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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Two nightmares. One memory.- Seconds Before Sunrise (The Timely Death Trilogy #2) by Shannon A. Thompson

Eric has weeks before his final battle when he's in an accident. Forced to face his human side, he knows he can't survive if he fights alone. But he doesn't want to surrender, even if he becomes the sacrifice for war.

Description:

Published: August 25th, 2015

Two nightmares. One memory.

"Chaos within destiny. It was the definition of our love."

Eric has weeks before his final battle when he's in an accident. Forced to face his human side, he knows he can't survive if he fights alone. But he doesn't want to surrender, even if he becomes the sacrifice for war.

Jessica's memory isn't the only thing she's lost. Her desire to find her parents is gone and so is her confidence. But when fate leaves nightmares behind, she decides to find the boy she sees in them, even if it risks her sanity.

Seconds Before Sunrise is the exciting sequel to Minutes Before Sunset by Shannon A. Thompson. Find out why readers are enthralled with the Timely Death Trilogy.

GUEST POST
Not Just A Romance Story

Recently, I read an article Meg Cabot tweeted that covered the judgment surrounding romance novels in today’s reading society. The writer, Kristan Higgins, made some great points, the main one being that a “romance” novel is a lot more than a romance, and I think this holds true for every genre. A “mystery” holds more than just a mystery, and a “thriller” has moments that are beyond thrilling. In every story, we have themes and characters and emotions and elements that go beyond whatever genre a publisher decided to label the story with (because, if we were to be perfectly honest, genres are a marketing tool and not necessarily accurate). 

That aside, I’ve learned a lot by having my latest trilogy, The Timely Death Trilogy, release as a paranormal romance. The main question I’ve been asked isn’t a surprise at all. “Is it like Twilight?” And, while yes, it is in the same genre, The Timely Death Trilogy has no vampires, no love triangles, and certainly no werewolves. Not that there is anything wrong with that! But books in the same genre can vary from topic to topic. I think the main variation comes from your voice and the layers of themes scattered throughout the work. 

While romance is certainly relevant in The Timely Death Trilogy, romance, to me, is not the central factor. Understanding identity was the main theme I set out to explore. Considering each character has two identities—one shade or light form (the paranormal form) and a human form—I knew I’d be working with the complexities of human psychology. What I never expected was for my characters to create one of my favorite world-building aspects of The Timely Death Trilogy. Whenever they change forms, their personalities shifted too. Take the side character, Jonathon Stone, for example. As a human, he’s a half-blind, borderline genius painter who remains quiet and studious, but as a shade, he can see with both eyes and reveals he can’t paint. He’s also stronger and able to fight. This is only an example, but the shifting characters—from one identity to the next—was ultimately what brought out the focus and voice of the story. It also created the chaos. Considering a war is coming up between the two sects, and no one knows who the other is, secrets are bound to destroy people. (Secrets that make up who a person is.) So, while The Timely Death Trilogy has some star-crossed moments, the trilogy is far from just a romance

We’re at war with our human selves and our paranormal selves. We’re at war not knowing who the person in front of us is. We’re at war with the lies and secrets we’ve been told. But, mainly, we’re at war with ourselves. 

Whether love is found through family, friendship, or romance, love just might help them win. 

That’s why the tagline for the sequel, Seconds Before Sunrise, is so important. 

Chaos within destiny. It was the definition of our love.”

A romance can be chaotic too. In fact, it can be everything. 
~SAT
Book One in the Timely Death Trilogy, currently FREE on Amazon!
About the author:
Shannon A. Thompson is a twenty-three-year-old author, avid reader, and habitual chatterbox. She was merely sixteen when she was first published, and a lot has happened since then. 

Thompson's work has appeared in numerous poetry collections and anthologies, and her first installment of The Timely Death Trilogy became Goodreads' Book of the Month.


4 comments:

Stephanie LaPlante said...

I always love surprises

Jan Lee said...

The children in my life would drive me to find my memory again ;)

karin said...

my family would drive me to find my memory

Bridgett Wilbur said...

Pictures of my kids.