The character Julieth in NovaForge is an intense, headstrong female character with vast feathered wings and a leaning towards the bow and arrow. She’s tough, and yet in a world that has been decimated by years of a corrupt humanity, she
is the character with the most heart. She understands the need for battle, and yet struggles in her mind against it.

The origin of the name Julieth has a long history for me. Each one of my books has a character in it that in some way came out of my poetry book, Dusk Crescence. In NovaForge Julieth is that
character. There was a character in Dusk Crescence named Julieth who was a winged woman. She had a different personality than this Julieth, but that is the name’s original usage in my books. When I created the name I was in High School, sitting in class looking at a friend of mine, Judy. I needed a name and I thought… Judith, Judie, Julie, Juliet. But Juliet is Shakespeare’s character’s name. Then I added an H. Julieth. So now you know where and how. Julieth is a key player in NovaForge. Check out an excerpt below involving her character. I take great pride in Julieth.
NovaForge releases Saturday May 3rd.

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She fell to the ground, clenching earth with her hands and barely seeing Ivanus dragging Bayne’s limp body away from her. Her back quaked as something ripped from her flesh. It felt like a writhing serpent, moving, but still connected to her. A moment later another surge of pain struck her as another massive thing burst out of her back. A slimy substance oozed around her on the red soil. The pain receded as regular sight returned. Feathers blew in the wind away from her, covered in the same gooey substance on the earth around her body.

“You have wings!” Ivanus called out nearby. “Vast, beautiful wings. I didn’t know what they were when I saw them in my sight.”

What is he saying? Julieth worked through the remaining pain, trying to pull together her thoughts. She could move the things protruding from her back, and could feel them as if they were her limbs. What is going on? Do I really have wings? She could believe it if she had somehow bonded with an essence, but had never seen wings in person before. All species of flight perished shortly after the
meteor, except for one man who had been possessed by the essences. He was rumored to be part
dragon, but she had never seen him.

Whatever struck me when Ivanus arrived, those must have been essences from his time, if he is telling the truth. Julieth touched her chest where the things had entered her, and then reached around her back to feel for their markings. Her hands touched slime, and then the intricate patterns of fresh muscle and feathers. A shiver ran through her and she used the new muscles protruding from her back to curve her wings before her and into her sight. Their ivory white feathers were
beautiful. They are a part of me, she thought in surreal wonder.

With the approaching release of my Sci-Fi novel, NovaForge, I’ve recently been editing, re-editing, hashing and re-hashing over word after word in the document. I’ve been asking for opinions, taking some really good advice and getting extremely excited for the release.

And as I examine each word with a fine-toothed comb I’ve been thinking of all the memories for me within the work. That’s what’s so fantastic for an author. Each character’s name has a story behind it that you may never know as a reader. Sometimes a character will experience things just because that author was experiencing something similar that sparked that idea or a character will have an emotion because of what went on in the author’s life. When you read a book you enjoy a fantastic story that transports you in to an incredible new realm or experience. But as the author we revisit a realm we created and remember all these experiences that helped shape what we wrote in the book.

As we near the release I thought I’d share one of these. There’s a character in NovaForge who has the ability to morph from human to dragon form. When he is in human form he burns a brilliant light. The man’s name is Shaun Dune. So how did the name come about? For a few weeks my daughter kept saying that her ‘invisible friend’ son’s name was Shaun Dune, and as I listened to that name day after day I thought, Hey, that’s a really cool name. And so I stole it. My daughter has officially named her first book character and every time I read the name I’ll be reminded of that and that fun experience with her.

Look for NovaForge when it releases on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com Saturday May 3rd! It will be at Barnes&Noble.com shortly after that.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Solaris. A planet like any other, rife with wars, science and love. But at the peak of its civilization, a great meteor fell, bringing long-dead souls to Solaris, souls that had been sustained by the life-force of one lone man, Ineal.

At the moment of impact, these souls scattered across Solaris, giving inhuman abilities to mortals while scarring their bodies and corrupting their lives.

Samuel was one such man, a man of faith who thought to use his powers to worship his God: he watched his followers, and his planet, die. Seas turned to lava and the skies darkened. And as Samuel’s heart grew weary and angry, he used his powers to manipulate the world to serve him alone.

Samuel became god of a planet whose only life was the symbiotic life so like his own.

Centuries later, he discovered others, threats that had not been on this planet before. A winged woman; a cyborg; a future-seer and a child. A great vengeance burned a comradery between them.

They were souls that could overthrow him. Souls that he would need to destroy.

When hell claws its way up from the dark depths of the earth, and the dead begin to walk again, for several people the zombie apocalypse doesn’t just mean the end of the world as they know it, it is also the beginning of a brave new life for them. For some it offers freedom, for others a deeper torment and unforgiving life than they ever thought possible.
The coward, the street rat, the hero, and the lovers, everyone has their place. What really decides their fate in this new existence, nature, or nurture? Who they become when the world goes to hell is the true decider on their own humanity, and will ultimately decide their fates.
Forever changed, they have to learn to adapt to this dangerous and dark new world before they become one of the living dead themselves.

Odium Origins is an accompaniment to the novel Odium. It
  contains several short stories featuring some of the characters that you loved to hate from the full length novel Odium.
Please note: This novella may also be read as a standalone book.

Five facts about you that people won’t know about you. Can you juggle? Ride a bike with no hands? Drink beer upside down? Something unusual… GO!

1. I got my PADI certification at 14.

2. A beauty pageant runner-up in High School

3. My wedding dress was a costly $60 off the rack at Macy’s.

4. I stalked my husband until he agreed to marry me.

5. My middle name is Grace, but I’m far from graceful (likely why I got runner-up in the beauty pageant- darn those high heels)

Five facts about your newest book that people won’t know. Some background history on one of your characters maybe? Maybe it was going to be called something completely different to start out with? Is it the same genre it started out as?

1. A lot of people felt the cover of DRAG.N was a mistake – saying the image was misleading. I understood why they felt that way, but I liked it. So I left it – it ‘felt’ like the story to me. Maybe that means that my book will never be well received, but, as an artist, going with my gut is about as important as anything else. 

2. The first character that appears in the story is named after my father – Benton. 

3. I consider DRAG.N to be a political semi-satire built on the ground of a dystopia, others disagree – seeing the modern-day meaning behind my words as more tragedy and true. Let’s just call it dystopian dark comedy with a political undertone that readers can opt to ignore. 

4. I wrote it in roughly 20 hours and then spent a week editing. I think it’s some of my best work. 

5. The chapter with the President in bed with the cleaning maid in the White House originally verged on pornographic. I cleaned it up before publication – which was probably a smart choice considering I’ve been told that I lack the ability to write a convincing smut scene. 
 
Five facts about your next book… Name, genre, expected date of release…

1. Tears of Chios is loosely based off the Legend of Saint Isidore of Chios and will be released this Summer. 
 
2. Mastic spice is said to have healing properties.

3. I wrote half of the book and then decided to change an element of the plot – causing me to spend months re-writing the half I’d already written.

4. My ‘villains’ have precious stones embedded into their skin – in intricate patterns surrounded by swirling tattoos.  

5. The perspective switches from 3rd to 1st then back to 3rd and follows dual main characters across separate landscapes.

Three tips that you think might be useful for other authors… anything you want. It could be, to write a certain amount every day, only write after midnight and never get Gizmo wet (Sorry, that’s Gremlins not writers! My bad.) Maybe it’s some information that was given to you that has helped your process…

1. Learn to take constructive criticism well and use it to your benefit. Criticism doesn’t change you; it teaches you how to respond to the world in a way that better showcases your talents and intent. You have the ability nay the right to pick and choose which criticisms to implement. 

2. Find a lifeline to mentor you through the process. You don’t have to go it alone. You may be surprised, but there are successful writers out there who are willing to share wisdom and advice. 

3. Take full advantage of social media for marketing – Twitter, Facebook, a personal website – all of these will help you build an audience. 

To explore Eli Constant's work click the link below!

Dead Trees, Amazon.com


 

RELEASED

A scientist mommy battling beasties better be handy with a scalpel.

Elise Swanson is trying to give her daughters a decent childhood. This should be a simple task, but the invading undergrounders – subterranean humanoids that have existed since the dawn of mankind – make outdoor playtime a tad tricky.

After fleeing Georgia and surviving six months of bumbling self-sufficiency, Elise and her daughters meet Jason. He's tough and nature-savvy. Pit stop fights with beasties define the survival-road that the four companions navigate. The bloody pavement finally ends in Washington State at a government safe zone where the trekkers hope to build a stationary life.

A little rest and rehab would be nice, but Elise is quickly led down a path of research and deception where humanity's future isn't a priority. She becomes leader of a secret plan and long nights in the lab keep her busy. She strives to destroy the undergrounders and the life of an underhuman crossbreed hangs in the balance.

Haphazardly conceived and manufactured, the H2H (Humanoid-to-Human) chromosome-targeting nanotech has a small probability of success, but Elise has to believe it will work. Hour by hour, she becomes less confident and more emotionally compromised by the rapidly growing, stunning underhuman. Her maternal nature leads to a late-night escapade resulting in a platinum-haired, third daughter and a million uncertainties.

Fleeing her home, Elise had two loved ones to shelter. That number has risen. When the not-so-safe zone is invaded by beasties, she will save her family... no matter the consequences.

DEAD TREES is a 111k word, mature-reader Dystopian that weaves horror, levity, and science. Underneath the layers of storyline, a simple core exists – the limitless distance a mother will go to protect her children, both physically and mentally.
 
To unearth this well written Dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

Dead Trees, Amazon.com

RELEASE DATE: ~Winter 2013 Gnere: Dystopian SciFi with horror elements

Being a test-tube crossbreed can present challenges - Meg Brown knows this all too well.

A shattered sanctuary forces her to run... away from the family that used to be and towards the father she barely knows. The only clue she has to her father's whereabouts is a scribbled address and a well-used atlas.

H2H (Humanoid to Human) inoculation has been vastly effective and the last of the wild undergrounders patrol the cold woods of the northern continents. Meg must find a way to save herself and her adopted sister. The small backpack of supplies is barely enough for a few days travel. Trekking from Canada to New Mexico seems impossible.

After a year on the road, Meg worries her father may have moved. To her surprise, she finds not only her biological dad, but also her mother.

Humanity had hoped to rebuild their population after the H2H rendered the undergrounders infertile. As it turned out, humans were affected also and the only generation born after H2H were also reproductively unviable.

Meg's father is searching for the cure to humanity's infertility. Meg's mother is pregnant. Will the world accept the coupling of human and beastie for children's sake?

RELEASED

The DRAG.N units were invented to support the marriage of the Universal Health Initiative (UHI) and Green Nation. Their purpose: mass airborne vaccinations to ensure health for all U.S. citizens. The illogically expensive vaccines serve another purpose though. Laced with chemical agents, mescaline and fluoxetine, the vaccines have created a docile, drugged, and receptive
American populace.

The anti-UHI activists are determined to takedown the DRAG.N and the corrupt healthcare system. Their planning has been meticulous, spanning nearly a year. Benton and Rachel Greer take the first steps towards raising the proverbial sword and slaying the DRAG.Ns. Will they succeed?

DRAG.N takes an imaginative look at the future of an America where human fundamental rights and freedom are an option rather than a guarantee. This novelette chronicles three days in the lives of researchers, activists, a deceptive Presidential Cabinet, and a First Lady with secrets of her own.

DRAG.N is a brief dystopian novelette, political semi-satire. Birthed during a whirlwind weekend competition, DRAG.N tells a year-long-story with a satisfying conclusion in the span of a few days. The two main themes are universally familiar: Truth will out and America should mean freedom. Without exception.

To get a breath of this infectious dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

DRAG.N, Amazon.com

RELEASE DATE: Summer 2013 Genre: Thriller with fantasy elements

A long time ago on an Island an officer died for his faith. His sacrifice grew into trees. In the present, Kat dreams...

The Island of Chios is so named for the legend of Saint Isidore, a roman naval officer who died for his faith. It is said that where the drops of his blood fell, a special and fragrant tree grew. The mastic spice harvested from these trees is said to have healing and magical properties, but it has been centuries since the Saint's death and that magic is waning.

Renee is working on a case...a case where bodies disappear from the morgue. Her daughter, Kat, relentlessly dreams things she doesn't understand, but Kat knows the feeling these dreams leave within her...the feeling that she is meant for something.

Drugged and abducted by the Mastichoria, controllers of the spice, Kat will learn her connection to the fabled Saint and the truth about her bloody destiny. Renee will do anything in her power to keep her daughter alive. Even if it means taking her daughter's place.

Tears of Chios is a novel that intertwines fantasy, truth, pathology and fate. Saint Isidore left more than a grove of trees in his wake.

RELEASE DATE: Spring 2014 Genre: YA fantasy

It doesn't matter what the history books say, the Salem Witch Trials ended for one very specific reason. All of the witches disappeared. One coven seeking to save themselves devise a spell to take them out of the realm of humans, away from persecution. "Move the night, Move the time, Transform earth, Mind to mine."

But the coven did not understand the far-reaching power of their combined spelling. The powerful seven find themselves in a new, strange world and out of the dark woods surrounding them walk every fantastical being imaginable - forcibly moved from the world of humans. 

Welcome to GoodWicked -- a town where a wherewolf loves a fairy, the Loch Ness monster swims with the Kraken, and unicorns are tri-horned, gifted healers that are black, not white.

SPELL BREAK represents Eli's first jaunt into Young Adult literature. This series was inspired by a crumpled page of her daughter's scribblings.

Stories in the IGBA Series: Earth Bounty (Spring 2013) Black Belt Bounty (Summer 2013) The Search for Bounty Morlins (Fall 2013)

Bounty G.M. survived the IGBA Academy. She's endured countless hours bagging Prigbees on central planet GRUP. But can she survive her latest mission...to Earth?

Born more than 150 years ago, G.M. returns to her origin planet in search of a planet GRUP (Galaxy Recognized Ultra Power) fugitive. The fugitive is a Digha-Waa, an aquatic species. And G.M. has never been fond of fishing. But she's trained. Hardened. She. Is. Bounty.

The life she lived before on Earth is a distant, easily forgotten memory. Friends, family, childhood pets have long since died, decayed and been recycled in the National Composting System. She has her pain. She cries her tears and lets sentiment slide away.

Her focus seems rock solid until Bounty Morlins picture makes her realize that this mission is a personal one. The Digha-Waa run-away is only the beginning. Her ex-lover, Morlins, is the prize.

Eli Constant, Breakwater Harbor Books' newest author acquisition, has recently released an infectious Dystopian Sci-Fi read by the name of DRAG.N! It has one review on Amazon, because it is so fresh off the press, but this review shows exactly why anyone who enjoys Orwell or Sci-Fi should pick up Constant's work.

"This dystopian view of the world is harrowing and brilliant and impossible to put down. Smartly written and thought-provoking, it provides insight into how easily ethics can be compromised for personal gain making this seemingly far-fetched idea actually conceivable. The plot unfolds at a pace that keeps you  hooked (though it does leave you wanting more). A must-read for anyone who likes  smart, timely fiction with an Orwellian tint." - DasFrau

DRAG.N your attention will bind (but within these pages, no dragons you'll find).

The DRAG.N units were invented to support the marriage of the Universal Health Initiative (UHI) and Green Nation. Their purpose: mass airborne vaccinations to ensure health for all U.S. citizens. The illogically expensive vaccines serve another purpose though. Laced with chemical agents, mescaline and fluoxetine, the vaccines have created a docile, drugged, and receptive
American populace.

The anti-UHI activists are determined to takedown the DRAG.N and the corrupt healthcare system. Their planning has been meticulous, spanning nearly a year. Benton and Rachel Greer take the first steps towards raising the proverbial sword and slaying the DRAG.Ns. Will they succeed?

DRAG.N takes an imaginative look at the future of an America where human fundamental rights and freedom are an option rather than a guarantee. This novelette chronicles three days in the lives of researchers, activists, a deceptive Presidential Cabinet, and a First Lady with secrets of her own.

DRAG.N is a brief dystopian novelette, political semi-satire. Birthed during a whirlwind weekend competition, DRAG.N tells a year-long-story with a satisfying conclusion in the span of a few days. The two main themes are universally familiar: Truth will out and America should mean freedom. Without exception.

To get a breath of this infectious dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

DRAG.N, Amazon.com

Eli Constant, Breakwater Harbor Books' newest author acquisition, has been receiving rave reviews on Amazon.com for her debut Sci-Fi novel, Dead Trees! For a glimpse at what readers have been saying about this fantastic Dystopian Sci-Fi novel read on below!

"Have you ever picked up your book before bed and thought oh I'll just read 3 chapters? Well this is what I did and ended up with some very tired mornings because I simply could not put this book down!! I can't wait to see the next book in this series and any other book from this author."
 - Tina Moss 

"What a breath of fresh air. I am a big fan of this type of SciFi. But, the author has brought it to a new level. Such detail, without overloading facts and insignificant issues. It was difficult to take my eyes off of it. The train of thought was smooth and the flow of the story was at a very comfortable pace. This author has a true calling and a great deal of talent." - Alexander Constantopoulos

"My husband and I both read this book. We are polar opposites but neither of us could put it down. I emotionally connectd with the characters and I found myself on the edge of suspense."
- R. A. Newton

"I'm à huge fan of sci-fi and the occasional zombie stories. Though this didn't have zombies per se, there was the same feel to it. With very few inconsistencies, it was a story that can keep you interested in finding out what happens next. Whenever you think things are becoming "normal," it gets the adrenalne rushing all over again. It was nice to have a strong female lead in the story! I can easily see this being made into a movie. Very entertaining and I was sorry to have it end."
- Donna Davis

"I just finished my second read of this book. The suspense kept me turning pages, even when I knew what was coming. I would strongly recommend this to any teen or adult looking for a thrill ride."
- DANEWTO

----------------------------------

DEAD TREES - PITCH

A scientist mommy battling beasties better be handy with a scalpel.

Elise Swanson is trying to give her daughters a decent childhood. This should be a simple task, but the invading undergrounders – subterranean humanoids that have existed since the dawn of mankind – make outdoor playtime a tad tricky.

After fleeing Georgia and surviving six months of bumbling self-sufficiency, Elise and her daughters meet Jason. He's tough and nature-savvy. Pit stop fights with beasties define the survival-road that the four companions navigate. The bloody pavement finally ends in Washington State at a government safe zone where the trekkers hope to build a stationary life.

A little rest and rehab would be nice, but Elise is quickly led down a path of research and deception where humanity's future isn't a priority. She becomes leader of a secret plan and long nights in the lab keep her busy. She strives to destroy the undergrounders and the life of an underhuman crossbreed hangs in the balance.

Haphazardly conceived and manufactured, the H2H (Humanoid-to-Human) chromosome-targeting nanotech has a small probability of success, but Elise has to believe it will work. Hour by hour, she becomes less confident and more emotionally compromised by the rapidly growing, stunning underhuman. Her maternal nature leads to a late-night escapade resulting in a platinum-haired, third daughter and a million uncertainties.

Fleeing her home, Elise had two loved ones to shelter. That number has risen. When the not-so-safe zone is invaded by beasties, she will save her family... no matter the consequences.

DEAD TREES is a 111k word, mature-reader Dystopian novel that weaves horror, levity, and science. Underneath the layers of storyline, a simple core exists – the limitless distance a mother will go to protect her children, both physically and mentally. 

To unearth this well written Dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

Dead Trees, Amazon.com

About you. I live outside Fredericksburg, VA. Our lake community is flanked by historic battlefields and farms – making the area very peaceful and family-friendly. I have two daughters, one fifteen years and the other seventeen months. My husband contracts for the government and is the most hardworking person I’ve ever met- leaving our home at four AM every day to travel the 1.5 hours to work. On the bright side, he comes home to us by three PM every day – leaving us ample family time before bed. Few things are more important to me than family. Having said that, writing books are a birthing process and the characters I write become like family.

