novels in the Sci-fi dystopian genre and that I was going to have to self-publish. I had heard horror stories and always thought that self-pub equaled suicide for a writer, but the more self-published books I read I realized that it wasn't what I thought it would be. It is rough though. I decided to pay a company for promotions and it ended up being a scam. Thank goodness for PayPal I was able to get my money back! Then I found Pump Up your book services and I have to say so far I am happy with the service.

If you had to summarize your book in one sentence, what would that be?
An action packed story about a young girl, put in a horrible situation, just trying to survive and do the right thing.
What makes your book stand out from the rest?
            It's a dystopian but within the genre there are so many post-apocalyptic and zombie books flooding the dystopian market I think that's one way my book stands out. Another way is that my book tells the reader a possible near future if the current system doesn't change. Most Dystopians are either set far in the future or on another planet entirely. I don't know of many that are set so soon in the near future.

If your book was put in the holiday section of the store, what holiday would that be and why?
            I would have to say 4th of July. It's about America and the fact that many take our freedoms for granted. What if, one day we woke up and all of our freedoms were gone? The characters in Born To Resist wake-up every day in an America where they have no freedom. They can't be out after dark or express themselves. There is no music, movies, or sports because the government doesn't want heroes who stand up for the people. They want control. The 4th of July is the day we celebrate our freedoms. The characters in my book do whatever they can to restore the freedoms we as a nation take for granted.

Would you consider turning your book into a series or has that already been done?
Born To Resist is the first in a three part series so far. I have toyed with the idea of going back to the parents’ days in the US military and the original Immigration Wars. How the evil Dictator came in to power. But, that's just an idea I had.
What’s next for you?
            The 2nd book in the Born series getting ready to release tomorrow on Amazon. It is called Born For War and continues the story of Alexa and her friends. I am currently writing a contemporary romance about living with PTSD that I hope to release in the new year. The story of Alexa and her friends isn’t quite complete and there will be a third installment in The Born Series coming soon as well. I have several more ideas for some Sci-fi and Fantasy titles that I hope I can release in the coming years.


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