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. 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. 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." —Ada 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 |
