Author Guest Posts: Family & Relationships in a Dying World

Today I have author Samantha Durante with us talking on a topic I thought would touch wonderfully in her Young Adult Science Fiction/Dystopian series.

If you are new to the series, it starts with the first book Stitch.  Which you can check out my review for.  You can also find it on sale: Amazon ~ Kindle ~ for 99c

Please give a warm welcome for Samantha returning to the blog...

Family & Relationships in a Dying World 

by Samantha Durante, author of the Stitch Trilogy

Imagine the world ended tomorrow.

You have no more career, no school, no obligations. Money is meaningless. All the material possessions you’ve accumulated are useless, except what you can carry on your back. There’s no electricity to power your iPad, no gas to run your car, no fuel to heat your home – besides whatever you can find to burn, that is.

So what *do* you have left? When all the entrapments of daily life are tossed overboard and you’re fighting just to hold a claim over the basic necessities of survival, what exactly is left to live *for?*

Ask any of the characters from the Stitch Trilogy, and they’ll tell you the same thing: their loved ones.

It’s a truth that’s easy to overlook in our everyday lives, when we’re constantly distracted by our responsibilities and our duties, by earning a living and paying the bills and delegating our time between an endless array of commitments and chores and diversions and tasks. But strip all that away, and you remember what’s *supposed* to be the point of all that to begin with – to create a nice life for us and the people we care about.

Alessa and Isaac and Janie are all acutely aware of this fact, because the world as they knew it is in ruins, and they are faced every day with a choice: soldier on, or give up? And they wake up and make the same choice – with conviction – every single day because of one solitary factor: they still have each other. And that means life is still worth the fight.

The characters in the Stitch Trilogy say this about each other all the time – “s/he’s the only thing I have left.” And they *mean* it. There’s no such thing anymore as upward mobility, or crushing debt, or long-term aspirations. All there is, is *now.* There’s immediate survival. And if you’re lucky, there’s the opportunity to build another memory with the people you love.

We all know this in our hearts, and this is what makes post-apocalyptic stories so compelling. In a world where there’s always something to pull us away from our loved ones, these stories make us remember why we were put here to begin with: to connect, to cherish, to love. Because without our family and friends, there is simply nothing to live for, no matter how many gadgets or awards or accouterments we surround ourselves with.

In a dying world like the one in Stitch and Shudder, this becomes painfully apparent. Those bonds of love – whether old or new – give strength to survivors. And those unlucky ones without any love to live for… well, it’s only a matter of time before they perish.


Author Bio:
Samantha Durante lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. The Stitch Trilogy is her debut series. Learn more about Samantha at www.samanthadurante.com.

Stitch
Her heart races, her muscles coil, and every impulse in Alessa’s body screams at her to run… but yet she’s powerless to move.

Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghostly presence. In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees – and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell – Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless. But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn’t figured out yet is that she’s not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university’s idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface…

The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

Shudder
It’s only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa’s life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she’d counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she’d thought she’d tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she’s discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering “stitch” unlocked something in Alessa’s mind, and now she can’t shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers – and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world’s sorry history – will soon leave Alessa reeling…

The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante’s shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

Book Review: Shudder

Shudder

By:  Samantha Durante

Publish Date:  June 15, 2013

Format:  Paperback 335pgs, tradesize

Genre:  YA Science Fiction/Dystopian

Series:  2nd in Stitch series; 1st Book ~ Stitch

Recommendation:  To continue in an interesting and changing Young Adult Dystopian world.

Synopsis:
It's only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa's life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she'd counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she'd thought she'd tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she's discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering "stitch" unlocked something in Alessa's mind, and now she can't shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers - and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world's sorry history - will soon leave Alessa reeling...

The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante's shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

First Sentence:
The General slammed his fist on the table, the noise reverberating through the large room.

Purchase At:
Amazon   /   Barnes & Nobles

**I read this for an honest review, from the author.

My Thoughts and Summary:
It's a cold and snowing winter as Alessa and Isaac work to survive outside of Paragon on their mission days after their dangerous escape.  Alessa and Isaac are searching the frozen, snow covered land for the right place for the Rebel's to take up command post.  A Base.  Something strange is following and watching Alessa and Isaac.  Alessa is also coming face to face with something new to her as well, glimpses of the past - other peoples pasts.  She can feel and see the last thoughts of those who have passed.  Alessa even comes to realize she can feel the creatures stalking them, emotions.  There are strange new things in the world, and where they are coming from, no one knows.

We start right where Stitch left off, but in a meeting of those who created this life structure.  There is more behind what they've done, a reason, but I don't know what that is yet.  We learn a great deal of their workings in this second book.  This book teaches a great deal about those who created Paragon, the Engineers, and why they are all here.

The last hundred pages are wonderful, and well connected with great leads from one point to the next.  Before that, I felt like there were abrupt lead ins that told us what was coming next and what was going to happen before it happened.  There could have been smoother transitions.  I do have one small pet peeve.  Many probably won't even buck at it.  Hyphens.  They are strongly used, overuse for me.  I would have used commas or created new sentences.  But that is just a pet peeve of my own.

I really enjoy the story idea and where Samantha takes what happens and changes things here to create her world.  I do get a feel of Hunger Games from some of it, but without the games part.  There are many things that are new to us in this book.  Alessa and her feelings are completely new in this book.  Along with the dangers of the stitch done to people.  And we learn of the history.

We learn a great many things of the world history.  The bombs, the impact of the bombs, the war, and the plague that infected almost all of the human race that lived through the bombs.  Even the stories of how our characters got to Paragon along with how Paragon was created.

We read from Alessa's and Isaac's point of views again.  We also get to hear from Nikhil and another female the Engineers (creators of Paragon) call Phoenix.  By doing this, boy do we learn a great deal.  And get a bit closer to Nikhil as well.

Who? What? Where? (124)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

his is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )


Since my husband had me digging a ditch and building a wall all weekend, I'm still in the same book from last week.

This Week:

I'm with Alessa holding Isaac.  He's not doing so well.  But there are things outside the tent moving as well.  Creatures that have been following us?  Even attacked us?  Or just the winter wind playing?  I'm not sure.  I have a feeling that in this abandoned sick world, there could be some strange help to show up.  But Alessa and I are thinking of the path she will follow next.

Shudder
By:  Samantha Durante

Others have shown interest in joining in this post, and linking up.  So I've created a linky for that.
My only requests; copy the picture to use, and link back to My World...in words and pages.
Please visit any joining in.
Thank you!

Teaser Tuesday (173)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests

This Week:

Melissa's Read:

Another round of snarls rose up from beyond the fence - their pursuers had rounded the corner  "Get in," Issac commanded. Alessa didn't hesitate - she tossed her pack in and vaulted over the side of the dumpster, landing inside with a thud.

Shudder
By:  Samantha Durante
66 pg




This is the second book in this YA Dystopian read.  If you are curious about the first:

Looking Forward to...(123)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

It's been a while since I've done one of these Friday Looking Forward posts.  And I miss doing them.

Next Book Is...

Shudder
Stitch trilogy

By:  Samantha Durante

Due Out:  June 15, 2013

It looks like TOMORROW! This one is out tomorrow. WOW. I'm curious to see where Samantha takes this series next after the end of Stitch.

Goodreads Synopsis:

-- Book 2 in the Stitch Trilogy --

It's only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa's life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she'd counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she'd thought she'd tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she's discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering "stitch" unlocked something in Alessa's mind, and now she can't shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers - and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world's sorry history - will soon leave Alessa reeling...

The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante's shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

Looking Forward To...(116)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

It's been a while since I've done one of these Friday Looking Forward posts.  And I miss doing them.

Next Book Is...

Shudder
Stitch Trilogy #2

By:  Samantha Durante

Due Out:  June 15, 2013

I read the first book and was interested in the twists that came about.  I'm looking forward to learning more of this world and what's in store for our characters.

Goodreads Synopsis:

It’s only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa’s life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she’d counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she’d thought she’d tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she’s discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering “stitch” unlocked something in Alessa’s mind, and now she can’t shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers – and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world’s sorry history – will soon leave Alessa reeling…

The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante’s shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.

The author is currently running a giveaway for 1 ARC of Shudder.
Open Internationally.

Enter the Giveaway HERE!!!

The Ick Factor: How Reality TV Inspired Stitch by Samantha Durante

Do you want reality tv shows?  Could they help influence writing?  Today I have a guest post by Samantha Durante, published first book Stitch, where Reality TV shows have had some influence on her new trilogy.

Please give a warm welcome to Samantha...

How Reality TV Inspired Stitch

There’s something about reality TV that just makes my skin crawl.  The logical part of me knows that stars of the show have signed up for this, that they know they’re being exploited and somehow it’s worth it to them anyway, and that obviously this is something viewers want, otherwise these shows wouldn’t be so successful.  But there’s something about it that just seems wrong, that makes me feel like a creep-oid peeping tom peering in on something I shouldn’t be seeing.

