Release Day Event: State of Pursuit
State of Pursuit
by Summer Lane
Collapse Series #4
Synopsis
Cassidy Hart is alone.
Her Commander and the love of her life, Chris Young, has gone missing in action. A horrific battle with Omega has left too many good men and women dead, and Cassidy must bear the burden of leadership in the militia on her own.
But she's not about to give up.
With the help of her faithful friends - and former enemies - she will stop at nothing to rescue Chris and ensure victory for the militias in their fight against the all-powerful Omega forces.
The game has shifted.
This time, Cassidy is one step ahead of the enemy.
This time, Cassidy is in charge.
Excerpt
In my heart, I know that if we fail, there won’t be another way. Omega will expect a second rescue attempt, and they will be waiting for us to try something. Harry Lydell would kill Chris. It would mean game over.
This is something that everyone knows, but nobody wants to say it.
There’s no reason to.
“We’ll wait until it gets dark,” I continue. “Remember, in and out. Make it quick. Improvise, adapt and overcome. I don’t want any friendly casualties. Understood?”
“Understood,” Uriah echoes.
“Good.”
I look around at the many faces watching me. All of them, good men and women – even the ones I don’t necessarily get along with on a personal level. They’re risking their lives for Chris – and for our cause.
“Vera,” I say. “I want you with me.”
She doesn’t reply. She simply nods, her expression a perfect poker face.
Life is short. It’s even shorter when you’re a soldier. Do the right thing, because tomorrow, you might not get the chance.
Guest post
On the Subject of Killing Characters
When you write a series of books, you might be surprised at how many people will take the time to write to you and ask you questions about the fate of the characters. After book three, a group of readers were a bit distraught over the fate of one character in particular (I won’t spoil it, just in case you haven’t read State of Rebellion yet!). Unfortunately, sometimes a character must be sacrificed for the good of the story.
However, I’m not the kind of author to kill off the most beloved characters in my novels, because 1) I’m too attached to them to do that and 2) that doesn’t necessarily add quality to my story, just shock. In the end, I think that quality always beats shock value, and it’s important to only kill off a supporting cast member if it moves the story forward. So I only do that if I think it’s adding to the story, not taking away from it.
In State of Pursuit, the likelihood that somebody is going to die is much higher than any of the other books. Cassidy is essentially taking a rescue team on a suicide mission, and casualties are expected. I won’t give anything away, but I’ll just say that Cassidy is faced with some tough choices, and I think she responded in a way that will surprise the readers. Cassidy is growing up!
About the author
Summer Lane is the author of the national bestselling Collapse Series, which currently includes State of Emergency, State of Chaos, State of Rebellion and State of Pursuit. She owns WB Publishing, Writing Belle, and is the founder of The Art of Storytelling, a creative writing curriculum program for children. She is also a creative writing teacher and journalist.
Summer lives in the Central Valley of California, where she spends her time writing, teaching, and writing some more. When she is not writing, she enjoys leisurely visits with friends at coffee shops, watching movies, reading, and visiting the beach.
Links
Giveaway
I'd want Ozzie from the reality show "Survivor" as my buddy. The guy has mad skills!
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