Sunday, January 6, 2013

As They Slip Away: A Free Novella!

All this week, I'm doing a blog tour to celebrate the launch of my third and final novel in the Across the Universe trilogy: SHADES OF EARTH!

Guys, I'm so excited about this one. It's really a work of love, and a great big thank you letter to everyone who's supported me and read my work.

But I wanted to do something else to thank you all. So...I wrote a novella. And I'm giving it to you. For free. No strings. I just want you to have it.

The novella is called "As They Slip Away" (note the Beatles reference!), and all this week, Monday through Friday, a different chapter will be posted on a different blog in this unique blog tour. Additionally, you'll have a chance each day to win one of five sets of books--all three books in the trilogy, all signed by me.

The short version: all this week, you get to download another chapter of "As They Slip Away" and enter to win a set of signed books.

You can read the full description of "As They Slip Away" on GoodReads--and by the end of the week, you'll be able to download the full version of the story on your e-reader of choice (available free through Scribd from PenguinTeen).

But I want to get personal for a moment, and tell you about how this novella came to be.

"As They Slip Away" features a new character--Selene. Although she's not really new. If you've read ACROSS THE UNIVERSE or A MILLION SUNS, you've seen Selene before. In ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, Selene was the "rabbit girl," the girl Amy meets who's giving "inoculations" to rabbits. And she showed up again, in A MILLION SUNS. As a victim.

I knew for a long time that I wanted to write a novella telling this girl's story. I like to have backgrounds for my background characters, and from the moment she landed on the page--as a late addition, barely making the cut--I was curious about what her story might be.

I also wanted to write more about the most-hated character of my books: Luthor, or Luthe, as he was known in the first book. In a lot of ways, he's the real villain of my stories, not Eldest or Orion. Both Eldest and Orion have very real reasons for doing what they do. I'm not saying they're right--I'm just saying they are acting with what they feel to be the best way.

Luthe, on the other hand, is evil.

I wanted to do two things with the bad characters in my books. I wanted to show that many times, the person we think is evil, has perfectly valid reasons for his actions. Most "bad guys" aren't bad--they're just working under different motivations or goals or methodology. That's why I wanted to show who Eldest and Orion were, and why they did what they did.

But I also wanted to make it clear that there is evil in the world. And that is Luthe. He is evil. He is bad. He is unredeemable. He is perfectly, 100% conscious of his actions, and the consequences, and he doesn't care. He takes what he wants.

In some ways, "As They Slip Away" is Luthe's story. He is evil--but he's also sick. Sick in the same way serial killers are sick, but sick, nonetheless.

But really, this is Selene's story. The girl who had no voice--not in the novels, not even in part of this story.

I wanted "As They Slip Away" to be a story about a victim. If you read A MILLION SUNS, you already know how Selene's story ends--and it doesn't end well. "As They Slip Away" is a tragedy. But despite that--despite what's happened to Selene, she doesn't let that change her. So, while it is a tragedy, I want you to know also that it's a story of strength.

And I hope you like it. <3 p="p">

10 comments:

Pili said...

I'm super excited for the novella, and it'll be great to keep me going on the very few days left till Shades of Earth comes out!

Thank you so very much for making it a free e-novella!!

Maithilee K. said...

Oh my goodness this is such an amazing gift from you! This is such a surprise! It's 1AM here and I'm so glad I decided to check your blog, as usual, even though I was supposed to go to bed two hours ago...Thank you!

Munderoon said...

I'm so excited!! *runs in triangular circles* Thank you so much!! Feels like christmas returned for an especially great present <3

Amy said...

This is one of the few series books that I've really fallen in love with and looked forward to enough to know the release date. So I was excited to learn of this little bonus that's going to be available the week before book #3.

So nice. Thank you. :-)

Unknown said...

I can't wait to read it! Thanks so much for making it free, too! :) Really looking forward to it.

barmybex said...

OMG AWESOME!!! I can't wait to read this. You've made my day. :D

Kelley Lynn said...

This is amazing!!! I'm so excited to read this :)

Juli said...

Thank you! I have always loved extra stories on the side characters of my favorite books :)

Juli said...

Thank you! I have always loved extra stories on the side characters of my favorite books :)

BURIED IN BOOKS said...

I loved the novella! I so loved seeing what really happened to Selene and Luthor. He was just bad. And the unfairness of what happened to her early on didn't surprise me. That was life under Eldest's rule. I'm just glad I got to see what really happened. Now, If I could just remember if he died in some sick sadistic way! LOL. Guess it's time for a reread before Tuesday!

See you in Morganton!
Heather