Today on Novels On The Run I have my stop on the SHUDDER blog tour. You will find a promo and excerpt.
Michelle
Shudder (Stitch Triology #2)
By Samantha Durante
Publication Date: June 15th, 2013
Young Adult/New Adult
Genre: Dystopian, Paranormal Romance, Post-Apocalyptic
SYNOPSIS
-- Book 2 in the Stitch Trilogy --
It's only been three days, and already everything is different.
Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa's life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she'd counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she'd thought she'd tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she's discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.
And then there are the visions.
The memory-altering "stitch" unlocked something in Alessa's mind, and now she can't shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers - and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world's sorry history - will soon leave Alessa reeling...
The second installment in the electrifying Stitch Trilogy, Shudder follows Samantha Durante's shocking and innovative debut with a heart-pounding, paranormal-dusted dystopian adventure sure to keep the pages turning.
EXCERPT
Hundreds of acid voices swarmed about her, their derisive gibes poking at her ears as she shuffled her way through the crowd. Stumbling over a loose rock, she caught herself, steadying her breath as it dawned on her that they’d all been gathered here for one purpose: to kill her.
She couldn’t see where they were taking her with the thick canvas bag slung over her head, and even if she managed to shirk the binds holding her wrists, she doubted she’d have anywhere to run. The rebels couldn’t possibly risk a rescue; there were just too many people. And with this damn bag over her head, her allies probably didn’t even realize it was her.
Resigned, she did her best to hold her head high through the mob’s suffocating contempt, fighting the tug of the rope around her neck that propelled her ever forward. She knew he was enjoying this, having her on a leash. After all they’d done to her, everything they’d put her through, it was this one last indignity that stung the most. She’d almost rather die than suffer their abuse again. Almost.
All too soon her feet ceased scraping against gravel and landed on wood. His footsteps ahead of her beat in time with her stock-still heart – thump, thump, thump – and she slowly ascended the stairs behind him, determined not to fall. He could drag her to her death like a dog, but she would follow with grace. That much she was determined to do.
As they mounted the platform, a heavy silence cascaded through the crowd. She straightened her spine and threw back her shoulders as the ominous hush threatened to crush her chest. For a moment, the world stood still and her only sensation was that of snow flurries drifting onto her clasped fingers where they rested behind her back. For a moment, the serenity took her breath away.
And then the peace was broken by the rasp of his voice, and she shot straight back to reality.
“People of Paragon,” he began. “You have been gathered here today to serve justice to one of your own.”
His words cut through the cool winter air, stirring the rancor of the mob into an audible hum. She braced herself for whatever lies came next.
“As a society of equals, we all have a responsibility to keep our community safe from the ravages of the outside world. As you know, the deadly virus that put us here still lurks beyond our gates. We are under constant attack from a vicious plague that would claim us all if given the chance. And this woman –” She felt him drop the rope and take a step away from her. “This woman would let it in!”
Her ears burned, but she remained staid. She had done no such thing, and he knew it. But the crowd didn’t. And the people of Paragon were incensed.
“What we must decide today is her fate. Should this woman be forgiven her transgression, and be allowed to take her place among us once more?”
AUTHOR BIO:
Samantha Durante lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband, Sudeep, and her cat, Gio. Formerly an engineer at Microsoft, Samantha left the world of software in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and a lifelong love of writing. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management & Technology, Samantha is currently working full time for her company Medley Media Associates as a freelance business writer and communications consultant. The Stitch Trilogy is her debut series. Learn more about Samantha at www.samanthadurante.com.
Connect with Samantha Durante
Facebook: Stitch Trilogy | Author Samantha Durante
Twitter: @SamanthaDurante | Hashtag suggestions: #Stitch, #StitchTrilogy, #Shudder