I’ll admit that I have my weaknesses.  The Bachelor/Bachelorette series is (embarrassingly) often one of the highlights of my week.  That show has somehow weaseled its way into my heart with its interesting cast of wide-eyed hopefuls that I can’t help but root for.  But even despite my attachment to the many sympathetic characters on that show, I still can’t bring myself to take the plunge into the trash-fest that is Bachelor Pad.  At some point the “ick” factor just gets to be too much, and I have to draw the line.  (Though America’s Next Top Model apparently does not cross that line for me…)

Even though I am myself part of the problem, our generation’s obsession with reality TV certainly gives me pause.  What is it about these shows that has gotten us so hooked?  Is it the old train wreck concept, just too gruesome to tear our eyes away from?  Is it that watching people in worse situations than our own makes us feel somehow better about ourselves?  Do we enjoy living vicariously through these characters, feeling the extreme highs and lows of their struggles and triumphs and – perhaps most essentially – their transgressions, in a way that societal mores will prevent us from ever likely experiencing in our own lives?  I suspect it’s probably a combination of all the above, plus a healthy dose of pure entertainment factor.  And this, I think, is where the peril lies.

At what point does the entertainment factor of these shows stop outweighing the personal cost of the individuals who are exploited by them?  Yes, reality shows today are generally an opt-in-only phenomenon, where the so-called “stars” voluntarily auction their dignity to the highest bidder.  But what happens when we get bored with the fame-and-attention-seeking stereotype who dominates many of these shows?  Wouldn’t it be more interesting to see “regular” (or dare I say “real”) people thrust into the ridiculous situations that reality shows often create?

After all, we all love a good hidden camera show.  Where’s the harm in temporarily thrusting an unsuspecting person into a comically frustrating setting?  But how long is it okay to keep the subject in the dark?  Most shows of this type generally only maintain the charade long enough to get a reaction and a good laugh.  But what happens when one day a show decides to go a bit further?  A few minutes turns into a few hours, hours into days, days into months…  Could make for some pretty interesting TV.

Sure, in a society that values freedom above all, it certainly seems unreasonable to trap a free person in a fake world just for our viewing pleasure.  But things change.  Even in my lifetime, the skill of entertainment has evolved from a commodity possessed by the few (comedians, actors, performer, etc.) to a necessity that’s almost required for basic function.  How successful would Facebook be, for example, if only a handful of people made jokes or shared thought-provoking ideas or quipped about the latest celebrity faux-pas?  For the vast majority of us, it would be quite boring.  And as a result, everyone has become a comedian, an actor, a performer, albeit on the stage of our lives, with our friends and families and acquaintances as the audience.

So is it really that far-fetched to think that this idea might one day be implemented on a grander scale, that we might actually turn someone’s life into a show?  In a democratic society we might still object to using an unsuspecting victim for entertainment (at least for longer than a few minutes), but would it really be so bad if the person wasn’t free to begin with?  If they were, say, a criminal locked up for life and whose time wasn’t their own anyway?  And what if by making this show, you could somehow benefit society as a whole, fill some need that would keep the populace content and fulfilled and peaceful?  Would that be worth the exploitation of a few individuals?

For the sake of eschewing spoilers, I can’t get into too much detail about how this line of thinking ties directly into Stitch.  But suffice it to say, as much as I enjoy reality TV (despite the skin crawl), under the right circumstances I definitely think the reality show concept has the potential to become dangerous.  I’m just hoping I never find myself on the other side of the TV screen…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, thanks Samantha!  I have to say I've got the same feel about the reality tv shows as well, the skin crawling feeling as well.  And some great questions raised to think on!  Makes me wonder if we would ever cross that line, or even if maybe we have started already.

Now I know now this ties into her book, and you can learn as well.  Curious?

How to find Samantha:

Her Site:  www.samanthadurante.com

Like her site on Facebook:  Samantha Durante

If you would like to purchase Stitch:
Stitch at Amazon Print or Kindle

Barnes & Nobles Nook

Book Review: Stitch

Stitch

By:  Samantha Durante

Published By:  Samantha Durante

Publish Date:  August 1, 2012

Format:  Print 304pgs, 5 1/2" x 8 1/2"

Genre:  YA Science Fiction/Dystopia

Series:  1st in Stitch trilogy

Recommendation:  A young adult read with a little different take on the mind and ghosts with a surprising dystopian world.

Synopsis:
Still struggling to find her footing after the sudden death of her parents, the last thing college freshman Alessa has the strength to deal with is the inexplicable visceral pull drawing her to a handsome ghastly presence.  In between grappling with exams and sorority soirees - and disturbing recurring dreams of being captive in a futuristic prison hell - Alessa is determined to unravel the mystery of the apparition who leaves her breathless.  But the terrifying secret she uncovers will find her groping desperately through her nightmares for answers.

Because what Alessa hasn't figured out yet is that she's not really a student, the object of her obsession is no ghost, and her sneaking suspicions that something sinister is lurking behind the walls of her university's idyllic campus are only just scratching the surface...

The opening installment in a twist-laden trilogy, Stitch spans the genres of paranormal romance and dystopian sci-fi to explore the challenges of a society in transition, where morality, vision, and pragmatism collide leaving the average citizen to suffer the results.

First Sentence:
She woke to the sound of heavy boot steps marching down the hall and the familiar pang in her hip bones wrought from too many nights on a rigid metal cot.

Purchase At:

Amazon ~ Print or Kindle   /   Barnes & Nobles ~ Nook

My Thoughts and Summary:
Alessa is trying to study but her mind keeps wandering back to the young male ghost in her sorority house.  She hasn't been able to pull up any useful information on his history yet.  Between that fixation and the reoccurring nightmares, her sleep and social life along with school work are suffering.  She thinks her reaction to the ghost is curious, the severe feelings she feels and some connection between them.  Alessa starts researching her sorority house to learn who he was, with the leads her sorority sister Janie finds.  The visions and feelings from the ghost become stronger with each visit, until finally they both see each other.  When Alessa's world, as she knows it, becomes more and more suspicious, she might learn her nightmares could be more real than she realizes.  The nightmares involving her ghost and a few others.  Deep down Alessa's subconsciousness knows the truth and her feelings spark from it.  But what she learns about her school will shock her.

Alessa seems like a strong girl that's had some bad things happen to her.  Her parents died when she was in high school, she finished, barely, and found a college that would except her marred grades.  She's strong and carries on.  But then you learn more about Alessa than I ever thought possible, and see how she has learned to stand on her own two legs and gets through for others.  What has spared her to carry on and be stronger. And deep feelings she holds for a few very special people.  We then meet Isaac, and he sounds like a wonderful curious boy of one hundred years past.  Then everything changes.

The story starts with a preface, which made me rather curious.  I have questions that are stirred up by this, and wonder what has happened.  Then in the first chapter there's a hint that maybe Alessa's nightmares are of the preface happening, and others after this.  For me the book had a slow beginning.  We learn of Alessa and her college, her history, and her infatuation with the blue eyed ghost she sees.  I would say about the first ninety pages where slow reading for me, an introduction more than anything.  I felt like there were repeats in one section of telling me the emotional drain, exhaustion, and all emotions flooding Alessa when she sees the ghost.  When Alessa was out posting flyers, it felt to drag some.  But all this is to get the feeling of a setting a stage.

Suddenly!  The story took off flying for me.   We got into more of Alessa and Isaac's story and getting the ghost and person together.  I was hooked.  The dreams of a place not so found, and dreams of the two together -- even though one hundred years apart in time.  We see more to this world as it opens up to us with the characters and what is really going on.  Yes, I was hooked and had to read through the story to see what happened and where we ended up.

This book had a feel that reminded me of the movie The Lake House, not from letters going back and forth but from seeing the story of present and past between Alessa and Isaac, and that there is a connection, maybe even a love there.

This is a young adult read, and I think a very good one.  There is a touch of love, not only from a boyfriend/girlfriend aspect (which is later in the book), but of the family and how that connection can always carry through strong.  There's no swearing or sexual content, which is refreshing to read.

We get the glimpse of a dystopian world that I hope we see more of in the coming books.  I will say in the end I am hooked.  I'm very curious to see what Samantha Durante will take the trilogy next in book two, Shudder.  Strong ending, and lead in to the next book.



*I received this book from the author for an honest review of my thoughts.

Who? What? Where? (82)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

I just started this one last night, so only a few pages in.

This Week:

I'm entering Janie's sorority bedroom with Alessa.  She's become a very good friend to Alessa with both being freshmen at college.  But I'm curious about the ghost boy Alessa has been seeing and thinking about, then those nightmares too.  I wonder if they are connected.

Stitch
By:  Samantha Durante