Author: Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Published: August 30th, 2013 by Clean Teen
Publishing
Word Count: approx. 92,000
Genre: YA Mature Dystopian Romance
Content Warning: Non-graphic Violence
Recommend Age: 14+
Synopsis: Rosa never thought she’d make it to
sixteen...
When being unique puts you in danger and speaking your mind can be punishable
by death, you might find yourself
fighting to survive. Sixteen-year-old Rosa lives in one of the eight enclosed
cities of The Woodlands. Where the lone survivors of a devastating race
war have settled in the Russian wilderness because it’s the only scrap of land
left habitable on the planet. In these circular cities, everyone must abide by
the law or face harsh punishment. Rosa's inability to conform
and obey the rules brands her a leper and no one wants to be within
two feet of her, until she meets Joseph. He's blonde, fair-skinned, green-eyed,
and the laid-back complete opposite of Rosa. She's never met anyone quite like
him, and she knows that spells danger.
But differences weren't always a bad thing. People used to think being unique was one of the most treasured of traits to have. Now, the Superiors, who ruthlessly control the concrete cities with an iron fist, are obsessed with creating a 'raceless' race. They are convinced this is the only way to avoid another war. Any anomalies must be destroyed.
The Superiors are unstoppable and can do anything they want. After all, they are considered superheroes by the general public. But not everyone sees them this way. When they continue to abuse their power by collecting young girls for use in their secret, high-tech breeding program, they have no idea that one of those girls has somehow managed to make friends even she didn't know she had. And one man will stop at nothing to save her.
But differences weren't always a bad thing. People used to think being unique was one of the most treasured of traits to have. Now, the Superiors, who ruthlessly control the concrete cities with an iron fist, are obsessed with creating a 'raceless' race. They are convinced this is the only way to avoid another war. Any anomalies must be destroyed.
The Superiors are unstoppable and can do anything they want. After all, they are considered superheroes by the general public. But not everyone sees them this way. When they continue to abuse their power by collecting young girls for use in their secret, high-tech breeding program, they have no idea that one of those girls has somehow managed to make friends even she didn't know she had. And one man will stop at nothing to save her.
About the Author:
Lauren Nicolle Taylor is a 33-year-old
mother living in the tiny, lush town of Bridgewater on the other side of the
world in Australia. She married her high school sweetheart and has three very
boisterous and individual children. She earned a Bachelors degree in Health
Sciences with Honours in Obstetrics and Gynecology and majored in Psychology
while minoring in Contemporary Australian Writing.
After a disastrous attempt to build her dream house that left her family homeless, She found herself inexplicably drawn to the computer. She started writing, not really knowing where it may lead but ended up, eight weeks later, with the rough draft of The Woodlands.
In 2013, Lauren Nicolle Taylor accepted a publishing contract with Clean Teen Publishing. Her first published novel, The Woodlands, was released on August 30, 2013. Currently, Lauren has finished her manuscript for the second book in the series titled: The Wall, as well as partially completed the third book in the series which at this time is unnamed.
After a disastrous attempt to build her dream house that left her family homeless, She found herself inexplicably drawn to the computer. She started writing, not really knowing where it may lead but ended up, eight weeks later, with the rough draft of The Woodlands.
In 2013, Lauren Nicolle Taylor accepted a publishing contract with Clean Teen Publishing. Her first published novel, The Woodlands, was released on August 30, 2013. Currently, Lauren has finished her manuscript for the second book in the series titled: The Wall, as well as partially completed the third book in the series which at this time is unnamed.
Clean Teen Publishing Links:
Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
If US:
GRAND PRIZE: Print copy of The Woodlands, bookmark, surprise Clean Teen Publishing swag gift, and reader’s choice of two digital Clean Teen Publishing books.
If INT:
GRAND PRIZE: $10 Electronic Amazon Gift Card, The Woodlands bookmark, surprise Clean Teen Publishing swag gift, and reader’s choice of two digital Clean Teen Publishing books.
GRAND PRIZE: Print copy of The Woodlands, bookmark, surprise Clean Teen Publishing swag gift, and reader’s choice of two digital Clean Teen Publishing books.
If INT:
GRAND PRIZE: $10 Electronic Amazon Gift Card, The Woodlands bookmark, surprise Clean Teen Publishing swag gift, and reader’s choice of two digital Clean Teen Publishing books.
Clara is a ray of light in Rosa’s dark world. Despite the horrors she’s had to endure she still maintains a positivity that drives Rosa crazy. A lot of the time, Clara seems like she’s floating off on another plane of existence, talking about the beauty of the moon as they run from ravenous wolves. But she is wise and calm, her love for her unborn child, not a weakness as Rosa’s thinks, but a strength.
Tell us about your next release.
The Wall is the sequel to The Woodlands and is set for release on the 11th October 2013. The Wall follows the same characters whilst introducing some new ones, as they struggle to fit in a new and foreign world. Relationships will grow and change, new enemies will make themselves known and horrific truths will be uncovered.
What one word best describes you?
Irrepressible.
What do you think makes a good story?
I love a book I
can’t put down, one that I’m thinking about during and well after I’ve finished
it. I need strong, flawed characters that move through the story at a
relatively fast pace.
How do you develop your plots and your characters?
I never had much
of a plan when I started writing. In all honesty, my characters and plot just
jumped out of my head and onto the page as I was writing. In all three books, I
wrote one pivotal scene first that usually landed towards the end of the book. I
then spent the rest of my time trying to write up to that scene.
Growing up would you say you were a
girlie girl or tom boy?
My childhood was
spent in a lush and beautiful garden developed lovingly by my mother over 20
years. But before it was a complete gorgeous, fairy oasis, parts of it were a
mud pit and I could usually be found somewhere out there, buried knee deep in
dirt, sitting in the creek at the bottom of the property or up a tree. I had
hand-me-down Barbie dolls but they general suffered gruesome fates at my hands,
hair cut off, legs in armholes and heads in legholes. I spent my most of my
time outside, building things, destroying things and getting dirty. So I’d say
I was definitely more of a tom boy than a girlie girl.
I’m a bit of a
Bill Lawrence fan and love Scrubs and Cougar Town. I was also a massive Buffy
fan. I’ll watch pretty much anything except for crime/murder shows. My current
favourites are The Mindy Project and Mad Men.
What songs are most played on your Ipod?
According to my
itunes library:
Feel Good About it - Marching Band
Love Will Take You - Angus and Julia
Stone
Closer - Joshua Radin
Something Pretty - Patrick Park
Perth - Bon Iver
Heartbeats - Jose Gonzales
Give a Little Love- Noah and The Whale
Requiem on Water - Imperial Mammoth
Feeding Line - Boy and Bear
Thanks so much for the guest post :)
ReplyDeleteI think the book sounds fantastic and wish you greatness to come.
ReplyDelete