 

Name: Eli Constant. My full name is actually Elizabeth Constantopoulos, but try putting that on a book cover. It either has to be a small font or broken into two lines. Not pretty formatting-wise. I find I really love my ‘pen name.’

Website: www.eliconstant.com

Other contacts/social media sites:  [email protected] , Twitter: Author_EliC

Link to Amazon page and or any other places Dead Trees can be purchsed:

Amazon (kindle) http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Trees-The-Underground-ebook/dp/B00APYKD7G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360254200&sr=8-2&keywords=dead+trees%2C+eli

Barnes&Noble (nook) http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-trees-elizabeth-constantopoulos/1114013956?ean=2940016116440

 

Where did you grow up? I was born in Florida. My father was in the military so we moved rather frequently. I spent the majority of my formative years in Washington State and South Carolina.

What school did you go to? Out of high school, I headed to Columbia College – a small women’s establishment in Columbia, SC. I quite enjoyed it there, but eventually, found the all-girl environment a bit limiting. Summer after Sophomore year, I completed a research fellowship at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, TX. I fell in love with, not only the beach-y feel of the college, but also the well-funded science program. Senior year, I moved to Virginia outside DC to be near my family. After marrying my husband, I attended George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. I began my college career focusing on pre-medical. With each transfer, I found myself changing majors – struggling to figure out who I was and what I was meant to contribute to the world. Eventually, I settled on Biology. It was logical as I had the most credits in the sciences. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever be ‘finished’ with schooling.

When did you start writing? Years and years ago, when I was quite young. My grandmother has all my scribbling somewhere. I actually attended an art school and majored in creative writing the year before high school. Being a military family though, I was unable to go to the school long. This was probably a good thing as I had a creative writing teacher that lived for red ink on paper. I sometimes wonder if I would have written a book sooner if not for the discouragement of that teacher. In high school, I won the top award for a creative short story at a regional competition day. I don’t remember what the story was about exactly, but do remember it involved alien space-ducks, a little boy, and a lost yellow umbrella. 

What made you start writing? I’m not sure… maybe I was just born with the ‘itch.’

Is it something that you have always wanted to do? Yes, but I don’t think I admitted it to myself until about a year ago. I worked my hodgepodge of jobs post-college, staying the longest at a pathology lab in Sterling, VA. I took a short sabbatical from pathology and then back to it – I think after that break from the sciences, I began to realize that maybe I was walking the wrong path. Having my daughter and having the ability to stay home while she is young, has afforded me the opportunity to really dive into writing. Now I find, I can’t seem to stop.

What is your favourite genre to read, and do you have any favourite books or authors you would like to recommend? I’ve always been an avid Science Fiction fan, but I also have a great love for classics and historical fictions. I’ll never turn down and Orson Scott Card read – his work is fantastic, especially the Ender’s Game series and Alvin Maker series. Although Magic Street ranks up there too. I also quite love author Libba Bray. She has a trilogy that feels very Victorian, but beautifully weaves in the supernatural (the first book is A Great and Terrible Beauty).

What about to write? So far, I’m finding I like to write in varied genres. Dead Trees is a dark thriller with SciFi elements. Tears of Chios is an urban fantasy with mystery elements. DRAG.N. is a political semi-satire. I honestly think genre definitions are objective and sometimes unnecessary. More often than not, a book will be multi-genre and that’s what makes it so successful, layered, and dynamic.

Do you write full time? I mother fulltime right now; I write secondary to that.
 
_

Your latest book is Dead Trees, tell us all about the story/plot.  What’s it about?

Here’s the pitch for Dead Trees:

A scientist mommy battling beasties better be handy with a scalpel.

Elise Swanson is trying to give her daughters a decent childhood. This should be a simple task, but the invading undergrounders – subterranean humanoids that have existed since the dawn of mankind – make outdoor playtime a tad tricky.

After fleeing Georgia and surviving six months of bumbling self-sufficiency, Elise and her daughters meet Jason. He's tough and nature-savvy. Pit stop fights with beasties define the survival-road that the four companions navigate. The bloody pavement finally ends in Washington State at a government safe zone where the trekkers hope to build a stationary life.

