You know that I get involved in any initiatives that Anncleire of “Please Another Book” (follow her!!!) promotes, so today she asked me to participate with her in this special cover reveal of the first book of a dystopian series, which will be released on November 22.
Are you ready for the cover?
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Title: The Fountain of the Earth
Author: H. L. LeRoy
Format: Trade paper, E-book
Trade paper page count: 272
Publish Date: November 22, 2013
Series: The Fountain of the Earth (#1)
Publisher: Tranquille Press
ISBN 978-0615710082
Genre: Young Adult – Dystopian
Synopsis:
The first in a planned series, The Fountain of the Earth is set on the West Coast following a catastrophic solar flare that has destroyed civilization, leaving only a few people struggling to survive. After witnessing the vicious murder of her mother, Terra Vonn (15) has a singular focus—exacting revenge on the killers. But before she can complete her plans, savagery intervenes and she is cast alone into a brutal post-apocalyptic world. As she trails the men south through a land filled with cannibalistic criminals, slave traders, and lunatics, the hunter becomes the hunted. Terra quickly learns that she is neither as tough nor as brave as she thinks she is. Worse, she may be the only one who stands between what little remains of civilization and destruction.
Terra Vonn is fighting to survive in a destroyed world,
surrounded by unspeakable horror …
and things are about to get much worse.
Excerpt
Ike Shaw, the clan leader, tried to put a stop to the charity toward us by threatening the other women. Thinking, I guess, it would force us to take husbands. It didn’t work, and a little food continued to show up at our hut. I was grateful, but it made Mom embarrassed. We had never needed charity before. It apparently made Shaw angry, because one afternoon he ordered us out of our hut and made us stand in front of the clan.
“You will both take husbands. It is unnatural for you to live without men in your hut.”
Mom tried to push me forward. I shrugged off her hand and walked back to our hut.
After his little speech, a couple of the men in the camp tried to take me as a wife by force, probably believing I was weak and the clan leader would approve. Once, I was able to fight my way free, but the other time, Carson came to my aid.
All of that stopped when Delon attacked me after I had returned from a hunt. In the couple of years since my friend Leslie died, he had turned into a fat drunk with two wives.
I had just walked across the camp center from the latrines when he lurched from between two huts and stood weaving in front of me.
“I have an idea,” Delon said, his breath thick with the smell of alcohol.
“I’ve got room for you in my hut.” He reached for my arm.
I jerked back. “Get away from me,” I said.
Apparently, it took him by surprise, because he just stood there with a stupid look on his face. I took the opportunity to walk past him. But I wasn’t quick enough, and he grabbed me from behind. Wrestling me to the ground, he flipped me on my back and pushed his huge, sweaty gut onto my face to hold me down. I could barely breathe.
“You’ll like being my wife,” he said.
Then he touched me.
I bit down as hard as I could on his belly and twisted my head until a big chunk came off in my mouth. Delon jumped up, screamed, and ran into the forest. I stood and spat the bloody gob into the fire pit where it sizzled, smelling a little like roasted pig. That same day, I started carrying Dad’s gun everywhere I went. It would be far worse for him if he ever came near me again. Delon knew it too, because he ran whenever he saw me.
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About H. L. LeRoy:
H. L. (Holly) LeRoy is an American short story writer and novelist, author of the award winning Street Crimes anthology and the novel The Fountain of the Earth (Nov. 22, 2013), first in a series of young adult adventures. Born in San Jose, California, LeRoy currently resides in Pioneer, California with his family.
