About The Authors:
Suki Michelle is a life-long Chicagoan, happily divorced and still good friends with her Ex. She lives and writes with her soul-mate, Carlyle Clark. She has one beautiful daughter, Bree, who is the first reader and critic of The Apocalypse Gene, and without her input, it wouldn't be nearly as cool! Suki's other children are of the four-legged type, Dahlia, the German shepherd; Kilala the lazy calico chub-cat; and Koney, the tortoise-shell demon cat from the Seventh Ring.
Carlyle Clark is a burly dude from San Diego. He can look menacing at a glance, but as soon as he opens his mouth, pure intellectual. They are eternally grateful for the day they met at an on-line writer's workshop. They've been together for four years. On the outside. Suki and Carlyle are totally disparate. On the inside, they are the REAL Neo-Twins. You'll have to read The Apocalypse Gene to find out who the Neo-Twins are, but here's a hint: They are twisted devils with mirror-melded auras.
As writers, Suki and Carlyle have complementary skill sets. Lyle is plot master and edgy dialoguer. He is a huge fan of Japanese anime, and he draws upon this to choreograph fight scenes. Suki enjoys painting a character's emotional landscape and writing vivid descriptions. They both have wild imagination.
Suki and Carlyle treasure every opportunity to share their work.
Find Suki Michelle on the Web:
Find Carlyle Clark on the Web:
Guest Post:
Why I Always Wanted to be a Writer
by Carlyle Clark, Co-Author, The Apocalypse Gene
I’ve always wanted to be a writer because my head is crowded with characters, and they want out. No, not just want – demand! They are ever-morphing beings whose actions and adventures are constantly being imagined and re-imagined. This makes them restless and unhappy inside my head. Who would want to exist like that? Not my characters. They want to live.
They want to experience the world, travel strange new settings, and face compelling conflicts. They are not content to be idle, filled with angst, to bemoan their fate. The characters that populate my brain yearn to take their fate in hand. They will not be denied, and so I write – for them – for their freedom, so they can live.
But here is the most incredible thing about being a writer, a spinner of tales, a teller of stories. If you tell them well enough, strangers will want to read them. In fact, they will pay you for the privilege. Every writer’s dream is to spend every waking minute bringing those characters to life and share them with others who will love them as much as the writer does. A skillful writer has that rare ability to enthrall and entertain no matter what the genre. What a feeling! To touch people in this way, make them cry, laugh, bite their nails, and wipe their brows with anticipation, and to ask the question all writers hope to inspire - what happens next?
Many who have read The Apocalypse Gene have thanked us for providing that very experience, and there is no greater thrill. My co-writer, Suki Michelle, and I want nothing more than to be welcomed into your life so we can continue to do just that. To paraphrase the great and prolific master, Stephen King, “We want your hearts”.
How does a writer touch a heart? By designing the cleverest of plots? By making up fantastical settings? These things are wonderful, but they are not enough. There is only one element, if skillfully executed, that has that magic power. It lies with characters, you know - the ones that occupy that cramped and bustling space in my mind.
Think of the stories you love, be they books, or movies, or mini-series, sure there are some that you are awed by and enjoy because of some aspect or another, a Sixth Sense twist, or a fascinating DaVinci Code type mystery. But I will wager the vast majority of the tales you cherish are because you love the characters. You care what happens to them. You truly care.
That is why I’ve always wanted to be a writer. It’s about love. We bring the characters we love to the page, but that’s not enough. We inspire you to love them too. Just look at all the love we offer to the world!
To learn more about The Apocalypse Gene, please visit http://www.theapocalypsegene.com
The Apocalypse Gene:
Title: The Apocalypse Gene
Author: Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark
Publisher: Parker Publishing
Publication Date: October 17, 2011
With Pandemic ravaging the globe, Olivya's psychic Sight compels her to see auras riddled with the colors of despair, and now her mother is infected.
Olivya’s only hope is the mysterious Mikah, a powerful Empath who claims the Pandemic is linked to his clan, the Kindred, and their brooding, monstrous, Immortal Lord. But can she trust this boy who can manipulate her very emotions?
With Mikah's aid, Olivya races to unearth Kindred secrets, desperate to find a cure, only to discover the Pandemic is far, far more than a mere disease . . .
Find The Apocalypse Gene Online:
Book Excerpt:
Visit the following link to read Chapter 1:
http://www.theapocalypsegene.com/excerpts.html
Book Trailer:
Blurbs:
~ForeWord Reviews
"Imagine you had the key to saving the world, but at great danger to yourself.
That is the premise behind the riveting new young adult fantasy novel, The Apocalypse Gene, set in the not-so-distant future of 2032.
Authors Michelle and Clark frequently use luminous prose in this engrossing novel . . . With its snappy, razor-sharp dialogue and wildly vivid imagery, the book, while geared toward young adults, has plenty for adults to enjoy as well. This is the first novel in a series by this author duo; an impressive endeavor."
~Kirkus Reviews (Selected as Critics' Picks)
"This action-packed, breakneck-paced novel featuring a duo of lovestruck teenaged protagonists is a wildly imaginative young-adult apocalyptic thriller that also utilizes elements of science fiction, fantasy, folklore, mythology and romance.
Ultimately, this is a novel about belief—believing in yourself, your friends, your family and the future—“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.”
The well-choreographed, thematically powerful conclusion, coupled with the deeply developed characters of Olivya and Mikah, make this a memorable read."
Happy reading until next time!
Thank you so much! We truly appreciate everything you've done for our book.
ReplyDeleteWe wish you peace, love, and wonder!!
Suki