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ISBNs
Paperback: 978-1-953736-50-5
EBook: 978-1-953736-51-2

Release Date: January 5, 2026

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FREE BOOK LAUNCH AND READING VIA ZOOM! Join us on January 5th for a FREE book launch and reading with author Meridel Newton! 
The Present Day by Day
Book Two of The Shelter Trilogy
by Meridel Newton


In a world struggling with the aftermath of catastrophe, the small community of Osto is a beacon of hope uniting ragged survivors with a creed of cooperation and equality. As the newly elected leader of the town, Amaya Bly has her hands full after a harder-than-expected winter drained limited resources and strained the population's tolerance for long, dark days and overcrowded spaces.

The aftermath of a sizable earthquake has her questioning her friendships and loyalties when news of a new nearby settlement reaches the Shelter. Amaya is suddenly faced with the unique dilemmas of leadership: How will Osto approach their new neighbors? What sort of relationship should they—can they—hope to establish? And how can they keep the malcontents within Osto from poisoning the nascent alliance without betraying their ideals?

In this second book of The Shelter Trilogy, a new cast of characters joins old favorites, intrigue threatens all, and bit by bit, humanity continues the recovery!

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Releases May 2, 2022
​
ISBNs: 

Print ISBN: 978-1-953736-12-3
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-953736-13-0​

​Download the Press Kit
The Future Second by Second
Book One of THE SHELTER TRILOGY
​by Meridel Newton


In a new America where civilization as we know it has ended, every hour counts. Everything is ticking along perfectly in the sanctuary community of Osto until a band of raiders arrives intent on violence. Vasha has led her people through the worst the world has to offer for years, but this new threat could destroy her hope for the future. She’s forced to strike a bargain with the leader of the raiders as tensions rise among the survivors and refugees who call Osto home. Old rivalries and prejudices put everything they’ve worked for at risk.  But if Vasha plays this right, she just might forge a new future for Osto. 

The Future Second by Second is the first in a series of novellas showcasing a different kind of post-apocalyptic world—one dependent on community and cooperative living. Flipping the genre of dystopia on its head, Newton understands the power of hope and collaboration in the face of an uncertain future. 
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About the Author
Meridel Newton lives in Washington, DC and works as a research analyst by day. Her writing appeared in the 1001 Knights anthology, as well as disparate self-published releases. Her work spans many genres, but always reflects her interests in environmental science, social justice, folklore, and human geography. She can be found at www.thepuppetkingdom.com and on Twitter as @ridelee.​
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Praise for The Future Second by Second
"Newton is optimistic in a way that is slowly becoming fashionable again, and it is like drinking water from an oasis of joy after wandering a desert of cynicism. The Future Second by Second dares to say that, even when the world has destroyed itself, there is still goodness and decency and sense in human hearts and human societies. In an age when we judge this species by its worst, Newton dares to say that there can be better, and that power can have an object other than power. All those who need that reminder should read this book post-haste." --Warped Factor

"[Newton's] 
focusing instead on character relationships–how understanding human relationships can be exactly the science that can save a way of life, a little at a time. How giving people their free choice is better than forcing them–no matter what the people holding the guns at your village keep would like you to think. This is a novella full of ideals (though not of sweetness and light), and this is a time when you might very well need some of that." --Marrissa Lingen

"A gripping, tense standoff in a dystopian future where survival of the fittest might just take a whole community." —Suzanne Palmer, Author of Too Like the Lightning

“Newton has developed a robust world that creates high stakes for her social experiment and sets the stage for a shift in mindset.” —Rowan Hill, reviewer

“Though the message is about how cooperation will be the salvation of the human race, The Future Second By Second doesn’t paint a rosy, fluffy picture. It is refreshing to read a realistic, hopeful take on the post-apocalyptic trend.”—Gabrielle Contelmo, reviewer

"Most post-apocalyptic stories are, naturally, dark and sad. But in her new novella The Future Second By Second (paperback, Kindle), writer Meridel Newton decided to give us something not so dour. In the following email interview, she not only explains this tonal decision, but also what inspired and influenced this hopepunk sci-fi story." --​Check out Meridel Newton's interview with Paul Semel

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  • Home
  • Books
    • Poetry >
      • Twelve
      • Field Guide to Invasive Species of Minnesota
      • Can You Sign My Tentacle?
      • Escaping the Body
      • The Gravity of Existence
      • Beautiful Malady
      • anOther Mythology
      • The Heartbeat of the Universe
      • Necessary Poisons
      • listen—a poetic creature
    • Fiction >
      • The Manticore's Vow
      • Local Star
      • Shelter Trilogy
      • Killday Series
      • The Long Fall Up
      • Small Gods of Calamity
      • Learning To Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism
      • The Butterfly Disjunct
      • The House of Illusionists
      • Club Magritte
    • Nonfiction >
      • Best Of Interstellar Flight Mag
  • Magazine
    • Masthead
    • 2020 Alternate Endings
    • 2024 Flash Fiction Series
  • Submissions
  • About
    • Staff
    • Contact
    • Media