This week, I’m participating in the blog tour for the trilogy by fellow Canadian fantasy writer, S.M. McEachern. I read this book a number of years ago, and liked it. And now, S.M. is promoting the whole trilogy with a blog tour.
First, enjoy this excerpt from Book One in her series, which presents a very disturbing view of the near future. And then go on to BookHounds for the next instalment.
Sunset Rising (Book One)
I found the rope and gave it a good tug to make sure it was secure. “Here. Use this to rappel down. I’ll go first and guide you along as best I can.” I scrambled over the side and began my descent.
“Wait!” Jack’s face appeared above me, terrified. “Aren’t you going to use the rope too?”
“I don’t need it. I’ve been doing this since I was five. And besides, I don’t think that old rope is going to hold two of us.”
I climbed down about ten feet to give him room. I heard him double- checking the rope. “Come on.”
“I can’t even see!”
I rolled my eyes. At this rate we were going to get caught for sure.
Finally, he lowered himself over the side, tentatively feeling around with one foot. I descended another ten feet and looked up to see if he was following, but he hadn’t made any progress. “Jack, you’re taking too long. Trust the rope.”
“You mean this old rope, Sunny?” he snapped. I bit back a laugh.
I heard him take a deep breath and watched him lean out. He lowered one foot, then the other, and again. He continued to rappel in a slow and steady rhythm. I descended another ten feet, thinking I probably shouldn’t be this close. If he fell, he would take us both down.
We continued on, me staying ten feet below Jack and encouraging him to keep going. He was painfully slow, but I tried not to get frustrated. I remembered it was hard the first time I did it, too.
Finally, we arrived at the sixth level and I pulled myself onto the landing. “Almost there, Jack.”
When his feet dangled just above my head, I gave them a little tug to help him along.
“Stop!” Jack’s voice was edged with panic. “I’ll do it myself.”
I let go of him. I didn’t need him screaming and bringing the guards in here. He lowered himself far enough to reach over to the landing. I grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him in. He hugged the side of the wall, testing to make sure his feet were firmly on the ground.
“That was the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
Scariest? He had no idea. “Welcome to the Pit, Jack.”
Sunset Rising: Book One
For fans of the Hunger Games and Divergent comes a story that will keep you reading late into the night!
2015 Gold Medal Award for Readers Favorite
Deep inside a mountain in what used to be North America dwells the last of humanity. Welcome to the Biodome, where steel, rock and armed guards separate the privileged from the slaves.
Born and raised as a slave in the Pit, Sunny O’Donnell has always accepted that she’ll spend her life working to keep the Dome running and, if she lives long enough, willingly meet her end in the annual Cull when she reaches the age of thirty-five. This was the price her ancestors paid for their place inside the Biodome, the only haven from the global nuclear war of 2024.
But when Sunny’s mother is killed in the Cull, her world is ripped apart. Consumed with grief and torn between her loyalty to her father and her fiancé Reyes Crowe, Sunny heads down a reckless path that sets off a riot in the Pit and leaves her accused of treason. Her only way of escaping public execution is to make a truce with her prison mate, who happens to be the heir to the dictatorship and hated enemy of the Pit.
Now caught between two worlds on the brink of war, Sunny must weigh her own survival and that of the man she is coming to love, against risking everything to save the Pit.
Find it on:
- the author’s website
About the author
Award winning author S.M. McEachern attended Dalhousie University in the 1990s, where she earned an Honours Degree in Sustainable Development Studies, specializing in ocean resources. With a background in international development and resource management, as well as being the wife of a military officer, Susan has had first hand experience in international affairs and policies.
She attributes Elizabeth Mann Borgese—daughter of Nobel prize winner, Thomas Mann—as one of the greatest influences on her view of world politics. Susan had the privilege to work and study under Mann Borgese, an author, teacher and political activist for world peace.
The first book of a series, Sunset Rising, combines Susan’s knowledge of politics and resource management with her love for young adult literature and action and adventure. The second book of the series, Worlds Collide, was published March 2014. The third book, titled New World Order was released January 2015.
Shag Lake, a new adult sci-fi paranormal adventure, was just released under the pen name Susan McEachern.
Follow the blog tour:
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
| 7/11/2022 | ScottBuryAuthor | Excerpt/IG Post |
| 7/11/2022 | BookHounds YA | Excerpt/IG Post |
| 7/12/2022 | FictionalFey | IG Review |
| 7/12/2022 | Lady Hawkeye | Excerpt/IG Post |
| 7/13/2022 | Ya Books Central | Excerpt/IG Post |
| 7/13/2022 | The Biased Bibliophile | Review/IG Post |
| 7/14/2022 | Star-Crossed Book Blog | Review/IG Post |
| 7/14/2022 | Red Ink Book Reviews | Review/IG Post |
| 7/15/2022 | TakeALookAtMyBookshelf | IG Review |
| 7/15/2022 | @books_in.the.clouds0899 | IG Review |
Week Two:
| 7/18/2022 | @JCMorrows | Review/IG Post |
| 7/18/2022 | mulberryreads | IG Review |
| 7/19/2022 | Write. Read. Live. | Excerpt/IG Post |
| 7/19/2022 | Two Chicks on Books | Excerpt |
| 7/20/2022 | GryffindorBookishNerd | IG Review |
| 7/20/2022 | @jaimerockstarbooktours | IG Post |
| 7/21/2022 | A Bookish Dream | Review/IG Post |
| 7/21/2022 | Fire and Ice | Review |
| 7/22/2022 | The Momma Spot | Review/IG Post |
| 7/22/2022 | More Books Please blog | Review/IG Pos |