Karma City
byGardner Browning
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GENRE: science fiction contemporary/post-apocalyptic
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BLURB:
A microscopic parasite has crippled humanity with night terrors and paralyzing anxiety. In this world of increasing dystopia, hope yet remains in Karma City. But when mercenary drifter, Jameson Shoals, learns that a famous scientist has created a stronger parasite to kill the original, it isn’t until the bodies litter the streets that he realizes the horrifying truth: the new parasite is a killer with a mind of its own, and upon dominating Patient Zero, this killer acquires legs, hands, and eyes. It falls upon Shoals and his partner, a deadly female mercenary, to stop PZ and his mob before they can overcome and supplant humankind.
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EXCERPT:
Jameson Shoals crouched to keep his balance atop the speeding train. The wind beat against his leather jacket, scattering his collar length, brunet hair over his eyes like a frayed, muddy rag. The scalding steam and smoke puffing from the locomotive singed his nostrils. Raising his shotgun at the attacker standing only a few feet away, he shouted, “You’re in a real heap of shit, pal.”
The man glared at Jameson, with blond hair framing his gaunt face like tendrils of fire . His
spindly legs backed to the edge of the train car roof with unnatural balance. “You should consider your own life,” he hissed. Amber light burned in the man’s hollow, jack-o-lantern eyes. “Detonation is imminent.”
Before Jameson could shoot, the man leapt from the train, flipping backward and vanishing into the night.
A Word From the Author:
1.Did you always want to be an author?
No. My first dream was becoming a professional wrestler. It was the only thing I ever wanted as a child.
2.Tell us about the publication of your first book.
My first book, The Legend of Black Water, was sadly the victim of a scammer. A small press in Wisconsin called Port Town Publishing was run by a woman masquerading as an author, editor and publisher. I was devastated when my first case of books arrived at my home and when I opened the paperback, page one fell in my lap and the title was misspelled. Dried glue was all over the spine and the had not received editing and was full of typos. Very embarrassing. I later found out that the woman had robbed churches, used fake names and even faked a cancer diagnosis to received charity. She was shut down after the other authors she scammed made enough noise. I received a letter from Superior Court reverting all rights back to me and stating that no money was owed to me for royalties not paid. It was a nightmare from start to finish. Maybe someday I’ll dust off the manuscript and see if I can get some interest in it. But I’m never one to take steps backward. I learned a lot from the experience and it made me wise in many ways.
3.Besides yourself, who is your favorite author in the genre you write in?
I’m not my own favorite. My favorite authors are Robert E. Howard, Ray Bradbury, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Michael Crichton.
4.What's the best part of being an author? The worst?
The best part of being an author is being able to create worlds full of life, love and conflict and then handing that world to someone else to enjoy. I spent six years on Karma City, my heart and mind stuck in that setting and with those characters. Now, to hold that world in book form and hand it to someone else so they can go there too, is a very powerful and moving thing.
The worst part of being a writer (and this is my personal feeling on it) is that when I’m deeply engaged in writing a novel, it can consume me. It becomes all I think about and that can be very stressful when I’m also balancing the many other aspects of my life. Writing requires a great amount of personal time. Sometimes, it is hard to get that “quiet time” or that “time alone” to write and that can be frustrating because the story is always there, nagging, pulling, and rolling around in my mind. It doesn’t stop until the work is done.
5.What are you working on now?
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Gardner Michael Browning is an award-winning author and professional wrestler. In addition to receiving a New Hampshire Literary Award, two of his novels were part of an international English literacy program for middle grade readers. Browning enjoys classic literature, fishing, playing guitar and spending time with his family.
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AGardner+Browning&s=relevancerank&text=Gardner+Browning&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1
The book will be on sale for $0.99.
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE:
Gardner Browning will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