A little rest and rehab would be nice, but Elise is quickly led down a path of research and deception where humanity's future isn't a priority. She becomes leader of a secret plan and long nights in the lab keep her busy. She strives to destroy the undergrounders and the life of an underhuman crossbreed hangs in the balance.

Haphazardly conceived and manufactured, the H2H (Humanoid-to-Human) chromosome-targeting nanotech has a small probability of success, but Elise has to believe it will work. Hour by hour, she becomes less confident and more emotionally compromised by the rapidly growing, stunning underhuman. Her maternal nature leads to a late-night escapade resulting in a platinum-haired, third daughter and a million uncertainties.

Fleeing her home, Elise had two loved ones to shelter. That number has risen. When the not-so-safe zone is invaded by beasties, she will save her family... no matter the consequences.

DEAD TREES is a 111k word, mature-reader Dystopian that weaves horror, levity, and science. Underneath the layers of storyline, a simple core exists – the limitless distance a mother will go to protect her children, both physically and mentally

_

What gave you the idea for Dead Trees? It all started driving home from visiting my parents. My dad had about half a dozen large, white sealable paint buckets in his basement – each were filled with a dry foods product. Next thing I knew, I had my recorder out and I was dictating the first chapter to what would become Dead Trees.

 

Who is your favourite character? That’s a bit of a tossup. I quite like Elise – finding she is, in my opinion, a very real character with very understandable worries and challenges. Then again, I’m also quite in love with Sheila-2 / Meg. The challenges she will face in the world are impossible to predict or quantify.  

 

You recently self-published. What made you decide to go down this route instead of the traditional way?  I find self-publishing gives me a certain sense of control.

 

What are your hopes for Dead Trees? I hope Dead Trees will continue to be well-received and my number of readers will slowly increase. As a debut, I’m quite happy with it. I must confess though, self-editing was a very difficult task. Even after publishing, it took me a month to work out all the kinks. Now though, I am confident that when someone purchases Dead Trees, the will be getting a put-together product. Having said that, I’m sure there’s a misplaced comma or two  - they are tricky little buggers after all. 

 

Tell us about DRAG.N DRAG.N. It’s a novella. It’s a brief, (~20k word) imaginative look at the future of America – paying special attention to a stylized viewpoint of National Healthcare. It’s been quite fun to write and was spawned during a writing contest hosted by the Kernel Magazine of London.  After DRAG.N., I’ll be hard at work preparing Tears of Chios for a late Summer release.

 

What’s the best piece of advice that you have been given in regards to your writing? Go with your gut. Just like with childrearing, a book is best ‘raised’ by its parent.

_

Additional Questions:

Q1. At the end when the beasties are screeching, does that mean they are near the camp? Ah, spoiler-alert! Guess it doesn’t ruin too much though. Yes, at the end of the book, wild-beasties have been attracted to the camp by the military helicopters. That’s all I’m saying though.

Q2. When is the sequel out? Dark Wombs: The Underground, Book Two has been planned out to the last detail. I’m hoping to tackle it after Tears of Chios is out. I wouldn’t expect it until end of this year or beginning of 2014 though.

Q3. Bone-popping sound of Undergrounder joints: I supposed I was a bit sick of the overly-used norm for sounds in regards to monsters/humanoids/alien antagonists. I felt like it was always hissing- reptilian like. I do take some inspiration from reptiles in the jerking of the heads back and forth. Anyway, it dawned on me that as the undergrounders adapted and became 'more humane-esque' that the legs (originally inverted) were moving forward and that would bring with it some bone-on-bone contact and deterioration of cartilage. So I envisioned these changing joints rubbing together- thus, the sound. Hope that makes sense.

Breakwater Harbor Books is excited to welcome Dystopian Sci-fi author Eli Constant into our fold! Constant is an exceptional author, with two published books currently available on Amazon.com and more soon to come!

For a delve into what Constant brings to BHB, take a look at her two published books, Dead Trees and DRAG.N, below. I promise you, you're going to be glad you did!

A scientist mommy battling beasties better be handy with a scalpel.

Elise Swanson is trying to give her daughters a decent childhood. This should be a simple task, but the invading undergrounders – subterranean humanoids that have existed since the dawn of mankind – make outdoor playtime a tad tricky.

After fleeing Georgia and surviving six months of bumbling self-sufficiency, Elise and her daughters meet Jason. He's tough and nature-savvy. Pit stop fights with beasties define the survival-road that the four companions navigate. The bloody pavement finally ends in Washington State at a government safe zone where the trekkers hope to build a stationary life.

A little rest and rehab would be nice, but Elise is quickly led down a path of research and deception where humanity's future isn't a priority. She becomes leader of a secret plan and long nights in the lab keep her busy. She strives to destroy the undergrounders and the life of an underhuman crossbreed hangs in the balance.

Haphazardly conceived and manufactured, the H2H (Humanoid-to-Human) chromosome-targeting nanotech has a small probability of success, but Elise has to believe it will work. Hour by hour, she becomes less confident and more emotionally compromised by the rapidly growing, stunning underhuman. Her maternal nature leads to a late-night escapade resulting in a platinum-haired, third daughter and a million uncertainties.

Fleeing her home, Elise had two loved ones to shelter. That number has risen. When the not-so-safe zone is invaded by beasties, she will save her family... no matter the consequences.

DEAD TREES is a 111k word, mature-reader Dystopian that weaves horror, levity, and science. Underneath the layers of storyline, a simple core exists – the limitless distance a mother will go to protect her children, both physically and mentally.

Reader Comments:

"I must congratulate you on what looks to be a well crafted story. Well written, too. You have obviously put a lot of thought and effort into your writing and it shows." -John P.

"What a nice change from zombies, vampires, trolls, aliens and giant earthworms. Quadruped humanoids who eat their dead are certainly monstrous enough to qualify for the role of abomination bent on killing off humankind. Your protagonist, Elise, using the first person POV makes the narrative introspective and immediate- a sympathetic character worth cheering on from one impossible situtation to the next. The dialogue is to the point, even raw at times, but always true to character. Thank you so much for the intriguing read." -Ken E.L.
 
To unearth this well written dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Trees-The-Underground-ebook/dp/B00APYKD7G/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1366910196&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=eli+sonstant

DRAG.N your attention will bind (but within these pages, no dragons you'll find).

The DRAG.N units were invented to support the marriage of the Universal Health Initiative (UHI) and Green Nation. Their purpose: mass airborne vaccinations to ensure health for all U.S. citizens. The illogically expensive vaccines serve another purpose though.
Laced with chemical agents, mescaline and fluoxetine, the vaccines have created a docile, drugged, and receptive American populace.
The anti-UHI activists are determined to takedown the DRAG.N and the corrupt healthcare system. Their planning has been meticulous, spanning nearly a year. Benton and Rachel Greer take the first steps towards raising the proverbial sword and slaying the DRAG.Ns. Will they succeed?
DRAG.N takes an imaginative look at the future of an America where human fundamental rights and freedom are an option rather than a guarantee. This novelette chronicles three days in the lives of researchers, activists, a deceptive Presidential Cabinet, and a First Lady with secrets of her own.

DRAG.N is a brief dystopian novelette, political semi-satire. Birthed during a whirlwind weekend competition, DRAG.N tells a year-long-story with a satisfying conclusion in the span of a few days. The two main themes are universally familiar: Truth will out and America should mean freedom. Without exception.
 
Reader Comment:

"This dystopian view of the world is harrowing and brilliant and impossible to put down. Smartly written and thought-provoking, it provides insight into how easily ethics can be compromised for personal gain making this seemingly far-fetched idea actually conceivable. The plot unfolds at a pace that keeps you hooked (though it does leave you wanting more). A must-read for anyone who likes smart, timely fiction with an Orwellian tint." - DasFrau, Amazon 

To get a breath of this infectious dystopian Sci-Fi read, follow the link below to Amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/DRAG-N-ebook/dp/B00C0YRR6Y/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1366911029&sr=1-2