Blog Tour: THE CHASM by Branwen O'Shea

 

The Chasm

by Branwen OShea

 

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GENRE: YA Science Fiction/Fantasy

 

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BLURB:

 

 

They thought the biggest problem they faced was each other.

 

After Bleu, Rana, and their new friends narrowly prevent war between the star beings and humans, they hope the upcoming negotiation will secure the peace. Newly emerged from their subterranean haven, the Northern Haven humans are clearly not suited to Earth’s ice age, and require assistance from the enlightened star beings to survive long term on the Surface. But Commander Savas doesn’t trust the suspiciously kind star beings and their unexplainable abilities. When both sides reluctantly negotiate a joint mission to find the other Havens, Bleu must somehow cooperate with the manipulative commander to keep his friends safe.

 

As their team confronts unexpected dangers, Bleu and his teammates begin to suspect the star beings don’t know as much about the Surface as they claimed, while Rana is torn between remaining true to her nonviolent ways or becoming more human to survive. When an unnatural predator attacks, even the nearly all-knowing Kalakanya can’t explain it. Now the team must pull together or their new discovery will pull them apart, limb by limb.

 

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Excerpt One:

 

As the sun descended behind the mountain and darkness crept across the frozen field, a strange dread seeped into Bleu’s bones. It felt like a warning, an alarm that danger lurked nearby.

 

He had known safety in Rana’s village, and he’d lost the spatial anxiety caused by the wide-open spaces of the Surface that differed so much from the cozy walls and tunnels of home. No, this unease wasn’t spatial anxiety to the openness of the sky and horizon.

 

This was different, and perhaps a bit similar to what Kahali feared. Bleu had never faced the possibility of other humans with guns. His team sat out in the open, exposed. The meager light from the cooking fire did nothing against the shroud of blackness surrounding them. No safe walls protected them from physical attacks or bullets. And then, there were the unknown predators of the region.

 

His earlier excitement of finding the footprints evaporated, leaving behind a gnawing awareness of their vulnerability. The darkness beyond the campfire could be punctured any moment by monstrous claws or gunfire. Childhood tales of the evil Undescended crowded his mind with images so ludicrously terrible that he wanted to laugh at himself.

 

Instead, he checked that they were all armed and sent Savas and Neviah to make sure the helicopters were locked. Animal calls and crunching footsteps drifted down the mountains as if something were encircling them. Even the confident star beings kept glancing out into the night. They should be comfortable in such wilderness, right?

 

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What are the key elements in your stories and how are they unique?

My series was inspired by teens who told me they couldn’t imagine a better world. They felt humanity was destined to recreate the same issues over and over, mainly war and destruction of the environment. While my future ice age series is ultimately an epic globe-spanning adventure, it also explores whether or not human society is capable of changing from these millennia-old patterns.

The humans of Northern Haven, the last known survivors of a new ice age, emerge from their underground haven to discover they’re no longer the dominant species. The mystical star beings will not tolerate interpersonal violence and destruction of the environment, but the people of Northern Haven must do something to survive the horrible predators and situations they face. Great care was taken to present both sides (violence/nonviolence and control versus cooperation) so readers can find their own conclusions. As I wrote it, I often found myself agreeing with both sides. It’s structured with five points of view, both human teens and star being teens, exploring how they can possibly create a harmonious existence when the human society as a whole is bent on doing things the way they’ve always done to survive.

All this occurs on a backdrop of tentative friendships between the species, often with humorous results—it’s hard enough to be an awkward teen without struggling to get along with star beings who can read your mind. There’s also betrayals, dangerous sentient predators, morally-grey characters, several expedition team members who have crushes on each other, and missions where enemies must cooperate to survive. So, while it has some common YA tropes, its unique in how directly the story itself explores the issues of control and violence versus cooperation and nonviolence. 

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

As a young girl, Branwen wanted to become an ambassador for aliens. Since the aliens never hired her, she now writes about them.

 

Branwen OShea has a Bachelors in Biology from Colgate University, a Bachelors in Psychology, and a Masters in Social Work. She lives in Connecticut with her family and a menagerie of pets, and enjoys hiking, meditating, and star-gazing. Her published works include Silence of the Song Trees, The Calling, The Cords That Bind, and The Chasm.

 

 

Website: www.branwenoshea.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/branwenoshea

Instagram: www.instagram.com/branwenoshea

Facebook: www.facebook.com/branwenoshea

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/branwenoshea

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/branwenoshea

 

The Chasm (Book 2) on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QFPHQVN

The Calling (Book 1) on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735915998

The Cords That Bind (Book 1.1) on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CSK4813

 

 

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GIVEAWAY

 

Branwen OShea will be awarding $30 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway