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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