NBtM - Author Interview & Giveaway - The Heaviness of Knowing by Sharolyn G. Brown

The Heaviness of Knowing

by Sharolyn G. Brown

GENRE: Science Fiction

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BLURB:

Roxal has spent her life using her Dream Traveler ability in service to Trebor’s gods, The Keepers. Even after she learns they aren’t all powerful like she was taught, she dutifully continues to manipulate an Earth woman named Lauren to do their bidding. Roxal’s content pretending to be a loyal follower, until her mate’s activities with a rebel faction put both of their lives in jeopardy.

Meanwhile on Earth, Lauren is struggling to find balance at work and at home. To make matters worse, she develops an acute case of insomnia which disrupts her life. While trying to cure her condition, Lauren discovers that not only do aliens exist, but that she’s been in contact with one for most of her life. And that’s just for starters. 

Now Lauren’s world is turned upside down. And Roxal has to figure out if she can harness the survival instincts which before told her to hide and use it to now fight for her survival.

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EXCERPT:

In the dark, with their sleeping unit’s covering pulled up to their necks, Roxal placed her hands against Edo’s naked stomach and used them to communicate.

What has happened? Roxal asked in the hand signal language Edo had taught her. Why are the Reps looking for traitors now?

I am not sure, exactly. I thought it too dangerous to meet with my Resistor contacts after the assembly. But... he paused during his response.

But what? she prodded.

Roxal, you have always asked that I not give you details because you did not want to get involved. The questions you are asking will get you involved.

This time Roxal paused before answering Edo because he was right. Even after her moment of defiance and after learning their gods were fake, and that her mission with Lauren was a lie, and that she was actually a slave, Roxal had asked him to not give her any details on the activities of the Resistors. She had thought that by not knowing any of the details about the Resistors, she could keep herself safe by denying membership. However, today had shown her otherwise. The sight of the Helper pleading for her life while declaring her innocence had shown Roxal that there was no such thing as being safe.

She finally admitted to herself, that as a slave to The Keepers and the Reps, her life was forfeit from the moment she was created. Appeasing her gods and the Reps could keep her alive. But if they ever decided that she should die, she now knew there was nothing she could say or do to stop it.

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Talking with author Sharolyn G. Brown! 

What is your writing environment?

I am fortunate enough to have an office in my home where I write. It’s quiet, and most importantly, it is my personal space where I can keep all my ‘piles of stuff’. I’m not always at my computer when an idea about a story strikes. So I often make notes on whatever is handy. Thankfully, because I have an office, I can leave these important scraps of paper lying around and not have to worry about someone accidentally throwing them away. 

Who is your perfect hero/heroine and why?

I don’t know that I have a perfect heroine, though I do have heroines that I admire. Two of those are Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) from the Alien movies, and Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) from Terminator 2: Judgment Day. As people, they were definitely not perfect. But what I love about these two characters is the transformation they went through from when we first meet their characters to when they are kicking butt and not worrying about taking names. They both were willing to do whatever was necessary to beat the enemy, even if it meant sacrificing a bit of their humanity in the process. 

What authors have caught your interest lately and why?

I like well executed interesting premises. Two authors that I have just started reading are Nnedi Okorafor and Kory M. Shrum. Okorafor’s novella Binti is interesting because it shows a young girl risking her place in her closed society to chase an opportunity that has been presented to her. In making this choice her life is drastically changed in a way she could not have expected. 

Shrum’s novel Dying by the Hour is interesting because it’s set in a world where some people have a medical condition that allows them to come back from the dead. And not as zombies but as themselves. There are some deaths from which you cannot recover, such as being beheaded. But I found it interesting that this ability to come back from the dead has a scientific (fictionally scientific) explanation and has lead to death replacement being an industry. It’s a very interesting take on what could be considered zombies. 

What type of book have you always wanted to write?

I have always wanted to write books that would tell interesting stories about characters that seem real. It just so happens that my stories that I write have science fiction elements in them. And what I mean by that is, The Heaviness of Knowing tells the story of a woman named Roxal, who knows this big secret but pretends that she doesn’t because it makes her life easier. However, when she can no longer pretend to not know the truth, she has to figure out how to fight. Essentially, she learns that ignoring the truth does not make it go away. The fact that she happens to be an alien and that these aliens want to invade Earth is just my spin on the story.

Top 3 things on your bucket list?

In no particular order, my top three bucket list items are:

·       To travel to all seven (7) continents. I have been four (4) so far and only have South America, Asia, and Antarctica left to visit.

·       To experience true weightlessness during suborbital spaceflight. Once companies like Virgin Galactic are functional, I hope to be able to afford a ride.

·       Become a full-time writer. I enjoy my current job as an engineer, but my passion is writing. I’m working towards being able to write full-time. 

How did you get the idea for this particular novel?

I was inspired to write The Heaviness of Knowing by a conversation with a friend who told me she never dreams. It made me wonder why some people remember their dreams, and others don’t. My imagination took over and came up with an idea involving aliens who were using our dreams to invade the Earth.

What is your favorite scene in your new release?

My favorite scene in The Heaviness of Knowing is when Roxal has to decide if she is going to wait for her scheduled execution or if she will take the one, slim, chance to possibly escape. I like that scene because that is the start of Roxal becoming her own person. She isn’t fully where she will be by the end of the series, but these were her first step. 

What are you working on now and when can we expect it to be available?

I’m working on a novella about Edo, Roxal’s mate in The Heaviness of Knowing. I will be giving this novella away to newsletter subscribers starting in October. I’m also working on Book 2 of the Conscious Dreamer Series. Roxal and Lauren had to make tough decisions in Book 1. Book 2 will show what happens as a result of the decisions each woman made. I’m working to have it ready for release by May 2017.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Because I do still have a full-time job in addition to my writing, most of my time away from work is spent writing. But, what little time I do take away from my writing I spend with husband, with my friends, or reading or watching TV.

What is one interesting fact about you that readers don’t know?

An interesting fact about me is that I love chocolate, in all forms, except for when it’s combined with mint. Chocolate covered mints should be outlawed, in my opinion. They are the most disgusting food ever imagined.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Sharolyn G. Brown is a lifelong science fiction and fantasy fan who decided the best way to deal with all of the characters in her head was to give them stories and put them in a book. She lives with her husband in Houston, Texas where she divides her time between working, writing, and spending time with him.

For more information about Sharolyn, check out her website www.sharolyngbrown.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook (http://smarturl.it/SGBrownFB), Twitter (http://smarturl.it/SGBrownTweet), and Instagram (http://smarturl.it/SGBrownIGram). To keep up with the latest news, please sign up for her Newsletter (http://smarturl.it/SGBrownNewsletter).

http://www.sharolyngbrown.com/

AMAZON

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GIVEAWAY:

Sharolyn G. Brown will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway