Waning Moon Book Tour

Waning Moon

by PJ Sharon

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BLURB:

In the year 2057, in a post-apocalyptic world where a global shift threatens the remainder of the population with extinction, sixteen-year-old genetically enhanced Lily Charmichael has more immediate problems. Her uncle is dying of cancer and her healing abilities are ineffective against the blood ties that bind them. In order to find a cure, Lily must leave the protection of her quiet town and journey into the trading city of Albany, all while avoiding the Industry, an agency that would like nothing better than to study and exploit her abilities.

 Seventeen-year-old Will Callahan has been searching for his father since severe storms blasted through the Midwest, killing his mother and sister. When he learns that his father may be in the city, he catches a ride with Lily, a girl who has come to his rescue more than once. As the two embark on a dangerous journey, the attraction between them grows. But the secrets Will’s keeping could put her in far more danger than traveling to the city with him, and if he was any kind of man, he would have told her to run the minute she found him.

“Wait,” I said before he got far, “I bet I could find you something to eat.” I tried to appeal to what I knew would work for any hungry male. “Would you like some of this?” I asked. My bag of premium jarred honey lay across my back, and I figured it wasn’t really a meal, but I was willing to bet he’d eat whatever he could get his hands on. Or maybe he could trade Mrs. Higgins for some soup or a place to bathe. She would likely offer him something herself once she saw him. He was clearly in need of both.

The boy eyed the honey as I pulled a glass jar out of my pack, but he put his hands up and backed away. “No, I...thanks anyway…I’ll be fine…I gotta go…” He spun away and strode across the street toward an alleyway. It wasn’t like I could invite him back to the farm. Sam would kill me if I brought home a stranger. His warnings rang clear in my head even as I caught up to the boy and grabbed his arm.

“C’mon. Let me…”

The stranger whirled around, his grey eyes cold and hard. “I don’t need some girl to rescue me!”

Stunned, I took a step back. Not only did his words come as a complete surprise, but the color of his eyes rendered me speechless. I hadn’t noticed beneath his shaggy bangs before, but his eyes were a crystalline blue-grey that reminded me of an icy lake or a stormy sky. Brilliant, backlit with sunshine, and rimmed by dark, thick lashes. I sucked in a breath, confused by somehow feeling happy while being horribly offended at the same time. My brain kicked in and my heart felt the sting.

Interview:

   1.  What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

I love the creative part—the blast of energy that moves through me when a story is pouring onto the page and the characters are telling the story without me. It’s very weird, exciting, and magical all at the same time.

2. If the world was perfect, and you had complete dominion, what would
you change in your life?

I would either make ten more hours in a day, or clone myself so I could be in two places at one time. That would solve a lot of issues for me, LOL.

3. Tell us about your new book and the thing about it that resonates
most with you.

WANING MOON, the first book in THE CHRONICLES OF LILY CARMICHAEL trilogy takes place in the year 2057 in a post-apocalyptic world where three quarters of the population has been wiped out by a global pandemic, and a polar shift threatens the remainder of earth’s inhabitants with extinction. But sixteen-year-old genetically altered teen, Lily Carmichael, faces bigger challenges—escape capture by a rogue government agency, save her family, and avoid falling in love.

What resonates with me most about Lily’s story is her determination in doing the right thing. She has spent her life protecting her brother, not only from capture by the Industry, but from his own destructive ability to take life with just a touch. Lily is a healer, which I totally identify with. As a Massage Therapist, I understand the joy that Lily feels when she heals someone. She and I share the desire to heal a broken world one person at a time. I admire her commitment to her family, friends, and community. I also understand the powerful pull of first love and the pain and disappointment of betrayal.

4. What are some of your favorite authors?

I love Kristan Higgins who writes fabulous, heartwarming romantic comedies. I’m also a huge fan of Diana Gabaldon who wrote the Outlander series.

5. Do you have a playlist?

I have playlists for all of my books. Oddly, I haven’t developed one yet for WANING MOON. I need to work on that.

6. What was the toughest scene you ever had to write?

Tough question. There always seems to be one in every book. In Heaven Is For Heroes, it was the opening scene where Jordie has to bury her brother Levi. I lost my brother to suicide, and Levi’s character was based on my big brother. The book was very healing for me, but that was a tough scene to write. I also had several scenes in Savage Cinderella that were hard to get just right because of the sensitive nature of her abuse. I wanted to do justice to kidnap and abuse victims, but I didn’t want the scenes to be too graphic for teen readers.

7. Chocolate milkshake or vitamin water?

You’re kidding, right? A chocolate malted milkshake any day of the week.

8. Erotica or the classics?

It depends on my mood and where I’m at in life. I’ve been through both phases, but the classics are those books that I can go back and read again and again. Erotica is like brain candy. I crave it once in a while, but I get my fill quickly and need something more substantial to really satisfy me.

9. What advice would you give a new author?

Read, read, read! Read every book you can find on the craft of writing. Join a writer’s group, find some good critique partners and write, write, write. There’s nothing like practice to hone your craft and get you one step closer to your writing goals.

10. What are you working on now?

I have a few projects in the works. I just finished the short story prequel to the trilogy, called SOUL REDEMPTION, told from Lily’s brother Zephron’s point of view. The story will be part of the October Anthology with the WG2E (Writer’s Guide to E-publishing). I’ve outlined Book Two in the trilogy, WESTERN DESERT, and I’m beginning to do my research. In between working on the trilogy and promoting the first book, I’d like to finish a contemporary YA I started last year called 21 DAYS, about a teenage girl who goes on a European cruise with her grandmother in order to kick a drug habit. I may pitch that one to traditional publishers next summer if I can get it ready in time for the RWA National convention.

Thanks for being on the blog today!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

I knew I would be a writer someday when I was a little girl sitting on my grandpa’s knee and telling him stories that he would help me put on paper. By the time I entered kindergarten I could already read and write, and I couldn’t wait to look up new words every morning in the ginormous Webster’s Dictionary that sat in the book case at the bottom of our stairs. I would get on the bus and ask my friends, “Do you know what pulchritudinous means?” Between that and challenging the boys to push-up contests at the bus stop, I mostly sat alone on those bus rides to school. But that just meant I had more time to make up stories.

I went on to many other endeavors in life, including the world of figure skating, and later, earning a black belt in martial arts. Though I was a mom at seventeen, I did manage to finish school and somehow made it through college, earning a degree as a Physical Therapy Assistant. After nineteen years, two sons, a divorce, and some fairly lean years, I found that it’s true what they say about life beginning at forty. It was about that time when I reunited with the love of my life and worked my way to owning my own business as a Massage Therapist, Personal Trainer, and Yoga Instructor—all of my favorite things. To make my bliss complete, I moved out to the Berkshires and found my muse waiting for me there amongst the lilacs and humming birds.

I now write Extraordinary Stories of an Average Teenage Life in order to share hope with others, especially teens, that no matter how tough life gets, there is always a bright spot waiting just around the corner. My published books include the award winning YA Novels, HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES, ON THIN ICE, and SAVAGE CINDERELLA, available through Amazon and B&N Booksellers.

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PJ will be awarding an eBook copy of "Thin Ice" to one commenter at each stop and a $25 Amazon or BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.